If you were going to add a vin plate?

[600wt]

If you were going to add a vin number (I.D.. Serial number, engine number) plate where would put it? I know that a plate is not required but I have a reason for adding one.
A picture of yours and where you attached it would help. Thanks. Bill,

[George Mills]

Bill,

I found a place on line that if you did the graphic in MS Paint, he'd photo-etch it on black finished brass. Unfortunately, I don't remember where. He even drilled the mounting holes!

However, I did include the engine number, the registration number (wink, title number), and also the body serial number (The vehicle was a hack).

I placed it right at the passengers knees on the inside of the firewall.

(I'm looking for the picture, but it was about 12 years ago and not having any luck)

[Steve Jelf]

Beginning December 10, 1925, the VIN is stamped on top of a frame rail under the floor board, usually on the right but sometimes on the left. Before that date the engine serial number stamped above the water inlet is the VIN. Adding a separate tag, on the firewall in front of the passenger will do. Your additional tag should have the engine serial number, unless special circumstances dictate otherwise.

[600wt]

I'm aware of that, Steve. But where is a good place to put a tag IF you want to add one?

[big2bird]

California used to rivet one on drivers side in front wheel well area.

[JTT3]

Right below the fuse block

[TRDxB2]

Beginning December 10, 1925, the VIN is stamped on top of a frame rail under the floor board, usually on the right but sometimes on the left. Before that date the engine serial number stamped above the water inlet is the VIN. Adding a separate tag, on the firewall in front of the passenger will do. Your additional tag should have the engine serial number, unless special circumstances dictate otherwise.

I agree with the above except for defaulting to using the engine number. If you would sell your car the VIN number on it needs to match a number on the car somewhere.. The Title indicates who owns the car described. Back in the day, Make, Model and serial number (engine number or body number) were used by various manufactures. State filing systems used all three attributes.

Today the VIN serves as the car's fingerprint, as no two vehicles in operation have the same VIN. A VIN is composed of 17 characters (digits and capital letters) that act as a unique identifier for the vehicle. Now if you look at your Title the values in the VIN field likely begin with just numbers.
But now A VIN displays the car's unique features, specifications and manufacturer (except for pre 1954 cars). So there's the rub, if owners of pre 1954 vehicles use just the serial number (engine or body) there is a chance of a conflict where some Chevy was already registered with the same number 8077073.

[varmint]

Adding a separate tag, on the firewall in front of the passenger will do.

I did what Steve suggested. It faces the front, not the passenger.
The Patent tag, I put back where the old one was above the toe board.

[varmint]

Found a picture of where I mounted it.

data plate 4.jpg (82.38 KiB) Viewed 3108 times

[signsup]

In GA, to register a vehicle that has not been registered in GA or purchased on a Bill of Sale, a T22B VIN Verification form must be signed by a police officer. I complete the form and print it out and the county sheriffs office will send out a deputy who will ask me where to look for the VIN. I usually have a data plate or serial number tag riveted to the vehicle and show it to him. They check for any previous records under that VIN and then sign the form and off I go with insurance to the DMV.
I have not had it happen to me, but have heard from others in the hobby that the tag must be riveted or welded, not screwed to the vehicle. It is supposed to be "permanent". Perhaps this is what the OP is trying to accomplish. So, a drive rivet will work onto sheet metal like the firewall or inside cowl, frame rail, etc. Screwed into a wooden firewall may not be acceptable for this purpose.

[TWrenn]

Right below the fuse block

Yep, I agree, unless it's like one of the "earlier" cars, such as my former '20.
I put one on the firewall under the terminal strip on my '26 Fordor for the State Highway Inspection. Worked fine there.

[Original Smith]

Before doing any of this crap, do your research. I see a lot of not so good data!

[Steve Jelf]

Larry is correct. Different states = Different laws and rules. You have to research the proper procedures in YOUR state.

[speedytinc]

My 27 R P/U Came Ca blue tagged with a random assigned #. CHP was fanatic about blue tagging every vehicle, especially motorcycle frames decades ago. I had to really search for it today. Forgot where they mounted it. Its mounted in the front right door jam. This unnecessary Blue tagging pissed me off when I bought the T. But since it had a 22 motor & 3 or 4 different motors to present I am glad to have it, not needing to change motor #'s to be paperwork compliant.

I like Varmint's location on the right firewall front.

[Ed Fuller]

I wouldn’t add any type of vin plate on any vehicle without the instruction from the state Motor Vehicle Commission where the vehicle is titled.

I would be surprised if any state is ok with someone adding a non standard plate that was not stamped by the manufacturer of the vehicle in the location of the owner’s choice.

[Allan]

I'm with Ed. Tell them nothing they don't ask for. Be helpful supplying what they want, but volunteer nothing else. There is no need to add complications in any form. It is a universal phenomenon with registration departments.

Allan from down under.

[signsup]

And, we've all experienced or know first hand of going to a DMV and getting rejected by one clerk only to go back another day or to another office or to another clerk and walk out door with our title, registration and license plate.
And, we are all presuming that the OP's intention is not to misrepresent or commit title fraud, but only to comply with state requirements for registration or title.

[John Codman]

Lang's has them - Part # 1865D. They are listed as being for 1913-1916, but who cares? it's not original anyway. There is room to stamp one number - presumably the chassis number. They also sell the rivets that are brass. You also could use pop rivets or drive aircraft rivets. If you are mounting the rivets on the firewall, anything other then pop rivets would be a two-person job.

[TRDxB2]

Regardless of where you place you VIN tag you need to ask yourself what your intended purpose is.
If it is to satisfy the local DMV or Police then the number needs to match the VIN on your Title & Registration, otherwise those documents are in reference to another automobile. Likewise the placement may require conformance to a DMV regulation applicable to pre1954 cars. Current regulations are for Modern cars.
But if your trying to satisfy some other objective be aware of the above. Placement would be of little concern to most DMV personnel or Police having no knowledge of older cars and where what numbers were used or where they were placed. You don't need to educate them either.

Keep in mind that Today's VIN number is the only ID of record along with the Owners Name on the car's Title (or lien name) to prove ownership. Make & Model are just secondary information for a visible confirmation.

Here is what Illinois DMV uses as a start as soon as you say "Model T" they think Hot Rod
The "make" of the vehicle on the title/registration will be the same as the manufacturer of the body (e.g., "Ford" if the custom vehicle or street rod is built from a Ford body, or "Superformance" if the custom vehicle or street rod is built from a kit with a body from that manufacturer).
The "model" listed on the title/registration will be "Street Rod" (if the vehicle is built to resemble a 1948 or older model) or "Custom Vehicle" (if the vehicle is built to resemble a 1949 or newer vehicle).
The "year" listed on the title/registration will be the year of vehicle it is designed to resemble. (Examples: a replica 1966 Cobra would be Make: Cobra; Model: Custom Vehicle; Year: 1966. A 1923 T-Bucket would be Make: Ford; Model: Street Rod; Year: 1923.).
The VIN listed on the title/registration will be the VIN shown on the body. (If this VIN does not conform to the layout of current manufacturer's VINs, the Secretary of State computer program will be overridden and the VIN appearing on the body will be entered.) If the manufacturer does not affix a VIN to the body, a Secretary of State-assigned VIN must be assigned and affixed.

[Original Smith]

I would never put such a plate on a car that didn't have one originally. It's kind of like those plates that say my car is 100 years old! Anyone with very basic math skills can figure that one out.