“ On my 444 what passes as VIN number is the serial number on a plate riveted to fire wall on right side. There is also what I term a body number stamped into the firewall on left side next to the fusebox.”

You have that reversed. What passes as the vin number, actually the serial number, is stamped on the firewall. The plate with the number is the body number used by the factory to track the bodys as they came on line to be fully assembled and then be assigned a vehicle serial number. Yes, many were registered with the number on the plate, incorrect, but what happened.