Small truck questions on frame/cap swaps

[Swagman00]

I know this isn't the forum for the earler Ford Courier, but the elements are similar to the Ranger.

My largest gripe about living in California is dealing with the smog nazis. The 2.3T build has always appealed to me and have some real fun with it, I have to get around the sniffer. The only real way I've seen to do this is to source the '72-'75 Courier and do a transplant.

This comes with a problem however. The earlier 72-76 Mazda 1.8 engine motor mount supports are significantly different then the later 2.3 OHC mounts used in the 77-82 trucks. To combat this, I have thought of simply changing the body from the frame on one of each type. This will give me the 2.3 OHC mount brackets.

Is the VIN for each meant to classify the frame or the body as the actual truck? If it's the frame, can I still get around this?

 

[Mark_88]

Probably not...you are better off checking directly with the Ministry of Transportation (or whatever they call themselves in CA) for a clarification.

I rebuilt my 88 Ranger and was told that if I change the cab it is considered a different truck...if I change the engine to the same engine it is the same truck...if I change the frame and used the same body components it is the same truck...if I change the frame AND the cab it is a different truck...

I ended up having to sign an affidavit to the effect of what parts from what trucks I put into the vehicle and they made a completely new VIN for me...

So it really depends on where you are as to what you can do...

 

[adsm08]

Ok, your first problem is that you live in California. Move.

Your next problem is that you are coming at this sideways.

You are allowed to swap engines from an equal or newer model year. Turbo engines burn cleaner, in general, than their naturally aspirated counterparts. Find an 83 to 85 body Ranger and throw a turbo coupe engine in it. Betcha DOT never catches on.


Mark, this is the US. Even in the sissiest state we have (California) we don't have anything so lady-like or British as a "Ministry of Anything". We have departments, and bureaus and such. Much much worse.

 

[Swagman00]

Ok, your first problem is that you live in California. Move.

Trust me, the thought crosses my mind every day. God only knows how this toilet of a "so called republic" continues to survive.

You are allowed to swap engines from an equal or newer model year. Turbo engines burn cleaner, in general, than their naturally aspirated counterparts. Find an 83 to 85 body Ranger and throw a turbo coupe engine in it. Betcha DOT never catches on.

Having lived here my whole life, i've never been worried about the DOT. The two organizations people fear the most are the EPA and CARB. Talk about ruthless. These guys have been known to borrow state law enforcement and set up a roadblock where they do inspections on the spot much like a DUI checkpoint. If you fail, you have to fix it in 30 days, you have to then take it to a state ref. station for inspection and your registration is void until repaired. It's just unreal these days.

Just reading up on an engine swap, you actually have to file with the DMV that you changed the engine (just like you say, same year or newer) and they will conduct an inspection that the vehicle complies to the same standards of the car or light truck it came out of. Once it passes, it will be issued a new door tag to show that the engine is allowed to be in the vehicle. For this reason, cars at the cutoff date of 1975 and older are becoming more common as daily drivers here in California. It's interesting to see what shows up on the road every once in a while.