SF-97 with no dataplate?

I just printed up my first SF-97 request form and the first page is easy, but I have no data plate on my Deuce so the info for the second page is going to be harder. I found the xxxx-xxxxx frame number so I assume that will do for the VIN#, the year and make are a bit harder to extrapolate, the xx25-xxxxx tells me that it is in fact a M35A2 so I have that part and I guess the common published data will work for empty/gross weight. I have numbers painted on the door plate but they may not be correct (I suspect this vehicle had the numbers swapped by the motorpool to keep it from DRMO at some point in it's life), does that number need to be included in the VIN#? ALSO, if in fact the dataplate was "lost" and the door numbers swapped what then? With no numbers visible, I was definately the first to lay eyes on that frame number in a LONG time (decades of undisturbed gunk on it), if this vehicle was written off long ago will I even be able to get a SF-97 on her? HELP!!

My door number is:4D5970
Frame #:0325 30313

thanks in advance,

Sam

For a non-scrap G.L. sale, the full VIN should have been part of the description. Did you print off the page that showed the item? I always print off the full 'page' (it's usually three pages when printed, but only one screen) on items I win. Check the invoice too. HTH.

There's a mil surplus in PA (Saturn Surplus) with a vehicle boneyard. Maybe they can provide a dataplate to match your vehicle. Without a VIN plate even with a SF-97 you'll have a hard if not impossible problem getting a State title.

I have been collecting military vehicles for over 30 years now. I have never had a DMV ask to see my vin plates. Thank God, they do not here, because most of the trucks I have owned the titles did NOT match the vin plates. I have trucks from WWII that were titled as year being in the 1950s, maybe that was the first time they had tags put on them, so they went with that year. I have had trucks that for the vin number they used the motor block number (seen that several times). The one time I was quistoned about a vin number (it was a very low number) the DMV guy still did not look at the truck.
There are several guys here on this forum who will help you find out the make of you truck and year by the vin number. I would not worry about it. Out of the hundred or so miitary vehicles I have owned, I would faint if every thing matched up.
Enjoy your truck.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

My invoice does not have the number on it, I think I saved the auction on my hard drive, I will have to look when I get home. I am not so much worried about my SF-97/title not matching the truck as not GETTING a SF-97 from the Army because they can not find the record of my truck, or worse yet, they think my truck has already been disposed of!

Re: RE: SF-97 with no dataplate?

SCSG-G4 said:

For a non-scrap G.L. sale, the full VIN should have been part of the description. Did you print off the page that showed the item? I always print off the full 'page' (it's usually three pages when printed, but only one screen) on items I win. Check the invoice too. HTH.

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While I agree that the vin should be in the description I have found few to none lately that have them listed, scrap or otherwise.

Pawnshop
Do not worry.
A. the army does not own your truck any more, and could care less about it.
B. They will not look for records of your truck. When we turned our trucks in, the records did not go with them. They went into the dumster.
C. your truck is a Vet that has done it's time. They are not looking to keep it.
Enjoy your truck.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

I sent in a sf97 for a trailer but it has no manufacturer or year and the serial # is hand written with an engraver. I'm wondering how this will all turn out.
Greg

So the Army is not matching our SF-97 requests with SF-97s in their database and sending them to us? They are generating SF-97s from the information we are sending them?

The whole reason the form 97 is not given to you when you pick up your truck is because so many of them do not have the original data plate on them. When GL lists them they go by the data plate. If info is missing from the data plate they will not go looking for it. Having MedLog search for the vin number you found on the frame and search for David's article on decoding the vin number and you should get all the info you need to fill out the form. GL will take that and put it on a form 97 without questioning it.

The frame vin number trumps all other numbers. There has been debate here in the past on weather or not it is even legal for us to place the vin number on a new data plate. Probably if you go by the letter of the law it isn't, but it is common practice.

I think GL has taken over doing the form 97.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index....iewtopic&t=11576&highlight=vin+decoding+david

Someone did go looking for numbers on the frame, in the wrong place, and apparently gave up (there were no numbers in the auction). Your explination makes sense and makes me feel better. When I get the info from Medlog I will do the SF-97 request and not worry about it. THANKS!

So the Army is not matching our SF-97 requests with SF-97s in their database and sending them to us? They are generating SF-97s from the information we are sending them?

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The ARMY have NOTHING to do with anything, other than deciding to "get rid of" their old trucks.............

Sam: Not to fret, try this link it might help.

http://www.mvdataplates.com/m35_series.htm

Floyd

I was going to place an order with them as soon as I had all the correct info, thanks for the link!