In a bit of a VIN pickle

[Radmond]

Alright boys, I'm in a doozie of a pickle here. I picked up a old pan shovel with a numbers matching clean title at a swap meet a while back worked on it a bit and decided to let it go a couple weeks ago to pay some bills and work on my other project. fella comes up buys it off me running riding bike with a title.

fella calls me up today suspecting that the numbers look restamped like a dealer restamp from who fucking knows when. I had no idea that was even a thing and never suspected a thing about it the guy that owned it before me had the bike for about 30 years. and it was titled. I never pulled the engine fully but got it running pretty dang good.

Well now that this fella has decided they are a restamp dude wants his money back and to bring the bike back. Which, sure fine. I had no idea and I'm not trying to fuck anybody over. problem is i paid some bills and bought some parts for the project and simply dont have the funds to buy the bike back.

my question is what would yooooou do? I wanna work something out with dude but not sure what.

[JBinNC]

I would tell him to fuck off, but in a nice way.
"Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to Hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip."

Jim

[flatman]

When you sold the bike you told him sold as is? No warranty expressed or implied? Maybe offer to buy the engine back since that is the bad part?

[Radmond]

When you sold the bike you told him sold as is? No warranty expressed or implied? Maybe offer to buy the engine back since that is the bad part?

THE ONE TIME i dont have a guy sign an "as is" document. but no i never offered anything all private party vehicle sales in WI are final but I sell a lot of bikes to make extra money. and dont wanna be known as a scum ball but i plain dont have the cash to buy it back offering to buy the engine back is a good call tho.

[nuklhd]

Tell him to enjoy his bike. He has a handful of friends pick it apart and expects his money back.

[Pliers]

He should have done due diligence before buying. As long as you were honest then it's his problem. Don't put yourself in a bind because he didn't do his homework

[Tattooo]

^^^^^ Yep^^^^^^^ Did you send him a pic of the vin before he bought the bike??????? Did he look at the vin when he picked up the bike???????

[Guest]

it was a common practice for a dealer to stamp new replacement cases with factory issued stamps when a relatively new motor blew up taking the cases out,...
that being so no one could tell the difference ,new case, old number with factory stamps,
then old cases destroyed or returned to the factory for examination and then destruction ...
what dealers NEVER did was to Re-Stamp a case over or after removal of an original number,...
if that is the case, I would say that at some point it was stolen and 'ringed'',
even if done in 1950 he could scream 'STOLEN' and you could get a knock at the door at 3 in the morning by 27 trigger happy urban assault troops from homeland security wanting to know if ya like Cuban food and climate,...
what did he say was the problem,... Over stamped or what ?...
as said, if a dealer did it you'd see no difference as even factory numbers look wonkey and are never the same font or even in a straight line

[Radmond]

^^^^^ Yep^^^^^^^ Did you send him a pic of the vin before he bought the bike??????? Did he look at the vin when he picked up the bike???????

My ad said that there were no repairs to the cases which was true and he came over and looked the bike with a flash light thoroughly. i didnt mention in the ad or ever that the numbers were restamped but i had no idea

[farmall]

Get belly number pics to cover your ass. If he had a clue he'd have sent those too. I'm looking for a belly number link but expect someone will beat me to it. IIRC some belly numbers may be off a year.

Anyone know if a 1950 uses a straight backed 6? That pad doesn't look overstamped and shows no file tracks.

[confab]

Not your problem, IMO..

If you want to buy it back, just tell him the truth. You didn't expect him to turn into a gigantic, weeping, vagina over the entire matter and you don't have all the money.

If he wants to take less, fine. Otherwise? Sorry..

Now, the one thing that could hose you here is if the bike was stolen at some point and they can prove that somehow.

If that were the case, they can seize it (And even charge you if they want.. Although that is doubtful.) and then nobody gets a bike. Otherwise? I dunno what he can do to you.

Good luck!!

[confab]

PS: Here's some case numbers I googled up.. They don't look tremendously different from yours?

http://www.ridingvintage.com/2012/11/deciphering-harleys-serial-numbers-1936.html

http://suprememotos.com/harley-davidson/191550-harley-davidson-1960-fl-panhead-cases-w-title-flatheadknuckleheadshovelhead.html

http://veh-markets.com/motorcycles/harley-davidson/76952-1948-harley-davidson-panhead-motor-engine-case-with-title-rare-1st-year-panhead.html

[Radmond]

PS: Here's some case numbers I googled up.. They don't look tremendously different from yours?

http://www.ridingvintage.com/2012/11/deciphering-harleys-serial-numbers-1936.html

http://suprememotos.com/harley-davidson/191550-harley-davidson-1960-fl-panhead-cases-w-title-flatheadknuckleheadshovelhead.html

http://veh-markets.com/motorcycles/h...r-panhead.html

yeah i think it's mostly the 4 and the 6 from my situation that are different looking

[confab]

If it isn't stolen, I don't know that is a problem for you..

Here's an entire page of case numbers if you want to compare.

http://vintageamericanmotorcycles.com/v/Numbers/?g2_page=4

Here's some discussion on the 4 in particular..

http://www.caimag.com/forum/showthread.php?14516-Knuck-engine-with-bogus-numbers-on-eBay

[Radmond]

definitely not stolen