Laws with frame swap?

[Glen4X4]

After seeing the frame on my explorer last night I can tell its probably going to be too rusted within the next 5 years to be able to be patched to pass inspection, and the body and interior of the truck is too nice for me to want to get rid of it. I figured I could find a second gen that was a roll over or one being junked that had a descent frame and sand it down and put the undercoating all over it and put my body onto it. But the guy inspecting the explorer says in order to do that I would have to do a reconstructed title in order for it to work out because there maybe a vin number stamped on the frame somewhere. Would a reconstructed title be necessary in order for me to do this?

 

[Carguy3J]

After seeing the frame on my explorer last night I can tell its probably going to be too rusted within the next 5 years to be able to be patched to pass inspection, and the body and interior of the truck is too nice for me to want to get rid of it. I figured I could find a second gen that was a roll over or one being junked that had a descent frame and sand it down and put the undercoating all over it and put my body onto it. But the guy inspecting the explorer says in order to do that I would have to do a reconstructed title in order for it to work out because there maybe a vin number stamped on the frame somewhere. Would a reconstructed title be necessary in order for me to do this?

Guys doing inspection say lots of stuff. If it's a state facility, then he's prob. a fully indoctrinated government tool who forgot how to use his own brain, and can only quote "regulations". If it was a gas station/independent, then he's prob just covering his @ss, in case you were an undercover gov. tool.

Anyway, as long as you're putting a replacement 2nd gen frame under another 2nd gen body, you don't make any major alterations, and you keep the title/vin from your existing vehicle, then no one will ever know. The guy is right, that supposedly there are secret VIN numbers on many spots that only law enforcement knows about, but unless this thing is involved in major crime, nobodys looking. The big thing is the cowl, and the VIN on the dash. As long as you keep your body/VIN/Title you should be fine.

If you are going to "cut and paste" two different frames together, then I might be worried, about safety. If all you are doing is swapping your body and poss. running gear to another similar complete frame, then it's fine. Just do it, and don't tell them anything.

 

[Carguy3J]

Save your frame

If you think that you have another 5 years out of the existing frame, then you ought to have enough left to save it, if you do something now. Have you ever heard of POR15 ? It converts rust into some kind of hard encapsulation that stops further rusting. If you follow the prep instructions, it works pretty well. Oh, and the directions aren't kidding; it really won't come off your skin, so use gloves!(and maybe a face mask )

Just a thought. It might buy you some more time.

 

[Glen4X4]

I just met this guy a couple months ago he's a descent guy but watches his ass. We were tapping the hammer on the rear frame lightly because it was flaking and got 2 through holes, his dad is going to weld pieces of steel on where its legal to patch but after seeing that, I would rather replace the whole frame but let them patch it for now so I can drive it.

 

[Glen4X4]

If you think that you have another 5 years out of the existing frame, then you ought to have enough left to save it, if you do something now. Have you ever heard of POR15 ? It converts rust into some kind of hard encapsulation that stops further rusting. If you follow the prep instructions, it works pretty well. Oh, and the directions aren't kidding; it really won't come off your skin, so use gloves!(and maybe a face mask )

Just a thought. It might buy you some more time.

I was taking a guess at 5 years, depending on the weather here its hard to tell. I will have to look for the stuff you mentioned.

 

[CmdrPopNFresh]

for all that work...you might just have been better off buying a good running second gen....but i get it...you get attatched to cars...id never get rid of my rust bucket.

 

[JDraper]

In PA someone must REALLY be looking for something to ding you on if they're saying that. You will have ZERO problems with any normal inspection if you swap frames. No one goes looking for a vin # on the frame during a standard inspection. They pull the vin off the dash and that's it.

I'd bet 99.99% of the inspection stations in PA would have no clue even where to look for a frame VIN #.

 

[Glen4X4]

Yeah....for the front end work and plans I had for her I'd rather keep it as long as I can. I love the thing so w/e I gotta do to keep it around I'll do.

 

[Glen4X4]

In PA someone must REALLY be looking for something to ding you on if they're saying that. You will have ZERO problems with any normal inspection if you swap frames. No one goes looking for a vin # on the frame during a standard inspection. They pull the vin off the dash and that's it.

I'd bet 99.99% of the inspection stations in PA would have no clue even where to look for a frame VIN #.

Thats what I figured, maybe he's stating for it to be 100% legal? But I didn't see any problem with that, that's why I wanted opinions of people on here because I don't know every vehicle law in the book and I really don't want to go through r-title crap just to keep the truck in good condition.

 

[mattbreaksthings]

Thats what I figured, maybe he's stating for it to be 100% legal? But I didn't see any problem with that, that's why I wanted opinions of people on here because I don't know every vehicle law in the book and I really don't want to go through r-title crap just to keep the truck in good condition.

I dont think you'll have a single problem as long as you keep the swapped frame truck forever like i think you will. I also would never get rid of my heap!
if you try to sell it or trade it in the dealer or whoever MIGHT go **** and look for everything and yank your chain.
but even at that.. its just another piece of metal. another part to replace on your truck so i dont see the problem. even though the frame is the single defining thing on a vehicle.. when me and a friend built our dune buggy we had to register it as a 1973 super beetle because we still used the frame and engine.

as you can see.. not much is left from the VW but the state made us call it a VW beetle
if anything.. grab the vin dash thing from the trashed car and swap it over also : but that would give you a salvage title

 

[Carguy3J]

............if anything.. grab the vin dash thing from the trashed car and swap it over also : but that would give you a salvage title

Wooaaahhh! That's the last thing you want to do. That would not give you a salvage title; it would give you shiny new bracelets. Now you would be doing something called "cloning", and that is very illegal. Not to mention, the junkyard prob. won't allow you to remove the VIN from the donor (also a federal crime), nor would they give you a title for the donor vehicle.

Remember, you're just repairing you EXISTING vehicle. That's the VIN/body/title you keep. The donor frame is just a replacement part, like an alternator,starter, or a rear axle.

 

[mattbreaksthings]

Wooaaahhh! That's the last thing you want to do. That would not give you a salvage title; it would give you shiny new bracelets. Now you would be doing something called "cloning", and that is very illegal. Not to mention, the junkyard prob. won't allow you to remove the VIN from the donor (also a federal crime), nor would they give you a title for the donor vehicle.

Remember, you're just repairing you EXISTING vehicle. That's the VIN/body/title you keep. The donor frame is just a replacement part, like an alternator,starter, or a rear axle.

meh.. nobody would know if you bought the car for "scrap metal" .. seriously though. I've seen worse uses of "cloning" .. a small mom and pop used car lot used to take stolen cars and swap the vin from a wrecked one and resell it. they got caught here a few years ago. doing stuff like that should get you arrested.
so what happens if your car gets wrecked or has small engine fire damage or someone steals your vin plate and the other vins on the car are not readable.. how can you get that car back on the road? there HAS to be some way.

 

[section525]

I know someone who swapped frames on an Explorer back in '02. Never had a problem.

When I bought my Mounty and imported it from AZ, the CHP spent 25 minutes scratching the frame looking for a VIN. Never found it.

 

[eXcali]

I was taking a guess at 5 years, depending on the weather here its hard to tell. I will have to look for the stuff you mentioned.

It's also sold as Rust Eater, Rust Stop, and a few other names I can't remember. Gloves are a MUST. I got some on my finger and it takes MONTHS to wear off. Gas, alcohol, GOOP and carb cleaner wouldn't help getting it off either.

 

[Carguy3J]

meh.. nobody would know if you bought the car for "scrap metal" .. seriously though. I've seen worse uses of "cloning" .. a small mom and pop used car lot used to take stolen cars and swap the vin from a wrecked one and resell it. they got caught here a few years ago. doing stuff like that should get you arrested.
so what happens if your car gets wrecked or has small engine fire damage or someone steals your vin plate and the other vins on the car are not readable.. how can you get that car back on the road? there HAS to be some way.

Here in NJ, if you have a situation like that (such as a theft recovery, fire, or some other reason the dash vin tag is damaged), then the NJ State Police will inspect it. If all your paperwork is in order, and they're satisified it's legit, then they'll let you make a replacement vin tag.

 

[Glen4X4]

I'm going to be looking out for a descent one then so this can stick around for as long as possible.