Smuggler's Hijinks

[Jim Blackwood]

Just for the fun of it:

I really like my Samurai. I think it's a crime against nature that the importation of them stopped in '93. But you know what? They still export them to Mexico.

Now here's a thing... I've swapped major components on vehicles before, kinda like Grampaw's axe. Frames, motors, bodies, and all to the point the only thing left was the VIN tag. So why not go to Mexico towing the Sammy and come back with the newish version? Just buy one that looks similar on the outside (except for the body rot) and swap out vin tags?

Whaddaya think?

Jim

[luvrbus]

Lol my wife bought one from the police in Mexico and forgot to take it out of gear towing it and it caught fire and I told her to leave it but she did get 50 bucks for it from the towing outfit she got a 1/3 of her money back.I don't what she would have done with it there was no paper work on the thing since she is a bargain hunter she couldn't pass the deal up

[windtrader]

Just for the fun of it:

I really like my Samurai. I think it's a crime against nature that the importation of them stopped in '93. But you know what? They still export them to Mexico.

Now here's a thing... I've swapped major components on vehicles before, kinda like Grampaw's axe. Frames, motors, bodies, and all to the point the only thing left was the VIN tag. So why not go to Mexico towing the Sammy and come back with the newish version? Just buy one that looks similar on the outside (except for the body rot) and swap out vin tags?

Whaddaya think?Nice knowing you Jim, I'll send a postcard now and then while you enjoy some time in a Mexican Riviera Jail. lolJim

Not having much first  hand experience being a car thief, I'm only guessing that there are multiple locations where VIN is stamped and there is the engine block and other potentially number matching issues. Older and low cost vehicles could have fewer theft prevention features.

On the US side, again, as long as you can do 100% VIN and other serial identity then you can likely slide on the insurance issue. But insurance guys are likely trained to look for altered ID so you could wish you never did it if they deny a claim where you caused a pile up or big claim.

[luvrbus]

Law enforcement are the only people that can change a vin number on a motor vehicle in the US a officer came and checked the vin in several places before doing my new vin number on a Eagle,then he made me close the door and leave and put serial numbers in places only for law enforcement

[Jim Blackwood]

OK well all that is true of course but if you keep the receipt for purchase of the "Parts" vehicle then you can prove you have the legal right to have the parts, and then it's just a question of whether or not you have the legal right to swap the parts out. Engine? No problem. Ditto driveline. Should be no issue with the frame too. Body shell? I really don't see why not as you can replace every single part of it if any of it becomes damaged. Just leave the receipt in the glove box in a freezer baggie.

Of course if you want to go the full legal route with the state police I don't see where there would be a problem.

As I see it, the only real issue would be that the later car was not crash certified for the US. But by swapping (all) the parts onto the earlier car I don't think it would need to be.

Jim

[luvrbus]

I had a late model Chevy 1 ton involved in a wreck, I bought a cab from a wrecking yard I had the guys in the shop replace the wreck one with. I never could get the title straighten out on in OK,they told me I should have done it before replacement I finally used the truck for parts never did get it back on the road,they fined the wrecking yard $2500.00 for removing the Vin plate for a cab I paid $500.00 for lol and I paid a price for calling asking a question just to try and   be legal,so many cops showed up it was like I was running a chop shop

[Tedsoldbus]

I think you could pull it off where you live Jim. Not a big attention getter. And you will keep a plate on it and drive it until you are dead and it will be worth nothing then. And when you're gone, who cares.
Now if you try that in NY I promise to visit you now and then. I think visiting hours are from 2 to 4 on B block. I'll check on that....

[sledhead]

A buddy of mine loved the old sunfire cars and replaced the 1st car 2 other times and never had a problem as to him nothing changed , but he always painted the car the original colour

but he was never in a crash

[Jim Blackwood]

I suppose you could cut out the original section of frame and body with the VIN tag and weld it into the replacement, grind and paint. Then it would have the original numbers. If carefully done it would take a real expert to spot the repair. And if repainted you could make it any color you like. Don't see any issue at all with the engine number. Engines get replaced all the time. Nobody bothers to track the numbers.

I once had an IH-Travelall, they are prone to rust. After it's 2nd body and 3rd frame I eventually parted it out. Never had anyone look at the frame number but on the last frame there was some rock crawling damage that obliterated 1 or 2 digits in the frame number. No clue how that happened... What was left matched the title though.

Jim

[luvrbus]

The older stuff I think you could do it with no problems, this newer stuff has bar codes everywhere to check VIN numbers even in the seats,I have often wondered if they can read the barcode on the road like the Texas DPS can for you plates codes in the windshield,bringing my CC from Texas I saw a tiny red dot and in a 1/2 mile a Tropper pulled me over to tell me my plates had expired I showed him were I had just bought it and all was well, but he did tell me if I didn't remove the sticker I would probably get pulled over again before leaving Texas and wear your seat belts there no matter what state you from .I know in AZ they have the technology to tell if a plate belongs on that car in a few seconds without running a check and I think it is done with the ghost built into the plate you can barely see looking real hard     

[bobofthenorth]

...bringing my CC from Texas I saw a tiny red dot and in a 1/2 mile a Tropper pulled me over to tell me my plates had expired I showed him were I had just bought it and all was well, but he did tell me if I didn't remove the sticker I would probably get pulled over again before leaving Texas and ...

I only plate my boat trailer for 4 or 5 months and I don't always remember to reactivate it in the spring. A couple of years ago I got pulled over entering Sicamous late at night. By that time we'd already unwittingly crossed 2 provinces with an unplated trailer.

Cop comes up to the window, sez "Can I see the registration for your trailer".  Lying sack of $#!% knew already I didn't have one and I realized immediately what I had done. I just wish they'd be honest. He was decent about it - told me to go online and pay for the plate. Trailer plates are pretty much total BS up here - all the insurance is on the tow vehicle anyway. The trailer charge is just a small annual revenue stream for the province.

[luvrbus]

In OK personal trailers never had a plate,I had plates on all mine because I was commercial, I paid a 1 time fee of $5.00 for each trailer,Trucking out fits for years plated their trailers in OK till they closed the loop hole for out of state owned trucking firms buying cheap plates and using PO boxes for addresses, now all the states the tractors have the trailer fees included in the big fees they charge for the tractor
   

[chessie4905]

Police cars have a plate reader now. They can drive through a parking lot or down the street, highway, and it will alert officer of wrong, expired plate, stolen, etc. Automatic, they can just do their driving. First read about this technology about 20 years ago when it first came out. Now in widespread use.

[luvrbus]

Police cars have a plate reader now. They can drive through a parking lot or down the street, highway, and it will alert officer of wrong, expired plate, stolen, etc. Automatic, they can just do their driving. First read about this technology about 20 years ago when it first came out. Now in widespread use.

Those not only in patrol cars they are everywhere in Scottsdale at the city parks and some shopping centers   

[Tedsoldbus]

Back to Jim, I think if it looks like a duck, rolls like a duck, and they get their money for the license plate, what is the worse that could happen? I have seen the plate reader cop cars on the road. I was a police officer for 7 years. I can tell you they are looking for bad guys. Not " Ya know...I should check the VIN on that car since it is the same kind of car the computer tells me it is.". Not gonna happen.
You probably won't sell it. What cop is going to check the VIN? He might ask "What is this" if he is young. Might ask "Where did you find one of these? My dad had one!" if he is old.
And you can explain you had to rebuild it with parts because it is always falling apart. It won't show up as stolen. Worry not.
Kind of like a Jonny Cash Cadillac....
" One piece at a time"