OK, here's the story. I have a 1986 Buick GN that is currently being painted. They have a supposedly very experienced guy finishing up the car. Earlier today, I got a call asking me "did you know that your car was the 20th one produced by McLaren?" 
The guy at the paint shop claims that the number "20", nearby dent, and white mark on the VIN plaque (see photo below) indicate that McLaren did something with the car. He is claiming that these marks are put on the car by McLaren (i.e. they are not markings that GM put on the VIN plaque from the factory).
Obviously, I am skeptical about this. However, when I bought this car in 2000, it only had 29,000 miles on it. I became the fourth owner. The third owner told me that the car was first owned by a GM Executive, who then sold it to the second owner after a couple of years. That person stored the car for about ten years or so, then sold it to the third owner. The third owner only had the car for a year or two, and he sold it to me because he was moving and had to sell off some of his cars. Based on the mileage the car had in 2000, the mothball smell in the car when I bought it, and the Carfax I pulled, this story could very well be true. However, this McLaren thing was never mentioned.
Do other people have the number "20", the dent, and the white mark on their 1986 VIN plaques? Does anyone who knows the history of these cars have any idea about this?
...and yes, I'm very skeptical about this, but I figured I would ask anyway. Who knows?
Any help appreciated - if nothing else it makes for an interesting story!
The guy at the paint shop claims that the number "20", nearby dent, and white mark on the VIN plaque (see photo below) indicate that McLaren did something with the car. He is claiming that these marks are put on the car by McLaren (i.e. they are not markings that GM put on the VIN plaque from the factory).
Obviously, I am skeptical about this. However, when I bought this car in 2000, it only had 29,000 miles on it. I became the fourth owner. The third owner told me that the car was first owned by a GM Executive, who then sold it to the second owner after a couple of years. That person stored the car for about ten years or so, then sold it to the third owner. The third owner only had the car for a year or two, and he sold it to me because he was moving and had to sell off some of his cars. Based on the mileage the car had in 2000, the mothball smell in the car when I bought it, and the Carfax I pulled, this story could very well be true. However, this McLaren thing was never mentioned.
Do other people have the number "20", the dent, and the white mark on their 1986 VIN plaques? Does anyone who knows the history of these cars have any idea about this?
...and yes, I'm very skeptical about this, but I figured I would ask anyway. Who knows?
Any help appreciated - if nothing else it makes for an interesting story!
