Help tracing VIN for 78 280Z

[mattnoellengineering]

Am having a hard time tracing down the registration/title for my 280Z with displayed VIN.  Any tricks or directions? keeps coming back not identified. Matt

[Zed Head]

No idea what you're trying to do.  Trace it down where, and for what purpose?  "Not identified" where?  

Most DMV softwares don't know what to do with a 280Z VIN.

[mattnoellengineering]

I inherited the car from my deceased father and we cannot track down the title.  It hasn't been registered since 2002 so it can't be retrieve from the plates.  When I enter the VIN from the plate on the dash into the Datson decoder it comes up as unidentified. HLS30-1####5

[Zed Head]

Sorry, I don't know what the Datsun decoder is.  Most states have a lost title process at their DMV.  I would call your local DMV office and explain the situation.  If it's in your father's name and you're his son, there's probably a simple estate transfer procedure.  I'm sure that your situation is common.

Sorry to hear about your father.  Good luck.

[mattnoellengineering]

Thank you.  The thing is, we don't know whose name is listed on the last registration, which is why we are trying to run the VIN.

[Zed Head]

You have a dilemma.  Pretty sure that the DMV of the state of registration would have that.  Could also be that your father changed titles but didn't register the car.  Seems like all roads lead to the DMV.

I don't know that I've seen a DMV program that will give owner information anyway, just by plugging in a VIN.  Do they do that?

[siteunseen]

7 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Most DMV softwares don't know what to do with a 280Z VIN.

They say there's not enough digits in a Zs VIN# and starting with an H is wrong. They've put mine down as starting with a 4. 

A 4 looks just like an H.

 

[Patcon]

Where in Texas are you? Texas is normally not awful to deal with, better in a small town than a big city. Some states wash cars out of the registration after a certain number of years. There should be 4 locations for the VIN on a 280Z I believe. The data plate on the passenger side strut tower under the hood, the dash, the drivers side door jamb and the engraving on the firewall above the brake booster. Do they all match? If they do fine. If they don't try the one from the firewall...