I have a 80 f-100 2wd and a 85 f-150 4wd parts truck. If I put the 80 cab on the 85 4wd frame can I still consider it the 80 truck?
The cab is real nice on the 85 if I put it on my 80 f-100 frame wouldn't I have to call it a 85 because the vin number on the cab.
I'm puting this out for discusion because I see people doing all sorts of swaps in this forum with no mention of Title problems if you sell it.

 

in indiana here you are susposed to title it as a reconstructed auto, but then it is branded as salvage at the same time. in order to save grace or face or something like that if you have the title to the one with a vin then title it as the one you have the title for. in my eyes its nothing more than a say 1985 2wd with an older engine or a 1982 4wd with a newer engine. but there are some people out there who would frown on this pratice and shy away from anything thats not 100% original ex. same year body,engine,frame ... but then you go back to the reconstructed auto thing and sometimes you can never sell it because you must disclose this by law at time of sale and some people (even though there is absoultly nothing wrong ) will not buy it. but now im rambling so take this info and do as you wish but also respect state laws if applicable.

 

Well if you decide to be doing ilegal nonsense that I may or may not recommend if you are careful with a heat gun and some other methods you can switch the vin's but I don't know anything, in fact I didn't event write this

 

With how difficult it is to see or find the frame ID number, just do whatever combination you want and title it as the cab VIN. It wouldn't cross the mind of 99.99999% of people to see if the frame number and cab number match, especially if they're buying one of these trucks.

So long as the title is clean and matches the two cab VIN's, that's all it takes.

Justin

 

It is against the law in all 48 contiguous states to switch, alter, or otherwise change a Vehicle Identification Plate. Is it done? Yes! All the time! Not always as a means to defraud either. None the less, it is illegal.

ANY modified vehicle "should" have a modified vehicle registration. Did you put a 351 in place of the worn out 302? Guess what....?

Even though the 351 and 302 engines were available for your vehicle, the VIN states one, while the vehicle has another. Can you get into trouble? Yup! How likely? Not very.

To answer the question, the CAB has most of the vehicle documentation attached and may be registered according to the CAB VIN tags, but that is still illegal even though it will likely go through the system without a hitch.

In theory a 1994 CAB and clip can be placed on a 1981 4X4 Bronco chassis and registered as a 1994 Ford F-Series 4X4 (assuming the 1994 Cab came from a 4X4 truck chassis). If the 1994 registration is clean, it will go right through the system without a problem.

If this vehicle is later sold and re-registered to new owner(s) the lie begins to take on problems especially if the vehicle is later used in the commision of a crime or becomes recovered theft. Think what would happen if it was used to transport explosives to the scene of a crime and later traced back to you. What a mess!

 

yea here in indiana if you change any major componit of the auto you are susposed to title it as a reconstructed auto. even if its the same like part ex. wornout 302 for a used 302 from the u-pull it. the vin#'s on the block wont match the ones found on the vin plate then branding it as a salvage title here in my state. not trying to start a leagel battle here but i feel that this is very wrong on the goverments part.

 

This used to be a fairly simple process in Pa. You needed titles,receipts for the major components and 4 pics.It got you reconstructed title.Legislaters have now revised the process to the point of ridiculous.To be 100% legal you almost need a lawyer to figure out the paperwork.To my knowledge it was done in an effort to deter thieves and shut down the chop shops.People still move VIN tags and get away with it but if I ever swap another cab I'll go thru the b.s. to make it legal.Lots of stuff about life behind bars on Discovery or Court TV.

 

After posting this I did a Google search for "Cab Swap" and it listed a post from FTE forums in the "Engine Swaps" category.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...g-engines.html

Hoxiii says it all:

So the cab is the truck you title. That is why I might go to the trouble of putting my older 80 cab on my 85 frame even though the 85 cab is nicer.
The advantage the 80 has an easier e-test and I have collector plates on my 80 which exempts me from a e-test until I sell it.

 

i'm not going to lie. I switched the cab on my truck, ground off the old vins, and left nothing in their place. the problem with the idea that you can just retitle the truck is that there isn't always two available titles. the cab i put on my truck came from a totalled truck, so it didn't have a title (guy bought it back from the insurance company). I could have theoretically requested a new title as a rebuilt auto, but then my insurance company would have charged me sky-high rates since rebuilt trucks are supposedly unsafe and prone to accidents. (its more likely they're driven harder, and faster...) so, i removed the tags, and have the title for the frame. Is it entirely legal... probably not... however, i have no intentions of selling the truck, and i would like to, (some day) drive it on the road again with insurance. i have full intentions of customizing the interior enough so that the original vin plates would be covered anyways. just my .02 worth

 

oops, hit enter twice, my bad

 

I wouldnt worry about it at all. Just use the vin from the cab that you are using and call it even. No one is ever gonna check to see if your frame vin and cab vin match.

 

man, i took a 86 f250 that title states, 6.9 5 spd 4x4. now its got a 400 order for an 81 a c6 order for an 81 and never told no one different. title states diesel. i bought the truck for its soild body and swap everything from my old truck into the diesel. i never knew i might be braking the law. but i dont plain on selling the truck anyways.
i have even had it inspected in virginia for the state inspection and they never asked any questions

 

I am swaping a 95 cab for my 85 cab. I figure it is up to me as to whether it is a 1985 or a 1995. Mine is going to be a 85 no matter what a pencil necked geek says at the DMV. I'M a WV lawyer and I will fight them on this but, I'm sure no one gives a hoot how I title it. It is like the argument as to how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

 

Its legal till it gets in a accident....then the insurance won't pay because its fraud. Simple as that. Doesn't matter whos in the right. If you insure it under a different VIN number and its noticed...someplace it will be....you'll be holdiing the bag.

 

Heres my take on the issue:

If Cab and Frame are different, always title the Cab it has the vin number.
Putting a newer Cab on your truck could make passing smog test harder.
Different Cab and Frame should legally have a salvage title.
If you put a 4 wheel Frame under your 2 wheel drive might cause insurance problems.
If you change engines and your new engine is newer with all smog stuff your ok.
Changing diesel to gas could give you problems with testing.
I've never seen anyone check the frame for numbers,
but a F100 2wd on the title that now is a F250 4wd, insurance problems?

All these regulations suck because all we are trying to do is keep our Ford we love on the road. Our trucks are safer than most because we do our own work and have pride in our rides.