Birdcage swap, would it work?

denpo

Carburated Nihilist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
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Location
Montreal, QC
Hi guys.
I'm about to get a rust free birdcage with its rear clip attached in order to fix once for all the rust problems that plagued my corvette.
The donor car is a '74, the receiver is a '76.
Both are soft rear bumper car, so I guess it would be not that complicated.
Does anyone forsee any major incompatibilities?
 
74 would have fiberglass floor pans and the 76 would have steel floor pans. Other than that I think they are very similar.

Plus technically speaking you have the issue with the VIN plate attached to the birdcage. How you decide to address that is between you and your Vette, but just remember you will have to address it.
 
the donor is a '74 that is not subject to any emission testing anywhere in North America... why would you mess with that if you got a clean '74 title with the '74 birdcage ??
 
the donor is a '74 that is not subject to any emission testing anywhere in North America... why would you mess with that if you got a clean '74 title with the '74 birdcage ??
That would imply a lot of hassle.
-Doing a title transfert with 'the seller'(*)
-Import to Canada, don't know if it's even possible as the birdcage won't be even considered anymore as a vehicule.
-Having the car registered in Quebec, this would imply a complete technical test, that I won't be able to pass for several months.

Right now my 76 is still considered as a car and I won't have to do anything to put it back on the road. Turning it to a 74 would be a lot of troubles and uncertity.

Of course, if someone could prove me otherwise, I'd be delighted



(*)I don't want to spoil the big news, this will be explained in my main thread
 
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I think that it's more "illegal" to transfer a '76 VIN tag to a '74 birdcage than registering a '74that has a "legal": VIN tag... somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the birdcage and the VIN plate is what's considered the parts that cannot be legally transferred to another frame???

Now, if you buy a new tubular frame for your car and the VIN is on the birdcage... what's legal and what's illegal ???

just asking because I dunno.....
 
I think that it's more "illegal" to transfer a '76 VIN tag to a '74 birdcage than registering a '74that has a "legal": VIN tag... somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the birdcage and the VIN plate is what's considered the parts that cannot be legally transferred to another frame???

Now, if you buy a new tubular frame for your car and the VIN is on the birdcage... what's legal and what's illegal ???

just asking because I dunno.....
My reasoning is more practical that ethical, but you raise a very good question. To which point fixing a car make is more the fixing part than the actual car? Quiet a debate.
My plan is to use the bottom of the birdcage of the donor to fix my own. The point is there nowhere written where the bottom end and where the top begins :evil:
The thing is my '76 is already light years away from NCRS correct. It's was setup as a wannabe drag racing machine, loud as hell with a racecar-like unstable idle.
So my guess is once i'll have to pass some official test, I'll be screwed.

Little story, here in Quebec you can use the service of a 'transfert agent' that bypass all State regulation. He give you some kind of 'transfert paper', with which you go pick up your license plate, not question asked, and it's plain legal. However the insurance company requested an evaluation of the car, and the examiner told me the car was not technically road legal (no warning, not working power window, noise, emission...) but he couldn't care less, all he was asked was to tell a price for my car.
Don't know how it goes for you in your State, but here in Quebec, it very 'Far West'-like. It's huge land for a relatively small population, might explain why.
It's radically different from what I experienced in France with the regular mandatory technical controls and shit.
 
Out of curiosity I've checked the Customs' website and the birdcage couln't be imported in other form that as 'car for parts' and thus would forbid any further registration of it.
I guess I'm about to seal the fate of a '74 with an troubled history:crap:
 
Shame on you MYBAD, you picked my interest. Now looking for a way to get the '74 imported as a car, won't be easy.
 
:evil:

wouldn't it be sweet to have a '74 and never worry about emission ???

Basically a donor would have to be in a worse state than the one receiving the parts, unless there is a problem with the donor being a stolen car of some sort.

The one I used only had a good body. All the rest was basically completly worn. I kept whatever I could use, and sold off the rest to make up for the cost of the car.

BTW : my donor was not a stolen car
 
Haha, I've thought about that. I think it would be easiest to cut out the vin portion of the metal, weld it in, grind the welds down, sand it smooth and paint it. Then grind off the vin on the rear of the frame. Voila.


No, I haven't done that. Mine is still a 78, but it is tempting. It is prob a federal crime. But who would really care to investigate enough to throw you in jail?
 
Haha, I've thought about that. I think it would be easiest to cut out the vin portion of the metal, weld it in, grind the welds down, sand it smooth and paint it. Then grind off the vin on the rear of the frame. Voila.


No, I haven't done that. Mine is still a 78, but it is tempting. It is prob a federal crime. But who would really care to investigate enough to throw you in jail?

My advice is don't do it. In my 20 years in the business as an insurance surveyor and claims investigator I've seen several guys go behind bars this way...

The can get in the frame rails and look on the back side of the frame wall were you're vin number is. They will spot the welds and can even find the old vin stamps in the back and center section. The numbers will more or less be visible on the inside.
 
Haha, I've thought about that. I think it would be easiest to cut out the vin portion of the metal, weld it in, grind the welds down, sand it smooth and paint it. Then grind off the vin on the rear of the frame. Voila.


No, I haven't done that. Mine is still a 78, but it is tempting. It is prob a federal crime. But who would really care to investigate enough to throw you in jail?

My advice is don't do it. In my 20 years in the business as an insurance surveyor and claims investigator I've seen several guys go behind bars this way...

The can get in the frame rails and look on the back side of the frame wall were you're vin number is. They will spot the welds and can even find the old vin stamps in the back and center section. The numbers will more or less be visible on the inside.
What you're talking about it checking if the frame is matching the body right? Who cares, so many vette have been restored with donor part and frames.
Now let's say you graft an entire original windshield frame onto a donor birdcage, how could they tell those welds are not simple windshield repairs?
I don't personally feel bad about planning to do such thing, both car have clean ownership title, no blackmarket/stolen stuff here. And hey, we're talking about 35 years old cars.
 
I re-read my post and I feel I sound a bit harsh. Quiet the opposite, I'm really curious to get your take on this.
 
I re-read my post and I feel I sound a bit harsh. Quiet the opposite, I'm really curious to get your take on this.

You were not harsh....the truth is...you can put anything together for a car, and long as the serial # is correct as to paperwork, you can do anything....

except EPA type crap.....they inspect forever, you know....gotta save the world....

etc....

so eat a meal of lettuce and cucumber for TG......:drink:
 
I'm guessing that if you drill out the rivets and swap the VIN plates you could go to jail for that... now, why would swapping the birdcage incl VIN be illegal ?? The title goes with the birdcage and the VIN plate, frames can legally be swapped (tubular i.e.)... am I wrong or missing something here ? If you legally own a '72 and wreck it so that you have to replace frame, front clip and a few body panels - isn't that the same ???
You could legally buy a '74 birdcage and build your car around that - stock or aftermarket frame, suspension and what not.... just don't mess with the VIN tag itself....
 
I'm guessing that if you drill out the rivets and swap the VIN plates you could go to jail for that... now, why would swapping the birdcage incl VIN be illegal ?? The title goes with the birdcage and the VIN plate, frames can legally be swapped (tubular i.e.)... am I wrong or missing something here ? If you legally own a '72 and wreck it so that you have to replace frame, front clip and a few body panels - isn't that the same ???
You could legally buy a '74 birdcage and build your car around that - stock or aftermarket frame, suspension and what not.... just don't mess with the VIN tag itself....


To be 100% legal, in at least most states, if you change the complete birdcage (including the vin, you can't touch that), then you have to get the state police unit in to approve the paperwork, and then they will give you a state issued vin tag, either glued on, or with rosette rivets. And they and the oem manufacturers are the only people that can install rosettes or even possess them. The Vin plate is the only legal number on the car, they don't care about any other numbers.
Drops your value instantly.

I'm not condoning it, but if you have the legal stuff in order, Even R&R the drivers windshield post with the vin plate untouched should be legal, as you are just replacing rusted metal around it, a lot of it. :clobbered:

Don't know the laws in snowland, but you can bet they're worse than here.
Wait a month or so till the cabin fever really sets in, you'll make a plan.:waxer:
 
I'm not condoning it, but if you have the legal stuff in order, Even R&R the drivers windshield post with the vin plate untouched should be legal, as you are just replacing rusted metal around it, a lot of it. :clobbered:

:3rd:

yup.........
 
See guys, I'm gonna try this out, importing the birdcage as a car, it so it will be a '74 resto, if not it will be a '76. This gonna be "fun" at the customs. I'll let you know. *finger crossed*
 
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