For a 250 Chevy block number that shows it was made for a jillion years, is there a connection between the VIN # and the engine #. I'm being told that on my scratch built car, I have to have a bill of sale with the VIN# AND the engine number. I don't have the VIN number but can buy an old truck or something that came with a 250 in it. I don't think there is a connection but don't know

Looking for ideas.

I'm a little confused by your question. Your motor vehicle center wants a bill of sale when you built the car from scratch?.Couldn't you just use the engine number as some states did with older vehicles?

The engine number alone isn't good enough for the current crop of burecrats, they want the VIN for the vehicle the engine came from. What I need to know is if, for the Chevy 250, is there a direct relationship between the VIN and the engine # or the engine type. If not, I can buy a junker with a 250 and use that VIN.

They're claiming that it's to make sure the motor isn't stolen.

Kerry, is there a program where you can get around that with a surety bond (sp?)?

I don't know that it would be cheaper or easier, but you never know, is there someone you can ask about that, without hamstinging yourself?

It's part of our lost title program here (not sure, may be part of our constructor vehicle program too).

Having been through this part of it here, for 'lost title' (or applying for a title for an 'abandoned vehicle') you would fill out the application for lost title, which includes an affidavit that you swear to the best of your knowledge it's not stolen, you have to submit an appraisal for the vehicle (fom a recognised, bonded appraiser) and post a bond that insures the vehicle in case someone claims (in the next 3 years) that it's stolen.

I know that sounds like a PITA, because it is, but if you are doing a constructor vehicle title you may (or may not ) have to go through something similar anyway. If you do, is there a way to tack the engine S/N onto the appraisal and surety bond? If you have to have them already would be the only way this would be easier, but it would also indemnify you later on if anything ever came up (as it would be doccumented).

I wasn't clear. My confusion was how do you give a bill of sale to yourself? Maybe have your spouse sell the roadster to you for a buck?
But to the point:

Most VIN numbers carry an engine ID code number relating to the SIZE of the engine, but not a serial number of production of the engine. So you could probably buy a title from a junker unless AL doesn't allow the use of a junk title. But that still begs the question of how you transfer a VIN # of say a 1968 Chevy C10 with a 250 to a 2008 custom homebuilt?

This question come up on Stovebolt quite often. A Stovebolt is pulled out of field or there is only a bill of sale. In you case you've built it. The DMV or state highway patrol should be able to inspect it and verify that the required safety equipment is there and issue a VIN. I just googled custom built for Alabama and they do have a process.

http://www.dmv.org/al-alabama/custom-built-cars.php

Unfortunately they do seem require an old VIN or bill of sale, as you say. There is on the bottom of the page a link to ask the community you might try that.

Larry

Lucky you, for us the bill of sale isn't worth the paper it's printed on (for the DMV).

Ah, I understand your question now. Alabama does have a process for issuing a VIN for a scratch built car. HOWEVER, they want to see a bill of sale for major components INCLUDING the VIN of the vehicle the component came from.

As a lobbyist I've encountered a bunch of stupid laws (and lawmakers), but this one ranks right up there. Someone needs to get a change made in the law to allow hot rodders to get a vin number. Hells-bells, I have two engines that I have absolutely no idea where they came from. Plus, I've gone to machine shops and bought an engine block to build a small-block for race cars. If I had needed a title in Alabama I would havebeen SOL.

Dumb.

IN ILLINOIS WE NEED A BILL OF SALE FOR ALL MAJOR COMPONETS OF A SCRATCH BUILT CAR LISTING VIN OF EACH CAR, PART CAME FROM WHEN APPLYING FOR A TITLE. IT IS TO TRACK CHOP SHOP AND STOLEN CARS THEY TELL ME IN SPRINGFIELD. HAS ANYONE OF YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR GOVENOR IN IL. 1 OL REDNECK

And what happens if you buy a crate engine from Jeg's or Summit or GM or Ford Racing? There's no VIN for those engines either.

You then have a bill of sale from a legal supplier where they can trace this [a] engine to. Used part they [salvage yard purchases] want a vin. If I by a motor from you they will accept a bill of sale from you to me but if there is a question as to where the part came from burden of proof is on you. I have never seen them go to that extreme. They might if I turned up with a very late model 32 valve CADDY or such. Il. is a little leaneant [sp] on older cars as they know no one would want an old car. Anything over 10 yrs old they relax a little. 1 OL REDNECK

So let me re-ask the question. If I have a bill of sale with VIN for a 6 cyl Chevy/GMC pickup of the appropriate vintage, is there any connection to MY motor number?

I know that on SBC and BBC where the motor code is on the pad up front by the water pump, that there is a series of #'s that is supposed to correspond to a sequence in the VIN # of the vehicle it came out of. Unfortunately, of all the hot rods i've ever owned throught the years, I don't think any of them ever had the original engine still in them for me to actually verify that was true. On the later 6's, I think there is also additional #'s on the distributor pad that also is supposed to have matching VIN #'s of the vehicle it came from. Maybe if you have an original engine from a car or truck you still own, you might check and see if any of those #'s seem to match any sequence of #'s on the VIN. I know that after 1960 or so Harleys and other motorcycles had stamped ID #'s on their engine cases to match the frames for theft identification, so Im sure the automakers had some similar method the keep track of their engines....

Well I don't think so-buuttt???? 1 OL REDNACK

So none of you guys who have a car that came with a 250 can tell me if the VIN is connected to the engine number?????????

Weel I guess not BUT in my opion your vin would tell what series of engine and your engine # tell type of vehicle motor was intended for but I think it would take a lot of digging to tell which engine was in which vehicle. But what do I know? Illinlios never checks that close I don't think. There to busy arresting polictians!!!! 1 OL REDNECK

kerry,
what year is your engine? starting in 1970 or so gm put the vin on the engine, near the dist pad. it also included the engine code in the vin. tom

Here are the numbers I have. The block casting is 3921968 which is a 62-79 according to the Santuchii book.

On the distributor pad is F0223BF and under that in smaller numbers is 18W336256.

Is one of those the VIN for the vehicle the motor came from? If so, is there any way to decode the VIN as to what it was?

kerry,
the 18W336256 is definately part of the vin. i will check a couple vehicles i have and see how the the other #'s fit with the vin. tom

I have a 68 Chevy C20 truck and the original 327 V8. It shouldn't make any difference if is a 6 or an 8, if they used the motor ID in the VIN. I don't have the VIN # on the dash either. I did check the motor ID against the VIN on the registration and no match. Which is to say then that it may have to be 70 or later as Tom says.

Larry

In the early 60'sGM cars the vin and engine no. were different, no relationship. I have a 62 with a 66 194 in it. I found out it was a 194 by the engine number but the vin or any part of does not appear on the block.