Perhaps try the Unimog Museum? They are a resourceful and helpful group.

 

My 1 cents worth is that as long as it’s stamped on the frame and that’s readable without tilting the cab, you won’t have a (big) problem.
PS: I have crossed a few borders with my U500 including Ukraine/Russia/Mongolia to/from EU; Australia; southern Africa, and North America. My VINs are on the frame, and driver’s B pillar, but the latter is a sticker I recall.

 

Cabs get replaced all the time; I second the idea that the frame stamp is the important one-sometimes cleaning it up and having a thin, red outline (presuming your frame is black) around it-makes it more acceptable. If the usual right side plate is missing....contrive one as noted here certainly. Best of luck w your L38.

 

The frame stamp is the most important. Clean it up, paint the indented digits so they are clearly legible and you should be fine.

 

My Dad restored a late '40s MG when I was young. It did not have a data plate, which was very common, since they were in plain sight with the bonnet up and simply screwed on, making them a target for theft or just being removed as a trophy.

At that time (pre-Internet, pre-CAD and pre-automation) there was at least one source for 100% accurate replacement plates, ready to be stamped. The research had been done as to what font the factory used for their stamping dies and it was easy to make a 'nobody would ever know' duplicate.

Perhaps there is a similar market for Mogs ? Producing metal data plates in 2025 must be universally easier then in the '70s

 

You could buy an empty metal plate and notch the VIN and weights etc in yourself.
Klick
One can buy the notching irons quite cheaply.

 

I agree with the above - as long as the numbers in the frame rail are clean, unaltered, and legible, I wouldn’t worry.

However, on EBay.de, I have seen blank M-B plates that look good.
If it were my issue to solve, I’d pick up a couple of those plates and stamp them. One for the dash, one for practice.

 

 

Those ^^^^^^.
You can pay to have them engraved or stamped.

If you have the stamps, you can do it yourself. If you choose this route, I’d suggest running a piece of tape or a fine, inked index line,
or just use the bottom of the box on the plate.

Then, you can carefully look in from the side and put the bottom of the number on the line.
This will help line things up and make it look more professional.

If you use the body of the stamp to index things, chance are your numbers will be Up & Down and all over, as the stamps are usually off a bit, compared to the shaft of the stamp.

 

They do have other choices, for other UNIMOG models and other stuff…

eBay.de search term : ‘UNIMOG Schild’

You’ll get a lot of snow plows with that search, but the various plates are in there too.

‘UNIMOG Plakette’ is another term.

 

If it is going to need an Alberta out of province vehicle inspection to be able to register it I'd wait until after. The first item to inspect is VIN integrity and a too-new looking or miss-matched in any way VIN plate may be noticed as counterfeit. I don't think they would pursue it as VIN tampering, but it would probably result in un-needed government-based complications.

In B.C. only the door VIN is allowed to be missing (and only if there are still two other matching VINs iirc). If the dashboard VIN is missing or mis-matched the only solution to pass inspection and get registration is to apply for a B.C. assigned VIN.

Alberta also has assigned VIN's but the details for needing one might be different.

 

You could ‘age’ the new plate with some knicks, and induced UV exposure effects.
A little ‘Scenic’ work, as they’d say in the Industry.

Don’t forget to age the rivets too, before you install them. 4-ought steel wool and a CLR soak.Dull, a little faded, some micro dings.

I mean, you could …

but it would be wrong .

 

Rusty / damaged cabs are replaced all the time. Why would that not be a legitimate explanation? The frame and all that is attached to it is pretty compelling, I think. It comprises 99% of the machine and is essentially impossible to reproduce.

I am saying this from the perspective of a person who has a reasonable amount of judgement and somewhat rudimentary intellect.

That being said, I realize that government agents / agencies are not so well equipped but with that said, is this not a reasonable explanation???

Honestly asked question. I've never had to cross borders with sketchy people checking things.

I am surrounded by Canadians. They are really nice, and reasonable.

I lived in Australia for a while, but they don't have any international land borders.

My experience is limited.

 

IMO the system inconveniences the seller who swaps one cab (provide receipt for 2nd cab or reasonable explanation to assigned VIN agent), because it was intended to catch the sellers who move multiple chop-shopped vehicles. Now they just ship stolen cars overseas.

Also the government gets to collect a fee.

 

Thanks for all of your responses. I had found a number of reproduction 437 VIN plate online. I was just hoping that there might be an "official" option that had a squeaky clean OEM approved, auditable option that would reduce or eliminate the potential for any over zealous government scrutiny.