Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Could be they didn't have a title for the car (or it had issues like using the engine number and the engine was missing) but had a parts car using the thief proof number as the vin. Cut it out of the parts car and add it to the other and you now have a title for it.

Certainly that could be a possibility another among several. I've not had any experience trying to title and register a car with neither an engine# nor a vehicle number; first thing that comes to mind is how do you even prove ownership in a way that a state DMV would accept?

I am aware of instances where numbers are in doubt that a state will actually issue a special state number on a special metal plate to be affixed to substitute for the original vehicle number plate.

Still, would be nice to know what is behind that welded-on piece, another number or no number.

out in ca, i just went thru, no title, after 12 years the state of ca, does not keep records,

the dmv, wants vin, verification , only, no engine numbers, that is for motorcycles,

48 bucks,,, for the fees,

Thanks Riki for your experience. Based on many comments on these pages over the years it seems that an inordinate number of CA collector cars are registered with motor numbers and not vehicle numbers, even when the vehicle numbers are available. Not that CA alone in this, a few other states seem to do the same, but I've often wondered why they tend to ignore vehicle numbers in lieu of motor numbers on older vehicles.

O_D wrote-I suspect it was done by Packard to avoid the cost of discarding an otherwise saleable body once they discovered their error with the earlier bodies. As to repair - to repair what? And why? As to tampering, with one exception that doesn't make much sense; almost no one except myself has until recently ever paid any attention to these numbers and they weren't used by any state or federal agency nor even mentioned in the documents Packard was required to file with each state's Secretary of State for each year's upcoming production.
It was mentioned by someone in an earlier post that the cowl stampings were done in large numbers , for left and right hand drive and that possibly they were all blank except for the triangles and those triangles were register indents to align the second step of embossing the TP. May I ask if it is known to be true. I realize I may be dwelling on minutia here but I find it fascinating. It certainly makes sense. I do not think those huge 20 + ton presses banging out stampings at a rate of one second were stopped, held- while the next number was changed slowing the process way down. If that is true It explaines the blank early production enpty TP cars and your " chaos" theory of hap hazardly pulling the stock from shelves will explain the out of sequence C and D prefix cowls but if they were all stamped with successive numbers for assembly and stockpiled- what explaines the 5 or 6 cars in the middle of the years run to have even come up with 2XXXXX TP. It is a wonder and a testament to Packard as a company to even attempt to emboss every car with a " Theif Proof" number starting in the twenties long before any other car company even cared so to say this was due to " chaos" and or a "abberation" is to question the quality of all the 55 and 56 cars. Any thoughts? Well here is a 222 car just out for a stroll. Just add gas n go. If no state or fed agency ever collected these numbers and no one knew or cared until a few years ago - why would there be any rewelding of numbers or cutting and adding ? For what purpose? I do not see that explanation as valid . I would like to keep the conversation to cars with TP as stamped and assembled at the factory and eliminate any modified as there are too many what ifs for those.

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