Hi everyone! I was so glad to find this site. My husband got his dad's Jeep when dad passed away. We have moved it from Arizona to Colorado and are replacing all fluids, fuel tank, carburetor, brake master cylinder, and the starter before getting it painted.
We have had nothing but problems getting the out of state VIN inspection done. All VIN numbers are so worn down. Also the title VIN number doesn't match to the numbers it should be according to manufacturing. I am wondering if at sometime maybe dad had to do a Bonded title and Arizona assigned it a new VIN number?
We are near Grand Junction, Colorado and looking for a rear seat to put in the Willys.
"We have had nothing but problems getting the out of state VIN inspection done. All VIN numbers are so worn down. Also the title VIN number doesn't match to the numbers it should be according to manufacturing. I am wondering if at sometime maybe dad had to do a Bonded title and Arizona assigned it a new VIN number?"
A state can and will assign their own VIN if they can't decide on the original. My '48 truck 2T 21865 became MVIN23841IND because the Tennessee title had the original motor number, not the vehicle number.
KWAS has a variety of nameplates for CJ-series, trucks, wagons and just about anything. Willys-Overland changed nameplate styles often enough that no one is exactly certain what style went with which model and year.
Pick one you like, take it to a trophy shop or jeweler and get the number that the Colorado DMV wants to see engraved on it, screw it to the firewall and call it good.
This is the one I had to re-create for the truck, and KWAS buys about two dozen of them a year from me.
The trophy shop did the engraving. Tomorrow is the big day. But I don't see how they will accept a shiny new plate when the vehicle is a 46 and the steering plate showing a diagram of shifting is so faded???????????????
Willys was not real consistent when it came to serial numbers when registrations. As LarrBeard said, Colorado may have a way to assign their own VIN number to help you out. On our 2A Heep, the serial number plate was good enough to read on the right side of the cowl, behind the air cleaner assembly. Ours was missing the frame serial number tag that was riveted to the front frame horn behind the driver's side bumper, but the body serial number sufficed in registering.
The link below is of the rear seat frame that I used on our 2A;
The last two links are for the seat covers that I used. I liked the black canvas seat covers, but if you want vinyl, they are available on the same link, with a choice of colors.
The following pieces, (2 required) are for if your Jeep never had a rear seat, or if they are too rusty to reuse.
Also, here is a link to when I installed the rear seat in our 2A. It had never had a rear seat, so I had to punch out the floor plugs to install the seat catches for the rear legs of the seat to engage. Other than that, the front legs just slide into the pockets in the floor.
Welcome Terri! Good luck with your registration, I am sure you will get it figured out. Shoot some pictures of that baby, I think you are going to enjoy this project.
I don't know how it will be for you but here in Ohio I was able to use my own VIN plate. I had the original and it did match the title but, no one cared. I went in with a new VIN plate attached to the firewall. I had a Jeweler match the engraving on the old tag. The DMV here simply checked the title to the VIN.
I would order a new VIN plate and match it to your title. Its amazing but its the title that counts here not the car!