This type of discussion gets kind of murky real fast sometimes. I was hesitant to even reply.
Military vehicles don't have a standard 17 digit VIN. They have a serial number. You wrote that your serial number on the SF-97 is all 0's. Correct?
You also don't know the year of your trailer if I understand right.
So, you are trying to register it as a trailer in Texas with documents that don't match the serial number you found under the data plate. Correct?
Are you trying to register it as a regular trailer or as a former military vehicle? The difference is important because even though your local tax office might not have a clue about how to register a former military vehicle and that they don't have a standard VIN. They eventually will call the home office in Austin. People there know about the sometimes just 2 or 3 number serial numbers on military vehicles and go with the flow.
But, you have the non matching SF-97 and the numbers under the data plate to deal with. How long ago did you buy it and can you get another SF-97 with the numbers stamped on the trailer shown? See if they can make the year a real year as well if they are going to edit your document. 9999 could just be a typo for 1999.
If that doesn't pan out then the bonded title route might be the only option left if you want to keep the trailer. That is all the above board legal options I think you have and will write no more.
Correct and I was told by the officer that does the 68A inspections for the bonded title that since they could not find any SN on the equipment then it would be around 2k in Law fees to get it legal to use. Something about me having to sue the other person that sold it (at least as far as Texas sees it) then I would be awarded the trailer or something like that.
Here is what i have on the 97-1
Vehicle Identification No.
000000
The numbers I found on the trailer are and are stamped in that format under the left data plate. I have some numbers on the back of the plate also but I can't read them.
19207-7979967
62239
I also have a packing slip from when it was stored by the military that does have a serial on it but it doesn't match what i found on the trailer so it's no help as far as the officers that do the 68A are concerned.
I am trying to contact the auction company that sold it to get a better 97-1 with real information and in my name since I'm not the one that bought it. I got it from a guy that had 2 he was selling and he never even tried to use the 97-1 to transfer the trailer to himself. He did provide a bill of sale to prove I bought it from him.
As far as how I would like it registered I would rather have it as a trailer than a former military vehicle so I can use it as a trailer unless I'm missing something in my research on how FMV can be used.