'74 CJ 5 Hood, Grill, and Fender Compatibility to '94 YJ Tub

I am toying with the idea of purchasing a YJ body and frame for dirt cheap ($1,000) and swapping all my CJ stuff on to it.

If I swap the Hood, Grill, and Fenders, will the hood match the same profile as the YJ tub front end?

Guy on Craigslist is offloading his project jeep with entire drive train, figured I could part everything I don't need.

 

Here's a second question to go along with the first... If I were to just swap body tubs, I am sure I could get away with retaining my '74 vin. If I just swapped frames, I would still be ok. But what if I swapped both at the same time, would I then be required to re-register the vehicle as the newer '94 YJ?

 

If you swapped body and frame then it would no longer be the same vehicle. Highly illegal in many states to swap vins. Tantamount to fraud.
Also very frowned upon around here for these reasons. Also why we don't allow title and vin tag sales here. Check your local laws as different states have different laws.
Regarding the front sheet metal swap, it's been done a lot and is doable. Depending on year of frame and year of grill you may need to do some fab work for the center grill mount. You cannot easily mix and match YJ and CJ front sheet metal but the CJ fenders and hood will bolt to a YJ tub


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any cop worth his salt would know a yj or cj7 tub isnt a cj5 get hold of the dmv in your state regarding the title/vin laws in you state

 

I guess I am wondering where the legal gray area is on this. Frame swaps are very common and nobody questions the legality of that. Body swaps are also very common. Never heard of anyone getting in trouble for it. If I swapped one this year and the other next year would this be looked at differently than doing both at the same time?

I'm guess if I got pulled over and the cop for some reason said "Hey, this doesn't look like a CJ-5!" and I replied "It is, I had to switch out my body tub because the old one was non-repairable." He would probably say "Oh, ok"

Or am I just out of my mind for thinking this? At the moment, my '74 is composed of a pre-71 body tub, a '72 frame, a '76 AMC 401 V-8, an aftermarket hood, '86 axles, and original '74 fenders and windshield. No vin stamped anywhere on it, including the frame. I bought it this way from the previous owner and didn't have a problem with the state letting my register it. So at what point does it no longer become the vehicle it is listed as?

 

as soon as its a cj7 its not a cj5 if you wanna be a felon go right ahead personally i wouldn't tempt fate or the law. and do it all legal like. no grey its black and white its a cj5 or its not...where are you located? if its some island with 20 people than do what you want to if not check with the dmv or state police and find out the penalty for grand theft auto......

 

Thank you everyone for the honest opinions. I'll probably just stick with the CJ Tub and Frame and beef it up.

 

Sounds like a very good choice.....