How far would you go customizing?

[bananahamuck]

hmmm what about street rods made from fibreglass shells that just have MSO and no vin, the frame doesn't even have a vin. The MSO can be used to help get a VIN but, only the body has MSO not the frame, engine or other components.

 

 

You take the vehicle to the correct licencing /inspecting agency and they look over all and i mean all your receipts and then inspect whole vehicle then issue a V.I.N. number to said vehicle and only that vehicle...

 

 

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The OP used a very bad example of his argument  by using the switched VIN tag truck ,,, then backed it up with examples of vehicles that had alot of work done to them , which were not done to be deceitful in order to skirt laws... but to improve the performance and fun factor of older vehicle...

[Z-train]

The OP used a very bad example of his argument  by using the switched VIN tag truck ,,, then backed it up with examples of vehicles that had alot of work done to them , which were not done to be deceitful in order to skirt laws... but to improve the performance and fun factor of older vehicle...

Agreed.

[datzenmike]

The majority of motor swap work done to Datsuns is illegal, but I don't hear anyone crying about it.  Swapping a motor without the federally mandated emissions components (eg cats) is also illegal everywhere.  Selling a vehicle with swapped VINs is one thing, but building it for yourself shouldn't be considered an issue.

 

 

You take the vehicle to the correct licencing /inspecting agency and they look over all and i mean all your receipts and then inspect whole vehicle then issue a V.I.N. number to said vehicle and only that vehicle...

 

 

.

.

The OP used a very bad example of his argument  by using the switched VIN tag truck ,,, then backed it up with examples of vehicles that had alot of work done to them , which were not done to be deceitful in order to skirt laws... but to improve the performance and fun factor of older vehicle...

 

That's better. (gees I'm agreeing with Bill?????)

[]2eDeYe]

... so back to my question: how far would you go?

 

As far as I want.

[datzenmike]

I said that with my 620. Not body though, the 620 is more than perfect as is and can't be improvd on. Interior I put a dash and steering wheel, all wiring from a 720. Outside I raised it about 16", Toyots SAS, F-150 leaf springs and 12.5X33s, 82 720 frame, with tran case welded in.

[K_trip]

As far as I want.

 

And I was starting to think this topic was going in the wrong direction.  I'm glad to see we have cleared that "VIN swap" hang-up.

 

 

 

I have to agree with datzenmike (it happens) the 620 is hard to improve, but that's subjective.  To each his own, I'm asking "how far"?

However - If Will-I-AM touches a Datsun, subjective or not, I might have to speak up :devil:

 

I would summarize Z-train's answer as: "modify as much as wanted, as long as it's legal" ... did I get that right, buddy?

 

 

 

Yesterday I was thinking datzenmike & J2eDeYe were saying the same thing, but they have since given us a better idea of how far they would go.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that's cool, but for this topic I think the "as long as it's legal" is a boring answer and can promote argument.  Same with the "anything goes" answer, it's too extreme to be taken seriously and therefore not very interesting.   It too can promote argument, yuk.  However these two are not so black and white, they're talking about the shade of gray they can live with.  I find that reply much more interesting, and much more productive in a topic like this.

 

As thisismatt pointed out, a lot of the motor swaps here are not 100% legal.  Each state is different, and California is the toughest by far, but it seems a lot of folks feel that's not taking the customizing thing "too far".  Great point! 

 

Another good point that has come up here is odometer discrepancy.  There are many different ways that can occur.  Put the wrong size wheel / tire on, and you're not getting the correct speed-o / odometer reading ... so have we not gone far enough?  Should we go further, change the gear in the trans or rear-end gearing, to get the speed-o correct?  Some might want to update their Datsun with a digital dash out of a more modern vehicle, what happens then ... have we gone too far?  I know California has provisions during vehicle transfers to note that the odometer reading is no longer valid, so it can all be done legally (let's avoid that pointless argument), would we consider a digital dash going too far?

 

I'm not just asking about trucks, or even cars ... what about converting a gas powered vehicle to diesel?  Now, we don't need folks to "cut and paste" the law on that - I'm asking for personal experiences or personal opinions.  Heck, what about putting a Nissan Leaf drive-train in a 510?

[JonU]

Bananahamuck nailed it on the kit car thing. You have to take the MSO along with all your receipts. I'm not sure exactly what they want but I do know they usually want the major items (i.e. engine, trans, chassis if using a donor one, etc. etc.)

 

As far as I'm concerned, I'll customize my car how I like. My main thing is wether or not it makes the car unsafe. Generally, I prefer to stay within the limits for the law most of the time, but there are some things I'm not to worried about. For example, both an MR-2 and a Lightning I used to own didn't have cats when I bought them. Did I care? Nope. When I sold the MR-2 the buyer didn't car either. When I brought my Lightning back from Germany, they wouldn't let me do the emissions test until it had cats. No fines or any stern lectures from the emissions people. They just told me I had 30 days to get it fixed. Guess what I'm trying to say is that some things I could care less about, while others are the proverbial line in the sand. I would be pissed if I bought a vehicle with swapped VINs and didn't know it. I would be even more pissed if the state impounded the vehicle due to that and the seller refused to return my money.

[captaingamez]

wow you guys in cali must love life, all you have to do in AZ to engine swap is, well, engine swap, nobody here gives a freakin shit that you dont have matching vins between the engine and car. and I actually asked DOT, they said it doesnt matter unless its a salvage vehicle and it had to be inspected, and even then it barely matters. NOBODY in arizona cares, its all because you guys live in the United Socialist Republic Of California.

 

 

VIN swapping is VERY VERY illegal anyway, and on new cars it CANNOT be done, unless you are seriously in the know.

 

by that I mean that all new cars have either one or 2 VIN numbers located in special places that nobody knows about but like one or two guys in each dealership. they are usually hidden under a plate which must be cut out, and that pate has a different location in each vehicle. you can vin swap all you want, but unless you know exactly where to look for the VIN, it could send you to jail.

[datzenmike]

The body is sacred and should never be cut or pierced, or as little as possible. Hood scoops, rear spoilers, body kits, box flairs are out. Practically anything you can 'hang' on it is out. (strangely I find some air dams and some flairs on some cars not too bad) Tires as wide as you like but not 19" shit. The design was to accept 13 or 14s and big rims look retarded.  Rims? get real. $2,000 bling rims on a $500 car is the epitomy of retarded. Car first, rims last and only to compliment the car, should not up stage it. Paint? anything you like, (it's you that's seen in it) if you like it ... fine. Interior? anything you like but old school should prevail and 21st century LED digital shit doesn't do it for me. Seats whatever. Racing seats are to interiors what rear spoilers are to the body. There are lots of sensible comefortable seats out there. Roll bars are out. They hack up the interior, waste space look dumb. Well unless you actually race your car. In that case form follows function. Engine/suspension/brakes anything you like it's not that visible anyway. 

 

This is how I view my car at present I don't think less of yours if different it's just not my style, nor should you change yours, it's personalized to suit you. Canby would be very boring otherwise.  

[captaingamez]

The body is sacred and should never be cut or pierced, or as little as possible. Hood scoops, rear spoilers, body kits, box flairs are out. Practically anything you can 'hang' on it is out. (strangely I find some air dams and some flairs on some cars not too bad) Tires as wide as you like but not 19" shit. The design was to accept 13 or 14s and big rims look retarded.  Rims? get real. $2,000 bling rims on a $500 car is the epitomy of retarded. Car first, rims last and only to compliment the car, should not up stage it. Paint? anything you like, (it's you that's seen in it) if you like it ... fine. Interior? anything you like but old school should prevail and 21st century LED digital shit doesn't do it for me. Seats whatever. Racing seats are to interiors what rear spoilers are to the body. There are lots of sensible comefortable seats out there. Roll bars are out. They hack up the interior, waste space look dumb. Well unless you actually race your car. In that case form follows function. Engine/suspension/brakes anything you like it's not that visible anyway. 

 

This is how I view my car at present I don't think less of yours if different it's just not my style, nor should you change yours, it's personalized to suit you. Canby would be very boring otherwise.  

 

I am pretty much with you there, but I will cut any body part that is removeable and replaceable, rear sections? out of the question, but putting "scoops", or "vents" in a hood is neccessary in some applications (like putting a j30 in a crx, oh yea its been done) and I have seen fender vents that look really really good on certain cars.

 

that LED digi dash board shit is what I have always hated about soo many of the modern "hot rod" builders.

[DanielC]

I know of 3 VIN number locations on a Datsun 521.  Two are on the cab, one on the frame.  Having said that, In Oregon, where I live, the frame is the "official" VIN number of the vehicle.  The cab is not, it is bolted on the frame.

 

So, how far to customize?  As far as you want.   Build a 521 king cab, and put it on a 620 or 720 frame, sure, but essentially it becomes a 620, or a 720 with different sheet metal, not a 521.  It may look like a 521 on the surface, but is not.   But it may also be safer, and more convenient to drive than a stock 521.

[Skib]

Wow...... This thread is fuckin stupid.

[Farmer Joe]

agree with skib..

 

just one of those weird situations where you cant win.

 

honestly, in the small truck world where they made the SAME vehicle for 10 years, it will happen. its just a filibuster that it was a 'early year' kingcab..

 

this could be done on a bevy of other trucks, and none would be the wiser.

 

but again, i digress.

[K_trip]

blah, blah, blah ... whatever :yawn:

 

THIS is more like what I was talking about ... some extreme Datsun customizing right here!

[datzenmike]

For one it doesn't much (or maybe at all) compromise the body looks. It will still look like a 710.

 

I hate, maybe hate isn't a strong enough word, I detest louvers. I would find a way around using them or not  bother. There are some interesting things done to bodies but never anything I would want to own.  'D ya feel me??

 

[Skib]

this thread is stupid because talking about how far to take customizing

and swapping vins to get around smog laws are two totally different things.

[datzenmike]

How to turn a '78 into a '73. The ultimate customize.

[JoeCool]

For one it doesn't much (or maybe at all) compromise the body looks. It will still look like a 710.

 

I hate, maybe hate isn't a strong enough word, I detest louvers. I would find a way around using them or not  bother. There are some interesting things done to bodies but never anything I would want to own.  'D ya feel me??

 

 

Bozodoofus Corvette? It looks like one of those retarded looking Bosowhatever cars!

 

 

 

[K_trip]

this thread is stupid because talking about how far to take customizing.

I wish it would be more about customizing - some feel "keep it all Nissan" some feel it doesn't really matter.

 

customizing and swapping vins to get around smog laws are two totally different things.

Yes, and as much as I try to steer it away from the touchy VIN swap topic - BAM - it goes right back there.

[Skib]

Yes, and as much as I try to steer it away from the touchy VIN swap topic - BAM - it goes right back there.

your entire thread is based off talking shit about someone getting shit for VIN swapping right from the first post.

[K_trip]

I B T L ???

 

[Rollover_Red]

IBTL

[Rollover_Red]

A guy comes here to post his custom '73 King Cab 620 and gets "dog piled" upon for the way he customized his truck.  Someone even went as far as to quote the vehicle code (10.7.51 of the California motor vehicle code), about changing the vehicle identification numbers.  Fear mongers jump on, like they know something about the law, and claim someone will be going to jail.  Some of you guys are so full of (fill in the blank), you legal-nazi's really crack me up. :rofl:

 

started with bashing about people on here being stern on legalities, now you get mad when people defend themselves BY BEING STERN ON LEGALITIES. YOU brought this upon yourself, therefore i have no pity for you.

 

lock this thread, no more bitching needs to happen.

[K_trip]

The Ratsun police crack me up, which is not the same as being mad.

 

Skib said this thread is stupid - I agree, it turns out it's not about "how far would you go customizing" now is it?

 

 

started with bashing about people on here being stern on legalities, now you get mad when people defend themselves BY BEING STERN ON LEGALITIES. YOU brought this upon yourself, therefore i have no pity for you.

 

lock this thread, no more bitching needs to happen.

 

Maybe I didn't catch the tone in which you wrote this - but it sure sounds like you're bitching about something???

 

Datzen M ...

I'm with you on louvers looking bad, and some take it pretty far (like that Vette). 

To me it doesn't matter if they're done in fiberglass or steel, yuk.

[datzenmike]

What drive train, suspension, brakes, interior, (within some taste parameters) wheels, rims (within some taste parameters) or paint you use is up to you... go nuts and surprise me. Leave the body alone.... for the most part.