Saw a Cessna 140 today with an NC#. In all, there were7 characters. NC, 4 numbers and N. Can't look it up with NC but if I drop the C, it pulls up the right aircraft. What gives?

NC was the norm for Standard category aircraft before 12/31/1948. After that it switched to just "N".

Aircraft with those numbers are allowed to keep them but it's really just a vanity/antique thing. The database shows them, like you noted, without the C.

That explains it. This was a 1947 Cessna 140. Thanks for the education!