The secretary of state police has the final say.
What do you want to mess with the original vin in the truck for.
You would think all states are the same under one Flag.NOT
Truck has hidden numbers and all this gets very technical if the SOS want to crawl up your tail pipe.
You will have to bond the truck get a inspection pay TAX on all this.
Think what you want or not want. When that bolt of lighting hits your VIN with the SOS everything changes.
They look at you like your a guilty MF until you prove deferent.
I know you won't F with that vin plate in front of the SOS.
So paint your dash and get the truck done and enjoy life.


Simplysmn is doing the 93 thing to get around the pollution law California won't let the swapped diesel truck in the state.
Run low and you may get away with it for now.

 

Here in PA we had one local fellow back in the 1980's that wore out three or four 1970's Dodge trucks and never transferred a license plate. Instead of transferring the license plate he transferred the drivers side door where the VIN number tag was mounted. Nobody seemed to care about an old truck.

I also checked on emission requirements here in PA with the top person in charge of DMV Inspections and Emissions. After a few long phone calls the answer ended up the same when viewed from every angle. The vehicle identification number (VIN) determines the required engine and emissions devices that were installed to meet approved federal EPA testing requirements. These emission devices MUST be installed to pass the minimum visual inspection that takes place during a yearly vehicle inspection as required by the law. The following are emissions devices as determined by the state and must be in place and functioning if originally installed by the vehicle manufacturer: Air cleaner assembly [noise emissions], EGR valve, PCV valve, AIR pump system with lines, catalytic converter(s). As an example and to make matters even worse in PA, if you take a factory 2002 Camaro V8 engine and install it into a V8 version 85 Monte Carlo the engine emissions must meet retrofitted to the requirements of the 85 VIN number of Monte Carlo. In other words you have to remove the newer approved emission devices and go back to the 1985 standards to pass the emissions requirements.

PA does NOT have an EPA recertifications program. In California it is actually easier than PA because they do have vehicle recertification programs. Folks in CA need to fill out the proper forms and go before a referee for their vehicle recertification. PA offers a reconstructed title option however when a vehicle is reconstructed it also must meet the emissions requirements of the vehicle's original vehicle identification tag to pass the reconstructed inspection, the yearly vehicle safety inspection, and the emissions inspection whether it's just a visual or a computer test.

We also have a local fellow who has a nice Dodge crew cab truck that he built. He cut the cabs at the windshield posts and across the floor at the first floor section just ahead of the front seat. There he grafted the crew cab in place and stretched the frame using bits of the crew frame. It's been getting inspected as a 93 Dodge Cummins for at least the last 10 years without any problems with emissions inspections.

Each state is different on emission requirement inspections however we can expect stricter emissions enforcement in the future. If you think that can't happen then review what California did to the transportation industry and farming communities. You need to check with your local vehicle inspection station in your state as to what they are required to inspect pertaining to emissions inspections on an 85 or earlier Dodge truck having a gross weight exceeding 8500 pounds. Also note that there are quite a few former military Dodge crew cab trucks where the VIN number does NOT match the VIN number of the frame. Apparently the military did some salvage repair depot work by mixing and matching remaining parts from different trucks. I happen to just own one of those.

 

Im in utah and on my crew conversion I extended my frame on my 93 and put the 81 cab on it, pretty much all my stuff is 93 inncluding the dash and vin plate. My cab does not have a vin stamped on it anywhere and the sticker on the door frame is gone. I took it too the dmv and they had me leave it as 93 so mine is still my same old 93, just with a different cab and 2 extra doors

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

hey-Hey!!!,
I re-cabbed my first 1991. Different cab colour and I didn't tell anybody. I kept the original dash and figured a rational discussion would keep me out ov trouble( that *MAY* have been asking a lot ).
cheers,
Douglas

 

Maybe it's just the Military Crewcab's but I have yet to find a vin on any of the frames I have ? Yes I have looked on the frame on pass side front there in Nothing the Only tag's I can find is the paper 1 on driver's side back door that if you try to peel it is show's Void and then the firewall tag and the dash tag with as many coustom vehicles out there theses day's unless your doing something wrong you shouldn't have any troubles .Unless the Police officer know's what he's lookin at most will write the ticket n move on .Nice thing is I have the titles to all my truck's so I can take my choice and go from there .

 

Thanks for all the input from everyone. Very informative.

 

it was very simple. register truck with vin tag that came with 4 door then tell dmv you put a newer diesel in it.. they said cool now go get it inspected as diesel.

 

That's how it was 15 years ago around here. Then PA decided to start budgeting more federal grants into their programs which in turn forced then to comply with more federal regulations. Your state along with NE and LA are apparently not taking large federal grants but it's likely just a matter of time before that changes.

Hey Ken, just as a theoretical passing thought or maybe this could save you going through a nightmare; have you ever thought what could happen if you sold your modified diesel crew cab to somebody here in the northeast in a state such as NY, MA, NJ, or PA and the new owner found out that due to EPA enforcement regulations it would not pass emission requirements? I know that some folks can avoid the hassle by having the truck registered as an antique or classic which in most states exempts the emissions test requirement.

 

In Arizona, that can get you a class 4 felony...Mark

 

Technically, under federal law All engine conversions are illegal, unless the replacement engine was available as an option on the vehicle. It has just been very laxly enforced. below is just a bit of what is illegal, under federal law. In most vehicles the vin is located all over the vehicle and it is illegal to even sell the special rivets that holds on the dash vin plate..Mark



The federal anti-tampering law does not, however, apply to race cars that are not operated on the street, other full-time off-road vehicles, show cars that are not street driven, or vehicles not factory equipped with emission controls (most 1967 and earlier vehicles). So that exempts all antique cars, and most classic cars and muscle cars.

Revisions to the Clean Air Act in 1990 further broadened the definition of emissions tampering to include virtually ANY type of engine or exhaust system modification that alters what comes out the tailpipe. That means any nonstock aftermarket part that is installed on your engine must be EPA-approved and emissions legal (except on the exempt vehicles previously noted).

Before the law was revised in 1990, it was only illegal for professional mechanics to remove or disconnect emission control devices. There was nothing to prevent a motorist from tampering with their own vehicles. That loophole has since been plugged.

What Is Emissions-legal?
Any of the following may be considered emissions tampering and get you into trouble:

Removing the EGR valve or plugging its vacuum lines
Removing or disconnecting the PCV valve
Removing the stock air cleaner and heat riser duct plumbing
Removing the catalytic converter
Removing or disconnecting the air pump
Removing or modifying the stock distributor vacuum advance/retard
Altering the stock ignition advance mechanism or timing curve
Replacing the stock distributor with an aftermarket unit that is not emissions certified
Modifying, removing or replacing the stock computer or PROM chip with a non-certified component
Blocking the heat riser duct under the intake manifold
Knocking out the filler restrictor on the fuel tank inlet pipe
Replacing the stock non-vented gas cap with a vented cap
Removing or disconnecting the fuel vapor recovery canister
Changing the idle mixture or stock carburetor jetting
Removing or modifying the carburetor choke
Modifying or replacing the carburetor accelerator pump with non-certified components
Installing an intake manifold or racing manifold that lacks provisions for the stock EGR valve and/or a heat riser duct
Installing a carburetor that lacks the stock emission hookups
Installing non-certified fuel injectors
Installing a long duration "racing" cam that is not emissions-certified
Installing exhaust headers that lack provisions for a heat riser valve, an air cleaner preheat stove or fittings for an oxygen sensor (if required)
Installing valve covers with open breathers or no fittings for a PCV valve
Installing any induction, fuel or ignition system component that is NOT emissions legal
Aftermarket parts manufacturers who make nonstock performance parts for engines, the fuel, ignition or exhaust systems must apply for special certification for any parts they want to sell as being emissions-legal. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has been the leading government body in this respect, so most submit their proposals to CARB.

First, they must submit detailed proof in the form of laboratory dyno test that document their part does not have an adverse effect on exhaust emissions. These tests are very expensive and must conform with specified test procedures. CARB then reviews the data and may or may not ask for additional information and/or testing. If the product meets CARB's criteria, CARB issues an "executive order" (EO) number (also called an "exemption" number) certifying that the part is in compliance with the applicable clean air rules.

An EO number means the component can be legally manufactured, distributed, sold and installed on a street driven vehicle in the state of California. It also means the component is legally acceptable in all 50 states because the federal Environmental Protection Agency also recognizes the CARB exemption program as meeting their "Memorandum 1A" requirements for certifying emissions legal parts.

 

I thought that you might find this interesting...Mark Also, Here is a source for rosette rivets at 45 dollars for 2...

 

You guys are presenting good information on DEQ stuff. I didn't even think about any of it since in OR all diesels of a certain year are exempt and in my part of the state there is no DEQ for anyone period. I guess I was more concerned about having the proper VIN in case it ever got stolen or wrecked. I guess the OP has some homework to do for his individual state. I still say it's an 1980s Dodge though

 

I Have a clean title that states the truck is a 1985 Dodge Diesel truck.. so if anyone bought the truck and registered it , then it should show as that..

why do you think so many people register vehicles in South Carolina then sell them to other states.. in South Carolina they are very open..

in North Carolina they are more things you need to do.. plus I have mufflers etc still on my truck.. so it would still pass emissions..

this may sound bad but...at the same time I sell everything with AS IS.. the buyer needs to know his own state laws not me
I know when I buy out of state I always do my research first.