1982 silverado cab on a 1987 GMC?

[Buick455]

I have a 1987 GMC 4x4 work truck. The cab floor is rusted through and the fenders are pretty dented so I am looking for a donor cab with A/C and front clip. I found a 1982 silverado 2wd cab with air and front clip in supposedly 98% rust free for $650. Does this sound reasonable and I assume I will have to cut our my trans hump and graft it to the 2wd. Any other issues?

[WigglesTheHoly]

There should be no prob just make sure you have the title for the cable you will have to get your tag work done too being as the main vin will be for the 82. I just turned a 2wd auto into a 2wd Stick the hump on your 4wd should just unbolt then on the other cab just use a cutting torch or plasma if you have one and follow the groove around the hump once that is done use some self taping bolts and attach it. not too bad really.

[Buick455]

He has the title which is good. How does the price sound?
I missed a deal last night on a 1987 Silverado, same darn color for the same price from the original owner just had a bad engine.

[WigglesTheHoly]

if their is no rust its a steal IMHO

[RandyP]

You will want to keep the VIN plate for you 87. Basic math skills here, 87 is better than 82. The VIN plates can be swapped on the dash, not a big chore to do. Not sure how it is where you live, but here, with a vehicle this old, you can put the VIN plate on with regular rivets if you can not obtain the factory ones (hard to get).

The cab will be a simple bolt over change, minus the difference of the tunnel as you know. The last cab I bought, we bought the entire truck (in order to obtain the cab) and gave $160 for it. The bed was trash, the front clip was trash, even the support was rusted out. But the cab and doors were probably 90% rust free.

*disclaimer* I am not a lawyer, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn in 2007.

[old Rusty C10]

im going to interject here and saythat while what Randy suggests is something alot of people do, its not legal. You have to have the truck inspected by your state in most instances and have a new VIN assigned to it... you may want to check with your state police and or Department of Motor Vehicles before doing this

[Buick455]

I wil check with the DMV but if I have the 82 title I should be Ok and I realy do not care if it is registered as a 82 or 87 as I am not selling it.

[GM72K10]

Originally Posted by old Rusty C10

im going to interject here and saythat while what Randy suggests is something alot of people do, its not legal. You have to have the truck inspected by your state in most instances and have a new VIN assigned to it... you may want to check with your state police and or Department of Motor Vehicles before doing this

I agree. A more legal way is to keep the vin in tact on the 1982 and just do a cab swap when in reality you are doing a "frame swap/repair". You took a 82 Silverado 2wd truck and converted it to 4wd is all.
Nothing illegal in Pa. about that, not sure of NJ though

[RandyP]

Originally Posted by old Rusty C10

im going to interject here and saythat while what Randy suggests is something alot of people do, its not legal. You have to have the truck inspected by your state in most instances and have a new VIN assigned to it... you may want to check with your state police and or Department of Motor Vehicles before doing this

Never had issues like that. I remember doing cab replacements in our body shop over the years, and you remove the old VIN plate and put it on the replacement cab. At one point they would send the rivets to us with out much hassle, just a few letters and verifications from all parties. Seems about 5 years ago or so they started having to have a rep from the manufacturer come out and do the actual install, or supervise the install of the VIN tag on the dash.
Heck, when I worked for Hertz we could actually order the VIN labels that are on the door frames of cars, they'd be an exact match to what it had.

I'm not saying it's that way where you're at, but I know what we've done and it was legit and 100% on the up and up. I know it's been several years since the last time we needed them, but we were able to obtain the special headed rivets, but then again we are a real repair facility and not just Joe Blow in his garage, maybe that's a difference.

I'd make a quick call to the DMV and inquire with them, or the State Troopers might know as well. Be honest, explain it all and I almost bet you're happy with the answer you get.

[motornut]

don't know bout where you guys are but here an 82 would be emmissions exempt(no etest), 87 is not.And i doubt the vin change would fly with out papers filed.

[benoit454]

I would have to agree the vin becomes a problem you either have to have the papers filed for the different cab on a different frame or try and have the vin reasigned to the other cab so it'll all work out. I don't know how much of PITA that might be, but more then likely you'll end up with a recontructed vehicle title. Or knowing wv if you were here they'd make you get the other cab titled in your name costing around $30 or more to do so, not to mention a notarized bill of sale to prove the price paid and they only accept $500 no less which is BS, then make you go through and have a recontructed vehicle inspection and a title reissued. I know my uncle had to give up the title to my 88 that I got from him when he got in a wreck and they totalled it, then he bought it back and fixed it, had to have it inspected and then they had to file and re issue a title to him.

[sandorjoben]

Originally Posted by motornut

don't know bout where you guys are but here an 82 would be emmissions exempt(no etest), 87 is not.

In Ontario 1987 model year vehicles no longer require an e-test(as their cut-off is 20 years) at this time, 1988 and newer vehicles no longer require e-tests after 30 years, meaning a 1988 truck would need e-tests until 2018. My 1987 GMC V15 4x4 doesn't need an e-test to register. This is just a clarification on some incorrect info.

Dave

[Buick455]

I Checked with the DMV and they consider it a reconstructed vehicle. I will have to get it inspected which costs $125, have photos taken and bring them a certified letter explaining he changes with both titles. Total cost is $135 plus registration.

Unfortunately the guy that has the cab had to move it and strapped it through the door opening and now it has to small dent in the roof. Have not seen the photos yet of the dents and if he permanently bent the roof.

[WigglesTheHoly]

Ouch sorry to hear that man we always move our cabs with a cloth wrapped pipe as not to scratch the paint and to distribute weight evenly and not pinch the roof.

Originally Posted by Buick455

I Checked with the DMV and they consider it a reconstructed vehicle. I will have to get it inspected which costs $125, have photos taken and bring them a certified letter explaining he changes with both titles. Total cost is $135 plus registration.

Unfortunately the guy that has the cab had to move it and strapped it through the door opening and now it has to small dent in the roof. Have not seen the photos yet of the dents and if he permanently bent the roof.

[RandyP]

Would not be that big of a deal then with what the DMV told you, at least in my opinion.

Every state is so different, it's hard to give good advice I guess. Here in OK you don't even have salvage title branding unless the car is 7 years or newer. We don't have state inspections or smog crap either. I guess we can get away with a lot more than most places.

Sorry to hear the cab has damage on it, hopefully it is not bad and will be an easy fix for you, if you go that route. Save all your paperwork and make them give you a Johnny Cash title, say it's a 1981, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86 all rolled in to one.

[motornut]

i was off one year ,(Ottawa started 2002)sorry but i knew my 89 would always have to be done,thats why it's a parts truck ,and my 87 was written off............according to wickipiedia...........The Drive Clean program has undergone several changes since its introduction in 1999 under then Ontario Premier Mike Harris. In 2003, standards for light-duty vehicles were tightened to require 11.5% lower vehicle emissions than the most stringent American EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommended standards. On November 18, 2005, then Minister of the Environment (Ontario) Laurel Broten announced several proposed changes to the Drive Clean program[2]. Standards were tightened by a further 11.5%. Newer vehicles, which have a very high pass rate due to better emission control technology off the assembly line, were exempted from the program until they are five years old. At the other end of the age spectrum, the exemption for vehicles 20 years old and older was phased out. Vehicles built in 1988 and afterwards would have "fallen out" of the program after 19 years (for instance, a 1988 vehicle would no longer need testing after 2007). As a result of this change, such vehicles must continue to be tested every two years as long as they are on the road. Vehicles built in 1987 or before have now left the program permanently.

BTW thanks you just made the years of truck i'll buy expand by one year

[benoit454]

That's where wv is kinda dumb too we have inspection stickers every year but only visual, no smog stuff but they do look to see if you have a cat working or not, gutted or stock, they don't care about headers or anything else really either.

[Buick455]

I am going to look at the cab tomorrow. Based on the photos it is not rust free as I can see rust under the pass side door. It is tough to see everything by the photos but I am thinking $500 for the cab and front clip vs what he is asking which is $650.