Hello,
The frame on my 1979 4x4 p/u is rotted beyond repair here in NJ. So using the net, I found a few junk yards that have good rust free 79 frames in CA, and CO (for a good price!). So my first idea was to just get a new frame and swap my body and everything else onto the good frame(still illegal I guess). But when I was thinking about that I realized that my body would need some rust work as well, so why not just get a complete frame, bed, and cab, for almost the same cost and shipping cost as the frame would cost alone. So that is where I am headed.
However I when I called the NJ DMV they claim that any vehicle that is in a junk yard can NEVER EVER be put back on the road legally! They claim that all you can do with a junk yard vehicle is take parts, but the frame becomes null and void. So they told all I can do is buy a good truck that still has a current title.
Both junk yards will provide me with a bill of sale, and the CA yard will put a vehicle Acq number (whatever that is!) on the bill of sale. So, can I buy the good body/frame, get it to NJ, swap my interior, engine, trans, etc and then swap the vin plates from my rotted truck onto the good body/frame, and use the VIN ## from the rotted truck on the good truck? Then I could just have my rotted truck crushed. Where is the VIN number located on my 79? I know there is one VIN plate on the drivers door jamb, and one plate on the pass side wheel well, and there is no plate on the dash board. Am I missing any places where the vin is? Is it stamped on the frame?
Thank you in advance for your help,
Zack
The frame on my 1979 4x4 p/u is rotted beyond repair here in NJ. So using the net, I found a few junk yards that have good rust free 79 frames in CA, and CO (for a good price!). So my first idea was to just get a new frame and swap my body and everything else onto the good frame(still illegal I guess). But when I was thinking about that I realized that my body would need some rust work as well, so why not just get a complete frame, bed, and cab, for almost the same cost and shipping cost as the frame would cost alone. So that is where I am headed.
However I when I called the NJ DMV they claim that any vehicle that is in a junk yard can NEVER EVER be put back on the road legally! They claim that all you can do with a junk yard vehicle is take parts, but the frame becomes null and void. So they told all I can do is buy a good truck that still has a current title.
Both junk yards will provide me with a bill of sale, and the CA yard will put a vehicle Acq number (whatever that is!) on the bill of sale. So, can I buy the good body/frame, get it to NJ, swap my interior, engine, trans, etc and then swap the vin plates from my rotted truck onto the good body/frame, and use the VIN ## from the rotted truck on the good truck? Then I could just have my rotted truck crushed. Where is the VIN number located on my 79? I know there is one VIN plate on the drivers door jamb, and one plate on the pass side wheel well, and there is no plate on the dash board. Am I missing any places where the vin is? Is it stamped on the frame?
Thank you in advance for your help,
Zack
