Guys, this is right now sort of a theoretical question, but I know classic restorers do it all the time, and my question is: How do you rebody a car, and switch vin tags to match the rebody? I am not concerned on the process of actually rebodying a car, I want to know about the paper trail that follows. For example. A friend of mine has 2 chevelles. 1 is a beautiful 72 chevelle body, and the other is a so-so 70 chevelle. The frame of the 70 chevelle is complete and really nice looking. Can he switch the 72 chevelle body onto the 70 frame, and replace the 72 body vin with the 70 tags that match the frame? Is this legal, what is the correct process. Also, I believe that there is another vin stamped on the back of the firewall behind the heater-core, so the 72 chevelle vin will remain, whilst tagged as a 70 chevelle. Obviously there is great benefit from have a 70 chevelle over a 72, and since he owns both cars, rather than spend the money on correcting problems with the 70 body, just rebody it with the 72, but keep it a 70. I hope what I am saying makes sense, and I appreciate any comments or experience in doing this correctly and legally. He may sell the car some day, and that is why I ask. If he wasn't going to sell the car, nobody would care, but in the event he does, he wants to have not masked something he shouldn't have. Thanks Josh
Whoa--you have opened not the can, but the 55 gallon drum, of worms!!!! You will see answers from one end of the spectrum to the other. My personal opinion: If the car is a life time keeper, I am OK with a body swap. Yes, there will be an original VIN behind the heater box, and maybe other locations. The legality varies by state. In Texas, the VIN on the frame, not the dash, is the legal identifier. If the car might ever be sold, I would NOT do any VIN shenanigans.
If you want to give your friend good advice, have him contact the local DMV. They will guide him through the process to lawfully rebuild his 70 with parts of the 72. :Smarty: To simply switch tags from one hull to another is to place oneself in a legal quagmire of huge proportions. :spank: I would advise your friend against it!!!!
thats why i posted off to the dmv. I guess Texas is the place to get the car retitled, as the frame vin speaks loudest.
I always ask this question when this topic comes up. "Why would you want to swap the VIN?" What do you gain from doing that (legally that is)? o No:
Its illegal to remove and re attach a federal vin ID on a car that wasnt born with it from the factory. The only reason a person would touch a vin # is for financial gain...end of story ..there is no other reason!
If you were to cut the firewall and windshield posts from the car you want to save and weld it to the replacement sheetmetal, you might be able to claim it was the same car. I would probably say it was. Its a big debate..how much of the car can you replace before its not the same car? If done correctly, splicing in all the neccessary VIN stampings, who would really know after the car is restored? And who would really care if it was done "right"? The law was aimed at car thieves. Thats why its illegal. The law writers didnt take into account or address hobbyists who are restoring rusty cars.
True enough...and we really don't want the law makers to get envoved in our hobby, Do we? We best poilce ourselves!
