Iscottb88: Back in the day the DMV was a lot more casual. I suspect a DMV clerk was handed a pile of German paperwork, along with the rest and stuck in what looked right at the time. It wasn't uncommon to see the incorrect years. You can do a notice of correction [I think that's what they used to call it] if it matters to you. Depending upon your local DMV office/personnel it can be simple.. or not so simple. Today I never know what to expect from them.

Way back I had a '54 Speedster. The DMV papers showed it as a '55 and it was registered via the engine number, not the VIN! It had a '61 Super engine. So the paperwork bordered on meaningless but when I finally sold it that was still how it was registered. In later years I had a '55 Speedster that the stupid owner didn't know where the VIN was and ended up with an inept CHP inspector doing an Assigned VIN on the car. I expected it to be a simple thing to correct with the DMV but the DMV required that I see the CHP. As it turned out, the CHP refused to change it. The pristine original and untouched in any way VIN plate and stamp were clearly evident [but on old 356s the plate it nearly hidden between the gas tank and side bulkhead]. I could only surmise they were unwilling to admit they shouldn't have done this in the first place. In other words be prepared for a crapshoot and bring written evidence. It should be very straightforward, but it's our DMV.

Honestly, if you have the old CA title in that "Pink Slip" form, I would enjoy having that old document and consider their error as a quaint part of the ownership experience. If it's import to have correct: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbo...ription-error/