bruce l. bergman

If you can find one, this is the best way to go - no more welding.

But if you do, get a receipt and the title Pink Slip (or a copy if
they are going to resell the cab) for the scrapped truck chassis.
Then go to your state DMV and make sure they record details about the
frame swap and second VIN on your title.

Otherwise if a cop ever pulls you over and gets suspicious (yes,
it's rare but not unheard of) he will find that the body VIN tag
doesn't match the stamped VIN on the chassis rail that is supposed to
be the "real" one - and the first thing they think is "Stolen Truck!"
They can make a whole lot of trouble for you.
--<< Bruce >>--

If the chassis VIN is even readable. Or there.
I've seen lots of frames with NO VIN on them.
Lots of highway trucks have a new "glider" installed to remedy frame
damage. I'm sure there is no change made to the registration. But a
good point to check, anyway.


--
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bruce l. bergman

And if a cop finds a vehicle with an obliterated or missing frame
VIN that looks deliberate, or the numbers don't match up and he can't
see why on the registration, he has the discretionary powers (should
he choose to) to easily ruin your whole day. Maybe the month.


Ahh, but you are WRONG 30-Weight Breath... ;-P

Big changes to the registration. I knew there was a process in
place, and just went and looked it up when you challenged my voracity
- California has a whole process spelled out. And there are
interstate compacts in place that means most states follow the same
basic vehicle registration procedures.

The major truck makers put a new VIN Number on their "Glider Kit"
replacement frames and axles, they do not reuse the old truck VIN.
And that new VIN is exempt from the federal 17-digit VIN coding
mandate, since they can't code in the engine transmission or body
details - they can't know ahead of time, and it could easily change.

Falls under "Specially Constructed and Kit Vehicles" in Chapter 8 of
the Registration Handbook -
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk_pdf/ch08.pdf

They change the manufacturer code for the vehicle to flag it in the
computers as a "kit" vehicle - a Kenworth would change from KEN to
KENKT. The vehicle now has only a "year first sold" and not a "model
year", since there could be a big mosh-up of varying "model years"
between the cab body, hood, sleeper, engine and transmission. http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc4153.htm


They like to have you fill out multiple "Statement" forms for every
little detail, they go into the permanent registration files. Then
they can go back years later and figure out what happened.

--<< Bruce >>--

scottm

Nothing to worry about unless the frame you get is from a stolen truck!

15W40 more like it

May be correct. Likely is: but I know of trucks that have been
"repaired" with a new or different frame that are not KIT registered
in Canada.
In Ontario, it would not be KIT, it would be ASSEMBLED

Reference: Ontario Regulation 361-98, made under the Environmental
Protection Act - Motor Vehicles
http://192.75.156.68/DBLaws/Regs/English/980361_e.htm


Custom Vehicles - Kit Cars / Rebuilt Vehicles
With respect to custom cars, the Ministry of Transportation does have
specific registration requirements for kit cars and rebuilt vehicles.
Information on registration requirements for a kit car or rebuilt
vehicle is below.

Kit Cars
Definition: a complete body of a motor vehicle, not including an
engine, chassis or drive train. Kit body is a replica of an existing
or vintage motor vehicle.

Kit cars are registered in Ontario as:
V.I.N.: Assigned as "ASD" if no 17 -digit V.I.N. on dashboard of kit
body
Make: Manufacturer of kit
Model: KIT
Model Year: Year that the kit car was completed and registered with
the ministry. If there is not an existing 17-digit V.I.N. on the
dashboard, you may request the licence office to provide you with a
ministry assigned V.I.N., which you should affix to the dashboard. A
V.I.N. is needed before you can obtain a Safety Standards Certificate.

Rebuilt Vehicle
Constructed using various main component parts (body, chassis or
frame) obtained from other vehicles or from auto wreckers, dealers or
manufacturers, and whose vehicle identification number (V.I.N.), make,
model or model year has been affected by this reconstruction. Rebuilt
vehicles are registered in Ontario as:
V.I.N.: Of body of the vehicle (CHASSIS/FRAME V.I.N. is not used). If
there is no longer an existing V.I.N. on the dashboard, you may
request the licence issuing office to provide you with a ministry -
assigned as RBT V.I.N., which you should affix to the dashboard. A
V.I.N is needed before you can obtain a Safety Standards Certificate.
MAKE: Manufacturer of body of the vehicle (CHASSIS/FRAME manufacturer
is not used)
MODEL: RBT
MODEL YEAR: Year that the motor vehicle car was rebuilt and registered
with the ministry.

NOTE- the RBT is ONLused under 2 conditions - vehicles "whose vehicle
identification number (V.I.N.), make, model or model year has been
affected by this reconstruction."

OR

Where "there is no longer an existing V.I.N. on the dashboard"

Specifically "V.I.N.: Of body of the vehicle (CHASSIS/FRAME V.I.N. is
not used)"


A REPAIRED vehicle, using salvaged replacement parts, whether a used
engine, fenders, bumpers, rear axle, or frame, is a REPAIRED vehicle,
and unless branded as salvage due to interference by an insurance
company, is NOT regegistered in any way in Canada. (at least in
Ontario - and Ontario vehicles can be registered anywhere in Canada
with a provincial safety inspection)

I suspect it is also true, in practice, throughout the vast majority of the USA.

--
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bruce l. bergman

15W oil in the winter /that/ far north? You either have to keep the
vehicle running, plugged in, or an APU engine running 24/7.

I Love L.A. - the only places you find a Kim Hotstart is on fire
trucks and standby diesel generator plants, and that's only so it
starts on the first pull and can take a load in a hurry.

{Big Snip}

Game, set and match - Told ya that there are likely to be vehicle
registration change issues. Now you even agree with me.

It's always best if you go to your local government registration
authorities FIRST, tell them what you did, and see what receipts and
documentation they need you to produce and other things they need you
to do to make it 100% Kosher.

Might be nothing more than recording a change of frame on the title,
might be a whole pile of paper.
--<< Bruce >>--

I didn't say I agreed.
According to Ontario law, replacing a frame is a REPAIR, not a
rebuild. New or used parts, no difference - and the CHASSIS SERIAL
NUMBER IS NOT RECORDED OR REQUIRED even on an assembled or rebuilt
vehicle. ONLY if the body VIN is non-existant is a new VIN issued.
A "rebuilt" vehicle is made up of parts from several vehicles, not
necessarilly of the same vintage or manufacture.
A "KIT" vehicle is a vehicle assembled from custom maunfactured parts
that may also use "doner" parts. The manufacturer of the "kit body" or
purchased plan set needs to be speciied, and can NOT be the
builder/assembler of the vehicle unless he is also a registered kit
manufacturer.

--
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darkshadow79

Love your humor Bruce - gave me a good laugh about the gas tank and
carpet lighting up even though you are responding to a serious
question...

FWIW - my brother's Ranger did the same thing, we welded and welded,
seemed to keep breaking, and yes we did it with the body panels in place
and it does melt or scorch everything on the other side of the
weld...oops!

He finally scrapped the truck, I wonder if Ranger frames are just weak?

Eric