Hidden VIN does not match VIN plate or paperwork

[Cpd2433]

Hello All,

Sorry to bring an old thread back to life. I have been on the camaro5 forum for years and this is my first experience in the classic car world.
Anyway would the original poster be willing to contact me via pm and possibly let me know whatever happened with this?

I recently purchased a 1967 Chevelle SS from Sabetta’s Classics in Orrville OH. My situation is not nearly as extreme as the original author of this thread but anyway here is the story:

I viewed and agreed to buy the car on 05Apr2025 and placed a $500 cash deposit. I had originally saw the vehicle listed on a Hagerty marketplace auction but had never bid on a car. The auction ended and I found it listed with the same trim tag and vin on Sabatta’s website. I spent Sat/Sun night in Wooster, OH and returned on Mon 07Apr2025. I had rented a U-Haul trailer to tow the vehicle back to Chicago IL. On Monday I arrived and gave them a cashiers check for the balance. I had never towed a car and the owner Rick stated he would drive it on the trailer and they would strap it down with me.
When I returned home I really got to looking at the car. Between Sat and mon they replaced the front seats in the car I purchased with the seats from a blue 67 Malibu they had for sale. How do I know this??
I have photos from their eBay add and their website of both cars interiors. I also have videos saved of their YouTube videos of both cars. I also have the video of the car when they bought it on hagerty marketplace.

I know have a drivers seat with a hole on the middle of the seat and a hole on the side of the seat that both have black tape over them. Also instead of having all black seats with no chrome emblem, I have a rear seat with no chrome emblems and front seats with the chrome placard on the backrest.

So I will say I do blame myself for not catching this before I drove away with the car but at the same time I didn’t think the car would change in 2 days. Can I afford the get the front seats refinished, I suppose I can eventually, but it’s the premise that I can’t let go of.

Sorry for the long post, just need to vent. I’m hoping Rick makes this right but right now I’m not feeling very confident.
-Josh

[427.060]

Originally Posted by Cpd2433

Hello All,

Sorry to bring an old thread back to life. I have been on the camaro5 forum for years and this is my first experience in the classic car world.
Anyway would the original poster be willing to contact me via pm and possibly let me know whatever happened with this?

-Josh

The original poster hasn't been on this site in over 3 years.

[BCreekDave]

Originally Posted by 427.060

The original poster hasn't been on this site in over 3 years.

The original poster passed away last year.

[Cpd2433]

Originally Posted by BCreekDave

The original poster passed away last year.

I am sorry to hear that. Moderator may remove my post.

[Cpd2433]

Originally Posted by Cpd2433

I am sorry to hear that. Moderator may remove my post.

Can a moderator please remove my post. After a couple days and no response, the Seller has reached out to me and will be fixing the problem.

[66cayne]

That's good to know. I bought a '67 GTO from Rick, the owner of Sabetta's Classic Cars, Oh. a few years ago. This was a very expensive frame-off restoration with full photographic documentation of the resto. I live in NC and the State police inspect all out of state classic car purchases prior to issuing a new title. They have a special unit that handles this. Upon their inspection it was bought to my attention that the rosette rivets which hold the vin tag to the driver's side post did not conform. When I looked at them when buying the car the rivets looked fine however the State trooper used a magnified camera image that showed the rivets had been messed with. In his opinion this indicated a 'chain of possession' violation. He said that they may be the originals, removed and reapplied when the car was restored. However, it was still a 'chain of possession' violation. So, that set in motion a new level of inspection. The trooper then used a magnifying extendable mirror to look up on the top of the driver's side rear frame section for the hidden vin. Fortunately for me the hidden vin matched the vin plate on the door post. If they had not, I would have needed to get a bonded title for the car. Meaning the car was mine unless someone came forward claiming the car was stolen or somehow misappropriated. In any event, I still had to have a state issued vin tag applied to my car because of the non-conforming rivets. The state issued tag was produced on the spot by the trooper and was attached next to the original vin plate on the door jamb (which thankfully I did not have to remove). It is also now has a state issued vin on the title. So there it is, buyer beware. I now have a car with a 'story to tell' if and when I sell it. NC is one of only a few states with this level of concern about classic cars but they take it very seriously.