swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

Here is the situation. There are two seventy three trucks, the 1/2 ton with has an excellent body/paint job , no motor and no TITLE. The other 73 is a complete rust bucket but has title and 3/4 axles which I want.

I've never had to deal with a missing title before but I know it's a major pain. The owner says he can get the title but it will take a few weeks. Any ideas what I should do here?

I was thinking of just swapping axles and borrowing the vin from the rusted truck but I really dont want to get in trouble. Has anybody done this?

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

SHHHHHHHHHHH! No one will know.

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

^^^^AGREED

Just don't advertise your doing this......you'll be fine

Duro

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

Things could get 'complicated' if the VIN was closely examine and found that that it did not match the truck. Check out the procedures to recover a title on a vehicle at Colorado's DMV web site, http://www.dmv.org/co-colorado/custom-built-cars.php and the information sheet (http://www.revenue.state.co.us/mv_dir/formspdf/2709.pdf) on issuing a VIN to a vehicle. It may be a bit of a hassle and you may be out a few bucks, but it may be the best route in the long run.

(I haven't been through the process...)

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

don't tell anyone! swap the vin tag and keep the same bodystyle and pretend it never happened!
IIRC, a couple years ago on this board, someone was talking a lot of smack about this- he was a cop asking for someone address that was doing this-, but it is done all the time.

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

Just make sure the vin donor truck is registered and up to date to avoid any DMV inspections. Therefore, when you register and title the truck, it is a seemless transition to you and involves paperwork only.

If the donor truck isn't registered and/or hasn't been in a while, you might be subject to a VIN inspection anyways and you might just want to get a title for the nice truck to do it right.

No kidding- I brought an unregistered K5 from Utah to SoCal. I had to get a VIN inspection and THEY did and inspection and matched the frame to the vin plate. They actually denied the vin verification because the VIN plate was painted of all things. VIN inspections can be nasty and thorough.

Personally, I would just get the title. If it's a matter of filing a lost title form and requesting a duplicate title, I wouldn't even mess around. The only reason I would do a VIN swap is if I was having trouble smogging say an 82 and I had a 73 donor available that I could use to avoid smog... Not that I have done that....................

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

if he can get the title just wait for it. it will save hassles down the road. grab the parts off the rust bucket you want and scrap the rest.

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

Is the truck registered/titled in his name?
Locally, if its in my name and I want to sell it and don't the "paper" title, I just go with the person to the licensing agent and transfer it directly into their name. Doesn't require the paper title.

Actually I prefer this method.
About 10 years ago I sold a car that racked up about 15 parking tickets over the next five years. I had sent in the report of sale but there is no way to verify they ever recieved it.
In a revenue generating effort, the city turned over all their unpaid accounts to a collection agancy. Every year for about 5 years they would send me a notice saying I owed like $500 for fines and collection fee. After the second year I got a name and reference number to give a person. After that when I got the new letter I would return it with the name and reference number and not hear from them again for a year. Stopped getting it a few years later.

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

I'm swapping cabs, and to save a lot of trouble I might* be swapping vins ;) but IF I do that they won't know since the VIN on the cab and on the frame and on the title will all be the same.

Really, its not the best way to go about it unless ^^that is how you are doing it, where everything matches. My uncle swapped cabs on a 68 Ford and didn't switch the VINs and sure enough, its sitting at his house because he can't title it.

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

different states are different on titling and transferring, I understand that california is among the worst, go figure! anyway, people swap cabs all the time and many times keep the cab vin while the frame carries more weight vin wise.
Now, if it easy to get the title, do that. A replacement for lost title- duplicate- is not hard to get.

Re: swap body, axles, vin, etc... ??
 

Just get the right title. I had a friend that restamped the VIN on his motorcycle to match a title he had... the FBI ended up taking his motorcycle from him. no joke.