Car title

[nm9stheham]

I think you May have a point will check and see what they say

Here is Va DMV info on how to get a title for a reconstructed vehicle in VA, which by their definition, is a car that has been 'materially altered' by changing parts, including an engine change. See of you can find something similar in your state.
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/vehicles/reconstructed.html

It still requires bills of sale, or title, or other sources of proof of ownership for each major component.

And if there is a VIN on the car, they will run it to check ownership, etc. So it is possible, but not guaranteed if you have swapped VIN's... who knows what running the present dash VIN will show.. If you got a bill of sale that ID's the parts car from which that dash came as being sold to you by the prior owner, them maybe you at least have a path to show you acquired the dash legitimately, and so could avoid any trouble there.

There are provisions for them to assign a VIN, so that may be a possible path in this case where a conglomeration of used parts is used to reconstruct the car. I have not ever used this process in VA; I am just aware that it is there. And I definitely am not an expert in these matters.

 

[barbee6043]

Texas, buy a car without title, you can apply for bonded title, the Highway Patrol office inspects it, YES they check the paperwork, and the vin and the fender tag and YES the body stamped # showing vin/ Go there with a rebodied car and I have no idea what would
happen!!

 

[nm9stheham]

Sounds similar to NC IIRC. And that may be part of what the OP would see from a title processing company... a bond fee so they cover themselves in case of something being amiss about ownership.

 

[JDMopar]

Chances are, the VIN tag you found tied to the master cylinder just might be the correct VIN tag for your car. Up until a certain point in time, the numbers stamped on the radiator support weren't the VIN, but instead it was an SO number....or something to that effect. I do not know what year they started stamping last 8 of the VIN on radiator supports, but I THINK it was 1969. Someone more knowledgeable than me will be able to tell you that. If I am correct, and you use that VIN, and put it on the parts car dash with the proper rivets, you shouldn't be breaking any laws. Good luck.

 

[inkjunkie]

Go to your local county Sheriff's office and tell them about the car. Here. when we build something "off the map" like something completely home built, we have to get the Sheriffs department out to inspect it and they'll issue a VIN at that time. You might need to do something like that, OR you may be faced with tracking down previous owners until you can luck up on some paperwork with the VIN on it. To my knowledge, you will not be able to tag it without a VIN.

So what RRR is saying...you need to contact a state organization, in YOUR state to see what you need to do. Was in AZ when I bought a Custom Chrome bike in a box. AZ DMV issued me a title off of the manufactures certificates for the frame, motor and trans. Few years back someone on here was talking about how they got a title for something like you are dealing with. Pretty sure it was a New England state that would issue a title in this type of scenario.
I saved the info, will look for it.