I know here in Utah, they issue what they call a "BRANDED TITLE". It designates that t he vehicle has been rebuilt and lowers the value of the vehicle.

 

to be honest, i will probably switch the vin plates. i had a hard enough time just getting the truck in my name(almost 5 yrs), they kept giving me the run around. and i agree there is still over 90% of the original truck still exsisting.
"what momma don't know wont hurt her"

 

I just realized I was in this same position with my bed (no issue with a vin on that though). My old box was beat to hell. It suffered a tire blowout on the highway, a 6in rust hole where a gooseneck ball was mounted, and the floor looked like swiss cheese there were so many holes drilled. I thought "I can save this bed. A new bedside for that blowout and a new floor will make it almost new" Then I climbed underneath *shutter*. The main supports under the box were crushed. the right rear corner that had the blowout needed to be restuctered completely to fit a tailgate or taillights for that matter properly. I hopped on craigslist thinkin "Im just lookin, for the umteenth time, there wont be anything for me to use let alone cheap enough." SCORE! 2 hours away was a truck with a tranny and a beautiful body, so I got my new bed and saved BIG.

 

My 82 was getting pretty bad, so I put the word out with all my scrapping buddies to keep an eye open for a parts truck. My one buddy called me, and said, come to the yard, I just got in 2 trucks, and they're like yours. the one was an 85, and rusted so bad, nothing was usable. The other was an 86, that belonged to an old man, who had lost his licence, and put the truck in a garage. this truck had about 2" of bird poo on it, but I couldn't find rust on it anywhere. The scrapper said it won't start, he thought i was locked up. I pullled the hood open, and there's a 4.9, with a 3spd od manual trans. I also see what's wrong with it, and shut the hood. I paid him $300, and put it on the rollback and took it to the carwash. it cleaned up really well. I took it home, and switched the wires around on the solinoid, and fired it up. I had it inspected, only needed an exhaust system, and drove this truck for the next 5 years. Oh, and when I got it it had only 43,000 miles on it. And I believe it. The only reason I am not driving the truck now, some butt head plowed me from behind at a stop light, and totaled it. Put the word out, because there's still plenty of them out here, and you can get them for a decent price.By the way, the 82 still needs a parts truck