Buddys 96 3500 5 speed 12 v has come to grief, actually did so last year and we are trying to sort out what to do. Long story short, Icy road, gooseneck horse trailer...jackknife and crunched cab. Damage is driverside
cab...back 1/4 and over to the rear window. Nice enough truck...less than 100k...insurance. totalled it....somethimg like 12K...he bot it back for 1500.

Ya think a body shop could sort it out, or new cab, or weld and patch etc??.



Thanks, DS

 

A new cab will have a new vin number. many body shops cut out the cab corners and replace them. A good job done and you cant tell. i worked a a place where a guy did this to both sides of a cab in one trip. The boss man wasnt happy.

 

Weld and patch is likely the cheapest fix, unless cab is twisted. Even if so, the VIN is riveted to the dash pad and comes out with the pad, so changing cab is not a huge deal.

 

not!!!!!!!!!

 

Regular cab or club? Where are you?

 

"the VIN is riveted to the dash pad"

That is right. When I replaced the dash in my 99 i noticed the vin tag in a piece of plastic as I glanced down inside the dumpster when closing the lid. Stuck it back on with foam tape.

 

The vin is also riveted to the floor under the carpet on the pass side.

 

You sure, I never saw it on my 98 when I pull the carpet to dry it out.

 

My 94 is this way.

 

People swap dashes all the time. It's best to swap the old vin to the new dash so it matches your title. Vin is also on the body plate on the floor. It's likely stamped into the body some where to make theft more difficult. Even my 78Datsun Z has the vin in the firewall. Gotta swap firewalls if you want steal & use a different title.