If you buy the same rivets and install them inthe same postion as marked on the tag..you will not see a difference

Sounds like the only "right" thing to do at this point is to get a salvaged title for the car.

No I am not worried about at all. Cops in my area wouldn't know about the rivets. (I worked 40+ years as an EMT/Firefighter and know all of them personally). And there is no inspection in Maine on antique cars. It won't be for sale as long as I'm alive.

Like I said, I am not worried about LEO or inspections. I did not know about the rivets when I had the pad restored. But I would like to have known at the time and would have done it. I don't want to go thru removing the dash again to correct it (Age 66 and can't see good enough to do it now). If I happen to have to replace the windshield at some point I would probably replace them.

"(3) In all prosecutions under this section, possession by a person of a motor vehicle or of a mechanical device with the manufacturer's serial number or the engine or motor number removed, defaced, destroyed or altered or with a part bearing the number or numbers replaced by one on which the proper number does not appear, shall be prima facie evidence of violation of this section.
"

Reads to me swapping an engine with another engine with different engine SN is technically a violation


"(4) If the identification of a motor vehicle or a mechanical device has been removed, defaced, or altered as provided in this section and the real identity of the motor vehicle or mechanical device cannot be determined, the motor vehicle or mechanical device shall be subject to confiscation by the state and shall be sold at public auction, put to official use by the government agency seizing the vehicle, or rendered scrap. If the items are confiscated from a licensed vehicle dealer, the dealer's license shall be revoked."

The key wording here is, how do you establish legally "real identity" if part is a number bearing part, has been removed?

"(5) A person shall not knowingly possess, buy, deliver, or offer to buy, sell, exchange, or give away any manufacturer's vehicle identification number plate, federal safety certification label, antitheft label, posident die stamps, secretary of state vehicle identification label, rosette rivet, or any facsimile thereof. This subsection does not apply to a motor vehicle manufacturer, a motor vehicle parts supplier under contract with a motor vehicle manufacturer, or a law enforcement officer in the official performance of his or her duties or to a motor vehicle in which a manufacturer's vehicle identification plate and each of the applicable labels listed in this subsection have been installed as prescribed by law. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 4 years, a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both. If the person who violates this subsection is a licensed dealer or repair facility, its license shall be revoked."

Self explanatory, don't be caught with a VIN dash pad, rossett rivets, etc

"(6) A person shall not buy, receive, or obtain control of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part with the intent to sell or otherwise dispose of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part knowing that an identification number of that motor vehicle or motor vehicle part has been removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered. This subsection does not apply to a motor vehicle obtained from or at the direction of a law enforcement agency. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $20,000.00, or both."

Don't let seller explain how he restored car by reattaching vin plate, etc

Confiscation by the enforcing department for their own department use in Mi is the most worrisome detail IMO, ie it provides significant incentive to interpret the rules to their benefit.

"the motor vehicle or mechanical device shall be subject to confiscation by the state and shall be sold at public auction"

So they take your car and then sell to some other poor sap?

To all who may have visions of changing a tag in the future for any reason,first just do it,second,don't post it on Moparts or any other forum !

Just an FYI, I was reading on another forum that now some of the collector car insurance companies are checking VINs and rivets now, as a means to deny a claim. Some are even checking engine #s against body numbers, and without CLEAR documentation as to where the donor came from, they can actually legally deny. They enter into contracts with the legal assumption that a collector or classic or special interest car is numbers matching, as it should be according to law. Be careful with numbers, and be sure to clearly document everything.

To the OP, I would take several pics of the damaged frame with vin attached before transferring to the new frame, and use the correct rivets just to be safe.

My thoughts exactly,and since I'm the OP that's what I am going to do.