TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu May 09, 2019 12:39 pm

I have a 68 bug and a 67 bug. The body on the 68 is in crappy shape. It needs a clip and the back window is leaking so most likely rust inside. I have paperwork on the car and drove it in the past in the state I live in. I also have a 67 rolling shell that the body is perfect. I don't have papers on the 67 but have had it for 20 years. I want to do a body swap and put the 67 body on the 68 pan. I am thinking about switching the tag in the front from the 68 to match the pan. Has anybody done this without getting the dmv involved?

Thu May 09, 2019 12:52 pm

Yes it has been done a lot. The pan is stamped behind the seats too & it should be cut out big & welded in to the new pan under the padding.
Some DMV will just look at the VIN plate under the hood, but some know to look behind the seats for the stamped pan number!

Sun May 12, 2019 12:24 am

Not only is that stupid advice, it is illegal advice. Do not cut the VIN off the chassis. Here in CA, the VIN that is stamped on the chassis under the back seat is what the DMV will look at. There are actually 4 places on bug where there is the VIN. Under the back seat, in the spare tire well, the lower left corner of the windshield on a piece of metal on the dash and a sticker on the B Piller. Is the 68 still registered or on non-op? Either one of those two options in CA means you just pay fees. You wouldn't need to take the car in at all. If the only one you have is on the chassis, I doubt you will have a problem because that's the one on the title.

Sun May 12, 2019 8:35 am

johneliot wrote: Not only is that stupid advice, it is illegal advice. Do not cut the VIN off the chassis. I understand your point about the legality of Mike Fisher's suggestion, but I don't understand why it is "Stupid". I understand Mike's comment as cutting a large section of the tunnel that includes the VIN from the donor and welding/replacing it into the pan the OP plans to keep. What am I missing. I'm not being argumentative, I really don't understand. Is it a structural issue or is it stupid because it is illegal?

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Emil

Sun May 12, 2019 1:48 pm

johneliot wrote: Not only is that stupid advice, it is illegal advice. Do not cut the VIN off the chassis. Here in CA, the VIN that is stamped on the chassis under the back seat is what the DMV will look at. There are actually 4 places on bug where there is the VIN. Under the back seat, in the spare tire well, the lower left corner of the windshield on a piece of metal on the dash and a sticker on the B Piller. Is the 68 still registered or on non-op? Either one of those two options in CA means you just pay fees. You wouldn't need to take the car in at all. If the only one you have is on the chassis, I doubt you will have a problem because that's the one on the title.

^^ Agreed.

Swapping the VIN on a vehicle may be simple and, as some people say, "Who cares, it's an old car"; however, it's illegal.

People who don't want to deal with the DMV shouldn't be trying to return a vehicle to service or customize it. It's possible the vehicle might be sold down the road, at which point circumstances could change and now the seller is facing a lawsuit from the buyer for fraud. Yes, it happens.

Sun May 12, 2019 9:54 pm

Emil, it's stupid because it's illegal.

Mon May 13, 2019 2:04 pm

Which also leads me to ask "Is it legal for a well known seller here to sell repop VIN tags, and now also the correct letter punches??

Mon May 13, 2019 4:40 pm

Mark Evans wrote: Which also leads me to ask "Is it legal for a well known seller here to sell repop VIN tags, and now also the correct letter punches??

Ok...the hardware store cannot be responsible if the bolt cutters they sell are used to cut a lock and break in. Point is that someone selling components like that are not selling the complete replacement VIN tag. Some folks want to recreate a VIN tag to complete their restoration, or replace a lost, missing tag. Each person must know their states rules and decide if there is a risk. :roll:

Wed May 15, 2019 6:31 pm

I think the other issue is that most likely (I'm pretty sure) the 67 and 68 bodies aren't absolutely identical. They might be close, but I'd let others chime in here.

If everyone starts doing this, someone down the road after said vehicle has changed hands a few times will start buying parts based on a dodgy vin number only to find that the parts don't fit or if the car is going to be restored will be a frankenstein.

Now it might not be a major issue with a 67 v 68, but if people start doing this with bodies separated by a number of years, then there will be a lot of posts blaming "the PO" for the bodgy work done.

It may be more unethical than illegal, although it may be classed as fraudulent if the vehicle is subsequently "passed off" as a different year model.

I'd just see if you can get the 67 body registered with the 68 chassis.

Wed May 15, 2019 7:46 pm

You could swap and apply for an assembled vehicle title. But that would involve the DMV i guess, but at least it’d be honest, and in the end no one would really care,value wise,as long as its nice. But yeah, body swaps have been done 1000’s of times and mostly technically “illegal”