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**jopizz** · July 7, 2016, 07:54 PM

Your photo is not showing up. Since you are not a paid member you need to upload your photo to an external hosting site and put in the complete address. If the serial number tag is not original I would be concerned that the VIN on the tag doesn't match the car. The serial number is stamped on the passenger side inner fender well. If the tag doesn't match that number then there's a big problem.

John

**YellowRose** · July 7, 2016, 08:00 PM

Serial number tag

You can send that picture to me, also, and I can post it for you. If you use a website like photobucket, though, you must keep your picture to no larger than 800x600 pixels. Also, you should click on the link to the Technical Resource Library (TRL), go down to the bottom of it, find the Vehicle Check List and print it out. Put it use in evaluating that Tbird. Do what John said, see if you can find that VIN # in the engine bay. If so, compare it to the VIN # on the Data Plate. If they are not the same, you might want to run as fast as you can away from that car... As for parts for it, there are many Tbird parts houses across this country. Look in the Advertisements Forum for them if you buy that car or any Tbird. The link to the TRL is always part of my and jopizz's signature element. Click on it and check things out..

**DKheld** · July 8, 2016, 06:47 AM

Probably why it's such a good buy

You can't see the s/n on the cowl without removing the cowl panel but the s/n on the inner fender apron should be easy to see and should match the door plate.

Eric

**SirBB** · July 8, 2016, 06:01 PM

Thanks allot, I will update on my findings.

**Restifier52** · July 8, 2016, 06:50 PM

What would mismatched numbers suggest? Stolen car? Or something else? I'm so naive...

**YellowRose** · July 8, 2016, 07:26 PM

Serial number tag

Mismatched VIN #'s could indicate that a car has been stolen and is being passed off as a legal one. It is not difficult to buy a replacement Data Plate, with a different VIN # on it and information. It is important, when considering buying a classic car, to check the Data Plate VIN # against the VIN # stamped into the body of the car... if you can find its location.. That information is in the TRL. Mismatched VIN #'s could also indicate an attempt to pass the car off as something other than what it was when it left the factory. Like taking a 1962 Bulletbird and making it appear to be the Sports Roadster, by modifying it in all ways to appear to be one. Including having a Data Plate with a VIN # from within the range of VIN #'s that were used only for the Sports Roadster. There have been any number of fake Sports Roadsters that have been attempted to be passed off as such that were not that model... Why? Because you can make a lot more money from selling a Sports Roadster, especially if it is a REAL one, or.... one made to look like a real one... There were only 1,427 1962 Sports Roadsters ever made, but, according to this report, there seems to be more of them on the road these days than were ever made! Read this regarding that.

http://automotivemileposts.com/prod1962tbird.html#how

**Tbird1044** · July 8, 2016, 08:29 PM

Ray:
Interesting point. My data plate is really messed up and I would like to get a new one (with the same numbers of course). I found some sources that had some that were close in design and a lot for Mustangs, but do you know of anyone that will replicate a plate for our Birds? I already have new OEM rivets to replace the plate, as I removed it when I took the car in for paint.
Thanks
Nyles

**YellowRose** · July 8, 2016, 09:46 PM

Serial number tag

Nyles, there are two possible sources that I know of. Try these.

Reproduction Data Plates

http://www.martiauto.com/

I do not know if they are still in business, but you can also try this one. Their website is still working, as is Marti Auto.

http://www.datatags.com/

**SirBB** · July 9, 2016, 08:52 PM

So the serial number on the plate and on the fender skirt don't match, everything is the the same 0Y71Y but Unit Number s are different. The title matches the number on the door plate.

I'm not looking for a car to build for value or collect, I'm building a daily driver for my daughter, I'm gonna make sure its mechanically sound then she gets to take over.

So anymore thoughts on these numbers not matching?

is there a registry where i can look up both numbers to see if either number is associated with anything odd (car stolen, destroyed, MIA, etc?

Beyond this being odd, I thing I'm not gonna let it stop me , the car has alot of of potential, it runs, has OK interior, OK paint, and the guy selling has been very upfront about little things he thinks it needs, some I would have missed. at $3500 I don't think I can go wrong.

I'm sure i will be looking for help and advise so y'all will probably hear back from me.

**SirBB** · July 9, 2016, 08:58 PM

Additional question, with the Number that I have is there a place on the web where I can look up the original color, trim, axel, tranny, etc, all the info normally found on the tag?

**YellowRose** · July 9, 2016, 09:38 PM

Serial number tag

The fact that the VIN # on the Data Plate does not match the VIN # in the engine bay tells me that someone made some changes to that car that they are trying to cover up, for whatever reason. They made the title match the VIN # on the door Data Plate, instead of the one in the engine bay.

You asked if there is a place where you might find this Tbird listed. Check the Tbird Registry and go to the Browse Thunderbird Registry and click on Is It Already Registered? Enter one of the VIN #'s and see if that car is registered under it. If not, enter the other one and see what you get.

http://www.tbirdregistry.com/

Under Thunderbird Info, you can also look up the Data Plate information that will tell you what was on that Tbird when it left the factory. Keep in mind, that it appears you have a fake or reproduced Data Plate on that car, and it will only tell you what a previous owner wanted that plate to say. Not what it said when it left the factory.

0Y71Y tells you this... It is a 1960 Tbird when it left the factory because that is also what the stamped VIN # says in the engine bay. Y tells you it was made in the Wixom plant as they all were back then. 71 tells you it left the plant as a 2 Door Hardtop. That second Y tells you it had a 352ci engine in it when it left the plant. The first number of the VIN# will be a 1, as they all started with that number. The rest of the numbers will tell you when in the production cycle it was scheduled for production. Shoot me a Private Message with the complete VIN # on the fender skirt AND the VIN # and information on the Data Plate. I have the production records that I should pretty well be able to tell you when it was scheduled to be built.

You may want to see if you can find out if the car was stolen. Google for information on finding stolen classic cars. The problem you may run into is finding a website that recognizes the old style of VIN #'s instead of the newer longer ones.

If it is not a stolen car and you want it just to have for a daily driver.... well I will leave that up to you. But it would be good to know why someone went to the length of giving it a different VIN # and Data Plate information (perhaps) than what was originally stamped into the frame... or was on the original Data Plate.

One more thing.. Go to the Technical Resource Library (TRL), which is always part of my signature element. Click on the TRL link, do a Ctrl F (F or Find) type in Vehicle Check List. Print them out and if you are gonna buy that Tbird or ANY Tbird, use that check list to help you determine if you really want to put the money into buying and fixing that car.... It could save you from making a big mistake...

**jopizz** · July 9, 2016, 10:14 PM

Usually the data plate is changed for two reasons. Either the car is stolen and the only way it can be registered is to get a title from a junker and have a new data plate made up or the title was lost and they got a title from a junker and had a new data plate made up. You can take a chance that it's not stolen but if it is your car will be impounded and you will lose whatever money you spent on it. Plus being in possession of a stolen car is a felony in most states. Even if it's not stolen if you ever want to sell it you will have the same problem explaining why the numbers don't match. I've been buying cars for over 40 years and I wouldn't buy one where the VIN plate has been changed.

John

**YellowRose** · July 9, 2016, 11:15 PM

Serial number tag

I could not have said that better... I would not touch that car with a 10 foot pole. Unless it can be proven that it is not stolen.. There have been other classic car owners who have bought cars that turned out to be stolen, unknown to them, only to have them taken away from them, and then going through an investigation regarding the theft of it...

**DKheld** · July 10, 2016, 07:12 AM

Yikes!

Might check on insurance too - doubt the insurance company would check unless there was an accident - but if they do - you're caught.

Data plate decoder

Not Found

http://www.tbird.org/DataPlate/vdata.htm

Couple more in your area...

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http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/5661696687.html

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http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/5614550056.html

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http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5675472719.html