Topic: Lost vin... CB550 1975

[Whorehay]

Hi guys. New guy here with dumb questions...

What is the location of the stamped vin for a 1975 CB 550?

The frame got powdercoated... and it destroyed the aluminum tag on the head tube. I have removed the PC on the left side of the head tube in search of the stamped tag, but It not there...

Needs to be varified with DMV so I can get it on the road again...

[Stev-o]

The pic shows where it WAS.  Looks like your effed.

Or, you could buy one of these....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-CB-550-Four-F-F1-F2-Typenschild-Aluminium-VIN-Type-Plate-Registered-SOHC-/400956898063?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item5d5ae4bb0f

[harisuluv]

do you have a title for it?  if it needs to be inspected for something like a bonded title, just a vin plate may not cut it.  They usually specifically look for it stamped on the frame.   

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

Grind it, use a DYMO label maker to emboss the numbers, fill grinded spot with spot with bondo, put label over.....then remove label and paint frame. (some sanding is required)  will look like a stamped steel frame. Make sure numbers match motor and paperworks yo.

[Whorehay]

bummer.

I peeled the PC off with a Brass dremel wheel and some Aircraft remover so I cant understand why theres no vin. It super clean and un "effed" so theres no way it was removed.

I was hoping I had looked in the wrong place. I have another frame... I guess Ill be using the other frame. That was an expensive mistake.

[Powderman]

Frank, You sound like you have personal experience altering VIN numbers.
Doesn't the label maker emboss them the wrong way to accomplish what you describe. The number is punched from behind so it leaves a raised number and not stamped "into" the frame.
OP, does your other frame have a clear VIN stamped where you sanded off the other? As a professional powder coater I never do any thing to make the VIN non readable. If  I think the number is shallow I will mask it off and only hit the number with a superficial pass after the rest is done. You should have been able tot sand your down to metal with powder still in the numbers, someone has removed a lot of metal to have removed it completely like that.

[Don R]

 Stamp it, buy a tag?

[Stev-o]

bummer.

 I cant understand why theres no vin.

Stolen bike is one explanation

[harisuluv]

Always always always do the title stuff, inspection before you put any money into it.  Even if you think it's good, if you take it to the DMV and they don't like it, they can just seize the bike on the spot.  If they can't track the owner they get to just keep it until they decide what to do with it.  Otherwise they can find the real owner and tell him that they found their bike restored! 

[scottly]

There are ways to read stamped numbers that have been ground off; law enforcement agencies use it to identify stolen vehicles and weapons, but altering serial numbers is a crime in itself. The frame "may" have been a warranty replacement that was never stamped by the dealer, but without the aluminum tag, you may be SOL. Next time, find a different powder coater that won't destroy anything.

[Whorehay]

I bought the bike as a basket case 6+ years ago. I didnt know much about old hondas and I assumed the tag was all it had. I had the vin checked by the DMV and it was all clear. I did not proceed to register it for a title because it costs extra to take it on/off non op and pay insurance and so on. Shortly after I gave it to a friend who did the majority of the resto. In the long run I ended up with the bike again because he passed away. 

I came across another frame and bought it recently and noticed it had a stamped vin as well. So I peeled off the powder in hopes of finding it.
If the vin was "removed" at some point in its life then whoever did it is a damn ninja with metal work. It looks perfect.

I have import/ exported hundreds of motorcycles so Ive seen a few vins...

Not that big of a deal, Just a bit of work and another frame paint job, I think this time Ill have a painter do it instead of PC.

[flybox1]

just be sure to mask that area before PC

[Whorehay]

Are all the chassis the same for the 550s? 500s?
Want to make sure this motor will fit in the other chassis before go through all this work...