When does one truck become another?

[ZmOz]

Well, I came home with another dirty old pickup truck today. I already have a '79 Chevy pickup, but unfortuneately the emissions nazis won't let me register it. They just don't seem to enjoy the wonder of a straight piped 454 like I do.d '75 is the cut off here for emissions testing.

That's why I dragged this old thing home today. It's a '73 and pretty much everything is interchangeable with my '79. The problem is I burned a gallon of oil on the way home, and the frame is bent. (I only paid $50)

Now, the question is, what would it take to LEGALLY register the '79 as a '73? What part of the truck is the title attached too? I could just swap vin plates and nobody would ever know, but I'm sure that's illegal. Can I just plop the cab onto my '79 and throw away the rest? It can't possibly be illegal to swap cabs...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: When does one truck become another?

The vin is attached to the cab (which is waht is "normally" checked. There are other vin locations such as in the door jam on some of the older trucks.

What's the worst that could happen? I hear they have internet access in jail now!

 

[ZmOz]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Would there ever be any problems if the vin on the dash didn't match anything else? (Is the insurance company going to be pissed if I wreck it?)

Anybody wanna take bets on how long it takes the neighbors to complain about the new truck? d

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Neighbors?.... What neighbors?...You have neighbors?

I thought that many many moons ago, you blew them away with a ZmOz special "The beer keg air compressor tank" :=:=:=d

 

[ndemge]

Re: When does one truck become another?

..please go on about the beer keg story

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: When does one truck become another?

LEGALLY you can not do it. If you happen to assemble and rebuild the 1973 truck by say a new frame and motor you are legal. If you take a 79 and make that a 73 NO GO. Be sure how you describe your restoration of the 1973 truck and it will work.

Yeah what's this beer keg story???

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: When does one truck become another?

If you have the legal paper work to both trucks you can mix and match any parts you want. You CANNOT lift and transfer the vin plate only. You can put the 73 cab on the 79 frame (if it will fit) and register the truck as a 73. Customize it any way you like. The titles are attached to the vin #'s.

 

[Ron G]

Re: When does one truck become another?

I think reel poor maybe right,i know they try to just move the vin numbers in the next county(grundy county)alot of fbi and state are always over there alot of burnt cars tood

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: When does one truck become another?

You can't legally move the VIN from one to the other. One thing to remember is that most vehicles have hidden VINs all over the place to prevent VIN switching. It takes a trained eye to detect a good VIN switch, but you don't want the hassles.

Too bad the '73 is so rough. If it weren't you could move the good stuff from the '79 to the '73 and you'd be all set - although emission testing or not you won't get by running straight pipes on the street for long eh?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Let me rephrase the question...

Lets say the cab on my '79 is rusted out and I want to replace it with a '73. What am I legally obligated to do? It would be illegal to keep the old vin, right? And illegal to use the new vin too?

In the end I guess it doesn't really matter much, I could probably stamp out my own vin and the morons at the DMV wouldn't notice....d They already have trouble comprehending the 70s 13 digit vins. That's not enough numbers! *sigh*

 

[Bondo]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Ayuh,........
Over the years,.... I've built countless Macks out of Boneyard Parts..........
The End Resulting Cab,+ Chassis became Whatever VIN that matched the Best Paperwork...........
On a Mack,... The VIN plate is Pop-rivited to the drivers door,.........

Do you think that people Relicense a Truck when they Change a Door,..??...
That's what Pop-rivit Guns are for............

Btw,........ That's an Old Wifes Tale about the "Hidden VINs",............
There Ain't None......

There are Plenty of Other Numbers,....... But only 1 VIN........

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: When does one truck become another?

If you have the legal paper work to both trucks you can mix and match any parts you want. You CANNOT lift and transfer the vin plate only. You can put the 73 cab on the 79 frame (if it will fit) and register the truck as a 73. Customize it any way you like. The titles are attached to the vin #'s.

 

[Bondo]

Re: When does one truck become another?

OK,........Parts is Parts.......

So use the Windshield Frame off the 73 cab on the 79 cab.......
After All,..... That's where the VIN resides.........

Then the VIN,+ All related paperwork would have to use the 1973 #s........

 

[JasonJ]

Re: When does one truck become another?

"Btw,........ That's an Old Wifes Tale about the "Hidden VINs",............
There Ain't None......"

Actually, yeah there are multiple VIN locations on motor vehicles. This is especially true of late model vehicles. There are VIN locations that are only known at a federal level. Its to combat the chop shop thing. You would not believe how many places a modern car has its VIN.

Now, in the case of this 70's truck cab swap, there is no reason you cannot put the 73 cab on the 79 chassis and register it as the 73. It will be fine. Heck, my buddy is finishing up with a 60-something truck body on a mid-90s complete chassis, and it is still registered as the 60-something, and he is okay.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Put the 73 cab on the 79 chassis and no-one will ever know.

Ken

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Not to be an arse Jason but who puts the vins on the cars if only the federals know?

 

[Bondo]

Re: When does one truck become another?

I've been around enough Scrapyards,.....

Up, well into this century, you can Match #s, from production codes,.......And this will tell you if the vechicle has it's original Parts......
But,.... There's Only 1 VIN.........

 

[roscoe]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Register the 73.
Then swap any parts you want.
Just the cab would be perfect.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: When does one truck become another?

Funny thing just happened...

I went outside to move the '79 off the street, because it has been sitting there too long. A cop was there writing a warning to move it or it would be towed. Apparently he's a chevy fan and we started talking about trucks for a while. I told him mine wasn't registered because of the emissions problem, that's when he suggested I register it with a friend or family member outside the testing zone.d (that's illegal) Then we both noticed the VIN is rusted and unreadable...he didn't care.

He loved the straight pipes as much as I do. d

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: When does one truck become another?

He loved the straight pipes as much as I do. d

He sounds like a nice guy,,,,,,,Should have invited him in for a bowl. :^