In Missouri it can be done legally but the hoops to jump through are insane.
I have done it once and it took about 15 hours of paperwork and vehicle prep just to get ready. Even with that there was no assurance that the Law Enforcement Officer who has to directly observe the process will be cooperative.
I got lucky, the LEO showed upon time, looked at my car, my title, the donor front clip, the salvage title for the donor front clip. the declaration of scrap for the vehicle that donated the clip, made sure that I had sales tax and property tax receipts for all vehicle involved, talked cars with me for awhile, signed some forms and left.
He was supposed to stay and watch me physically move the VIN stamp in away that the VIN never becomes physically separated from the vehicle.
(??? yep -that's the official interpretation of statute ???)
I had to set it up so the correct VIN would say attached to the vehicle by a long metal sliver. It could then be tacked into the replacement clip while still attached by this sliver to the original vehicle.
I could have gotten a much less cooperative Officer like some others I know have and ended up impounded and or in court if something even minor was out of order.
This process is also legal if you are using a full Dynacorn body.
You have to have your apron VINS trimmed out but still attached with enough "reach" to allow them to be tacked into the new shell. It is even allowed to "modify" the old vehicle to make it easier to move the vin stamp by welding in additional metal.
The receiving shell can not currently have a VIN or have ever had a VIN PERIOD so a donor body from another better car is never an option.
In fact if you try this with donor shell that has a VIN or has had its VIN removed you are in a world of hurt and you could go to jail.
EVEN if the metal sliver accidentally breaks before you get it tack welded into the new Dynacorn shell you have technically broken the law and could go to jail and lose both vehicles because you have "illegally removed" a VIN from a motor vehicle with the intent to transfer it for the purpose of registration. (Remember the LEO is standing there watching)
There is a very high end restoration and custom shop that does this "Dynacorn" dance a few times per year and they charge the client big bucks for all the effort involved. It is worth the effort because when all is said and done you end up with your original title recognized as being valid.
This shop has not had any issues so far but it took them years of debate, angst, and harshness from our state DOT before they got a ruling they could live with. Surprisingly the Feds were cool with it from the very beginning.
This maybe how some of recent second run Shelby's ended up with 1968 Ford VINS and titles. (or they were in a state that does not have the stick as far up their butts as others)
This does nothing to to protect us from fraud. Anyone willing to do all this to be legal is probably trying real hard to be legal. The time wasted could be spent better busting criminals who actually commit fraud.
I have a rusted 68 fastback shell with a clear title - I just do not have the cash to send to Dynacorn. Bummer
- Paul of Mo