frame repairs/swaps/DMV (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jun 11, 2004
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150
Messages
1,043
Location
high desert, ca
Recently this whole messed up frame and trying to compensate for it on this wrecked cruiser that I'm trying to revive has had me thinking of maybe actually fixing it. It is twisted a little in the front. Now I can have it bent back in shape, or just swap the frame.

If I have a repair shop attack my frame with their hydraulic monsters in an attempt to get it straight, is it necessary to strip the vehicle to a bare frame?
Now if I have to strip it all the way down, I have an extra frame from a 1976 I could swap. But, because this vehicle(1974 fj40) had its plates surrendered, it needs a vin number inspection before becoming legal. I'm a little concerned about trying to swap the frame with one from a smog vehicle, and am not too sure how the CHP would like having the frame serial numbers accidentally welded over with frame reinforcements or something of the sort. Any one here dealt with the DMV nazis and got a salvaged vehicle back on the road? how about a vehicle without numbers on the frame?

So confused, maybe it is time to just sell this rust free desert cruiser (which had a frame off restoration about 10 years ago) piece by piece and buy another, even though I now have about $1500 in it with all of the parts I've bought.
 
Don't think it's neccessary to strip a vehicle to the bare frame to get it straightened. Take it to a frame shop and see what the real story is. Then the rest of the worries become a non-issue.

Nick
 
Depending on how twisted, a frame shop should to tweak it with the body on. You may have to realign some of your panels when its all done. We straightened a frame on a 77' at a buddys tractor-trailer shop with just chains and a hydraulic ram. Came out good enough for the girls we go out with.

Hodag
 
I pulled my body and found my frame bent over the front axle (the 40 had been totaled) talked to 2 frame shops and both wanted the body back on to staighten. The said that they use the body as a guide for staightening the frame. I told them I had a frame chart but they wanted the body on. I didn't want the body tweaked when they staightened the frame (I just finished welding a new cowl on) so I ended up buying a straight frame from cruiserparts.net for $600.

I don't know about the DMV where you are but in PA you have to have before, during, and after pictures of the rebuilt cruiser and then it must be inspected and the inspection sticker is stuck onto the reconstucted title application and sent to the state. The state will then send back a reconstucted title and you get the cruiser reinspected and they put the sticker on the windshield. The cruiser will always have a reconstucted title from that point on.



Kevin
 
If it were me and it's not so who knows if this matters but I would get a cheap frame, if you need one and you can get to Tucson I'll hook you up woth something. Anyway, I'd spend my money on a older 60s frame and go through your whole rig. Your emissions laws are based on the frame so the rest of the stuff is just parts. You can get a title from titles international for like $150 if you have the frame and re-build from there.. That' what I would do if it were me but it's not.... ;)
 

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