Swapping Dash, VIN# question

[Rennen]

I am going to replace the dash in my S13 with one that doesn't have nasty cracks on it. On the driver's side of the dash there is a VIN # plate by the window that seems to be riveted to the dash. I am sure its some sort of horrendous felony to swap VIN #s on the car, so how should I fix this? Has anyone swapped dashes before and moved the VIN plate?


The only reason I ask is that I remember having to go to the dealership one time, and they copied the VIN down from that location, and I don't want any legal trouble if that ends up not showing up as my car.

-Matt

[zombieman]

i swapped my dash. i just yanked the vin number off the dash. one of the sheriff came to my house thinking my car was stolen because of the vin number missing. he said i can get fined for not having the vin number on there and said i had to take it to some special place to get it placed back on there.

[Bill Roberts]

This was just discussed last week.


http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.p...threadid=36965

[Rennen]

ha, when I searched I saw "emissions testing" and just assumed that it had nothing to do with dashes, went ahead and skipped that one

my bad

[Bill Roberts]

I must admit, not your bad..it was rather an obsure topic pertaining to dashes.


Read Zilva often...like I do and they will not slide by you that way. I admit, I am on here way too much...but driving is not an option once I get in for the day...and weekends, I plan my day, home early...best to listen to jams and read zilvia.


Not your bad....I wanted to point you in the right direction.

See, search is not all it is cracked up to be.



Duh...

[mrmephistopheles]

the 'illegal VIN swapping' is when you take a VIN from a junked or otherwise inoperable car and 'apply' it to an otherwise illegal car.

[RedlineRacer]

Originally posted by Bill Roberts
I admit, I am on here way too much...

Thats an understatement. Dang boy, you already broke 1000?

[jenne313]

Uh, yeah. If you want to switch the VIN plates, it's your decision. It's not legal to 1) swap parts with VINs or 2) swap VINs on swapped parts, so basically you HAVE to break some rules, or just deal with a trashed dash.

I didn't know the laws when I swapped mine, and now I have to swap them again this weekend, just to switch the VIN plates. Learn from my mistake!! Save yourself the time and hassle by doing the VIN swap when you have the dashes out. And if you're interested in the information, it's in the Code of Federal Regs, Title 49 (Vol 5 Ch V) Part 565 under VIN.

[Rennen]

As jenne313 so kindly pointed out swapping dashes is highly illegal. And I would never do anything to break the law.

But if you, unlike me, are the kind of person to blatantly disregard the law. 1/8" Arrow pop rivets that are 3mm or over in depth look remarkably similar to the stock rivets Another observation I have made is that Testors Gloss Black plastic model paint has a similar black finish to that on the stock rivets.

But I wouldn't know anything about actually using them....

-Matt

[808Supra]

wow...were both named matt and we both just swapped dashes...

friend of mine took the vin off using a drill, from what I know there is no ohter way since they are riveted in.

[jenne313]

Nor am I the type to advocate such illegal behavior, nor would I have just done the same thing, but I have heard that a Dremel tool to the back of the rivets and some epoxy to the underside of the plate also work well for the swapping of such VINs. Pulling out the entire plate and gluing it is another viable option, but care should be taken that the project looks as clean as possible, as not to cause problems for the felon later on.

Good luck.

[old_s13]

Jenne, stop worrying about such small items on your car.

Drill the rivets, swap the VINs, and re-rivet them onto their new dashboards and be done with.

Having the WRONG VIN is a crime, swapping dashboards is NOT.

- Mike

[jenne313]

Sweetie, I did it the way that I just described, and it worked like a charm. Plus, it's easer to get to the bottom of the grommets than pull both dashes out again... I simply removed the kick panel, the steering column covers, and the bevel (is that what it's called) that holds the cluster, then the cluster, and reached with my girley little hands into the dash. Saved the trouble of about 30 more bolts.

[Rennen]

Well if your rivets start to spin, drilling becomes really hard, and it is possible(although very tedious ) to hammer the ball out of the rivet. This way also allows you to re-use the rivets if you didn't halfway destroy them before thinking of the hammering idea.

-Matt

[drift_newbie]

Matt,

Where did you find a dash? I'd love to replace the dash in my car, since I've decided to keep it long-term as a toy. Any lines on a black dash without cracks in MO?

Thanks,

-Ben

ps: You gotta see my Personal wheel! It kicks severe boo-tay!

[Rennen]

Whats up Ben,

Its been a while since I have been down to Springfield.

I got my Dash from Nerfdude here on Zilvia, http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.p...threadid=36399

I haven't heard of anyone else locally parting out a car. There is always car-part.com. They list a Junkyard in KC having a black one, and its probably off of the car I got my hatch off of, its at http://www.rich-industries.com/ Last time I was there they had 4 240s sitting around, and their prices were fair, but I am not sure on the condition though.

I want to see this steering wheel, Do you have it on a hub, and does your hub extend the wheel much, if so, I would like to sit in your car. I am considering getting a hub or spacer for my stock wheel, just to move it closer.

You should find Glen at SMSU and you guys should come watch me rallycross this weekend in Viburnum, its ONLY 2.5 hours from Springfield

Oh, and get this. I scored a FREE set of Azenis today, they still have 4 or so autocrosses left in 'em too! I am so happy!

-Matt

[black s13]

ive got a perfect black dash, but im in VA... well i will tomorrow afternoon after the HUD gets put into my hatch

[mbmbmb23]

Drill out rivets, swap vin plates....re-rivet old plate in new dash.




-m