Repair or Replace

[turp mcspray]

The camaro dash is a welded piece of the car. The VIN tag is rivited to it. When repacing a rusty dash, you have to remove and install the VIN tag. On a cuda, the VIN tag is rivited to the dash pad. I restored a 71 cuda a couple of years ago. The dash pad was toast. When I replaced the dash pad, I had to remove and install the VIN tag, with rosette rivits, just like many camaros I have done. The numbers on the cuda core support are simply a partial VIN, the sequintial number. By itself, it means nothing. Many mopars have had quarters and radiator supports replaced with new factory parts back in the day. No more number. Many have been replaced with used pieces, which now have the wrong build number. There are MANY mopars out there that don't have all these numbers matching.
My point is, VIN tags get removed and reinstalled all the time, when restoring rusty cars and trucks. That is NOT a crime! Trying to fraud someone by switching VIN tags to build a fake for profit, or cover up a stolen vehicle is. It is all about intent!
Somewhere I have a copy of the FEDERAL statute, for VIN tage issues. It has been posted on the forum in the past. It specifically states that a VIN tag can be removed and replaced, if deemed reasonably necessary for doing repairs, (as in replacing a camaro dash, cuda dash pad, or in this case, a cab that is too far gone to repair.)
If this guy buys a cab from a parted out junk truck, and put his tag on it to restore his truck, what will the law find when they inspect it? They will find matching VIN numbers on the cab and frame. Are they going to be to prove wrong doing, when there is none?
Every time someone even mentions the subject, everyone makes it sound like you will spend the rest of your days in jail, if they so much as find your fingerprint, on your VIN tag!
The law is about criminal wrong doing, not someone fixing their rusty car or truck.

[ekgguy]

I just got off the phone with the TxDMV and they were very helpful. They even went so far as to send me the Assembled Vehicle Manual for the DMV.

If I change the entire cab, remove mine and put a completely new one on, it has to have been purchased with a title or certificate of lost title. Once the cab is changed, it changes the registration of the current vehicle to the VIN of the new cab and is now registered with the VIN of the new cab. So, I have a 68 now. If I find a different cab and it is a different year, then my truck will change to whatever year cab I find. Pretty simple.

However, they also said that if I change the entire cab with the exception of the part where the VIN plate is, then the registration stays the same. As long as there is no evidence of tampering with the VIN plate itself (don't drill the rivets and re-rivet the plate in the new cab) and that part remains with the vehicle that it is currently registered as, I am good.

And I asked... if I cut out the door jam where the VIN tag is and the existing door jam stays with the vehicle and becomes part of the new cab, then my current registration as a 68 stays the same. They said yes, because I am not changing the body / frame combination.

[turp mcspray]

If you drill out the rivits and put your tag on the donor cab, with new rosette rivits, you will be doing and accomplishing the exact thing, without any evidence of VIN tampering, only with less work. It comes down to splitting hairs. Either way, you are not committing any crime, as everyone would like to believe!

[ekgguy]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

If you drill out the rivits and put your tag on the donor cab, with new rosette rivits, you will be doing and accomplishing the exact thing, without any evidence of VIN tampering, only with less work. It comes down to splitting hairs. Either way, you are not committing any crime, as everyone would like to believe!

I dont disagree... it is splitting hairs, but in this case I beleive I will follow the letter of the law instead of the spirit of it, should that time come.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

The law is about criminal wrong doing, not someone fixing their rusty car or truck.

RIIIIGHT! That's why doug hasty had 23 felony counts for title washing.

[turp mcspray]

What you're talking about is a completely different deal than removing the vin tag from your rotten cuda dash pad, and installing it on your new dashpad. Like I said, the op said, and the federal statute says, there are exceptions for these situations.