how hard is it to switch the VIN plates?
 

I have an 86 87 and 88 n/a
I just bought the 87 for parts the title was surrendered about a year ago. I broke an apex seal in the 88 and was planning on swaping the motors. but the body is better then the 88. I was thinking mabey I could switch the VIN plates from the 88 to the 87 and the government wouldn't know.
what do you guys think?

great plan. but if you some how are involved in an accident and someone some how finds out your are very screwed. I doubt insurance would cover it and thats the kinda shit you spend jail time for anyways...
It would work fine untill something bad happened, then who knows

I think that is seriously fucking illegal. You can probably get away with it, so long as you dont have extensive inspections. Im not real sure man, but isnt there vin plates/numbers elsewhere? Im pretty sure if you do that, and you get caught, they are going to want to bust you for stealing that car, and puting your vin plates on it. I would say have the car inspected, and get it registered the right way. Why, might i ask, was the title surrendered?

LOL!!

Sorry dude, but If you get cought.... your screwed. The !!!!FEDS!!! will be all over you.

Good luck though!

Re: how hard is it to switch the VIN plates?
 

Not hardm but their are other numbers stamped into the car elsewhere. I think there is one stamped into the engine bay at the very least, on the passenger side firewall.
In the end, its not worth it. If you get caught, as said before, you're in shit. Not to mention the plates are tough to access, and even tougher to make it look like they haven't been tampered with.

Confirming Scarthcart: Indeed the VIN is stamped on the passenger side firewall. You can switch the defrost garnish. Easy to remopve a bit more difficult to put back. The VIN plate is part of the driver defrost vent piece but can be exchanged with rivet tool. My entire defrost grill disintegrated. Had to show a cop once the plate which I keep in the car. He double checked against the firewall stamping.

However, simply a dumb move don't do it. Insurance would be voided in case of accident. Injury to self or others would be a personal not an insurance liability.

Anything is possibel with a good welder. It is illegal however and a good welder won't touch the job.

Definitely stamped in the firewall, maybe elsewhere. Totally illegal, and probably fattening too :)

PaulC

I know it is illegal! I would also change the one on the firewall. I wouldn't get into trouble for stealing the car. I have the sales receipt.
The guy I bought it from, bought it from a salvage yard for the tranny. that is the only thing missing from the car.
Still no one answered my question... how do I do it. I figured the everyone would say not to do it. I thought you guys would be happy I was putting another FC on the road. :)

If we tell you how that would make us an accessory to the crime and just as guilty as you:)

What do yo mean the title was surrendered? If its a salvage title you might only need to get it inspected by the state and they reissue a salvaged title or maybe a rebuilt title. Check with the local title commisioner(county court house?) and see if they can help.

I don't think anyone here know how to swap firewalls and make it look stock.
It would be cheaper to get the bodywork done on the crappy car and paint it.

While you are at it, change out the odometer. If you are going to jail, you might as well go all the way.

:nono:

Make sure that it isn't stamped in other places as well.

A little bit back I was taking apart the front end of my Honda Civic (yeah yeah, I know. I was young and naive. :( ) and almost every single body part I pulled off had the VIN stamped on it somewhere. That's probably a little more extreme than most (thieves love Hondas for their parts), but if you're going to do this, you're going to want to search thorougly for anywhere else they might stamp a VIN, to try and minimize the risk.

Of course, you're not going to get in trouble for stealing the car since it is your vehicle. What does that have anything to do w/ you swapping VINs?

Anywayz, all it takes is a good welder/body shop. Watch the original Gone in 60 Seconds (not the one w/ Nicholas Cage). If you want to do it, that is your business.

But considering that your other option was to swap the motor from the 88 to the 87, it would still be cheaper for you to do this, than to have your cars brought to a willing body shop. The welder would have to work his magic. Then body work will have to be done. Then paint will have to do applied. Heck, it would be cheaper to pick up a Turbo II!

And after your conversion, are you going to leave the car stock OR mod it?

A great Album: Illegal, Immoral and Fattening by Flo and Eddie!!!

You remember them as the Turtles. But when they broke up and were hanging out with Zappa and Captain Beefhart they here F#^% Hilarious!!!. I digress.

All this talk about the feds and going to jail, simply for switching the plates is highly unlikely, and the chance of getting caught is close to zero.
But if you ever get in an accident thats your fault and your insurance adjuster finds out(unlikely), you're talking about insurance fraud. Its 50/50 they'll prosecute but I wouldn't want to be in that position. Just make sure you drive safely or if you get in a serious accident thats your fault, take the ticket and say you aren't carrying insurance. At best don't carry full coverage

I think you'd be better just going to the DMV first and seeing if you can acquire a new title for it. You'll probably wind up with a salvaged title, but does that really matter? Obviously it'll lower the value if you try to sell it, but it's not like you'd want to sell it with swapped VIN plates anyway (even if you didn't get busted, you could still get sued).

As long as the car isn't stolen, why not try to find a legal solution first?

I have also thought about that. Ive torn my 86 totaly apart and the only places are the fire wall and the defroster. I was wondering if you could JBweld the numbers or somehow fill them in and use a punch to use a legal vin#. I did get everything cleared so I gave up on the idea.

you could appy for a lost title, or get the title straighten out then it would be legal, because theres 3 vins, might be more, one ingraved on the firewall, right beside it a aluminum plate, and one by your inspection sticker on the dash. and sticker in the door jam forgot that one.