"Dear Mr Haas
The DMV in your state notified us of a discrepancy in the vehicle identification number (VIN) of your 1964 Studebaker.
In order to properly report an electronic proof of liability insurance to the state, we must verify that the information requested on the attached form is correct.
Please complete the form and mail it to us in the enclosed envelope or fax it to 1234567890. If you would prefer to call us with the information, our telephone number is (800) 987654321. We would like a response by September 30th, 2006." [signature] (END OF LETTER)
I think that I'll call them and say,
"My 1964 Studebaker doesn't have a 'VIN'. The item called a VIN came into existance sometime in the 1970s and has about seventeen characters, the first one or two indicating nation where it was built, the second if it has a day/night rearview mirror, the third shows the number of CDs it's sound system will hold and so on. It has had the same non-VIN SERIAL number (64S6198) for forty years. This non-VIN has been acccepted by DMV as being registered by me for the past few years and is, correctly, on the registration form in my pocket sent me. It was also on a series of California registrations during the past four decades. It also matches the plate on the drivers door jamb, where Studebaker put their serial number plates at that time. As the instruction sheet indicates, the VIN should have been found on the top of the left side of the dashboard, and, following the custom of the time, was not there.
The 64 stands for the year model the S means that it is a six-cylinder car, as opposed to the V an eight cylinder car would have.
6198 means that a bit more than six thousand 1964 model-year six-cylinder cars were built before this one.As far as I can see, the DMV is giving you a hard time because it's computer wasn't programed properly.
Karl Haas