Buying a donor truck
 

Guys,

I got a pretty good basic short wide bed rolling chassis truck with no title. I was thinking of buying a driving lwb truck with most of the items I am looking to put on the swb as well as using the lwb title for the swb. What are the pros and cons of doing this? I don't think the vin #s specifiy what bed lengths are? Thanks in advance.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

IMO you have no reason to worry about the VIN. If you do this swap, you have a LWB truck that you converted to SWB by using a SWB frame.
If you sell the truck as a factory SWB, because the VIN doesn't say it's a LWB, that is unethical, and maybe fraud.
Your SPID does tell the wheel base. You would have to have a new SPID printed, and that action alone could be viewed as fraud, if you don't disclose what you did.

You VIN on your frame and cab won't match either, and you will want to keep paperwork for both vehicles so that there isn't any questions as to whether something was stolen or not. Some states check all of the VIN numbers when registering a truck.

I am not calling you a fraud, or thief, I am just pointing out the bad side of things. People swap over LWB to SWB often, and I see nothing wrong with it as long as they aren't advertising them as "factory" swb trucks.

At the end of the day I think it would be cheaper to by a SWB truck. By the time you swap, find a bed, have things painted to match, I think you will have more time and/or money into it than you think.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

Thanks for the info. I would definitely not be classifying the “built” truck as a factory matching truck. It would be a pieced together cruising truck as most of them are. I would be buying the lwb truck for mostly the drive train and the title. The swb truck I currently have has a good cab and bed. I would need the driver front fender, grill, and tailgate off of the lwb and then probably some interior pieces. Around my neck of the woods a lwb truck is significantly cheaper than a swb for the same condition. But you are probably right about having to discuss the swap with the local clerk’s office.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

I also agree that usually buying a finished product is cheaper than building one. But what fun would that be....

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

Just get a title for the SWB. Pretty easy to go about. Not sure how KY does it, but I suggest just going to the DMV and asking how you can go about doing it. I have gotten a couple titles for vehicles I have bought without them in Kansas. Or you can use a company like www.broadwaytitle.com and they do all the work for you and get you a title for I think $150. That's what it cost me for a title on my 67 Chevelle I had many a years ago.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

Bonded titles cost various amounts depending on your state. Do some research to know all of your options. In Texas I bought a wrecked 62 mercury comet s22 a few years back with no title. After I replaced the fender grill bumper, replaced tires,other misc small things, i had around $2000 in it. It was a 6 or 7 on a scale of 1-10, ten being best. I had to get it appraised, that cost $100-$150 I forget, it appraised at $4000, bond cost another $350. Couldn't sell car for the $3000 as I wanted to get $ for my time as well so I traded it for a 1967 Massey ferguson 2200 industrial tractor with front loader 44 hp Perkins diesel. It was worth around $3000. (Unfortunately the rear lift and ps needed repair and I spent another $2k on this last month).

My advice is to try and do what you can to stay away from bonded titles but make sure what you are doing is legal. Check the laws in your state to be sure when swapping cabs or frames. Allow every state is different.
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Re: Buying a donor truck
 

So let me see if I have this correct. If I bought a long bed truck and used the vin # and title for the short bed truck it would be ok as long as I did not make someone believe it was a factory matching truck. I see people selling cabs only with titles on here all the time. I don't really see the difference. I bought and sold a 68' short bed not to long ago and all it had was the vin# on a plate by the driver door and title. It did not have a SPID or anything like that on the glove box door. (Unless painted over) I had no idea if the frame, or motor went with the vin# or not. Don't people piece these trucks together all the time?

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

Of course they do. I'd just call the DMV to make sure they don't have any heartburn with what you're planning, since laws vary from state to state. If and when you sell it, tell the buyer what you're selling and you should have no problem.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

Check the laws in your state to be sure when swapping cabs or frames. Laws in almost every state are different.


In general, swapping VIN tags is a NO NO.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

If you are keeping the factory cab and frame, then I would try hard to get a title for that cab. I would not swap VIN's from one cab to another, if you get caught it could be trouble.
IMO if you have an original cab and frame, then it is still a factory SWB truck. Lots of people switch out fenders and other body parts, I think that's part of the restoration. I thought you had a bare frame when I posted above.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

I will check with the dmv. I guess the lwb cab would be just as easy to use.
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Re: Buying a donor truck
 

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Just don't sell it to anyone in Kansas. It's my understanding the KS DMV has major heartburn over stuff like this...

LockDoc

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

He is KY, I am from KS. You can swap cabs from frame to frame. No heart burn from what I have encountered, as long as when you get a VIN inspection it doesn't come up stolen you have no worries. You can get a title for a vehicle that none. Can be a little painful depending on who you talk to at the DMV's. Some of the people are hateful, some don't know what they are talking about, and some just don't want to help you. Not sure how much of a pain it is in KY. Good luck, wish you the best in this.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

I've heard of people cutting down their long frames and making a short framed truck. What is the difference? Really all it comes down to is the long bed truck would be converted to a short bed. Right?

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

GMCJOE,

so you're saying as long as the lwb truck is not stolen? I would have the owner go to the dmv with me for the transfer prior to purchase of the lwb truck. They would know then if there was any problems i guess.
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Re: Buying a donor truck
 

As long as everything is above board you won't have any problems so go for it, if and when you ever decide to sell it just tell the buyer the truth. Thats it, no drama.

Re: Buying a donor truck
 

A donor truck is a great benefit to have in a restoration- you will find missing or damaged parts on the swb & odds are the lwb will have what you need. Also, if you forget how something goes together, you can just go look at the donor truck. Just my opinion