The Ford Barn

nhusa · 08-15-2016, 07:12 PM

Folks on this forum told me that town sedan I now own was made around April of 1931.
It was my dads car and went into storage in 1964.
The 1964 Mass registration aligns with the motor number and says it is 1930. - the motor most likely was changed.
The motor is in real bad shape and the motor I am putting in is from also 1930.

It is easy to register a car in NH so I am thinking that I will use to new motor number and keep the old motor and registration in case I sell the car so someone would have some history if their state is hard butt.

What would you do?

Barber31 · 08-15-2016, 08:14 PM

My car is in the same situation. '30 motor with '31 body. Sure wish someone would have kept documentation on my vehicle. There's a lot of questions I wish I could know the answer to on its history but not all people think about taking the time for possible future owners. I'm trying to document as much as possible on my restoration for later generations to know the history starting from me. I say you will be doing someone a favor by keeping the motor and papers.

Mike V. Florida · 08-16-2016, 12:42 AM

Stamp the new motor to match the paperwork.

Mitch//pa · 08-16-2016, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Stamp the new motor to match the paperwork.

Times 2 what Mike said

TommyCoupe · 08-16-2016, 06:08 AM

What tools/equipment is needed to do this, and where can I get it ?

I will be registering a 31 coupe that has a 30 motor in it as well.

Tommy-

Mitch//pa · 08-16-2016, 06:11 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

http://restostamps.com/index.php?opt...id=1&Itemid=26

Cornishman · 08-16-2016, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barber31

My car is in the same situation. '30 motor with '31 body. Sure wish someone would have kept documentation on my vehicle. There's a lot of questions I wish I could know the answer to on its history but not all people think about taking the time for possible future owners. I'm trying to document as much as possible on my restoration for later generations to know the history starting from me. I say you will be doing someone a favor by keeping the motor and papers.

I would imagine that for most of the past 85 or so years more owners were worried about keeping their vehicles up and running than providing a paper trail for future owners.

ronn · 08-16-2016, 07:14 AM

I would do exactly what you said you are going to do- it is that easy in NH.

nothing wrong with owning a 2nd registration................!

Charlie Stephens · 08-16-2016, 11:35 AM

Be sure to check the laws and penalties regarding altering VIN numbers.

Charlie Stephens

SeaSlugs · 08-16-2016, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhusa

Folks on this forum told me that town sedan I now own was made around April of 1931.
It was my dads car and went into storage in 1964.
The 1964 Mass registration aligns with the motor number and says it is 1930. - the motor most likely was changed.
The motor is in real bad shape and the motor I am putting in is from also 1930.

It is easy to register a car in NH so I am thinking that I will use to new motor number and keep the old motor and registration in case I sell the car so someone would have some history if their state is hard butt.

What would you do?

do what the other guys suggested and restamp it. register it in your name off the old title (or however your state does it) then restamp the engine to match. Do you know if the number matches the true identifier frame number?

No reason to ever get a DMV/state more involved than they need to be...

Mike V. Florida · 08-16-2016, 11:49 AM

You don't even need the restostamps. Just grind off the old number and using 1/4" numbers and a "star" and "A" stamp from Mcmaster Carr you can do it.

You are not hiding anything, you have an original engine for the time period, you have all the paperwork for that number and now you are replacing the engine for the same type and displacement. There is no deceit involved. If you were going to put in a flat head and restamp it with the original number that would be different.

CarlG · 08-16-2016, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

... If you were going to put in a flat head and restamp it with the original number that would be different.

The Model A engine IS a flathead.

Mike V. Florida · 08-16-2016, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarlG

The Model A engine IS a flathead.

Failed to type V8.

Cornishman · 08-16-2016, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

You don't even need the restostamps. Just grind off the old number and using 1/4" numbers and a "star" and "A" stamp from Mcmaster Carr you can do it.

You are not hiding anything, you have an original engine for the time period, you have all the paperwork for that number and now you are replacing the engine for the same type and displacement. There is no deceit involved. If you were going to put in a flat head and restamp it with the original number that would be different.

You are potentially hiding something. The value of a car to a collector will be much higher if all the numbers match the original paperwork. By grinding off the actual engine number and replacing it with another you are making it easy for someone to claim that the car is far more collectable and therefore valuable than it actually is.

captndan · 08-16-2016, 03:01 PM

No need to grind off anything. Just pull the valve cover and stamp the block to match the current paperwork.

dpson · 08-16-2016, 03:08 PM

Some automobile manufacturers, such as Studebaker, sold replacement engines with bank engine numbers so that the original number could be used. These engines usually had some type of marking to show it was a replacement engine.

CarlG · 08-16-2016, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captndan

No need to grind off anything. Just pull the valve cover and stamp the block to match the current paperwork.

...

TommyCoupe · 08-16-2016, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

http://restostamps.com/index.php?opt...id=1&Itemid=26

Cool. I think I'm going to do this.

Thanks Mitch.

Tommy-

CarlG · 08-16-2016, 03:46 PM

I bought a set of these stamps here on the SwapMeet:

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ghlight=stamps

ursus · 08-16-2016, 04:19 PM

If you restamp your replacement engine, be sure to save the old engine as proof of the provenance of that number. In some states it was common to register a car built from parts of cars with the only number in evidence which, in a Model A, was the engine number.

My 1931 coupe was assembled from junkyard parts back in the 1950's. When the previous owner applied for registration, the Oregon DMV looked up the engine number, which happened to be from 1930, and registered the car as a 1930 vehicle. In 1983 I installed an unstamped Model B engine in the car but have retained the old engine in case anybody asks. At that time I also obtained a metallic tag from the Oregon DMV bearing the number under which the car was registered and the DMV staff glued it to the driver's side motor mount. I doubt that they do that sort of thing anymore!.

08-15-2016, 07:12 PM	#1
nhusa Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 549	What would you do? Folks on this forum told me that town sedan I now own was made around April of 1931. It was my dads car and went into storage in 1964. The 1964 Mass registration aligns with the motor number and says it is 1930. - the motor most likely was changed. The motor is in real bad shape and the motor I am putting in is from also 1930. It is easy to register a car in NH so I am thinking that I will use to new motor number and keep the old motor and registration in case I sell the car so someone would have some history if their state is hard butt. What would you do?

08-15-2016, 08:14 PM	#2
Barber31 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 687	Re: What would you do? My car is in the same situation. '30 motor with '31 body. Sure wish someone would have kept documentation on my vehicle. There's a lot of questions I wish I could know the answer to on its history but not all people think about taking the time for possible future owners. I'm trying to document as much as possible on my restoration for later generations to know the history starting from me. I say you will be doing someone a favor by keeping the motor and papers.

08-16-2016, 12:42 AM	#3
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: What would you do? Stamp the new motor to match the paperwork. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

08-16-2016, 06:08 AM	#5
TommyCoupe Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 204	Re: What would you do? What tools/equipment is needed to do this, and where can I get it ? I will be registering a 31 coupe that has a 30 motor in it as well. Tommy-

08-16-2016, 06:11 AM	#6
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: What would you do? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) http://restostamps.com/index.php?opt...id=1&Itemid=26

08-16-2016, 07:14 AM	#8
ronn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ Posts: 6,785	Re: What would you do? I would do exactly what you said you are going to do- it is that easy in NH. nothing wrong with owning a 2nd registration................!

08-16-2016, 11:35 AM	#9
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,030	Re: What would you do? Be sure to check the laws and penalties regarding altering VIN numbers. Charlie Stephens

08-16-2016, 11:49 AM	#11
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: What would you do? You don't even need the restostamps. Just grind off the old number and using 1/4" numbers and a "star" and "A" stamp from Mcmaster Carr you can do it. You are not hiding anything, you have an original engine for the time period, you have all the paperwork for that number and now you are replacing the engine for the same type and displacement. There is no deceit involved. If you were going to put in a flat head and restamp it with the original number that would be different. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

08-16-2016, 03:01 PM	#15
captndan Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Tennessee Posts: 714	Re: What would you do? No need to grind off anything. Just pull the valve cover and stamp the block to match the current paperwork.

08-16-2016, 03:08 PM	#16
dpson Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Montpelier, VT Posts: 223	Re: What would you do? Some automobile manufacturers, such as Studebaker, sold replacement engines with bank engine numbers so that the original number could be used. These engines usually had some type of marking to show it was a replacement engine.

08-16-2016, 03:46 PM	#19
CarlG Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 9,115	Re: What would you do? I bought a set of these stamps here on the SwapMeet: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ghlight=stamps __________________ Alaskan A's Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska Model A Ford Club of America Model A Restorers Club Antique Automobile Club of America Mullins Owner's Club

08-16-2016, 04:19 PM	#20
ursus Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,374	Re: What would you do? If you restamp your replacement engine, be sure to save the old engine as proof of the provenance of that number. In some states it was common to register a car built from parts of cars with the only number in evidence which, in a Model A, was the engine number. My 1931 coupe was assembled from junkyard parts back in the 1950's. When the previous owner applied for registration, the Oregon DMV looked up the engine number, which happened to be from 1930, and registered the car as a 1930 vehicle. In 1983 I installed an unstamped Model B engine in the car but have retained the old engine in case anybody asks. At that time I also obtained a metallic tag from the Oregon DMV bearing the number under which the car was registered and the DMV staff glued it to the driver's side motor mount. I doubt that they do that sort of thing anymore!.