Vin for 1929 R29?

[Whaler Bob]

Trying to register a my 1929 Woodie Hack in California .

Highway Patrol Inspector insists there must be a secondary vin number location. 

Any ideas? (other than moving the dickens out of here!)

[Matt Harwood]

By what number is it currently titled? Engine number, frame number, some arbitrary serial number? That can make a difference. Model As were titled by engine number and frame number, which should match, but engines got swapped all the time and the body has to be removed to see the frame number. Usually they aren't that militant about it, but some can be.

 

I've often found that bringing documentation describing the location of the serial number (and that it's in only one place) can be helpful. Most inspectors don't work with old cars and try to make old cars fit into their experience with new cars--I took a car in for a VIN inspection and offered to show them where the VIN was on the frame as well as on the body, but they said with an attitude, "We know where all the VINs are." OK then. Four hours later, one of them came out and asked me to show him where the VIN was located on the frame. I recon about two hours of that was them trying to figure out who was going to have to eat humble pie and go out and ask for help.

 

Failing with reason and documentation, find another inspector and start over. They're individuals and some are so sure of their own knowledge that they won't accept help and won't make it easy on you because they know the rules and you don't so shut up and do what you're told, citizen (look up the Dunning-Kruger Effect, wherein stupid people don't know they're stupid and are actually very confident in the completeness of their knowledge but smart people tend to know enough to know they don't know it all).  Another inspector might be better versed in old cars or at least willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.

 

And, of course, there's always the option of hiding a serial number tag or stamping the number somewhere else on the car so they can find it, but you didn't hear that from me.

 

 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)