Cab swap Questions

[AuroraGirl]

In Kansas it's a felony to swap the VIN tags. You can go to the Highway Patrol with some forms and money etc and they will renumber your cab. As for me I've never messed with the VINs but on those 2or3 occasions that I didn't do it I swapped dashes.

then kansas should restamp the frame, tooo
and when governments make you do this kind of bs, they should be paying for it to. dont want vins swapped? Dont make a legal racket out of something like car restoration or owning an old vehicle

 

[Ken B]

Will the 81 dash fit in the 85 cab? how hard is it to do this? a few hours? days?
or in lots of cases start today end in a few weeks as other thing take precedence

 

[75Monza]

My case is start a year ago and ponder what this massive pile of parts is supposed to be!

 

[RoryH19]

If you don't mind a little drilling and welding, you can put your original dash into the replacement cab. Then you have a little more 'heritage' preserved and you don't have to do anything with the VIN's.

With the windshield removed, you can see the spot welds that fasten the dash panel to the cowl. The lower corners simply bolt to the interior of the cab.

That works for the dash mounted ones but the older squares are by the door jams.
Has 4 "rosette" rivets.

 

[RoryH19]

then kansas should restamp the frame, tooo
and when governments make you do this kind of bs, they should be paying for it to. dont want vins swapped? Dont make a legal racket out of something like car restoration or owning an old vehicle

Agree, car restoration company's probably move vins all the time without mentioning. They just use the propoer rivets or move the metal it's attached too.

 

[RoryH19]

78 or 79. my 1980 has windshield but the 81 vin is longer

Right they added more characters to have 17.

 

[bucket]

Will the 81 dash fit in the 85 cab? how hard is it to do this? a few hours? days?
or in lots of cases start today end in a few weeks as other thing take precedence

Yeah, it fits just the same. It can be done in a few hours, once the glass and dash guts are out of the way. But if you were looking forward to having the newer column with multi-function stalk, it's probably not worth the trouble.

That works for the dash mounted ones but the older squares are by the door jams.
Has 4 "rosette" rivets.

Right, but the trucks in question are '81 and '85. The B-pillar VIN went away for '79.

 

[Ken B]

thanks bucket
I think that the bmv paperwork is the easier route. I like the nostalgia/historical thing but punching out the windshield and gutting the cab wiring is above my paygrade. I got my project truck from my brother ( now deceased) and I would like all the "originality" I can have but salt, rain, Indiana weather has beaten this truck up and Like I said that is something that I do not feel talented enough to tackle that.

 

[75Monza]

In Washington state, we just have it inspected and get a new vin/title when you build a project...as long as you had both titles to begin with. My '73 F250 highboy is that way, frame and drivetrain were '72, got rolled and needed a body. Put a '73 (next body style) rwd body on it with some mount changes since there is 5" frame width difference between the two.

 

[Ken B]

anyone have any idea how many spot welds there are to remove the entire metal dash panel ?

 

[bucket]

anyone have any idea how many spot welds there are to remove the entire metal dash panel ?

If I remember in the morning, I can go count them all on the dash I have removed.

 

[shortarms]

That would depend on the state. Out her in commifornia you need to swap em, keep your mouth shut and only you and the people that helped you haul metal around know.

it pays to know the guy that runs the crusher. Not that I'd ever do that....unless it was a dodge dakota.

 

[eskimomann209]

anyone have any idea how many spot welds there are to remove the entire metal dash panel ?

A lot. Mine had a spot weld every inch or so
When I got it out the I took the time to rust proof it.

 

[Ken B]

Thanks. I got the glass out and was just noticing all the spots

 

[Ken B]

Eskimo got any pics of the dash out?