Modern Vespa

bye

When you go to DMV, show them the number on the motor/swingarm.. make that your VIN number from here on out.

Something definitely wrong with that frame VIN

Yeah. If anyone in authority - police, DMV, etc- looks at it and also gives a darn, you're gonna have an issue.

Definitely re-punched. If it's allowed by the DMV, do what dr.ona suggested or get the right tools, weld the old numbers, grind the surface and re-punch the VIN with the correct serial. SIP has all the necessary tools (numbers & star punches)...

seeya

Do you have a friend that's a cop? They can look up numbers. Long time ago, I would call up my local DMV and tell them I was going to buy a car but before I did. Was there any back reg on it.

What about going through the Vermont shuffle to get a title? It might be easiest. Use the Engine number as a VIN since it's legible.

nevermind

I think you should walk into one of your State Police offices and ask them to run the VIN of a scooter you were offered for sale. But, then again, they might question you for more info if it does turn up stolen. You could say you saw it somewhere on the internet and you'll get back to them and be on your way...

There's been many instances where a stolen record has been purged from the NCIC database after 35 or so years, but then once in a while you see a story that some vehicle was run and it came back as stolen from California in 1966. You just can't be sure. But since the owner would have long been paid by the insurance company, you could probably buy it from the ins. co. for next to nothing.

later

gone

Yeah that looks fake..

To do a nationwide VIN search, go here...

https://www.nicb.org/

This is the site that cops/insurance companies use.
The only catch is that only if a vehicle is reported stolen will it show up here.

Your best bet is to go to a smaller town in your State and have them do a VIN inspection on the swingarm.
Even doing the Vermont trick, usually the State you want to title it in still wants to see the VIN

There's got to be a reason somebody did that to the vin. I think the Scooter was probably stolen at some point a long time ago.
Do what you need to do to get a title.

Thanks

I'm trying to think of a second reason why, but only the first comes to mind...

Only other reason that I can think of is somebody at some time had a nice frame w/ no paperwork and a dead frame w/ good title etc. Still illegal and can get whoever did it in a heap of trouble. Maybe the alteration is so obvious that the 'matching' title naming the guilty had to disappear when it was sold to the next guy?

I assume you got a bill of sale w/ the new VIN # on it? If so, I'd use that to register it in Vermont and just move on unless you plan to sell it soon. That could be a problem for you the way things are now - I don't think there's a state in the union that has a procedure for you or a potential buyer to knowingly register an altered VIN. Maybe there's some process to deal w/ a damaged VIN that could work for you if you can find a sympathetic person in authority to help you, plead it's a valuable antique which must be saved from the crusher. All hypothetical of course, regarding a bike you are considering...

Brother T.. u got a message

OK what the secret Indo bodge trick 8)

Thanks.

I've bought five no title Vespas and gone Vermont registration, then NC titles.

Used the NC indemnity bond process once. VT easier.

Step one was have a highway patrolman run the VIN first to see what happens.

After VT registration, apply for NC title. Because of age of scooter, not VT registration, an inspection by a DMV License and Theft Bureau officer was required for a NC title. Same thing for vintage any other vehicles made 1980 and before.

No inspector ever knew where the VIN was located, except for the glaringly obvious sticker underneath the headset on some. I probably could have stamped numbers somewhere logical, showed them, and been good to go. Or the swingarm numbers, if it matched the existing registration.

Only one had ever inspected a vintage Vespa before, and none knew they are manual shift. One even asked why I was bothering for a moped.

They certainly didn't know about fonts, stars, or anything about what the original stamped numbers and symbols look like, or where they're located.

They do scour Craigslist and other sites here, and occasionally show up to check out mainly collectible cars, trucks and Harleys for sale. Makes the seller sweat, as I did a little at the end of the inspections when they call in the VIN and wait for a reply.

My cute little cheap scooters didn't get much respect. Theft of much more valuable vehicles do. Just my experience in NC only.

done

Everyone that's giving advice to go thru Vermont, or use the engine number, or whatever, please understand that it is a crime in every state to just be in possession of an altered VIN. So, even if it does slip through and get titled and registered, it still could come back and bite you later down the road. You could be charged with a crime and even at the least, have the scooter confiscated by the government and destroyed. I'm not saying it will ever happen, just advising to understand the risk.

and done

and done

Where's the damn 'DELETE THREAD' button?

You know, you're right. I must have made an error and posted here instead of the "Outlaw Biker Forum." Feel free to delete.