Having recently relocated to Central Oregon I had heard individuals refer to the state as the "Republic of Oregon"---but until recently had not experienced it first hand. I showed up at the DMV with a handful of titles to rusty projects wishing to get them either titled in my name or switched to OR titles. The immediately informed me that one of their staff members would have to verify the VIN on each vehicle that I wish to title in OR. I indicated that several of the vehicles were not running or had not been registered for road use---to which they replied get them running and we will sell you a temporary tag for each vehicle so that could be brought to the closest DMV (30 miles away) for the inspection. I inquired to whether an inspection could be done at my home do to the number of vehicles that I wished to title--at which point the employee of the DMV stated the state was too cheep to offer that service. So I decide to knock three titles out of the way at once--I took my old dodge pickup, towing my trailer with a newly purchased 1967 FJ45 to the local DMV office. The gentleman inspect my dodge and trailer with no problem---get to the FJ45 and asked whether I or the previous owner stamped the numbers on the passenger frame rail! I informed the gentleman that this was a factory stamping and that both the pickups and the FJ40's had this done by the factory. The next words out of the his mouth were that this vehicle would not be able to be titled in OR do to the false VIN stamped on the frame. At which point I invited him out to see another old Toyota with the same type of stamping---also my two year old boy began to cry. Something about a crying kid will encourage things to get done quickly---needless to stay they finally did let me register the truck---but still believed the VIN on the frame not factory. So if you ever have the joy of dealing with the OR DMV remember the Monkey turned the job down you are dealing with the next in line. Here is a photo of the truck--look for it to be on the roads of Central OR.
