Fake VIN numbers

[bono426]

so i'm pretty sure the jeep i just got was registered as a CJ5. There are no vins on it, and on the last registration sticker that's still on the windshield (2005), the vin on the sticker is to a 80 CJ5.

What would you guys do here?

The thing isn't in to tough of shape, I want to continue to restore it and make it nice. but how the hell am I going to drive it on the road?

I was thinking, buy a used tub, throw that on there and call it a day...

but i was wondering if you guys have any input?

thanks

 

[walkerhoundvm]

There's a VIN there - on the frame, rear passenger wheel well. What about standard location on the firewall?

Only way those two would be gone would be if 1) the frame was replaced and 2) either the tub replaced or in someone's brilliance they removed the tag from the firewall, just right of the master cylinder.

I do think you have options in any case, based on what was in that link I posted up yesterday...

 

[bono426]

wouldnt the one on the frame be a short version? like the last numbers or something? i'm going by tonight to play with it again and look a lot closer. but i'm pretty sure this guy registered it as a cj5

 

[jerseyjeeps]

Yes , and for reference to others your other thread:

https://www.cj-8.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41114

And it's not the end of the world but it all depends on what you want to do with it.

 

[BRKLYNZ28]

if your not reselling it and using it for personal reasons i dont see any problems in using the vin you have on the title. i know when you go for inspection here they have no idea what a cj5-6-7-8 looks like. if your trying to pass the vin off as a 8 to someone then shame on you.. but registering and insurance isnt a problem..

 

[Bad Karma]

Vin is also on a sticker on the inside of the tub under the drivers door.

 

[bono426]

i mean i might eventually sell it, i dont want to just yet. I just dont want the cop to come, check the vins, see that they're fake, then take my jeep away to the scrap yard... I dont have a title, and need that vin check thing to get a title here in MA.

eh, i'll figure it out. hopefully i can find the actual vin and see what the story is here.

 

[Spieg]

i mean i might eventually sell it, i dont want to just yet. I just dont want the cop to come, check the vins, see that they're fake, then take my jeep away to the scrap yard... I dont have a title, and need that vin check thing to get a title here in MA.

eh, i'll figure it out. hopefully i can find the actual vin and see what the story is here.

I'd definitely get this resolved before spending another dime. I had a friend who purchased a Jeep which was built from a collection of parts. It turned out that at least part of it came from a stolen CJ7. Unfortunately my friend had already spend about 5k fixing it up. The authorities will try to return stolen property to the original owner... if they can't find them, then the items are sold at auction.
I'm sure the original owner was thrilled to recover his old stolen Jeep complete with a rebuilt motor and fresh paint. It was an expensive lesson for my friend.

If a vehicle is acquired through a legitimate sale, it's usually pretty easy to get a title and to make things straight on the registration. The fact that your Jeep seems to have had records tampered with (falsified) does not sound promising.

 

[jerseyjeeps]

As BK mentioned, This is where the vin sticker is on 1981 and up CJs. It often falls off, rusts off, letters fade, or gets painted over so most of the time it won't be there now.

 

[Kim Dawson]

Of the four places to find the vin numbers, how many do you have? You know the frame will be stamped on top where you probably can't see it without raising the body up (unless you are good with a wire brush mirror and light). The guys have talked about the sticker on the body and the plate on the firewall. The windshield tag plate by the wiper is the one most looked at. I think you are saying there are no vin numbers to match the registration. And even if you have a title, it probably won't have any body numbers to match. So if that is the case, you have pretty much nothing to identify your vehicle. Check with previous owner/s and try to find out what happened to the cj8 title. But if all ID has been removed (except frame number), it's probably going to be easier to find a parts CJ8 that has vins and is beyond worth fixing that you can buy cheap and combine some of the parts. If you have the firewall tag and or the wiiper plate number, then that's a different story.

 

[rustycrawler]

I'm going to throw out the negative waves of perhaps you might want to find a way to back out of the deal and look for something else. Seems like you might have a really good case to get your money back. If you want to proceed, you probably have the option of getting a new vin from your local DMV per the other thread.

 

[bono426]

I'm going to throw out the negative waves of perhaps you might want to find a way to back out of the deal and look for something else. Seems like you might have a really good case to get your money back. If you want to proceed, you probably have the option of getting a new vin from your local DMV per the other thread.

I'm not going to get my money back on this deal. the deal that i got for this thing is kind of unheard of. I was thinking of getting another junk scrambler and taking the vins off of that one and putting it on mine.

has anyone ever run into an issue like this? if so, how'd it turn out?

 

[jerseyjeeps]

This happened to me once about 10-12 years ago. Found an 84 scrambler with Arizona heritage no rust kinda a project in pieces. It was a guy stationed at an army base here in NJ and he had transported it up here. After I Paid for it but had not picked it up yet I noticed on the title it was an "87" and it had a swapped on CJ7 title. It had both vins and all but I was buying this as my first scrambler, etc and wanted it to be right. Now if it was $500 bucks different story which sounds like your situation. But this one was $4500 and the guy was cool about it he really didnt know it was a 7 title and also I believe it was a mistake from the guy before him, way before. But he gave me all my money back and I found another one a year later.

Sounds like in your situation it's well worth the parts even without any title.

 

[bigwalton]

I'm not going to get my money back on this deal. the deal that i got for this thing is kind of unheard of. I was thinking of getting another junk scrambler and taking the vins off of that one and putting it on mine.

has anyone ever run into an issue like this? if so, how'd it turn out?

Please do not post on here about swapping VINs from another vehicle. Discussion about the VIN situation on the Jeep you have (where you can find the VIN on it, etc.) is fine, but swapping VINs/titles is against the law in almost every situation possible and we do not allow the buying/selling of them here and we want to stay as far from that topic as possible.

 

[BRKLYNZ28]

:thumbup:

Sent from my SPH-L900

 

[jims chop shop]

Good luck !we r here to help

 

[bono426]

Please do not post on here about swapping VINs from another vehicle. Discussion about the VIN situation on the Jeep you have (where you can find the VIN on it, etc.) is fine, but swapping VINs/titles is against the law in almost every situation possible and we do not allow the buying/selling of them here and we want to stay as far from that topic as possible.

I'm sorry about this, didnt mean to push boundaries.
I guess what i mean is... what about other body tubs? how does the laws work with that? If i put a different body on my frame, which title would be good for the vehicle?

 

[bigwalton]

I'm sorry about this, didnt mean to push boundaries.
I guess what i mean is... what about other body tubs? how does the laws work with that? If i put a different body on my frame, which title would be good for the vehicle?

Those laws are specific to your state and they vary wildly between states (part of the reason we don't want to talk about it unless quoting actual laws, too big an issue for anyone to be getting that info from folks on an internet forum).

I'd suggest starting a search on the MA DMV site. Feel free to post up a link to what you find. No problem with that.