No VIN on 1958 Edsel Corsair

Overflow · 05-04-2013, 07:45 PM

So the story is, my dad and I are looking into purchasing a project car together. He's pretty much going through a mid-life crisis right now, so I keep telling him to wait for the perfect car. Well he found it. He's fallen in love with a 1958 Edsel Corsair 2-door hardtop. The car is in good condition and the owner is willing to give us a good deal.

However, we have a little bit of a problem. The owner has the title of the vehicle with the vin number on it, but we can't find the vin physically on the car. The car was repainted a few years ago, and the shop took off the vin plate and forgot to put it back on. Now I know the vin is suppose to be on the water pump and engine block. However, the engine isn't stock. It's a 1976 Ford LTD engine.

We have an old registration from Oklahoma, basically the last owners have been driving it with other vehicles plates on it. However, we do have the title. We've run the vin on the title and it matches the cars model, year and original engine and other specs. So we know this is the cars vin. We just don't know if we'll have to or if we can prove it.

TLDR;
1. When registering a vehicle at the DMV, does someone actually go out to your car to visually check your vin? This is our first used car purchase, so we're new to this.
2. Is there ANY way we can find the vin except for the places stated above?

I'm willing to do anything to get my dad into this car so any insight is greatly appreciated.

ChrisBlair · 05-04-2013, 07:52 PM

Get ahold of that shop and have them find the damn thing. I'm not a '50s Ford guy but I do know a shop knows a VIN plate when it sees one

upflying · 05-04-2013, 07:53 PM

Better join an Edsel forum for help.
Back in the day, most car makers put the VIN on a metal plate that was riveted to the drivers door jamb ..next to or below the door hinges. Did you look there?

Overflow · 05-04-2013, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisBlair

Get ahold of that shop and have them find the damn thing. I'm not a '50s Ford guy but I do know a shop knows a VIN plate when it sees one

Worse comes to worse, we'll have to do that. But there's a slim chance we can even track down the shop, and an even smaller chance they'll still have the vin plate.

Just a side note, I think I remember reading that removing a vin plate is a federal offense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by upflying

Better join an Edsel forum for help.
Back in the day, most car makers put the VIN on a metal plate that war riveted to the drivers door jamb ..next to or below the door hinges. Did you look there?

Yes we checked there. That's the plate they took off when repainting the car.

upflying · 05-04-2013, 07:58 PM

It's illegal to remove the VIN plate..even for painting.
A missing VIN plate could mean the car is stolen.

Overflow · 05-04-2013, 08:00 PM

Which is why I can't understand why the shop would do that.

I'm gonna go look at the car again tomorrow. Fingers crossed that we find something. Whether it be on the car or on paper.

upflying · 05-04-2013, 08:09 PM

In Ca, that Edsel would get impounded if it doesn't have a VIN. FL probably has a similar law.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d04/vc10751.htm
And yes, DMV might physically inspect the VIN when you register it.
Ask around on an Edsel forum, someone might recognize the car.
Incidentally, all cars have a secondary means of locating a VIN. It is marked on the chassis/frame somewhere. Where it is is generally considered a secret and the only "official" source for the secondary VIn location is from NICB.org
NICB will only give that information to LEO's.
https://www.nicb.org/

Overflow · 05-04-2013, 08:19 PM

Do you think the DMV would know about these locations?

upflying · 05-04-2013, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overflow

Do you think the DMV would know about these locations?

No, DMV would refer you to a Florida Highway Patrol auto theft investigator for a more in-depth inspection. They will put it up on rack.
Again only speaking from my expereince in Ca.

Overflow · 05-04-2013, 08:26 PM

I understand. Thank you for the info.

upflying · 05-04-2013, 08:27 PM

I would tell the seller you will buy the car provided the car can pass a VIN inspection.

upflying · 05-04-2013, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overflow

I understand. Thank you for the info.

You are welcome, retired LEO.

upflying · 05-04-2013, 08:52 PM

All is not lost if the Edsel VIN is missing. Once the identity is established through secondary VIN verification, Florida DMV and Highway Patrol will issue a replacement VIN to the car. This is a photo of what they look like in Ca.

Overflow · 05-04-2013, 09:11 PM

Wow upflying. I really can't thank you enough. This info has literally brightened my dad's day after being told the VIN news this morning. Thank you.

Also, we found a registry from the car from 2003. All the rust areas, repairs, and paint jobs are adding up to the car. This has to be the correct vin. It says that the car sat in a barn for 30 years in Oklahoma. Which explains the old Oklahoma registration.

05-04-2013, 07:45 PM	#1
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,897 View My Garage	No VIN on 1958 Edsel Corsair So the story is, my dad and I are looking into purchasing a project car together. He's pretty much going through a mid-life crisis right now, so I keep telling him to wait for the perfect car. Well he found it. He's fallen in love with a 1958 Edsel Corsair 2-door hardtop. The car is in good condition and the owner is willing to give us a good deal. However, we have a little bit of a problem. The owner has the title of the vehicle with the vin number on it, but we can't find the vin physically on the car. The car was repainted a few years ago, and the shop took off the vin plate and forgot to put it back on. Now I know the vin is suppose to be on the water pump and engine block. However, the engine isn't stock. It's a 1976 Ford LTD engine. We have an old registration from Oklahoma, basically the last owners have been driving it with other vehicles plates on it. However, we do have the title. We've run the vin on the title and it matches the cars model, year and original engine and other specs. So we know this is the cars vin. We just don't know if we'll have to or if we can prove it. TLDR; 1. When registering a vehicle at the DMV, does someone actually go out to your car to visually check your vin? This is our first used car purchase, so we're new to this. 2. Is there ANY way we can find the vin except for the places stated above? I'm willing to do anything to get my dad into this car so any insight is greatly appreciated.

05-04-2013, 07:52 PM	#2
ChrisBlair Buick 455 Fan Drives: 1970 Buick, 2012 1SS LS3 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Boston MA Posts: 5,957	Get ahold of that shop and have them find the damn thing. I'm not a '50s Ford guy but I do know a shop knows a VIN plate when it sees one __________________

05-04-2013, 07:53 PM	#3
upflying Drives: '86 Monte Carlo SS Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 3,119	Better join an Edsel forum for help. Back in the day, most car makers put the VIN on a metal plate that was riveted to the drivers door jamb ..next to or below the door hinges. Did you look there?

05-04-2013, 07:58 PM	#5
upflying Drives: '86 Monte Carlo SS Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 3,119	It's illegal to remove the VIN plate..even for painting. A missing VIN plate could mean the car is stolen.

05-04-2013, 08:00 PM	#6
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,897 View My Garage	Which is why I can't understand why the shop would do that. I'm gonna go look at the car again tomorrow. Fingers crossed that we find something. Whether it be on the car or on paper.

05-04-2013, 08:09 PM	#7
upflying Drives: '86 Monte Carlo SS Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 3,119	In Ca, that Edsel would get impounded if it doesn't have a VIN. FL probably has a similar law. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d04/vc10751.htm And yes, DMV might physically inspect the VIN when you register it. Ask around on an Edsel forum, someone might recognize the car. Incidentally, all cars have a secondary means of locating a VIN. It is marked on the chassis/frame somewhere. Where it is is generally considered a secret and the only "official" source for the secondary VIn location is from NICB.org NICB will only give that information to LEO's. https://www.nicb.org/

05-04-2013, 08:19 PM	#8
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,897 View My Garage	Do you think the DMV would know about these locations?

05-04-2013, 08:26 PM	#10
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,897 View My Garage	I understand. Thank you for the info.

05-04-2013, 08:27 PM	#11
upflying Drives: '86 Monte Carlo SS Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 3,119	I would tell the seller you will buy the car provided the car can pass a VIN inspection.

05-04-2013, 08:52 PM	#13
upflying Drives: '86 Monte Carlo SS Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 3,119	All is not lost if the Edsel VIN is missing. Once the identity is established through secondary VIN verification, Florida DMV and Highway Patrol will issue a replacement VIN to the car. This is a photo of what they look like in Ca.

05-04-2013, 09:11 PM	#14
Overflow Space Shuttle Aficionado Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 30,897 View My Garage	Wow upflying. I really can't thank you enough. This info has literally brightened my dad's day after being told the VIN news this morning. Thank you. Also, we found a registry from the car from 2003. All the rust areas, repairs, and paint jobs are adding up to the car. This has to be the correct vin. It says that the car sat in a barn for 30 years in Oklahoma. Which explains the old Oklahoma registration.