So I have had this question on my mind for a while.

When doing a rhd conversion what would be the best way to go about the VIN on firewall as far as legality goes?

Option #1:

Do a RHD firewall swap and leave alone. Just keep the original USDM VIN from firewall somewhere in car to show proof car is not stolen.

Option #2:

Do a RHD firewall conversion, cut JDM VIN and replace with USDM VIN on firewall. However, if they find out they will think it's a stolen car or something. Maybe cut and replace a big piece so welds won't be so close to firewall? Also, I'm not that great of a welder to make it seamless.


RHD converted owners or EXPERIENCED people on this subject, please give me some advice. If you have no POSITIVE commments/advice please don't say anything at all.
Let's keep this thread informative and let's act like aduts.

Thanks.

 

 

My buddy Robert is the owner of precision coatings in south fl.He has done alot of rhd conversions.He actually owns a rhd integra as his daily driver( http://www.hondamarketplace.co...).And has never been harrassed by the police.However he does like to make sure he always has his vin number, that he cut out of his old firewall in his glove box. Along with the reciept of the jdm front clip just for safety reasons.He also told me he does not recommend at all to replace the the jdm vin with the us vin. Because he says clearly the dmv will say you altered the vin and you'll get into some trouble.But that is pretty much it dude.

 

so bascially if you do a rhd conversion keep jdm vin on firewall and recipts on you? but what about the vin on the dash? you switch to us or leave the jdm vin on dash?how hard will it be to register my car in NC my cars already registered but what if i do a rhd conversion?im i good or do i need to tell dmv or what do i need to do, info please thanks

 

BLUETAG IS YOUR FRIEND!!! go to the CHP and do it legit

 

seeing you're in cali as well. i actually spoke with a chp rep and he said take your old vins (dash/firewall) and keep them in the glovebox or console with a copy (or original) reciepts.

 

i uses to live in cali and its more strict there, now i live in nc and man cops dont really care about hondas and racing but anyway i think its gona be easy for me here than in cali cuz i always had tickets and cops on me here in nc man not one ticket here we dont have smog i hated smog in cali so if you do a rhd conversion keep all jdm vins intact and keep US vins with you, you guys sure?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DOHCgarage919 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so bascially if you do a rhd conversion keep jdm vin on firewall and recipts on you? but what about the vin on the dash? you switch to us or leave the jdm vin on dash?how hard will it be to register my car in NC my cars already registered but what if i do a rhd conversion?im i good or do i need to tell dmv or what do i need to do, info please thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

put that one on because I believe there is no vin on th jdm one if so put the usdm on.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by n1_egsex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">BLUETAG IS YOUR FRIEND!!! go to the CHP and do it legit</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes it is oh btw n1concepts ftmfw

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Itzmy91Teg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">seeing you're in cali as well. i actually spoke with a chp rep and he said take your old vins (dash/firewall) and keep them in the glovebox or console with a copy (or original) reciepts.</TD></TR></TABLE>

see same here in florida

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DOHCgarage919 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i uses to live in cali and its more strict there, now i live in nc and man cops dont really care about hondas and racing but anyway i think its gona be easy for me here than in cali cuz i always had tickets and cops on me here in nc man not one ticket here we dont have smog i hated smog in cali so if you do a rhd conversion keep all jdm vins intact and keep US vins with you, you guys sure?</TD></TR></TABLE>

100% percent sure as long as you have documentation you should be pretty good

 

virgina police dont play either.

 

jdm firewalls dont have vin on them, only usdm

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by n1_egsex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">BLUETAG IS YOUR FRIEND!!! go to the CHP and do it legit</TD></TR></TABLE> swap it, keep the jdm vin and go the chp...that the only way u can get around it, chp will sign you off and rivet a chp vin on... almost the same way you would go on gettin a dash swap

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by boostedh22lude1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">jdm firewalls dont have vin on them, only usdm</TD></TR></TABLE>

jdm firewalls do have vins. They match the vin plate on the radiator support. I should know i own a real one lol.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by per4mance &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">jdm firewalls do have vins. They match the vin plate on the radiator support. I should know i own a real one lol. </TD></TR></TABLE>
But a VIN is actually a US idea. A VIN is a serial number, but not all serial numbers are VINs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Itzmy91Teg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">seeing you're in cali as well. i actually spoke with a chp rep and he said take your old vins (dash/firewall) and keep them in the glovebox or console with a copy (or original) reciepts.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's what I understand also.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NA425DragSter &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> swap it, keep the jdm vin and go the chp...that the only way u can get around it, chp will sign you off and rivet a chp vin on... almost the same way you would go on gettin a dash swap</TD></TR></TABLE>

But won't they raise a flag because we messed with the VIN?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by junior40er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But won't they raise a flag because we messed with the VIN?</TD></TR></TABLE>
CHP will be riveting the vin. Why would they flag their own work? lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bpkmrtoes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
CHP will be riveting the vin. Why would they flag their own work? lol</TD></TR></TABLE>

do NOT go to CHP after you do the conversion, go to CHP BEFORE you do the conversion, because as far as they're concerned, after you swapped firewall and dashboard's to JDM ones (which have no us vins), you pretty much have a stolen car with a swapped firewall in their eyes so they CAN seize the car if they wish to

that's why you go before with original vins untampered, and they bluetag your car, and rivet it onto your door jam

and DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT cut/unrivet/touch/mess with any original vins on your car, that's tempering with vehicle identification and is a felony!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by junior40er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But won't they raise a flag because we messed with the VIN?</TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by n1_egsex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">do NOT go to CHP after you do the conversion, go to CHP BEFORE you do the conversion, because as far as they're concerned, after you swapped firewall and dashboard's to JDM ones (which have no us vins), you pretty much have a stolen car with a swapped firewall in their eyes so they CAN seize the car if they wish to
</TD></TR></TABLE>
ooooh i see what he meant now. My bad. i thought he meant after chp had given the vin.

 

seeing there a billion vins on any sigle car i think u would be ok if u dont have the one in the dashh plus thats what titles are for and yes id say ride with the recept from the donor car also gl

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by n1_egsex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

do NOT go to CHP after you do the conversion, go to CHP BEFORE you do the conversion, because as far as they're concerned, after you swapped firewall and dashboard's to JDM ones (which have no us vins), you pretty much have a stolen car with a swapped firewall in their eyes so they CAN seize the car if they wish to

that's why you go before with original vins untampered, and they bluetag your car, and rivet it onto your door jam

and DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT cut/unrivet/touch/mess with any original vins on your car, that's tempering with vehicle identification and is a felony!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

So go to them before any wok is done and have them blue tag the car? what about the firewall? will they blue tag that after I do the work or should I take the firewall in a pickup and have them blue tag it that way??
I just wanna be very clear cause I put so much money into the car and will put more after conversion and paint I just don't wanna get jacked by CHP by not doing things the right way.

 

what if the vins arent touched and what if you buy it already RHD?

 

Hey i'm located in seattle WA, did RHD my self after i got it done. Went straight to State patrol facility so not to encounter any problems even though i didnt even have to go just to be on the safe side. Showed them all the PICTURES, RECIEPTS, VIN, and FIRE-WALL. Its better to notify them in-stead of u getting pulled over and taking your stuff for no apparent reason. All they did was just document it and said it has been modified recently probaly 2 months ago got pulled over. Looked up my vehicle info and just asked me if i had pictures and or a vin tag to prove it, and i did he just let me go.

 

Go to your local DMV and ask them is the best option.

 

First off WTF is CHP???? Second, isn't it highly illegal to tamper with your firewall, or even drill small holes in it??? So how would "keeping your U.S. VINs in ur glovebox" help? Wouldn't that be admitting your guilt?

 

CHP is California Highway Patrol.

Some people keep their VIN's as proof of vehicle being USDM and not stolen I believe.

 

Has anyone called and tried to see if there might be someone willing to help answer some questions?