Builds 1991 FJ75 moving to America

[Will Van]

This would be for getting through customs, just in case someone looks closer. Once past customs I guess do what ever you want, as far as your state/city will allow.

So the "wait-to-do-the-engine-swap-before-you-register-it" advice is dependent on where you're registering it? It's a "work around" for nosy-registration-states?

 

[Honger]

Could you elaborate on this? I understand waiting to do the engine swap until after the vehicle is imported. But why is it important to do the engine swap before you register it?

In Texas, registering a vehicle 25 years or older is pretty straightforward. I’m not even sure “engine type” is information the State of Texas is gathering during registration.

For US customs, as per the declarations you make for EPA and FHWA 25+ year exemption, the imported vehicle should have the original motor. IF the original motor isn't going to meet emissions requirements in your jurisdiction then you do a swap prior to State registration. TX is no issue. AZ, specifically Phoenix, proved an issue for me. The 3F in my Troopy won't pass emissions. It MIGHT pass if I repaired the vacuum and charcoal canister system. My solution was to get classic car insurance (which is emissions exempt). However, I could also do an engine swap to something that would pass emissions and then register normally.

 

[Honger]

So the "wait-to-do-the-engine-swap-before-you-register-it" advice is dependent on where you're registering it? It's a "work around" for nosy-registration-states?

Exactly.

 

[TonyP]

So the "wait-to-do-the-engine-swap-before-you-register-it" advice is dependent on where you're registering it? It's a "work around" for nosy-registration-states?

Depends on where you register it. In a state like Utah, you can register just about anything without anyone looking at it if it's 30 years old. Toss some "vintage" plates on there and you're set. Or any diesel 1997 or older won't require much of anything to get it regg'd.

 

[Will Van]

For US customs, as per the declarations you make for EPA and FHWA 25+ year exemption, the imported vehicle should have the original motor. IF the original motor isn't going to meet emissions requirements in your jurisdiction then you do a swap prior to State registration. TX is no issue. AZ, specifically Phoenix, proved an issue for me. The 3F in my Troopy won't pass emissions. It MIGHT pass if I repaired the vacuum and charcoal canister system. My solution was to get classic car insurance (which is emissions exempt). However, I could also do an engine swap to something that would pass emissions and then register normally.

Exactly.

Depends on where you register it. In a state like Utah, you can register just about anything without anyone looking at it if it's 30 years old. Toss some "vintage" plates on there and you're set. Or any diesel 1997 or older won't require much of anything to get it regg'd.

10-4. Now I understand.

Follow-up question: How does this impact registering the truck if I decide to sell it down the road?

Option 1:

1. Legally import a +25-year-old truck with original engine.
2. Swap in a non-original engine (1HZ-T diesel).
3. Register it in Texas.
4. Sell the truck.

Option 2:

1. Legally import a +25-year-old truck with original engine.
2. Register it in Texas.
3. Swap in a non-original engine (1HZ-T diesel).
4. Sell the truck.

I imagine it doesn't matter which option you choose, it is up to the Buyer to ensure that the vehicle is legal in the particular geographical area that they want to register it, correct?

Also, apologies to Honger for the thread-jack. You have an awesome 70 series and I want one (which we have discussed).

 

[Honger]

Regarding either option, it will be up to the buyer to ensure it is legal in their area.

I've brought vehicles into KS and AZ now. KS is no issue. AZ is only an issue for me because I'm in Maricopa County, otherwise it'd be dead simple here as well. But none of the vehicles I've brought in could go to CA... unless I swapped in a completely modern drivetrain that would meet current emissions requirements there.

I believe some parts of OR and WA can be bothersome... and well as the Denver area in CO. But that would be the buyers issue. There in TX you shouldn't have any issue with a truck over 25 years.

 

[Honger]

Also, apologies to Honger for the thread-jack. You have an awesome 70 series and I want one (which we have discussed).

No worries! Good tech info for those interested. And thanks!

 

[FJBen]

Regarding either option, it will be up to the buyer to ensure it is legal in their area.

I've brought vehicles into KS and AZ now. KS is no issue. AZ is only an issue for me because I'm in Maricopa County, otherwise it'd be dead simple here as well. But none of the vehicles I've brought in could go to CA... unless I swapped in a completely modern drivetrain that would meet current emissions requirements there.

I believe some parts of OR and WA can be bothersome... and well as the Denver area in CO. But that would be the buyers issue. There in TX you shouldn't have any issue with a truck over 25 years.

Exactly, it's the buyers issue to deal with emissions. Rural Colorado is really easy, Nebraska is ridiculously easy, at least rural is.

@Will Van
The more emissions compliant your rig is, the better resale it will have. Personally, the smaller communities are WAY less likely to jerk you around try to dig/sniff around your title.
However, if you are importing a Gasser, then swap a diesel, you might have an issue with some buyers if the title still says Gas. I had a mistake on an Isuzu P'up Diesel truck I had. Title showed Gas, but it was a diesel. I had to go in a sign a few papers and all was good.
I would think as long as your title reflects the correct fuel type, you are good to go. Emissions are different everywhere and up to the buyer. A "mistake" on the title could cause some issues for the next guy, or you if you are required to have emissions tests.

 

[Will Van]

Exactly, it's the buyers issue to deal with emissions. Rural Colorado is really easy, Nebraska is ridiculously easy, at least rural is.

@Will Van
The more emissions compliant your rig is, the better resale it will have. Personally, the smaller communities are WAY less likely to jerk you around try to dig/sniff around your title.
However, if you are importing a Gasser, then swap a diesel, you might have an issue with some buyers if the title still says Gas. I had a mistake on an Isuzu P'up Diesel truck I had. Title showed Gas, but it was a diesel. I had to go in a sign a few papers and all was good.
I would think as long as your title reflects the correct fuel type, you are good to go. Emissions are different everywhere and up to the buyer. A "mistake" on the title could cause some issues for the next guy, or you if you are required to have emissions tests.

Thanks! Typically the more rural/conservative areas, both state and municipal, have more freedom.

I just checked the (Texas) titles for both my 1983 Pickup and my 1977 FJ40. Plus the Texas title/registration application. None of them have an input for "Fuel Type" on the title or form. Just VIN, Year, Make, Body Style, Weight, Model (Blank), and Odometer (Exempt).

So I expect it's the same as above - up to the Buyer to ensure it will comply for their particular geographical location when they go to register it. I just imagine it would make it easier if the Seller's title is coming from Texas, since there is no fuel type information to modify/change for the Buyer.

 

[FJ73Texas]

In Texas, registering a vehicle 25 years or older is pretty straightforward. I’m not even sure “engine type” is information the State of Texas is gathering during registration.

The only time engine type may be an issue depends what city you live in. I think in some cities, gas engines of certain years has to go through smog check while diesels are exempt. Since I live in San Antonio, the only thing that is checked is safety inspection and then you are good for registration if you pass safety inspection.

The FJ73 I had was 3F carburetor gas and it was quite "smoggy"...it would have never passed a smog check so I was glad to live in San Antonio. It had zero emissions controls in the engine bay compared to what I have seen on the 3FE in the FJ60.

 

[4Cruisers]

Even though Clark County in southern Nevada generally requires emissions testing, it's not a requirement in all of the county. The far western side of the county is two closed drainage basins over, so no EPA clean air attainment standards to meet. So it can be based on other geographic factors.

 

[gilmorneau]

Could you elaborate on this? I understand waiting to do the engine swap until after the vehicle is imported. But why is it important to do the engine swap before you register it?

Others have pretty much explained this as well as I could. The only thing I'll add is that while most State and Local jurisdictions will allow motor swaps and some even publish guidelines for it, IF the vehicle is gray-market (i.e. not originally intended for sale in the USA), the Federal Government only allows you to swap an identical engine, or an EPA-certified engine.

This would be for getting through customs,

No one's gonna want to hear this, but the same law that applies for getting a car through Customs (i.e. that it has the original, unmodified engine), applies for having it in the USA once it's here. To wit: When you import a gray-market car into the USA that is over 25 years old, the EPA grants you an exemption as regards meeting US Federal Emissions requirements. Said exemption is conditioned on the car having it's original, unmodified engine. Those conditions don't change once the car is on US soil. Thus if you modify or change the motor, you lose the EPA exemption, and violate Federal law.

That said, Customs are likely the last people who will ever see the car that might give a tiny damn, so for all practical purposes, @coldtaco is correct. Most bureaucrats at the State level don't know or care about Federal law as it applies to gray-market vehicles, and wouldn't be in a position to enforce it if they did. And the Federal government doesn't really track what you do with your gray-market car once you have it here--they mostly leave that to the States.

 

[Will Van]

Others have pretty much explained this as well as I could. The only thing I'll add is that while most State and Local jurisdictions will allow motor swaps and some even publish guidelines for it, IF the vehicle is gray-market (i.e. not originally intended for sale in the USA), the Federal Government only allows you to swap an identical engine, or an EPA-certified engine.



No one's gonna want to hear this, but the same law that applies for getting a car through Customs (i.e. that it has the original, unmodified engine), applies for having it in the USA once it's here. To wit: When you import a gray-market car into the USA that is over 25 years old, the EPA grants you an exemption as regards meeting US Federal Emissions requirements. Said exemption is conditioned on the car having it's original, unmodified engine. Those conditions don't change once the car is on US soil. Thus if you modify or change the motor, you lose the EPA exemption, and violate Federal law.

That said, Customs are likely the last people who will ever see the car and might give a tiny damn, so for all practical purposes, @coldtaco is correct. Most bureaucrats at the State level don't know or care about Federal law as it applies to gray-market vehicles, and wouldn't be in a position to enforce it if they did. And the Federal government doesn't really track what you do with your gray-market car once you have it here--they mostly leave that to the States.

Great intel. Thank you for the help.

I understand what you are saying regarding a 25-year old truck and the Feds (Customs/EPA) - The same federal laws that apply when importing a vehicle (original engine), continue to apply after you have brought it into the country and begun driving it (it's supposed to have original engine).

I guess my question is, as a practical matter, how does Customs/EPA investigate and enforce such a scenario? It would require a federal agent to track down the vehicle, review the paperwork submitted when the vehicle was imported, and then inspect the vehicle in its current condition (with an engine swap), and make a determination?

Although that may be illegal, it also seems impractical and unlikely. Am I missing something? Is that the correct analysis?

 

[gilmorneau]

That is the correct analysis.

 

[FJBen]

We've totally hijaked this thread,

@Will Van
On an engine swap, once it's in the US, you are pretty much golden outside of a few states who have ridiculous rules. The chances of ANYONE even federal coming after you for an engine swap is almost zero. It's still a federal law, but almost zero chance and abillity to enforce. Especially on states like Texas when there is no mention of fuel type.

Now if you are talking importing a vehicle that isn't able to be in the US, (less than 25 years) you run a higher risk, especially if you get in an accident where insurance/lawyers are involved. You could be open to a world of pain. Not likely, but if there's a loophole, insurance will find a way to deny it.



@Honger Let me know if you still want that shield and where to send it

 

[Honger]

We've totally hijaked this thread,

@Will Van
On an engine swap, once it's in the US, you are pretty much golden outside of a few states who have ridiculous rules. The chances of ANYONE even federal coming after you for an engine swap is almost zero. It's still a federal law, but almost zero chance and abillity to enforce. Especially on states like Texas when there is no mention of fuel type.

Now if you are talking importing a vehicle that isn't able to be in the US, (less than 25 years) you run a higher risk, especially if you get in an accident where insurance/lawyers are involved. You could be open to a world of pain. Not likely, but if there's a loophole, insurance will find a way to deny it.



@Honger Let me know if you still want that shield and where to send it

No problem on the hjiack... good stuff.
I do want the shield... will PM you.

 

[Honger]

And with regards to hijacking, I've been hijacking @c2dfj45's Troopy thread about Master Series and Second Skin products... all in relation to some remediation I'm doing on my own Troopy.

After a recent multi-day camping trip that involved a 4-hour drive to/from, I was motivated to get a few things done ASAP (before weather here gets REALLY hot).

Pulled all of the rubber plug grommets out of the sills and ran the hose into the truck and blasted away... it started off way worse than it looks here. This photo was taken after several minutes.

Traces of fesh-fesh all over my driveway...

Then I stripped out everything in the back.

The floor in the back is Swiss-cheese... I counted 90-something individual holes and then stopped counting. They must have repurposed this truck several times. When I bought it I removed a large sheet of aluminum diamond plate that had been riveted into the floor and found a lot more holes than the rivets accounted for. And many of them "sealed" with caulking. There are four reinforcement plates welded in similar to @c2dfj45, for a roll cage at one point I suppose.

The worst of the rust that I could find.

Laying down master series in the panel cavities and body seams.

Also removed caulking, ground down jagged edges, and primed all the holes.

And I've been patching the holes with small pieces of 16 gauge steel. I'm bending them to fit over each hole and then gluing them down with Liquid Nails Fuze-It. Each metal patch is painted with Master Series before being glued down. My theory here is that eventually, once I have an appropriate workspace and a welder, I can knock these off easily enough with a grinder and then weld them properly closed. In the meantime, this reduces noise and dust intrusion and given my arid desert environment doesn't pose a rust risk. I'm torn on whether to Spectrum over these patches and then Raptor line... while I'm undecided I'm going to just put the workout mat material back down on top.

After the glue sets I smooth the patched area with the grinder again and then paint over with Master Series.

I've put Damplier Pro in the body panel cavities... this will get painted over with Spectrum soon.

And an overview of more patches going down...

 

[2fpower]

not familiar with the fuse it product. i have been using the 3m panel bonding, with good results.

Amazon product ASIN B000PEW4MI

 

[c2dfj45]

Foil duct tape works fantastic for covering up holes in the floor if you're going to go over them with different top coatings.

The guy at Master Series gave me a good tip....if you need to cover up small holes(we have used it on some fair sized ones), you can mix in some fiberglass fibers into it and it will cover it right up. We put masking tape on the underside of the hole, then lay in our fiber on some wet master series. Once it dries, we top it with more Master Series...it really seals it up. And once the sound deadeners or bed liners go over it...you'll never see it.

Funny how similar the insides of our trucks are....I think our inner fenders looked exactly the same....the desert treated them well. Kind of

 

[Honger]

not familiar with the fuse it product. i have been using the 3m panel bonding, with good results.

Amazon product ASIN B000PEW4MI

This stuff looks promising... I've earmarked this for future projects. Thanks!

Foil duct tape works fantastic for covering up holes in the floor if you're going to go over them with different top coatings.

The guy at Master Series gave me a good tip....if you need to cover up small holes(we have used it on some fair sized ones), you can mix in some fiberglass fibers into it and it will cover it right up. We put masking tape on the underside of the hole, then lay in our fiber on some wet master series. Once it dries, we top it with more Master Series...it really seals it up. And once the sound deadeners or bed liners go over it...you'll never see it.

Funny how similar the insides of our trucks are....I think our inner fenders looked exactly the same....the desert treated them well. Kind of

The foil tape, or fiberglass, certainly would have been easier than my solution. Good tips. It has been fun to see how many similarities our trucks have... fun and bemusing. The arid environment treated them well... but the hard service in Oman offset a lot of that. Ha!