55.2-59 Sandblasting - Vin Plate

[popeyestruck]

What is the best thing to do about the vin plate during blasting?

[Rickysnickers]

The best thing to do, is cover it with some heavy duty tape and tell the sand blaster to be careful around that area. You'd have to look into it, but there have been others that say you can legally remove the VIN plate as part of the restoration process. Again, I'd tread really lightly around doing that. If it were mine, I'd leave it on the truck.

[popeyestruck]

Yeah is spot welded on I'm not removing it

[dsraven]

vin plate should be rivetted on, noy spot welded. special rivets too. if it is spot welded it has possibly been off before. I suggest to ask at the local DMV before you go further.
here in Alberta Canada, it is illegal to tamper with the vin plate and on my project, which took 2 cabs, the vin plates were taken by the inspector and a new vin plate was issued. they needed to see the bills of sale and pics of the 2 vehicles on site. this is to ensure there were no stolen parts etc. not a cheap undertaking. check your local laws for sure.
have you got a pic of the spot welded areas? just curious of what they look like. tape over the vin before you take the pics and post them.
otherwise, a couple of layers of heavy duty duct tape and talk to the blaster. maybe even label the area around it with "do not blast this plate" just as a reminder, sometimes the guy you talk to isn't the guy doing the blasting.
it goes without saying that you need to find a blaster familiar with blasting automotive sheet metal. otherwise you will have nice clean parts that are warped out of shape. a good blaster for automobile bodies will know about the vin plate issues.

[popeyestruck]

My mistake it is riveted . Weird looking donut rivets. It also matches the # on the frame

[dsraven]

Also be carefull with the rivets when you tape. Some of them are barely holding anything and the tape can be tougher than the rivet can hold so when you rip the tape off the rivet comes along for the ride as well.

[dsraven]

Vin tag rivets are generally different so it can easily be seen if somebody has switched out a vin tag.
If sandblasting you may want to cut a thin rubber or plastic patch to cover the area. Yes, it will be larger than the vin tag, but that area can be carefull sanded so the tag stays intact.

[mick53]

Maybe take a sharpie and write a note on the cab around the VIN plate for the guy doing the sandblasting like doctors do before surgery.

[GreasyLikeaBurger]

You can get replacement rivets for the vin plates. I have heard you can panel bond the vin plate on and just bond the rivets into place that way you dont haver to get a special tool to rivet it. But still have the factory look.
https://www.classicparts.com/1947-59.../#.VmEaPNKrSHt

[NWA58]

Many years ago I had a Chevy that I disassembled for full restoration. Took the vin plate and put it in a safe place for later. In fact, so safe that I never saw it again. Ended up having to do a new vin plate using the original vin number that I had from the Bill of Sale when I bought it. Was never an issue even when I sold it as a completed car. It has been more than 20 years ago and I have moved 4 times since then, but will probably find it somewhere unexpected one day.

Many years later, I removed the vin plate on my current truck project because the original rivets were barely hanging on and heavily rusted. I’ve been keeping this vin plate in my safe taped to other things and hoping I don’t lose it.

Some localities are more difficult than others but I actually had my local police drive by the house one day with my bare cab and chassis sitting in the driveway. I waved them down and asked if he would do a vin verification for me. Ran into the house and got the vin plate from the safe and that was all he cared about verifying for the official state affidavit. I’m reassembling now with everything newly painted and the vin plate should look sharp.

[joedoh]

there is a sign company here that uses a plotter to cut rubber in a sign pattern and sticks it to a piece of wood then uses a sandblaster to cut the negative spaces. its fascinating to see done. so i second the cut a piece of rubber suggestion

[mr48chev]

Headstone stores use adhesive backed vinyl sheets to protect the stone and to cut out the design in. If there is one close you might see if you can get a proper size scrap of the vinyl from them.

[LILREDGMC]

All these ideas are great. Pick and chose one that protects the most.

I pulled the VIN on a trailer when it was blasted and I painted it. Stuck it in the little center drawer of the tool box when I was working in Nebraska.

Years later after i sold it I got a call from the owner. He was being detained by local DOT after a stop when they could not find a VIN. My memory was pretty good; went to the tool box, and there it was. Kept us all out of a pot of trouble.
LOL

LILREDGMC

[mr48chev]

In the 70's it was standard procedure to drill out the rivets when you painted a car or truck and pop rivet the vin/serial number and or Data plate back on after you were done but now guys are catching a ration of ---- from law enforcement for having the wrong rivets on plates that were stuck on with them decades ago.

On and AD nothing counts on the door post plate exccept the stamped serial number and having the correct fastners holding said plate in place as far as law enforcement is concerned. The made by Chevrolet and gross tonage mean nothing to them.

When I brought my 48 from Texas to Washington in 1977 when I moved back and the WSP had to inspect it so I could register it all he did was scrape several layers of paint off the serial number so he could read it. It still looks like that to this day even though I do have a fancy new replacent that was probably my first purchase from Classic parts.

Someone who has the capablility to make decals could have a pretty good side business selling decals with door post plate info with open spots for the serial number and rivets that could be overlaid on old door post plates.

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

In the 70's it was standard procedure to drill out the rivets when you painted a car or truck and pop rivet the vin/serial number and or Data plate back on after you were done but now guys are catching a ration of ---- from law enforcement for having the wrong rivets on plates that were stuck on with them decades ago.

Someone who has the capablility to make decals could have a pretty good side business selling decals with door post plate info with open spots for the serial number and rivets that could be overlaid on old door post plates.

Having been in the business, and being a former auto theft detective, it's not that difficult to switch VIN plates, as we all know. Law enforcement doing their job is not giving people a ration of crap, especially if the VIN plate appears to have been tampered with. In very few instances are you allowed to remove the VIN plate. The special rivets are there for a reason as well. Some numbskull switches a VIN and doesn't put the proper rivets in is cause for a reasonable officer to question everything from there on out, period.

If you are suggesting placing some kind of sticker, or some kind of other plate, over a VIN, that's not legal.

With all that said, let's not go down this rabbit hole any farther.

[Phungki]

I covered mine in painters tape and then covered that in duct tape. Easy peasy
Posted via Mobile Device

[57FleetsideC4]

Originally Posted by Phungki

I covered mine in painters tape and then covered that in duct tape. Easy peasy
Posted via Mobile Device

That's exactly how I did mine and worked great. Steve

[franken]

It's a violation of federal (and probably every state) law to tamper with VIN plates.

I'm not sure why the topic keeps coming up.

[popeyestruck]

Originally Posted by franken

It's a violation of federal (and probably every state) law to tamper with VIN plates.

I'm not sure why the topic keeps coming up.

I asked the question because I didnt want violate the law