Missing VIN plate on W123, where else is the serial #?
 

This is an '85 model and the VIN plate on the A-pillar is missing. It does have the plate in the door pillar and that matches the VIN on the title but most states need two places for the VIN. Where else would it be? It does have the data plate on the upper radiator support but that just has a bunch of random numbers.

Isn't the serial number stamped into the firewall? It would start with 123.

Typically, on '80s US-market Mercedes, the VIN is only on the door-jamb and windshield pillar. The chassis # stamped into the firewall won't match the US VIN.

Happy Motoring, Mark

The fire number does match

Bring it down here to NC; all you need is the VIN on the title, nobody ever even comes out to look at the car in person. In fact, when it's an individual-to-individual transaction, we just mail the title to Raleigh with notarized signatures and the new one with our name on it comes back a few weeks later.

Most states require a VIN verification if a car is purchased out of state. And you are also kind of screwed if a cop pulls you over and checks the VIN, as all cars are required to have a VIN visible to the public. This can be rectified by a state inspection place, they can often throw a sticker on the windshield in place of it.

So is the VIN stamped into the firewall some place? An odd thing I saw was a decal on the door frame that this vehicle meets emissions requirements for the 1977 model year. This is supposed to be a 1985. What is up with that? Could someone have switched bodies?

... 1977? um could you put up some pictures of the sticker, the engine bay, the interior, the dash and a few other shots.
we'll critique the pics and tell you what we see.

the firewall stamping will be similar but NOT the same as the actual vin.
the first and the last numbers will match, but not the middle ones.

OK I found the numbers on the firewall and they resemble those on the door pillar so I'm satisfied it's an '85 but what's with the last picture showing it conforms to 1977 model year regulations?

http://www.fototime.com/0ABFB0A8A2876C4/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/C9E3173EEF6E0D9/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/543566362A0FD8E/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/4D4B47854BA2168/standard.jpg

That emission sticker looks lifted. My 85 says that my car conforms to all EPA requirements for model year 1985/

So someone just stuck that on there to fool the emissions inspector?

pretty hard to lift those stickers... more likely the front end was cut from another car, and the vin plate etc was riveted onto it.

What is the part number on your label?

I wonder if someone stuck that on the car to try to sneak their cat delete through the emissions test :confused: