Engine vin# is different the car vin#

[Alex 240Z]

I still have not put that 71 240Z out of my mind but I am wondering would there be a problem registering the car if the engine vin# is different then car vin# number located on the dash???? The owner does have the original engine for the car !!! I live in Florida !!!! Has anyone else delt with this problem ??? The engine is fairly new and how much does it hurt the value of the car !!!!!

[Fun_in_my_z]

No it shouldnt be a problem...here they didnt evan check the engine Vin

[MikeW]

I've never heard of any state caring if the engine serial number matches the ID plate inside the engine compartment (which also lists the VIN). After all, plenty of people around here swap out engines for an L28 or even a V8. As far as value goes the matching numbers thing really only matters to someone who wants to do a proper restoration.

[Fun_in_my_z]

Mines got a l28 and i told em that..they still didnt check it.

[Alex 240Z]

Really just want a good running with miniamal rust just do not have the money and the facilities to do a proper restore !!!! This car is in the $7500 range but body wise and interior wise it is excellent and engine is fairly new !!!

[Bambikiller240]

Oner of my Hot Rod friends told me that here in California, engine swaps are OK only if the engine being installed is from the same year, or is newer. Swapping to an older engine (even if rebuilt) is a NO NO.

That being said, for a normal registration I have never seen the engine serial number checked. Most of the time they don't even look at the car, just your paperwork. That may be different if you are bringing in a car without a title.

As for hurting the value, I don't believe it would hurt the value to anyone but someone looking for an all original Z, or looking for one to restore.

IMO, the fact that it doesn't have the original engine should be disclosed to any buyer. We have a member who bought a car and only after the purchase (and shipment across country) did he discover that the 240Z had an L28 in it. The seller claimed to have never noticed that, but had advertised the car as "all original". Shame on him!

[Zrush]

John, Florida could care less if the engine# matches the vin plate#. They don't even look at cars as old as our Z's. I remember when I first bought my 280Z in '83. The DMV clerk actually came out and looked the car over making sure the title went with that car.

I always thought Vin tag #'s were different then the block # anyway. It's the plate on the strut tower that has the engine number to match the block #, correct?

Vicky

[seerex]

when I registered both my 240's they just did the paperwork and didn't even need to see the car, they won't car either way, now that the issurance and florida's dl computer is linked you having a valid dl and issurance is the only issue. Otherwise they don't care and besides being that old the car is exempt from impact fees and most everything else

[Zs-ondabrain]

I've personally never seen the two #'s match. A VIN number is like a serial #.

A car is a car and an engine is an engine. They can't have the same numbers.

Am I correct guys???

[seerex]

actually most older american cars had "matching numbers motor tranny " setups. makes rare cars worth more and insured that you have the correct motor according to build sheets

[MikeW]

Yes, but there's an ID plate in the engine compartment that lists both and therefore ties to two together. This is how you know if the car has "matching numbers".

[26th-Z]

John, I'm confused. By reading your thread, I understand that the engine number does not match the car VIN? Well, it shouldn't. For instance, Her Majesty is HLS30-00026 and the engine number is L24- 2338. Then you asked if the value of the car would be less with a different engine than original. In my opinion, most definitely. Finally, in my opinion, $7,500 is a lot of money for a non-matching car. If it is simply a nice "used" car worth $7,500, fine. But matching numbers is a basic requirement for anything represented as "restored".