# Need help with authenticity of GTO



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey everyone! Happy Thanksgiving.

For the last couple of days I have been looking at a "GTO" coupe for sale.
The owner was asking $17950 OBO

I went to take a look at the car, and these are the facts:

The car has a clean GTO title.
The vin on the title is 24217KAN6560
This number is obviously not a vin, but actually the number on the plate in the engine compartment. (67-24217 KAN 6560) 
The engine is not a GTO engine since it has a YD code. My research indicates it is probably from a 1967 Pontiac sedan or station wagon...
The original VIN from the door jam is gone...

The engine is not so much my concern, but rather the authenticity of GTO. Is there any other way to verify it?


**My recently devised conspiracy theory: The owner has had the car for 2 years. The previous owner sold it as a "True GTO", but rather it is a LeMans, and registered it as GTO with 24217KAN6560. The registration went through since the digits would be accurate. Proper GTO VIN would be 242177KXXXXX **

Anyone and everyone's help would be most appreciated.


----------



## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

badmanjose said:


> Hey everyone! Happy Thanksgiving.
> 
> For the last couple of days I have been looking at a "GTO" coupe for sale.
> The owner was asking $17950 OBO
> ...


You may be able to pull the correct Vin off of the frame, the problem is the stamped vin is hard to see and is located on top of the frame rail on the drivers side behind 6th body bushing. 24217 indicates the car was indeed a GTO hardtop, a coupe would listed as 24207. A Lemans hardtop would have a 23717 on the data plate. $18K is a bit high for a car without a valid VIN number.


----------



## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

05GTO said:


> $18K is a bit high for a car without a valid VIN number.


:agree


----------



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

So...your thinking this could be a real GTO ? I was starting to lean towards a LeMans with a fake engine compartment plate.


----------



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

What really concerns me is that the vin on the title, is not an actually GTO VIN. Its a created VIN using the code from engine compartment plate.


----------



## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

It could be a stolen GTO that the original VIN tag was removed and registered under a ficticious number by an unsuspecting new owner. In my opinion the car without the correct engine and VIN number is only worth the price of a parts car ($4,000-$10,000).

JMHO


----------



## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Too many questions about this car for _*that*_ money.

Even if the seller claimed it was a Ram Air car or something you could never verify, it does'nt have the original drivetrain and it could never be authenticated without it's original VIN tag. Paperwork is Paramount with musclecar buyers.

Not to mention that if *you* go to sell it the next buyer will have all these same questions.

I'd walk away......:seeya:


----------



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

I'll be interested to see if he reposts it on craigslist as a "True GTO" again, or not.


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I would run, not walk, away. There is no valid reason for the VIN tag to be missing from the vehicle. None. I suspect: previously stolen, clone, or both. It could be a LeMans with the trim tag from the stolen GTO. They had to discard the VIN because the theft would be traceable. They probably stripped the GTO, installed it's trim tag on the Lemans, and removed the Lemans VIN and called it good. I pity the owner who got stuck with it.


----------



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey GEETEEOGUY, I'm in Fresno too. That car is in Hanford. I really want to know what he paid for it!


----------



## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Can't see where risk is overrided by reward. No legal reason for the vin to be missing. Concievablly a vin check could lose you your ride on the spot. Had to get mine inspected by the fuzz as I had a incorrect vin on title on mine. Seems the 2nd owner got a incorrect vin on the title and since it never left missouri (til I bought it) it was never noticed. Of course nobody tries to clone a convertible lemans but I knew it could be figured out as the mistake was glaringly obvious. Last registered correctly sept 1969 I'm the 2nd correctly registered owner. lol 

Start looking for another car to buy.


----------



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

another "1967 GTO" dream, down the drain...


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

badmanjose, if you find another GTO that's local, post again. We'll be as helpful as we can to see that you don't get "took". Being in Fresno, I would be glad to help out if I can.
Jeff


----------



## badmanjose (Nov 23, 2011)

thanks Geeteeohguy, will do


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

don't fret Jose, your in a buyers market, for that kind of scratch you should be able to find a nice solid driver, take GeeTee up on his help, he has owned these cars all his adult life. There are many other buyers who have paid a premium on an impulse buy for lack of knowledge of the intricacies and options of these cars and come asking the questions after the fact....:cheers


----------



## pbertrand65GTO (Jul 24, 2009)

I'm in the "I'd walk away" camp.
I have a 65 GTO that is documented as such.
ANYTHING without the original vin tag on the door
would be a huge red flag for me.
My .02.


----------

