Number swapping is for fakers & frauds - Not for the law abiding
How is what I described illegal?
No numbers were changed?
Parts were replaced one or 2 at a time
Not all at once.
What you suggested would not be fraud since you would not be swapping VIN numbers. Simply replacing sheet metal on an existing car is not a problem. Its when a VIN tag is removed from one car and used on another that it is illegal.... and for very good reasons. Not just for theft but also to keep people from passing off a fraudulently assembled car as an original. Like passing off a Superbird clone as a "real" Superbird by transplanting an actual Superbird VIN tag on a Roadrunner body and adding the other parts required to make it a clone.
Legally a car is born with one VIN number and the ONLY authority who can change that is the state DMV..... and only for specific reasons. Usually for a custom assembled vehicle or where the tag as been lost or there has been legitimate damage that destroyed the tag. Then the DMV will assign a new VIN for the car.
18 U.S. Code § 511 - Altering or removing motor vehicle identification numbers
(a) A person who—
(1) knowingly removes, obliterates, tampers with, or alters an identification number for a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part; or
(2) with intent to further the theft of a motor vehicle, knowingly removes, obliterates, tampers with, or alters a decal or device affixed to a motor vehicle pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act,
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
