08-07-2014, 04:23 PM
I cannot see how that doesn't fall foul on the technically when it comes to insurance of:
"has the car been modified in anyway".
Yes is the answer.
The VIN has been changed.
Can of worms then opens.
For certain in the Honda world, two chassis from the same model range but differing specs (engines or trim levels) will have many differences in construction.
For example if one engine is a carb and another a PGMFI, the firewall will have different holes for different pipes or levers.
Or one might have AC and the one not, so a another different hole in the firewall.
Or even that the metal will be thicker in some parts to accommodate the higher power level of the chassis with the bigger engine.
Or differences like having a ARB on one model and not the other thus needing to add rivnuts to add the ARB mounts.
And I assume engine mounts welded to the chassis are identical in every 306 chassis ? - not in a Honda.
Once you swap all of the bits over, you've got a modified chassis.
Whether you fill or cut a hole, add or remove anything that wasn't on the original chassis - it's modified from the original factory spec.
Insurance folks like technicalities to get off on. That's a big one.
I would say you still need to declare it, but you may find it's cheaper than just the engine swap.
Dunno, never tried it.
I've made one model look completely like another one except for the VIN.
I've never tried to change the VIN - TBH I never thought of that but it would have worked and I'd have declared it
"has the car been modified in anyway".
Yes is the answer.
The VIN has been changed.
Can of worms then opens.
For certain in the Honda world, two chassis from the same model range but differing specs (engines or trim levels) will have many differences in construction.
For example if one engine is a carb and another a PGMFI, the firewall will have different holes for different pipes or levers.
Or one might have AC and the one not, so a another different hole in the firewall.
Or even that the metal will be thicker in some parts to accommodate the higher power level of the chassis with the bigger engine.
Or differences like having a ARB on one model and not the other thus needing to add rivnuts to add the ARB mounts.
And I assume engine mounts welded to the chassis are identical in every 306 chassis ? - not in a Honda.
Once you swap all of the bits over, you've got a modified chassis.
Whether you fill or cut a hole, add or remove anything that wasn't on the original chassis - it's modified from the original factory spec.
Insurance folks like technicalities to get off on. That's a big one.
I would say you still need to declare it, but you may find it's cheaper than just the engine swap.
Dunno, never tried it.
I've made one model look completely like another one except for the VIN.
I've never tried to change the VIN - TBH I never thought of that but it would have worked and I'd have declared it