Building Truck from Parts

CanadianDodgeTrucks · New Member

Building Truck from Parts

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

The serial should be on the cowl or firewall d/s if its a 54

http://www.t137.com/registry/help/canadiantags/canadiantags.htm

Pete Moss · GTA

I don't have an answer for you but you might want to look into the possibility that other issues might arise if you register it as a 2.5 ton like needing yearly inspections like a regular "commercial" truck would need.

I say "possibility" because I don't have an answer for you there either ... just might be something worth looking into before you throw too much money at it.

I don't know if insuring it as a collector item/rarely driven/just to shows and parades etc would remove the need for annual inspections or not ... I also don't know if you intend to insure it as a "specialty" vehicle.

Sorry for bringing up questions and not supplying any answers but these are things you might want to find out sooner than later (if you haven't already).

According to slim the number is on the cowl/firewall so I'd go with that BUT ... my '38 Willys had a serial number plate on the passenger side of cowl AND a very small plate in the middle and at the front of the front suspension cross member. Might cause confusion if whatever year frame you intend to use has numbers that don't match your cab ... hopefully they are "completely illegible" (wink, wink).

CanadianDodgeTrucks · New Member

Yes, the serial tag is still there but we do not have the ownership. I'm not sure if it exists as we bought the truck for parts only.

I guess my question is, when you go to register a vehicle, does the ownership have to belong to the frame or the body?

If I intend to tow with it, which I would, it will need to be registered commercial and pass the annual inspection etc. All trucks, even pickups are considered commercial in Ontario, you'll notice they all have the black and white commercial licence plates. The only exception to this that I know of is for 'personal use' pickup which you can apply to all 1/2 tons, 3/4 tons and most 1 tons, so you do not need an annual or daily inspection.

I believe there is a possibility that you can register the GVW as lower than the actual too above 1 tons, to place it under a 'personal use' pickup truck, but you can then only carry up to that amount. I was reading an MTO webpage and this rule may only apply to vehicles with an actual GVW of 13,227 lbs and less, which the original for the trucks is 16,000 lbs, and the frame I am looking at is 25,000 lbs. The rules for commercial stuff with MTO sometimes I swear you need a lawyer to muck through.

So long story short, historic or not I think it's going to need to pass annual inspection.

Dean

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

Body . You could take the serial # and what info you have and ask for a buyers package at the MTO If there is any record of it. It should give you the last registered owner.

Pete Moss · GTA

You can get an ownership for the cab. Create an affidavit that states you are the legal owner of the cab (there is info on the 'net that tells you exactly what an affidavit needs to have in it ... this all can be done at home ... no lawyer needed). Sign the affidavit in the presence of a capable town clerk (go to your city hall for this ... cost me $20), take your proof of purchase/bill of sale, the signed affidavit to DMV and get an ownership. It CAN be done and it is not hard or expensive.

I don't know if you've mentioned what year chassis you intend to put the cab on. If it is also a '54 Fargo then I'd say you are good to go (as slim mentioned the serial number plate on a '54 Fargo is on the body). If you intend to put the '54 Fargo cab on a 1986 Ford chassis (just an example), then this may not be the way to go due to needing the annual inspections due to the 2.5 ton/commercial status since I'm guessing the inspectors will notice the frame doesn't match the cab or ownership just from a visual point of view (independent suspension/disc brakes etc ... keeping in mind I have no idea what frame you hope to use) which may push them to research exactly what it is they are inspecting. If I were you, I would contact the MTO directly and find out what it will take to legally mate a '54 Fargo cab with a _______ chassis that you intend to have registered as a 2.5 ton. I'm guessing you will then be required to create an affidavit for both the cab and the chassis (unless you already have an ownership for the chassis), then have the MTO tell you what the ownership needs to reflect. Since I state "I am guessing", I want to suggest once again that this is something I think you need to discuss with the MTO.

If this was a 1/2 ton '54 Fargo cab going on a homemade frame with Mustang II suspension and a Camaro rear end (to be titled as a 1/2 ton), I'd title it as the '54 Fargo that it is, using the existing serial number plate and be done with it BUT, since this is going to be subjected to annual inspections due to its expected "commercial" status, I'd make sure I did this as legally as possible to the satisfaction of the inspecting party ... the MTO.

Contact the MTO, tell them what you have and what you intend to do then let them guide you through this so the end result is legal, registerable, insurable, and driveable.

Best of luck.

As far as "does the chassis or the cab show up on the ownership?" question ... my '71 Duster used the serial number plate that was on the dash ... body and chassis were one unit. My '38 Olds used just a serial number plate on the chassis, near the steering box while my '38 Willys used a plate on the side of the cowl (under the hood) AND a plate at the front of the front suspension cross member. Just sayin' ...

-- Edited by Pete Moss on Thursday 21st of December 2017 07:39:47 AM

30-S6 · NORTH BAY, ONT

Yep, I've went in and registered a couple of old vehicles without ownerships.... it does have to have a vin plate, you'll probably need an appraisal for the value of the vehicle.
Like what was mentioned before.....just go to the mto and jump through the hoops and pay all the fees involved and at the end of the day you'll have a rusty old truck in your name to build or resell ...