Re-Stamping Serial #

When I got my 600 Ford the serial # was so hard to see I had to get a strong magnifiying glass to read it due to the rust build up. My question is now after painting its totaly unreadable,would it be legal to restamp with original #, I know tampering with #'s on auto's,guns and other items are highly illegal .Has anyone here done it ,have any problems later when selling,buying ? Waiting for advice and comments,have stamps in hand and looking around for the hammer, Thanks.

I havent done this myself, but if I was you, I would first check with DPS and do some research.... If that didnt help, I would then make DARN sure you can get a picture of the original serial # and even pictures of step by step " blow by blow" strikes that youre about to stamp.... I WOULD NOT go over the original number AT ALL ..... I would stamp the same exact numbers in a different place and get pics as well .... As far as I know , there is no law about putting numbers some where else, and you will not be altering the serial number at all, just improving them in a different location ..... I have a dozer that has its numbers welded on the frame , I am not saying to weld them on there , Just a example that numbers can be relocated with out any law breaking ...... Pictures dont lie.... If you dont alter the numbers , You should be all right..... Hope this helps....

Are you able to get a replacement data plate from the dealer? If it's just for you, stamp it into a piece of tin and fasten it somewhere. Maybe you can clean the original enough to make it outthen tape over it for protection. Just had to replace mine (IHC) because the inspecter couldn't read it, got a new one for that tractor from the dealer, the inspector verified the # and watched it being stamped and installed.

Dave

600 fords have it stamped in the bellhousing metal, not a plate

If you restamp it, make sure you don't do it upside down like some others have done!

When I go to look at a tractor I might be interested in buying. I dont care how bad the serial # plate is as long as I can read some #s to determine what year it is.I`m a little skeptical when it has a brand new plate on it especialy when they dont have the original.

I would highly recommend checking the laws in your state. Here, at least, its not about cars or guns, its about serial numbers on things worth more than 300.00 dollars. Doesnt matter what it is, if its more than that its a felony. Even owning something with an altered serial number is a felony.

But... there is a procedure where you get paperwork from the state police and get issued a serial number, etc and all the forms and instructions to be legal. I am certain the procedue varies state to state.

Thanks for the replies,never have I seen a data plate on my 600 ?,maybe its missing,anyway here in Georgia we don't have to have farm equip. inspected by Gov. officials for any reason,just buy and work-it. I do like the idea of stamping in an entirely different location that way I'm not altering the #,and I think a buyer would feel better also knowing what took place. I also know the F.B.I can raise #'s with acid so if any question came up at least the #'s would match. Thanks for the replies. T.H

As long as you ase making it more Readable !!!Its not as if there were pnly just a cupple or only a few ever made.Guys are all ways painting tractors to look like the newer Models

Just get a new one and stamp it put it in the original place and keep the old one there wont be any problems its done all the time. Heck i know a guy who keeps the old ons from John Deeres and sell them. They bring some good money so thats the way the green guys do it. You arent trying to commit fraud so thers nothing to worry about or you wouldnt be able to buy new ones as they are sent in U.S. Mail.

Inspectors? Where you from Dave that you have inspectors?

Where on my 55, Ford 600 is the data plate supose to be?? Seems like the guys selling used plates are committing a serious crime doing that and putting on another, doing that to a car or truck can land you in the BIG BIG house. Never been in jail and sure am not interested in going now.

Get a new WHAT... clutch housing?

That's where the # is stamped on his Dorf... NO plate involved.

<img src = "http://home.att.net/~jmsmith45/id/800serialloc.jpg">

(Photo ungraciously stolen from John Smith's "identify your Ford" page.)

Thanks Bob: thats what I thought and thats all on mine also, never seen a data plate !!

Germany.

Its your tractor do what you want,not like a titled vehicle.

Possible problem to bring down FBI on you- interstate sales of stolen farm and industrial equipment(a known problem) with altered serial numbers is a couple lines in the federal interstate auto theft laws that FBI like to use to train new agents and make agency look good. Best to clean old numbers and see if state has a DOT VIN tag that can be applied next to it or a restamping under state supervision procedure. Brother worked for auctioneer that had a couple tractors over years that were stolen and altered try to get into consignment auction. Auction house hot list for some expensive pieces has notice of Federal phone number to call if suspect stolen- one reason to suspect is 'altered' numbers. A $10,000 car compared to a $50,000 tractor- both felony if stolen and sold interstate commerce- especially if tractor is security to a federal backed farm loan. Ford tractor stolen from a park district or highway maintenance dept and alter number to sell means government agency looses- they get picky about that, misdemeaner theft turns into felony 'theft of state/munincipal' property. Tractor dealers paperwork bringing out numbers before state or county officer checks numbers and signs off on inspection form will usually take care of the later added tag or restamp below/above/somewhere close to original number area. There have been postings on this board about stolen tractors- the problem exists. RN

Yep, thats what I'm talking about. Knew a few fellows who sold/stole eguip. and also put equip. that had liens on them in auctions and got caught. It worked for a while. They now have resided in a Federal Housing dormitory for a number of years which I don't think I'd care for.

I don't know where you live, but in my state, altering the original stamping on ANY MACHINE is a crime. However it is fairly unlikely that a tractor would ever be examined by an inspector.

But if officers ever had a legal reason to inspect machines on your property, and they noticed that the numbers did not appear to be original, they might confiscate the tractor as contraband. You might have a huge legal hassle getting it back.

I think I would just leave it alone...but I am pretty cautious. By the way, the serial numbers on my 641D appear to be gone--eaten away by the years of battery acid drips from the tractor battery Ford chose to store above the serial numbers. Not one of Ford's Better Ideas!

Hell, what's wrong with that? In later years they put glow plug controllers and another wiring/electronics next to the battery on pickups. WHAT do you suppose happened after a couple of years????