I have a friend who is looking for info on swapping VINs. Basicly 2 cars, same style, 1 wrecked, 1 drivable, but different years.

I am not sure if one is a salvage or not, but I have done some research on registering/inspecting a salvage title.

any experiences or opinions ?

Its quite illegal, If you have strict inspection besure to trace all body reference numbers as well as on the engine/tranny. I "know" someone who has done this and if you do all your homework it isnt a big deal.

Also look into your state branding title laws I know here once a car becomes salvage or destroyed it becomes exempt from inspection, millege, and emissions.

DTE

why would you want to swap vins? the only one your can really swap over is the one that you see through the windshield. the chasis one is always there. you can fool people that way for a while, but if you get caught, its your ass.

it would be easy as **** here, when you register a car they dont even look at your car, and cops get the vin number from your title, as long as the car listed on your title looks like the car your driving it would work

You know I was wondering about that, my emisions test was suppose to be this year but I never got a thing about it, my car was inspected when I got the new 5sfe in and it was not very "Strict" basicly all the checked was the vin on the dash and the motor. I got a fancy sticker in the door to show it was inspected though, I wonder how much of a big deal it is if they dont match (doing the swap and all) anyway how cool would that be if I dont have to have it pass emisions >>

but anyway, yeah its very illigal and would be very bad if anyone found out you swapped VIN's. its not ever really worth it unless you want a "legal" GT-4

This post has been edited by creis: Oct 10, 2005 - 3:54 AM

What kind of trouble could you get into for swapping VINs?

probibly would lose the car and get a large fine, plus have that go on your record so your insurence would be crazy high if you could ever get it again.

maybe a jail sentince.

i don't know if this works in your friends state.. or if it is even the same way .. but back when i was in HS... i was building a car with my dad... (well he was just telling me what to do ) but the car got regester as a rebuilt and they gave a new vin number... and we where giving these plates that we has to put over the old vin numbers on the old chasie .

.........good technique........if you need to put a new engine code on your engine, cause its stolen/ replaced with a diferent one. U just have to grind the old one say the 5sfe model code off of the engine itself. Then with a chisel and some tools, you just have to carve in the new code, not to hard and not too lightly. jsut enough so that it looks like factory made. How Do i know this, I don't know >>

This seems far too risky to me. I can probably find the legal consequences, I’m sure they would be harsh $ wise.

according to " http://www.autoinsurancetips.com/vin.htm "

Tips to understanding your vehicles serial (VIN) number

They are as follows:

* 1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured.
For example: U.S.A.(1or4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K), England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
* 2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer. For example; Audi(A),
BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler©, Dodge(B),
Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(8), Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).
* 3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
* 4th to 8th characters- Identifies vehicle features such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc.
* 9th character- Identifies VIN accuracy as check digit.
* 10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J), 1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), 1992(N), 1993(P), 1994®, 1995(S), 1996(T),
1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)------2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
* 11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle.
* 12th to 17th characters- Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for production
as it rolled of the manufacturers assembly line.


along as the model/body is the same, engine is the same size. you should be gold. You can always report to the dmv that you "swaped" >> the engine+tran out into the vehical. So there is no need to grind off the engine/tran serial number.

it doesnt seem like the color of the car is a factor.

IMPORTING A GT4 HERE I COME!!!

Color probably wouldn't matter, but it depends. My dad's a cop where I live and he works a part time guarding some millionairs hanger at the local airport... guy has a bunch of goodies.... 3 porsche's, 2 racing boats, 2 racing motorcycles, a gulfstream II, another smaller plane.... and a lot of classic and 80's cars in the process of being repaired.

There's one car in particular that they're having trouble getting titled b/c the veh has two vins.... non of the cops will sign the VIN verification b/c of it and b/c the veh has vin plates plated on in places it shouldn't....

If you find a cop who doesn't know that much about cars, you could probably get it signed off. Assuming it was from the same type of veh... just have to make sure any of the vin's don't return with a hit on them... then you're fooked... so it's up to u