removing vin tag? just drill out rivets

[Dropt72Shortbed]

lets just say if i were to remove the vin tag off my cab, what would be the best way of removing it so i can safely put it back on later?

[WORNBRAKES]

I would imagine that if someone wanted to remove it and then throw the cab away, the best would be to cut a patch panel around the tag. If they wanted to remove it to paint, they would need to drill out the rivets and then put it back on with the right rivets. If someone so decited to remove it.

[minibike]

The original rivets are hard to find, and I have heard they are $40 a set. If one were to need to do this and retain the original rivets, you could cut out the area and weld it back in...to the same cab, of course...

[cdowns]

if you want to remove vin plate grind the back side of the rivets off save the heads so when you go to remount it you can epoxy the plate on with the original heads and looks completely "LEGAL"

[Fred T]

Before you remove the vin plate, contact your state DMV or Hiway Patrol. Otherwise, you can end up with a vehicle that cannot be retitled or be prosecuted for removing or altering a vin.

[72shadetree]

do a search and you should find another post that has a link to the rivets know it was on here sometime ago

[Slammed67]

I've read a lot replys to this topic in the past and am suprised at what a big deal some people make it out to be. Do some state's DMV's actually check to see if your VIN plate is attached with the original rivets?????? If an inspector is checking for "original rivets", he/she has WAY too much time in his/her hands! Hell, when I first rebuilt my truck, I had removed the VIN plate to paint underneath it. Once I got the truck together, I just threw it in the glove box and forgot about it. When I went to get it safety inspected the first time, the guy was looking for the VIN and couldn't find it. I was like "Oh, it's in the glove box.... I just haven't put it back on yet..... I'll get it for you". It was obvious that I was working on the truck and he didn't give me any trouble about it. On top of that, my frame is from a different truck, and therefore has non-matching ID numbers. It has never been checked either. I'm not saying it isn't an issue for some states, but I've never had a vehicle looked over that closely in Missouri. I have the title for the truck and a sales receipt for the frame I bought, so I guess I've I was ever questioned about it, I'd have some proof of what I've done. Sorry, but cutting out around the tag and patching it into another cab is just plain ridiculous! I'd just carefully drill them out to remove the tag. Then find some small rivets and put it back on. I had some rivets laying around with flat heads (non-original looking). I pushed them through the holes and slid a piece of small rubber tubing on the back ends to hold them in place. Unless you know exactly what the original rivets look like, you can't tell. Or do what "cdowns" suggested.

[72shadetree]

yeah i know somebody that has a 75 and a 74 junked and he is running the lic plates from the 74 on the 75 even the cops dont look at the vin to close unless youre in major trouble.and no the truck is not hot just in a *****y xwifes name and she want sign it over and dont want the truck and its not worth going to court its a beater

[mikep]

Inspections? What inspections? They used to inspect cars that were new to the state by the hiway patrol before they issued you a washington state title. Then their budget got cut back and the state hiway patrol told the DMV to get bent. Now no one ever inspects vin tags or frame numbers. We have no vehicle inspections for registrations and in most counties in the state no emmisions control checks either.

Got to make up for all that rain somehow.

[Johns70]

don't do it,those rivets are called rose rivets and stainless steel,they are suppose to be only availible to the factory.for theft purposes. so people arn't stealing trucks and pop riveting new vin plates on pickups that they stole.

and yes they do check the washington state patrol does anyways,any out of state vehicle appling for washington title or license plates.they check frame number and cab tag and engine block,to make sure they all match,they don't worry about the engine number to much on the older rigs thou.


so if you have to change that vin tag from one truck cab to another cut and weld part of the door pillar to keep the rose rivets,if the truck is never going to change hands or leave the state from selling then go ahead but if it ever does the next person will have explaining to do and then will probaly end up having to wait three years for a title wainting to see if any body put in any claims with/for those vin numbers.this is my underdstanding of the washinton laws.hope this helps ya

[Hooter]

Careful with the vin thig. Sometimes insurance companies can use that as a loop hole to not pay out in an accident

[mikep]

Originally posted by Johns70


and yes they do check the washington state patrol does anyways,any out of state vehicle appling for washington title or license plates.they check frame number and cab tag and engine block,to make sure they all match,they don't worry about the engine number to much on the older rigs thou.

What ? I registered two cars in Washington last week from out of state with no inspection whatsoever by the highway patrol. One was a 1957 panel wagon. The other was a 1987 jeep comache. Both came up from Oregon . The state highway patrol no longer checks the VIN or frame numbers on vehicles coming into the state. They havent for a couple of years now. I even asked at the DMV if they needed to be inspected and the guy at the counter told me "They don't do that any more because their budget got cut" .

[dmec]

pretty obvious. some havent dealt with california dmv

[Dropt72Shortbed]

Originally posted by dmec
pretty obvious. some havent dealt with california dmv

im in california, do you happen to know what the rules are around here? obviously we never have to bother with inspection, just smog on anything newer than 73. vins never get checked here except to see if they match the title when you sell/buy a vehicle. ive never been pulled over and had a cop check my vin, and i was pulled over alot as a teenager in my 70 buick GS hehe...

[Fred T]

Originally posted by dmec
pretty obvious. some havent dealt with california dmv

Or Kansas, where the law allows the hiway patrol to make up their own rules for vin inspections.

[Myride67c10]

I have a question. Weither you cut the rivets out or the part of the piler either way I would think that you could tell that it has been removed and re-applied. I you just saying that by doing the piler you can make the job look like it has not been removed?

[Tynee]

Or.... you could do it the legal way. At least in KY, you can write to the state DMV to request permission to remove a VIN polate from a vehicle. They will send back written permission. Keep it in the truck in case of hassles, and you're covered. Also allows future owners to explain more easily.
For info regarding whether or not permission is attainable in your state, call your county clerk or DMV.

Tynee

[Yellow Cheyenne]

In Kansas, Fred T is correct. There is a box on the inspection form for the Highway Patrol to check that indicates what type of rivets are used to hold the plate on. The only vehicles that are inspected (my experience any way) are the ones brought in from out of state or one that you are changing the title from non highway to highway. And yes, they did note what type of rivet they had. Haven't ever had any that didn't have correct rivet, so I don't know what they do if it is incorrect. The VIN is about the only thing they do inspect. No smog or safety check.

[1971Stepside]

I made a few phone calls this morning to my DMV and Highway Patrol to find out what the rules are.

I have a the title to my truck, but it has not been licensed for several years. Here is what Revenue told me I would need:

1. I would need a waiver from the county collector saying I did not have to pay personal property taxes on the truck since it was apart and not licensable.

2. I would need to submit for a new "Rebuilt" title through DMV since major components of the vehicle have been changed/refurbished. This still sounds silly to me, but they are sending me a package to review.

3. I would need a Highway Patrol Inspection Form completed by the HP that verified my VIN numbers.

I called the HP and explained to them I was doing a full build up of the truck and that I wanted to remove the VIN plate for painting etc and then put it back on. The office told me that my truck had rosette rivets and that if I removed them I would have to apply for a replacement VIN tag and would not be able to put the original one back on the vehicle.

So, it sounds like the only thing to do legally is to tape it up and paint around it. I guess if you could find those rivets it would be alright, but still a risk.

I'm sure if I would have kept the truck licensed and paid my personal property taxes on it all these years I could remove it and replace it and no one would ever look at the rivets.

Hope this info helps someone....

[Fred T]

I bought my 69 in Oklahoma last summer. Went to get it tagged, had to have vin inspection. The p.o. had removed the vin plate for rust repair and had pop-riveted it back on. Was sent to the KHP where I was told that I would have to go to court and get an order to force them to attach a new vin plate, because the cab doesn't have any numbers on it. I still don't have a Kansas title, running on Oklahoma tags that expire soon. Some axxhole is just trying to make my life miserable, I've even been threatened with arrest and imprisonment.

[ebfabman]

ok, so we're paying people to hassle us and want to penalize us for recycling/restoring a bit of Americana, typical. Not much we can do at this point I guess.

BUT I WANT TO KNOW THIS;

We have all kinds of people on this board with a broad range of resources CAN'T WE MAKE A DANG LITTLE ROSETTE RIVET???????

[1971Stepside]

If only we knew a guy that was really good with metal work and had all the good tools.......

[Fred T]

I just did some searching, and found that the possession of rosette rivets is a felony. I vote for either leaving the plate on or cutting it out with the steel attached and welding it back in.

[Desert Rat]

it may be illegal,but so is jaywalking.if you are legit and not using a stolen cab,with a clear tag then so what.Careful grind the bacsides off,then epoxy them on.what inspector is going to be able to get his head back there there and inspect,most inspectors here dont even know what the original rivets look like let alone that cant even find the tag,ive had to show them more than once,they look in the dash/windshield area.if your worried about the backside not looking perfect,undercoat it back there.its very hard to see back there or order rivets from www.trimtags.com
i wouldnt fuss if it was a legal parts.just dont tell anyone,and nobody will ever know.

[landon4421]

I agree with desert rat, if it's all legal, who cares. You did nothing wrong, just beat the system. Landon