Dodge LRT VIN swap --- on eBay

I think he needs to take it off and re-advertise correctly or he could be in trouble. Depending on the state the vin issue and legally licensing it -- yes or no. Not in Quebec though -- it would go through a painful long process of becoming reassigned as a home-built with a new VIN. Looks a lot like my 81 ram on 77 frame with the grill from my 74 W100, pipes, and oak. Pretty though.

I think he should go with his original idea: use for the pizza joint. (park it outside the place under high tarp-carport with triangular pizza sign on top and take it out for special occasions and weather permitting)

rach

So what is the problem? Why not email him and ask him?

Some states will issue a new VIN on a vehicle to comply with the 17 digit numbering system on the computer system software.

The problem is that truck appears to be a re-bodied vehicle. That should not be confused with cloning a vehicle that would be advertised as such (and NOT swapping VIN's). It would be like taking a '69 Satellite and swapping the VIN tag (which is riveted to the dashboard) with a '69 GTX, thereby creating a GTX out a Satellite. Or how about switching VIN's and making a Hemi Cuda out of a slant six car ? That is illegal.

There have been quite a number of e-mails pointing out the obvious problems. For starters, the fact that LRT's were only 78-79 trucks and the one on eBay appears to be at least an '81 or newer (including the dashboard) makes me believe that a VIN tag was swapped. The seller got a wee bit hostile with a couple of e-mailers who pointed out these facts.

Where I live, that truck could get someone into big trouble.

You're right Rach, the problem is with the probable VIN tag swap. That makes it a re-bodied vehicle which is illegal.

yeah that's for sure. I'm not that good at spotting things but I also thought that the dash was too young and if the VIN is on this dash it is not on the dash it originally came from which is the definition of swapping VIN's I think. No wonder he was hostile! rach

Don't know about the VIN , but it's not a LRT for sure. My good friend has one that he bought new and I know if from one end to the other. It actually looks better now than when he bought it , IMO. This one is not what he says. The grille is wrong , dash is wrong , headlights and even the body itself is wrong. I didn't bother to look any further. I'm not sure what it is since I don't know Dodge trucks that well. I DO know my friends LRT very well , and this ain't one.

Ken

The seller has become quite indignant in his defense of this truck. All attempts to help him understand the reality of his situation have been disregarded and he's setting himself up for real problems if he doesn't get smart soon.

This truck is the same truck that was listed on eBay several yars ago by a used car dealer. That seller had the good sense to pull the auction when he found out that what he really had...or didn't have. The tone of this seller's responses to me and others suggests he's not so inclined.

As for authenticity, it may actually be a '79 LRT frame that has been rebodied, but we're talking about a complete cab and powertrain replacement in this case and not just a front clip. The cab is not from a '79 and LRTs did not come with manual transmissions (more on that in a minute). So, the title could have been reconstructed using a dead VIN from the LRT series, but this ain't no LRT.

Every state would have a different opinion on the legality of this vehicle. I just know that fraud in the $4-5k range is not petty theft and a written record of authenticity concerns has already been created which could be very harmful in court.

About the manual transmission statement: In 1979 my father was a salesman at Jack Lowery Dodge in Jersey Shore, PA. He delivered a 4-speed LRT to a customer while there. The truck had been a special order by Lee Iacocca for his nephew in the Nazareth, PA, area. It was delivered to the wrong dealership - actually showing up in the incoming vehicles listing at both dealers - and delivered to an awaiting customer the day it arrived in Jersey Shore.

Two things make it memorable: (1) Several phone calls came in the next day looking for the mis-delivered truck. The Jersey Shore customer had no intention of letting go of the truck he'd waited several weeks to to get. (2) The buyer wrecked the truck within two weeks and came back in for another LRT, this time one with an automatic transmission.

Bob Liberty MO

Oh boy, I would have given my left eye tooth for that 4 speed LRT. I remember looking at several of these LRT's when they were new at the dealers. Back in the day I was stuck on owning 4 speeds and didn't buy a LRT because of the non availability of a stick (stupid me). I wonder whatever became of that wrecked stick shift LRT ? Imagine the value of that truck today. Thanks for the excellent story Bob.