Hi, I'm looking at a project car it's a orig 27 roadster on a orig 29 A frame. He has it titled as a 27 using the Model A frame number. The frame number does match the title. Is this common or am I looking a problem down the road? Thanks for any help.
I got a Crosley on an A Chassis, not yet titled but it will be titled as a '48 Crosley and I may end up using the A numbers. Lost of cars get titled by the body style or model as opposed to the frame because the body is more recognizable to whomever is looking at it.
Any DMV agent worth his salt will be able to quickly find out if your number is in the correct range for your year of car. If the number is not in that series, RED FLAG. Now, your state (or that particular agent) may not care much, but sometime that car is going to be sold and the next guy might have problems. I wouldn't want those problems.
That is correct it depends on where you live I think. There was a guy here in Missouri that was using the late big twin Yamaha motors and building a frame etc that made it resemble a '30s Excelsior V twin. I don't remember the year exactly that he was titling as but he was getting bonded titles using the Yamaha numbers as '30s Excelsior motorcycles. Missouri didn't;'t care at all. That would fly in Missouri but gawd save ya if you moved to say Calif and wanted to change the title over.
I can't see it being an issue if you have a current title with a number on the car. Not sure what it's like in other states but here in Wisconsin I have never heard of anyone "official" ever checking a title number against a car, ever. Even if they did, who would know that it's a Model A number on a '27 title? No one will ever bother to dig that deep. I think people get overly sensitive when it comes to titling, when really the state just wants it's fees and to make sure the car isn't stolen. Sounds like your title covers both of those aspects just fine. Reselling out of state might cause an issue, depending on the state, but as far as just buying it to use it, if you can put plates on it I say go for it.
if you are just transferring an existing title there is no investigation, they just run the number to see if it shows up hot or with another owner. its when you apply for a new title that some one may catch that the model A numbers dont fit in a 27 year car. i would not worry about it myself.
Back in the late 70's in Wash state, I bought a old POS 4 WD truck to haul gravel and lumber for a house I was building. The fenders, hood, doors and bed were the same color but the cab was a different color. When I went to the State Patrol to get it inspected, the officer said that the title didn't match the body numbers. He stated that nobody would steal this truck and proceeded to stamp new numbers in the door jamb to match the title.
The Jalopy Journal
