1962 VIN's

[wallie1962]

Hello everyone i am new to this board and new to corvettes. I have fallen into everyones worst nightmare well at least i think that it is. I inherited a 1962 Corvette from New Hampshire(i am in CA) and i love the car. Here are my problems and i hope that someone will have a answer.

1) There is no VIN # under the hood on the steering shaft. Where else specifically can i find the vin #. I am having a hell of a time getting it registered!

2) The previous owner(grandpa) is in New Hampshire and according to the DMV in NH and friends any cars before 1988 dont have a title. I can't seem to get a straight answer. Can anyone help????



Thank you in advance,

-Paul

 

[wallie1962]

c'mon someone has to have a answer! Dont leave me hanging fellas.

 

[JohnZ]

I think if you check with the NH DMV they'll tell you cars registered in that era didn't have a "title" as such, but they had a "registration" (New York, Alabama and many other states were the same way before the 80's). Cars registered in those states just have a "registration" or "tax receipt", and other states recognize that document as the equivalent of a legal title.

If the VIN plate is missing from the steering column tube (and it hasn't been issued a state-provided number instead, usually found on a mylar decal in the door opening jamb), your DMV might accept an affidavit from the previous owner (with a clean VIN check from your law enforcement agency), particularly in view of the fact that thousands of '61-'62 Corvette VIN plates simply fell off the steering column as the spot-welds corroded that held them on (the DMV should be familiar with this, as it happens frequently). The only other place on the car that has the VIN is on top of the horizontal surface of the driver's side frame rail, stamped approximately even with the center of the door opening.

Good Luck!

 

[IH2LOSE]

Sorry Paul no one has responded to your post
In new york state any car prior to 1969 only has a registration NO TITLE.

 

[ChuckG]

Is the car currently titled/registered with the original Corvette VIN, or does it have a State of NH "state issued" VIN? If you inherited the car, I don't see why you can't just take the registration/New Hampshire paperwork and transfer it. I don't see why any inspection of the vehicle by the State of California is needed. Am I missing something here??

I've bought and sold a lot of cars. I simply take the paperwork to the Maryland DMV, pay my taxes and fees, and have it transferred. Chuck

 

[Yoda]

Paul,

In '86 when we moved out here to Kalifornia, not only do they stop you at the state line and ask "Stupid" questions before they alow you into the "Republic of Kalifornia" the DMV requires cars equiped with smog to have the Federal Smog requirements for that year of car, and pass a smog test and DMV inspection.

We brought a 1985 Corvette and 1985 RS Camaro into the state. Each had to pass the smog and the DMV inspection. The DMV compaired VIN from the vehicle and previous registration the ran the numbers through their (state???) computer to verify correctness too

I also went through the same :dance when I brought my 1981 into Kalifornia in 1997. I purchased my '81 from a guy in Michigan. With the bill of sale, title or previous registration, transfer of ownership, passing the smog and DMV inspection I lic. it here. At DMV they checked the smog test cert. also re-inspected for proper fed smog label on the car, looked at all the smog equipment (AGAIN, come on now, how would it have passed without it!!!) then had 2 DMV employee's verify the VIN to be correct between the vehicle and the paper work.

With out all the documents or being able to find the VIN on the car... I don't know what they would do. DMV has a pretty good website and as I recall I got all the information I needed before starting the lic. process on my '81 and it wasn't that bad.. You may want to check the Kalifornia DMV website and see if any of your question can be answered there..

Good Luck

Bud

 

[wallie1962]

Thank you for all of your help. I think today after it stops raining i will go and continue my VIN search!


thank you all again.