Body swap(body on frame rig)??

[mk216v]

I've searched ExPo but couldn't find any info. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with legitimately/legally doing this.

Say I wanted to replace the body on my van with another body.
Is there any way to successfully, and legally, make this happen, and not affect resale down the road?
Besides in the dash/door jamb, are there typically VIN numbers on the chassis, engine, etc?(maybe this is manufacturer and/or vehicle specific?)
How does one handle the VIN number change with the DMV, or can you?

TIA for any info,
Jeremy

 

[Happy Joe]

I have changed body for body with no issues, just switch the serial number plates.. Not sure about the legality but never had any issues; I also have hade vehicles sold to me with multiple serial number; I didn't care.
I have put "strange" bodies onto rolling chassis (one of the neatest was a '41 Ford pickup on a scout 2 frame; had to shorten the bed around 18"); that one the pollution inspection people had issues with; they had no info. on 41 Fords with fuel injected 460s with but were told that they could not refuse to test it by the head state inspector... to be safe keep and transfer both titles or the chassis title and the body sales info(receipts/bill of sale, etc) ..
If you want really good info stop at the local station and ask the LEOs.

Enjoy!

 

[J.R.]

Ive done it both ways. Once with a 52 chevy that I set on a 75 big block 1 ton 4x4 chassis...here in AZ there isnt a safety inspection and anything older than 1968 doesnt need an emissions test. So we didnt do anything....still titled as a 52 chevy truck to this day.

The other was a 89 Dodge that was rolled, just wasnt worth saving the cab, so we found a similar cab in a scrap yard and switched them out. then we loaded the old trashed cab on a flatbed trailer and went down to the DMV and had a level 1 (i think) inspection done. We showed them the title for the original cab and they verified the #'s on the frame matched the original cab/ title. then we showed them the paperwork from the replaced cab (reciept bought from a scrapyard). The DMV inspector ran all the #'s to make sure they wernt stolen or something and when everything checked out OK they stamped us out a new State of AZ Plack and slapped it on the firewall printed us off a title and off we went. Incidentally the title on the dodge comes back as just a new serial number or a re issue of a vin #, NOT a rebuilt or salvage title.........I dont know if things have changed or not since then (this was back in the mid 90's) Seems as I dont ever remember seeing many "salvaged/ rebuilt" titles back then but now adays there evrywhere.



Other than that....and as far as the law is concerned its illegal....But Ive heard of stories where if people had the same style body going back on their frame they may have removed their windshield and riveted their old vin. plack in place of the new bodys vin. plack.


If I was the OP I would go down to the Main DMV office (where they do the vehicle title inspections) and ask the inspector. The regulations are most likely is different from state to state. Get the inspectors name and #. And I wouldnt trust a phone call........I cant tell you how many times Ive called our DMV office, got an answer as to what to do, only to find when I actually went down there that the person Im now talking to wants something entirely different.

 

[mk216v]

Thanks guys. Had a chance to call my local DMV in Oregon, lady was really knowledgeable(I agree with you JR, as I get more serious it'd be smart to go in and confirm this with one of the regulars there);
--She said people do this all the time, whether it be replacing a bashed body with another body of the same make/model/year, or putting a Ford body on a Dodge chassis. Either way, it'd be best to go to the DMV with my current van, towing the body(optimally with chassis too), show them both titles/VIN's/registrations. She said they may re-title it right there before the swap. And/or, once completed, I'd have to drive the new creation in with the same paperwork, show them what I've done, and then they re-title it(this 2nd step seems a bit goofy as they can't see both complete rigs, which is why it seems step1 is crucial).
They'd re-title it as the Dodge VIN #(in the above example), noting it's been "assembled" with existing "Ford frame and other parts used"(ie original VIN's engine, drivetrain, etc).
--She made it sound like I'm not so crazy and there is definitely a legal way to do this, which is refreshing.

YMMV, check local laws.

 

[vanroth]

I did a recent swap with my Sidekick/Tracker. She's has a '94 Tracker body on a '96 Sidekick frame/drivetrain. It was a fun project -- especially given that I had to rewire the truck, swap dashboards, and go from OBDI to OBDII

Anyhow, as far as legality is concerned (at least in AZ) the law does require the vehicle to be re-titled as mk216v mentioned. I have not re-titled mine, but I kept the VIN plates and the cut out the old stamped body rail w/VIN in case I run into issues. I figured that way if I sell it, I could give the buyer two clean titles as opposed to a salvage/recontructed one and let the buyer decide how legal they want to be. I did swap the dash VIN plate to eliminate questions the MVD for emission inspections.

In regards to resell value, it really depends on the vehicle and finding the right buyer. Unless it is a specialty vehicle, any sort of engine and/or body swap is a resell detractor. Just too many ways a PO can screw things up or cut corners.

Now I've done plenty of swaps with older rovers... It's almost expected and as long as you are swapping for better parts, resell only goes up.

 

[Treenail]

This is semi-related...to go along with advise that has been shared.

I bought a 2 ton cab/chassis and mounted a dump box on it. One of my employees got pulled over for some petty reason. When the LEO ran the VIN from the plate on the driver's door jam he found that it was from a vehicle with a MUCH lower GVW. My truck was tagged, towed and impounded. The next day I went to the impound lot and realized that a salvage door had been put on the driver's side. It was from a pickup! I got the issue sorted...and drilled out the rivets from the errant VIN tag too!

If it were me...I would never do a body swap without having the DOT VIN transfer done and in order before licensing the new confabulation.

Tom