Title problems, vin swap?

Hello. I have a problem I hope you all can help me with. It has to do with registration and vins.
I have a 1984 k5 blazer that was given to me years ago in trade for work. It's a nice truck, and I've been working on getting it going lately, only problem is I don't have a title, and the elderly couple that gave it to me have both since died, and now I cant get their signature, and I cant get it registered. I also have in yard a 74 blazer body that's rusty and smashed and soon to be sent to the scrapyard, that I have all the papers for. My question is: is it possible that I could swap the vins and register it normally, and have no one be the wiser? Technically they are both green k5 blazers, so it wouldn't raise any eyebrows.
I know this is a dark area of working on old cars, and to never get anything without a title, but I really dont want to loose this truck to a formality. Any thoughts?

AyWoSch Motors said:

and have no one be the wiser?

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Well, you just told 19,000 members, lol.
I wouldn't tell on ya, but it would be illegal.

connecticut no need for a title if its that old only a bill of sale

Send it my way. No need for title in Maine.

The legal way to do it, is get a bonded title.

I would do a little research as to how to legally apply for a lost title. I wouldn’t mention your name, and definitely don’t offer the vin!!! I could imagine that causing the vin getting highlighted in a database, and creating headaches later.

While I understand why vin swaps are illegal, it’s not like your trying to pass on a stolen truck, or a 6 cylinder Malibu as a LS-6 Chevelle. If you own the rustbucket truck, and are sure beyond a shadow of doubt the truck your trying to title has a clean history, I doubt anything would ever come of it.

Let’s say you were incredibly ambitious and decided to cut up the rust free truck to fix the rustbucket? At what point does either truck cease to exist?


Like I said, I’d try to go about it legally, but remain anonymous while researching the process. Any chance you could discuss the issue with whoever handled the previous owners final arrangements/estate?

Have no idea what new mexico is like and if they'd even care, but the dash vin is not the only place the vin exists.

There is/could be inside the glove box
Drivers side door jamb
Top of passenger side frame rail close to door
Supposedly one around steering box


That said, beware changing vins. Here in NC, past a certain year or from state to state transfer on older stuff, a DMV worker or police officer comes and inspects the vins.....I once had a titleless, running 84 k5. I traded it for a inoperable, titled k5.

Considering the fact that the VIN on the older truck is on the door jamb and the newer one is on the dash with a cutout there in the dash pad to show the VIN, it'll be obvious what's going on.

Just go through the trouble of getting a bonded title and be done with it, legally.

There are a few ways to do it, most states allow for a title search if you have any shred of a halfway believable way of proving ownership. If not, although not legal, it's not hard to forge a bill of sale, they really don't look that closely into it comparing signatures and such, as long as you're sure it's never been reported stolen or anything. Also in many states, there is a time limit for not needing a title after a certain time has passed. Some states it's 25 years. As stated above, in CT anything pre 17 digit vin (1979 and earlier) doesn't require a title. Here in NH it's anything 1999 and older. Look up your state's laws you might get lucky.

Or, yes you can swap vins. It's not legal, but many people have done it for similar reasons, and if you do a good job there will never be any way to tell the difference. I have scrapped an old truck and had people asking to just buy the title and vin plates, and a chunk out of the firewall. If you're one of those people who is afraid to do anything that is not 100% legal I would get in touch with your state and see what your options are. If you don't mind bending the rules a little bit in a way that in no way affects anyone and causes no problem and is not in any way "bad" besides the fact that there is technically some law in some book somewhere that says you can't do it (whoop de doo), then go for it. You'll be fine.

Good luck

^^^^^^ he just brought up a good point i forgot.
81 and newer is 17 digit vin code.


80 and older is like, a 13 digit code.

I have contacted my DMV ( which for some weird reason is MVD here in NM), the lady said I could apply for a replacement/lost title, but that would require attempting to contact a next of kin. My worry there is some son somewhere would be like, "that's where that thing went", and I'd loose my truck that I've put money into.
My second option, is I could apply for a salvage title/chassis title, but that would require the state police to come and check all the vins and serial numbers, and do a search, which would most likely end up like option one.
I'm thinking if I go about registering the crappy 74 that I'm junking, and drive my 84 as if it were that one. I know the vins are actually different, and there is one on my door and on the block, but as long as I never brought up any issues with it, would anyone have any reason to check? I'm sure this same dilemma would arise if had done a body swap.
I know this would potentially screw me later if I ever wanted to sell it, but I don't plan on ever selling it, I just want to make it more than yard art.
I got the truck fare and square, the nice old lady was happy I took it, she just didnt have a title.
When I registered my 86 k10, I just gave then my title and bill of sale, and they gave me a plate.
Even if the plate was ever run, it should just come up as a green K5 blazer.
I was just wondering if anyone here has had a successful story of something similar.

AyWoSch Motors said:

I have contacted my DMV ( which for some weird reason is MVD here in NM), the lady said I could apply for a replacement/lost title, but that would require attempting to contact a next of kin. My worry there is some son somewhere would be like, "that's where that thing went", and I'd loose my truck that I've put money into.
My second option, is I could apply for a salvage title/chassis title, but that would require the state police to come and check all the vins and serial numbers, and do a search, which would most likely end up like option one.
I'm thinking if I go about registering the crappy 74 that I'm junking, and drive my 84 as if it were that one. I know the vins are actually different, and there is one on my door and on the block, but as long as I never brought up any issues with it, would anyone have any reason to check? I'm sure this same dilemma would arise if had done a body swap.
I know this would potentially screw me later if I ever wanted to sell it, but I don't plan on ever selling it, I just want to make it more than yard art.
I got the truck fare and square, the nice old lady was happy I took it, she just didnt have a title.
When I registered my 86 k10, I just gave then my title and bill of sale, and they gave me a plate.
Even if the plate was ever run, it should just come up as a green K5 blazer.
I was just wondering if anyone here has had a successful story of something similar.

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I've done it before for short periods of time. You shouldn't have any real issues just driving around especially if it's the same color (unless you get spotted by a cop that's real familiar with chevy trucks and knows the difference between a '74 and an '84), but it could get you in trouble if you're ever in an accident and definitely will be very bad if it ever gets impounded. Not sure if your state has inspections or not, but that is also somewhere they check. Also, if you scrap the junk truck as a complete vehicle (as in not just chopped up for scrap metal, but the whole thing in one piece) they generally take the title and it gets reported to the DMV that the vehicle is no longer on the road, which could end up with your plates being cancelled. If you're going to go that route you should really refrain from scrapping the old truck, and you'd never really be able to sell it for anything other than a parts truck.

That's fine for short term use to bop around town but it's the most risky option really. You could get pinched for unregistered/uninsured vehicle, misuse of plates, and if the next of kin catches word of it and decides to be jerks they could even claim you stole it.

Honestly I'd say either gamble with the possibility of losing it by going the legal route and hope the relatives aren't greedy ********, or just play it safe and do a good job swapping the VINs. Nobody will ever check the frame, engine swaps are common on old stuff, so really you just have to worry about the door jamb, dash, and firewall. The only "hard" one is the firewall, but just cut it out of the junk truck, pay a friend who's good at welding to do a real clean job of welding it into your firewall, grind flush, paint over it, and call it a day. Then if anyone nosy ever says "hey that doesn't look like a '74" you can say that you swapped the front clip which a lot of people do. The numbers will match and that will be the end of it.

Were you real friendly with the old folks that gave it to you, maybe talk to the relatives and explain it was traded to you many years ago? If so you shouldn't have a problem doing it the "correct" and legal way, and there would be 100% no problems ever down the road. But if not, swap the VIN and be done with it, you should be fine despite technically not being textbook legal.

Vbb199 said:

^^^^^^ he just brought up a good point i forgot.
81 and newer is 17 digit vin code.


80 and older is like, a 13 digit code.

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Yeah, it was just a serial number. Every manufacturer did it their own different way. The 17 digit vin is standardized, every one no matter what manufacturer pretty much identifies the same type of data (make, model, year, country of origin, and then a few randoms the company can choose to handle however they wish like body style, production number, etc

In New Mexico,you’ll have to apply for a lost title.A bill of sale is gonna be needed.Ultimately you’ll have to call the main state office to see what all you really have to do.

I will say that New Mexico is pretty chill compared to most states on this issue.I’ve never seen them come outside and look at a vehicle unless it was about a ticket for malfunctioning equipment.

And then I know they have like a hotrod/classic title,but then they will most likely go over it with a magnifying glass.

you have to go to family member who is exexutor of will and get death cert and documients signed by the executor.. i had to do all thi with my 75 two years aog even thoguh i had the original title form the deceased owners brother. if you cant research onlnei and find fam member then you are SOL most likely. depending on laws there. if you swap a plate then do it and dont say anythig to anyone... and mke it look like it never happened... it can be a felony.. it is here... or swap cab or whatever... your risk your gamble.. ive bought a few trucks owned by dead people and always managed to find a fam member and exec, just have to research and actually try,. for my 75 truc it took 8 documents and two states, even with good title. i my state if you cant find exec to sign then youre SOL,,, with title and everything if the owner passed on.,.. they dont play here.... at all. oh and then also to make it more fun they purge delete vin from state database every ten years so the vin/vehicle doesnt even exist anymore.. even if good title is out there somewhere.. if it hasnt ben plated for ten years or more... so yeah... so if you acquire a vehicle with no title or no name and its been not plated for over ten yers then you are roally effed. no chance of a title unless you pay out the nose in court for bonding... OR pay a salvage junkyard owner/auto rebuilder under the table to file for salvage title and then have it certified rebuilt with a rebuilt title and then sell it to you... that the only way i can think of to get a title for something that has no title or record in the state any more.. here anyways...

i once bought a nova 20 years ago this way out of a junk yard that actually they had already sent title in for junk cert.
which is legally not rebuildable or registerable ever again..
but they told the state that they accidently sent it in for junk cert and the state agreed to send them a rebuilt title and then they sold the car to me...
but this not legal.. but it worked....
i got a non rebuildable car rebuilt so i could buy it...

only towing places and junk yards and rebuilders can get a title when there is none... so... unless you want to go to court and pay lots of money for bonding stuff....


also, the
VIN on the motoooor block are different alot than the ac tual vin on plate frame etc...