Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 20:55:24 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Subject: Re: Plate vs Chassis VIN - was - Turbo diesel 5-speed DOKA Made
Legal
In-Reply-To: <1824-41902F0C-4147@storefull-3175.bay.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I agree that the thread is getting long, but here's a good one about the
VINs that got me in some warm water with the RCMP
once-upon-a-road-side-inspection with my former 1988 Syncro DoKa. The VIN
on the plate on the dash was something like wv1gh0244gg012345 the underside
of the vehicle was wv1zzz24zgg012345 - the VIN on the dash and the
registration DOES NOT match the chassis VIN number. The chassis VIN number
of every North America spec Vanagon that I have seen always has
wv1zzz24z--123456 - there are no Zs in North America VINs, these are engine
types, seat belt types and check digits. It was after about 20 minutes on
the side of the road when dispatch radioed the officer that there is a
difference in the plate and chassis VINs of German made VWs. I felt better
as I bought the truck about 9 months earlier and I was thinking - fudge, I'm
driving a stolen vehicle - which I wasn't. You can verify this irregularity
your self by crawling under the vehicle next to the sliding door - there are
two parallel pieces of metal that straddle the jacking point. This is where
the VIN is stamped into the "frame" of the Vanagon. The only other place
there are VINs is on the build sticker below the fuse panel - not sure if
this matches or not and the bar code on the passenger door - this doesn't
match the NA VIN. My German made Jetta II is the same 'error' - dash and
firewall do not match check digit wise, they ALWAYS match with sequential
production numbers, series letters, year letters and country of manufacture
but the check digits/letters are not on the chassis of the vehicle. Even
the late model TDI stuff that I work on that was made in Germany has ZZZ
instead of the check digits in the ECUs VIN. So, if these irregularities
exist, knowledge of this must be known throughout most province and state
DMVs. I am quite sure that this eBayer isn't selling a hot DoKa and that
the VINs do match - on a European Vanagon, the VIN is not on the dash, it is
at the front section of the passenger door - and the VIN there does have the
ZZZ, just like the chassis VIN. Also, when you go to the TuV in Germany
for your once every two year inspection, they do not look at the door VIN,
they *ALWAYS* look at the chassis VIN as they know that anyone can use a pop
rivet gun.
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models
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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Robert Cardo
Sent: November 8, 2004 6:44 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Turbo diesel 5-speed DOKA Made Legal
Let me say this and I will let this subject drop.
The department of motor vehicles thinks upon inspection that my Vanagon
has front wheel drive.
When I get it smog tested, the tester puts the front wheels on the
roller's.
I get pulled over by a state trooper, and he is scratching his head
looking for the VIN number that's right in front of his face.
Believe me.
I highly doubt there will be an APB, for one blue, crew cab Vanagon
pickup truck with altered VIN number's.
They are not a hot item to be stolen, are way down on the totem pole of
the insurance co's list of "I gotta Have" vehicle's.
Wishful thinking. :)
Still LOL
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