[speial-m]

Hey guys, just got a semi-simple registering question, and if anyone has had any hassle or have encountered problems with this set up,

I have 94' 4runner thats all built up and I rolled it, now that the body is toast I need to get a new one since everything else on it is perfect(drive train wise)

I have a 92 toyota truck body that I have sitting around but with no title since that left with the frame when I sold the parts..

sooo I dont think I would run into problems at the smog shop because both vin# have the same engine/tranny smog shit, and dmv doesnt physically check, but how would it go if I was to be stopped by chp and my title/registration says 4runner but would obviously have a different body...But the frame vins would match up to the registration of the original 4runner..?

 

[440-fide Ramcharger]

Proper way is to have CHP put a new vin on the body. The vin follows the frame. Brake and lamp check and all is done.

 

[yotee]

Proper way is to have CHP put a new vin on the body. The vin follows the frame. Brake and lamp check and all is done.

this but go talk to the chp first as you may need something like proof of sale from when you sold the frame (or proof of sale on the cab)

 

[Wilson]

To do it right, is a ton of work and will leave you with a salvage title (if that matters to you). You will need title/ bill of sale for both vehicles. Your 4runner will be junked, you'll be sent to the chp for a vin verification, you will need to get a brake and lamp inspection as well.

If you choose to just swap them, keep in mind that the 4runner is a passenger vehicle and the truck is commercial. The order of numbers and letters on the license plate are different. You may get pulled over just for that fact, but it will be noticed for sure if you are stopped for something else.

 

[smogman]

your problem will be the CHP not the smog guy. Smog guys are are going to look at your registration and compare the vin and tell you to go to CHP.
You do not have to salvage the 4 runner or the truck. you can get a clean title unless one of them has been salvaged already.

 

[peesalot]

You will want to schedule an appointment to have them witness you remove the original VIN plate from destroyed body, they will verify it matches the frame you wanna use. Not sure if they will let you attach original vin plate to new body.

 

[StinkBug]

You will want to schedule an appointment to have them witness you remove the original VIN plate from destroyed body, they will verify it matches the frame you wanna use. Not sure if they will let you attach original vin plate to new body.

They dont care about seeing you remove the old VIN, in actuality that's totally illegal to do so you probably WOULDN'T want them to witness it. They also definitely wont let you attach the other vin plate as that's also illegal. Smogman and Wilson are the most correct on this one. To do it right is a PITA. To do it wrong can get you in trouble. Somewhere inbetween is the logical, though technically illegal way that you will never get caught doing.

 

[Roark Supply]

Yeah I would keep vin, registration and body the same. If the reg is differant than the truck its a red flag, especially if he knows his trucks. Then your on your own for smog.

If they're looking under your hood for vins on the motor.....he's lookin pretty hard. You may have bigger things to worry about:flipoff2:

 

[Wilson]

To clarify the truck I worked on that we tried this with, did have a cab purchased from a junkyard (was the best way we could get legitimate paperwork) and would have required a salvaged title. That project was an '85 single cab to an '88 2wd ext cab. If you bought a complete truck/ runner/ whatever with the sole intention of a body swap, you may be able to avoid the salvage title. In my case, the project was scrapped (too much of a PITA), a complete 4 runner found and the other parts are being moved over.

 

[PTSchram]

They dont care about seeing you remove the old VIN, in actuality that's totally illegal to do so you probably WOULDN'T want them to witness it.

It's only unlawful if the intent is to defraud.

Body shops remove VIN tags during repairs all the time.

I thought for the longest time that possession of a vin tag and title was a criminal act until I had the intricacies explained.

Yeah, a VIN swap is a bad thing, but merely removing the VIN tag isn't always.

 

[StinkBug]

That's not how the law is written in CA. Its very black and white. How it is enforced is not, but the law clearly states that it is illegal to remove the vin number from any vehicle. It doesn't state any exceptions, or intent. That's not to say it isn't done regularly, or that I wouldn't do it, just that by the letter of the law it's illegal, and that section of code is so short and to the point that it's hard to say what the spirit of the law is.

 

[PTSchram]

That's not how the law is written in CA. Its very black and white. How it is enforced is not, but the law clearly states that it is illegal to remove the vin number from any vehicle. It doesn't state any exceptions, or intent. That's not to say it isn't done regularly, or that I wouldn't do it, just that by the letter of the law it's illegal, and that section of code is so short and to the point that it's hard to say what the spirit of the law is.

Typical Kalifornia. Indiana's law has a specific reference to doing it legally.