Hi all, Ive just travelled to the US and purchased a very nice all steel 32 Tudor which is shortly being shipped home to New Zealand. The car was rodded about 8 or 9 years ago and Im told the body sits on the original chassis which is now boxed. There isnt any history on the car as it changed hands a few times but to get it road leagal here as a 1932 car, I need to get history at least for 20 years to prove it is an original chassis and body. The chassis has a modern aluminium plate with a chassis number on it and it reads 1868409 with a star at each end of the number. The car comes from Pleasanton in California and its been around there and possibly Nevada at some stage as some paperwork indicates it was a lot in an auction by Silver Auctions. Probably a long shot but anybody know the car or can give me info on that chassis number?
Nice score, Sorry can't help with any history on the sedan. You Kiwis are very lucky that you can import Hot Rods. Here in Australia the authorities have gone mad, and unless it's a very, very original car then it is unlikely to get approval. Plus you guys don't have to have fenders or cycle guards which is a bonus too. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Nice score.... VIN#......................http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_serialnumbers.htm K
That's interesting that they want 20 years of history.....being American...I always thought of New Zealand as more "wild west" then what we are here. Hope it gets titled easily. Congratulations on your purchase. THAT is a very nice car.
Nice car! Look forward to seeing it one day. Is it possible that someone in their wisdom used/recorded the original chassis number before they covered up the actual number on the chassis?
This is probably of no help, but here's the sedan for sale at 2005 Pleasanton GG show. I liked everything about the car except the price, which seemed pretty high in 2005. Mick []
Hey man-thats a huge help. The owners cell phone number is there so I could probably get hold of him to see if he has more info or old photos. The price mightve looked high but this car had a lot spent on it and still looks as good now(maybe even better)
Looks like you got a really nice car Peter. I delivered mine to the new owner Sunday with a little bit of sadness.
Concerning that aluminum plate with the VIN attached, I do think your VIN, which sounds correct with a star at either end, needs to be stamped into the top flange of the left rail (driver's side) a few inches in front of the firewall foot contact point so as to be easily read by raising the left hood panel. Wish all you Aussies and N.Z.ers would bring your vast abilities with you and move to the U.S., maybe Texas ?
with a car that good I think you need to get it on the road asap cant you get a mate in usa to write you a history
What does the title show the car as; 1932 Ford or is it registered as a 'special construction'? If it's registered as a 1932 I'd think that would be a huge advantage to registering it as a 1932. As Gary mentioned, there should be VIN #'s stamped in the top of the drivers side frame rail (IIRC, 3 places). Do a search as there's been plenty of threads on this. "I need to get history at least for 20 years to prove it is an original chassis and body." Is the frame an original 1932 or aftermarket? How does 20 years of history prove it's an original chassis/body? Repro frames and bodies have been around a lot longer than that. Tubl's answer may be a creative way to get it registered.
The car looks like it was assembled from a number of catalog parts, and probably built within the last 10 years or so. Before that, the history might be just a car body that was found. The fact that they stamped a number on a sheet of aluminum using a star set doesn't help. If it had an original frame, you could lift the hood and see part of the number on the farm rail. The 4-bar set up in front, the boxed frame, might be an after market frame, rails, etc. The whole front end is out of a catalog, lights, spreader bars, grille/shell are all aftermarket from what I see. It's a nice car, why not just make up some history for anything beyond 10 years? Who in NZ is going to do a background check on a '32 car from the USA? I don't think they have the resources, it's not like they are hooked up to the CA DMV. If you need a history typed up on CA DMV papers, I'll do it, I'll help you out. my .02
Looks like it is probably an original frame. No aftermarket looking center section. Looks to me like someone put the vin tag pretty close to or on top of one of the locations on the frame that would have originally been stamped at the factory. There are two more locations that were stamped on the same side one about midway down the frame and another at the rear kick-up. Obviously you have to get the body off to see them if they are still there. Could have been a vin change to match paperwork or the original number was no longer legible and the owner put this on. Obviously either way it had to be a while ago before the more intense scrutiny the DMV gives old car registration now days; at least in CA.
You can see the little angled indent where the cowl hoop bolts down, That to me at least would indicate it was an original frame. Whether the number on the plate matches the number on the frame is another matter. It says fresh build in 2005 so it may be hard to prove 20 years of history.
I look forward to seeing it when you get it back. Pete Clothier was telling me about a mate of his bringing in a 32 Tudor, what a good looking car. Have you run the requirements for certing this car past Mark Stokes or another certifier? Russell
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