LUVTruck.com

I know it's not necessarily legal (ok, not at all), but I was wonderin how hard it would be to swap VINs on a LUV? I have a 1980, and I'm in California, so smog laws suck BIG time. My '80 is in pretty good shape so I want to keep it, but I can't do anything to the engine... I was thinking of getting a 75 or older and and putting the '80 on non-op and registering it as the 75 or older one...

Is it even something I should consider? Or should I just move? lol

Any input would be great, hopefully I don't get bashed for this too much...

yeah u can do it. but the new pop rivets u use after to be left out in the elements to looked aged.and i'd change all of them inside the drivers door,and under the hood.i seen it done and he pulled it off he made the rivets look old like they were original.good luck

Just changing the little VIN plate in the door jamb won't work, because the VIN is also stamped near the firewall on the drivers side under the cowl vent. At least thats the way it is on my 80.

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"Fork: an instrument used chiefly for putting dead animals into the mouth." - Ambrose Bierce

Is it something that can be cutout and rewelded on? That is what I was thinking I was going to have to do...

So is there only one rivetted in in the door jam and the one under the cowl?

Dont forget the one on the frame

search.php?keywords=vin+location&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Hmmm... maybe I'll just leave my truck stock, and fix it... That looks like a lot of work with the crossmember and everything... lol

hey sloth just do it!
go ahead and leave the one in the frame or scratch it off...
i honestly dont think they will search the under body to look for a vin# or search the history of them to see where they all are .
just keep it on the down low

lol. I did tell my friend I would just lower it more... I doubt they could get under it now, but lower they would have to jack it up.

And eventually I would want to build a frame for it, so I would lose that crossmember anyway. Maybe I will wait till then to do it. (who knows when that will be, at this rate, 28 years) lol

But I would still need to smog it till then.

Thanks for the input guys, was just kicking around the idea, and seeing how hard it is... I won't let you know if I end up doing it...

I believe there is one on the engine block too. I don't think they would search all over the truck anyway. If you just switched out the door jamb one and cover up your door sticker and grind off the others you should be fine. I doubt they are going to worry too much about an old truck like these anyway!

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http://www.purerockradio.net/

or if you do get a 75 just put the 75 cab on your frame and that will work good to so no one will miss with you

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http://www.facebook.com/ez.cracker
dangerous-toys4life
73 3-door avalanche bdydropped on 18s
86 1-ton 4x crewcab short bd 15"lift
75 k-5 2x
94 king cab

You better make that a 74 as a 75 still NEEDS SMOG IN CALIF
I was waiting for them to move that yr up to "like the 20 yr rule" but it never happened
MT

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Previously owned 2 Luvs) 75 & 77 Fleet-side
3rd 77 Step fixing up aka The Yellow Submarine to Luv Ms (Sun)Shine=)
98 GMC Gas Guzzler~>The reason 4 my ~>3rdLuvNext2a66MALIBU =)
66 Chevelle The Oldest of all the vehicles I owned

75 and older don't need smog. 76 and newer do.

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You went there in that?!?!

yea 75 was the last year for no smog i have one that i did that 75 cab on a 76 and then i am junking the other 75 it has been parked for over 15 years lost pink but the dmv can get a new one

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http://www.facebook.com/ez.cracker
dangerous-toys4life
73 3-door avalanche bdydropped on 18s
86 1-ton 4x crewcab short bd 15"lift
75 k-5 2x
94 king cab

i doubt they would care much about an ol beater luv anyways.

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Put a whole 90's model pup driveline into it. EFi and all. Retrotech the sucker.
They would be loving you come smog time.

Worked G200Z, cam, high comp head, weber carb, 73 rwkw
Stock 2.6L 4ZE1 73.7 rwkw.

There is no trouble here fitting a later model drive line to an older car as long as you hook up and keep all the smog stuff the newer motor is meant to have.
Even an 86 2.3L into an 80 model luv would make a big difference in go.

Do they give you any concession at smog testing if your running straight propane???
Over here you can get away with running an older motor in a newer car if you run it on straight LPG (Liquid petrolium{sic} gas, propane and butane mixture). But you have to remove the whole (gasolene) fuel system.

With the right know how you can get a motor cracking on Gas, (real gas not the gasolene you silly americans call gas) especially straight propane.

Bob.

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Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.