My understanding is that it really varied between state to state how cars were titled back then... before about 1960. Some states (many) titled to the engine number. Some to the chassis number. May have even been variance from dealer to dealer, basically choosing the number easiest to find. Also was some variance as to what year cars were titled as. Some titles as teh date they were sold. Some titled according to the manufacturer as to the model year of the specific car...

I've seen many '58s of various makes titled as '57s because that's when they were sold. And vice versa, if a car sat on the lot past it's model year.

All that said... you've got a car that was titled to the engine number, and that engine is long gone. Easiest and most simple solution is indeed to stamp a new 'vin' tag that matches what the title says. You might even be able to get a blank reproduction chassis number tag... not sure on that with Volvos.

I've dealt with this sort of issue a couple times... first was with my '53 Jaguar XK120. It wasn't until I had the completely wasted engine out and apart that I realized it was titled to that engine, and that number was to be found nowhere else on the car. And I had bought it out of state, so I needed a vin verification to transfer title... what a pain that was.. I took teh car for inspection with engine on the passengers floor... that seemed good enough for the inspection... until... I wanted to change the title such that it would be titled to the chassis number.

Well... after about 10 trips to MVR, trips to state patrol (on a tow truck each time) for 'certified' vin inspections... a real pain, but in the end, and with the help of a super nice girl at MVR, I did eventually get clear title to the chassis number. If I did it again, I'd take a different route.

Second similar issue I had was with a '60 Jaguar MK2. Again from out of state, so the vin inspection was necessary... the ID plate in the car and the title matched except the last two digits... the car tag ended in 'BW', and the title ended in 'DN'. BW designated an automatic transmision. DN designated a manual... this car had a manual tranny, and did from the factory (I got a copy of the build sheet)... so in this case, that BW on the car's ID tag was simply a mistake from the factory, and they admitted that's what went wrong...

For that one, I just got a reproduction VIN tag, had it stamped to match the title and riveted it on and had no problems thereafter.

That's what I'd do if I were you. Also, companies such as Broadway title might be able to get you a proper title to the chassis number....

Good luck with it. I hate that stuff....


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-Matt I ♥ my ♂