What year is my Waggy?

[elowsma]

I have a 1978 Wagoneer that I am using the 401, tranny, Quadretrac and axles off of. I am also using it's interior, albeit it will be refurbished. I got a nice frame for $20 from an 83' Wag along with the front wheel wells and radiator/grill body. Finally, since the '78 was so rusted, I spent $500 on a '84 Cherokee (Wag body) body, doors and front fenders that are in good shape except for repairable dents. I will cut out the '84 tail lights out and put the '78s in their place.
So, after all that, what year would you call this Wagoneer? I have the VIN placard for the 78 and 84. I'm thinking a 19784 and attach both placards to the firewall.

[wiley-moeracing]

You need to check with your state motor vehicle department on the correct procedure, they may have you get a new title as a salvage and issue a new vin.

[77Deepj20]

It differs state to state but in nj the title goes with the body. Most people would never know if the frame was swapped even if the frame has a different vin.

[joe]

As mentioned previously, before you spend any more money or labor check with the state DMV. You say you have the body VIN plates for 78 74. Hopefully existing titles to go with? If the old VIN plates have new screws/rivets that's a red flag for the VIN inspector to check the frame number for a match. No match no title. At best you may(?) get a salvage title? The 401 in an 84 may also be a deal breaker in UT. Don't know how UT works but in WA the State Patrol does the VIN inspection/verifications and body VIN plate and frame number has to match the existing transferable titles VIN. I'd suggest you attempt to go with the year you have the title for. Either way 78 undercarriage under the 84 or 84 body on the 78 frame, it's "alot" of work/legal hoops//risk w/o knowing UT's rules. That "I have 3 junkers I'll build into one good one" only works well on an already legally titled rig. Otherwise you get a first hand lesson in state bureaucracy. I don't envy you. Best of luck.

[rang-a-stang]

It also matters if you ever have to make an insurance claim on it. IOW, if you get rear ended and they decide to total it, and it's registered as a 84, but has a 401 (not available in 84) they may start a deeper inspection and find the differing year chassis under it. Or if you have it registered as a 78 but it has an 84 VIN tag, they start to soil them selves. Then they won't cover it because they think you are trying to scam them.

I bet you can walk into the DMV, explain your situation, and they will give you 3 sheets of paper and you will have about $100 worth of inspections and stuff to do when you're done and everything is above board. I would DEFINITELY do this...

[elowsma]

Conclusion

Truth be told, it's going in as a 78 since that's the title I possess. However, like many of us, our Jeeps are pieced together from all sorts of donors. Since I want it to look like a 78 (i.e. the effort to mod the body for older style tail lights) that's what I'll stick with. For fun, the 84 vin placard will still go on the jeep, just in a non-conspicuous location.

I'd got it one piece at a time
And it didn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
Cuz I'll have the only one there is around

Well it's a 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59
Automobile
It's a 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70
Automobile (Wagoneer)

[Carnuck]

I would report it as a frame replacement so they put a replacement vin on the frame that matches the vehicle and apply for ownership of the vin the frame is from. You’ll have a few holes different and a poly gas tank filler to steel tank you may need to deal with but pretty minor otherwise.