[Mr Twister]

This car is at a classic car dealer by me. This tag looks altered to me. Its a second gen Camaro. Thoughts?

[72projectbird]

Yeah, that's not a factory GM vin.

It does come back as a 1979 350 powered, Norwood built Camaro. So it could be the original vin sequence, but the original tag got destroyed so this one was made in it's place.

[Joe's Garage]

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger. Danger.

Not even with a 20-ft pole.........

[besserspat]

Looks like a 7 years old forged that VIN

[limejudge69]

I had a classmate in high school who had a Z28 in the same color scheme (circa 1987-88). Oddly enough his younger cousin who also attended our high school also had a 79 Z28 in white with the light/dark blue stripe kit. They were decent looking cars overall, just lacking in the horsepower department

[geeteeohguy]

Another "That's a homemade VIN" from me. Car could even be stolen. Not legal, in any case.

[Mr Twister]

I was surprised that they even took the car in on consignment. I think the only fix is a state assigned vin in place of the GM tag. I'm not aware of any method to get a replacement Factory or Factory appearing tag.

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by Mr Twister

I was surprised that they even took the car in on consignment. I think the only fix is a state assigned vin in place of the GM tag. I'm not aware of any method to get a replacement Factory or Factory appearing tag.

The car would have to be verified with a frame VIN number and previous paperwork and could then perhaps qualify for a state issued VIN.

VIN tampering is a federal crime, so this is pretty bad. The car is not sellable as it is, legally.

[72projectbird]

Eh, if it had a clean title and I really wanted the car, I'd still buy it.

[71GP76TA]

Not worth the hassle unless it was dirt cheap..

[242177P]

Assuming it isn't stolen, this wouldn't be the first time some chump with a sander ruined a VIN tag. But it's what they did after that which sets them apart. I'm surprised a dealer is bold enough to risk having this car on their premises. Only takes one call to land them in a world of hurt. Feds carrying boxes of evidence out from of your business ain't a good look.

IIRC, the X and F-bodies have the secondary stamp hidden under the heater box. They can pull the car apart at one of their facilities but they have zero obligation when it comes to reassembly. Fun. Even if an investigation should reveal that the secondary and partial VINs all match, there's still the issue of a fraudulent tag.

Everyone involved is going to burn through a heap of $$$ just trying to stay out of jail. And, after all of that, the owner will still end up with a state issued VIN. Which is what they were trying to avoid in the first place. Sigh.

[JSuchma]

As far as I can remember, all the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s have raised numbers and letters in the VIN, similar to a credit card. That's why they would be ground down by a would-be restoration shop trying to save money and let a novice loose with a grinder.

[Mr Twister]

I read the description on the car and was thinking ....estate sale. The reason I posted was that I've been playing with cars since 87 and have never seen such a bad vin/restamp.. The seller probably has no idea, but the reseller does. Not Cool.

[pont3]

If I remember correctly, vin tags were stamped, not engraved.

[JSuchma]

Originally Posted by JSuchma

As far as I can remember, all the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s have raised numbers and letters in the VIN, similar to a credit card. That's why they would be ground down by a would-be restoration shop trying to save money and let a novice loose with a grinder.

Let me rephrase what I am describing. Older credit cards were pressed from the back side to raise the characters on the front. New cards have flush characters.
The characters on the older VIN tag were pressed from the back in the same manner.

[Drag Star Le Mans]

Fake as all hell! That is stamped like a block would be, vehicle vins were inside out

[Skidmark]

https://www.grautogallery.com/vehicl...et-camaro-z-28

I thought Mr twister took the shot, but the shot of the vin is actually in the ad so maybe there is a reasonable explanation. Not sure.

[Lightfoot]

The odometer on that car is wonky as hell also.
And I can barely read any of the trim tag. They could have taken a better photo.

[sdbob]

My 74 has a big glob(size of a quarter)of glue,sealer etc on metal part of dash that has painted over. Sooo if car is restored someday that will probably be removed by a good body man and not a kid with a grinder.