I have a '96 4x4 3.9 liter and I just bought a junked '95 with a 5.2 liter. I'm stripping the '95 down to the frame (got everything off but the cab itself) and am planning to do a little lift work and then put my '96 cab and box onto it. But there are some problems I haven't worked out yet. In New York State inspections they hook you up to a computer if your vehicle is '96 or newer (OBDII). My registration will say 1996 Dodge Dakota and the VIN will match the plate on the dashboard but there won't be any OBDII connector.
Should I be trying to title the vehicle as a '95? (In which case the VIN plate on the dash won't match). I'm starting to get a little dizzy. Some help please?

 

I'm not 100% sure of the laws there but I would say chances are it needs to be re-titled as a '95 and if its possible without destroying it, take off the vin plate on the dash and glue on the '95 vin plate. Or If that doesnt work and you're that worried about about, worst case senario, if interiors are the same color, swap dashes. But I believe there is also a vin tag in the drivers door jamb.

 

By law I would say yes. But you may be able to swap the plates. Some states will alow you to swap it over if you have both titles. I would deffently go to an MVD and ask. You may have to put the title to a savage or as a lemon. So that will ruin it if you ever want to sell it. You may find your answer at http://www.dmv.org/ or your states mvd web site.

 

What if you registered it as is right now, and then did the build afterwards?