Am I just wasting my time and money?

[Coffee Freak]

So I got this hair-brained idea a while back to take some parts I had lying around that I was going to build an off-road toy out of and turn it into a rat-rod instead.

What I started with is a Samurai frame and the front half of the tub (back to the doors), a pair of Samurai axles, a pair of rear samurai springs, a set of Jeep Dispatch (DJ) steelie wheels, and a t90 transmission/Dana18 transfer case out of a 50's Willys.

The more I look at the hacked up tub, the more I'd like to have a real vintage cowl/cab instead. Since I don't have a title to the tub I currently have (last known title for that VIN was in Virginia), it doesn't look like I'd be able to make mine street legal even with what I have.

If I can't get this road legal, is there enough enjoyment to be had out of a trailer-queen? I'd hate to build something only to sit in my back yard and wish I could drive it.

 

[21willys]

Can you get a home built title for it?

 

[donsrods]

Best to always make sure you can get something titled before dumping a lot of work and money into it. Guys post all the time on forums that they have a car they built and are having trouble getting it registered.

Don

 

[Coffee Freak]

Can you get a home built title for it?

I am looking into this currently. Depending on how NC looks at the last statement may have a significant impact on my build... (per NC DMV)

"What is a Custom-Built Vehicle?
■A motor vehicle that is completely reconstructed or assembled from new or used parts
■Will be branded as "specially contructed vehicle"
■Year of vehicle will be year of assembly."

If I have to conform to 2012 vehicle inspection, then I'll have to figure a way to have dual airbags, shoulder harnesses, emissions controls, OBDII diagnostics, etc. No sense going any further. If they just do a safety inspection, I can do that no problem since I planned on building it with that in mind.

 

[21willys]

It don't say you have to follow the safety requirements of the current year, just says it will be titled as current year.

 

[Coffee Freak]

It don't say you have to follow the safety requirements of the current year, just says it will be titled as current year.

I sent an e-mail to the DMV to clarify. If I'm going to go down this road, I don't want any suprises when I get to the end. I don't want to get into a symantics game with the DMV at the 11th hour.

 

[GJunktionMike]

This is what I had to have to meet DOT safty inspection.

Vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, windshield wipers, speedometer, seat belts and a vehicle indentification number. It must be insured and registered.

All the other stuff is for manufactured (ford, chevy, ect)

 

[TIMOTHALE]

organize your rodders

I spend my summers in Idaho near Yellowstone , There specialty street rods are registered as the year and model they most closely resemble and only have to meet title year requirements. My glass 32 will only have to meet antique requirements. They recommend that you meet with the DMV specialist when you plan your build and keep picts, reciepts of your build. and I have known guys that got a title for partially completed vehicles and got theft- comp insurance on the project , If your state has a group of car clubs they need to contact your gov't reps and ask them to sponsor a SEMA model legislation, for antique , specialty, street rod builds

 

[Coffee Freak]

Vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, windshield wipers, speedometer, seat belts and a vehicle indentification number. It must be insured and registered.

All the other stuff is for manufactured (ford, chevy, ect)

AWESOME!!!!!!! You just made my day. I might just be able to go this route, since I planned on most of that anyway.

Do the seat belts have to be shoulder belts, or do lap belts suffice? Also, what are reflex reflectors?

 

[GJunktionMike]

Do the seat belts have to be shoulder belts, or do lap belts suffice? Also, what are reflex reflectors?

Reflex reflectors DOT fancy wording for side reflectors. If your marker lights can't be seen from the side you need reflectors Like in my pic. the front yellow is a working marker light and the rear red is just a reflector.

On belts a min is lap belt for most states.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Wow, Mike thats not how I remember you looking, you got shorter?

 

[GJunktionMike]

Wow, Mike thats not how I remember you looking, you got shorter?

As I get older I noticed I'm shrinking some. I didn't notice it had got that bad, no wonder I can't reach the counters any more.

 

[Willowbilly3]

When I got my rpu inspected, that was the easiest part. I had no fenders, no bumpers, no wipers, no seat belts and only the brake lights were wired in. The officer was more concerned with finding a place for the cheesy stick on foil vin tag so it wouldn't come off.

 

[thom]

Living in NC is probably your biggest problem with a project like what you have in mind.I believe that the NC DMV is the hardest to work with in the country.I have heard that some body and frame manufacturers will not sell to a NC resident because of the hassle.I called two of the companies that sell titles and was told "If you live in NC we can't help you, goodbye. CLICK." Good luck.

 

[Coffee Freak]

Living in NC is probably your biggest problem with a project like what you have in mind.I believe that the NC DMV is the hardest to work with in the country.I have heard that some body and frame manufacturers will not sell to a NC resident because of the hassle.I called two of the companies that sell titles and was told "If you live in NC we can't help you, goodbye. CLICK." Good luck.

Warm fuzzy feeling gone.

That just sucks that what should be a pretty uniform process seems to be all over the board from state to state... I guess I'll have to see when the time comes. In the meantime, I guess I'll still build it with trailer queen status in mind and if I come across a rusted out something or other with a valid title, I'll just swap components over.

 

[lowbudget50]

Do you have any pics of this creation. Im an offroader sami lover myself. Always thought a small block ford 2wd sami would be fun! Hope this works out for ya

 

[Coffee Freak]

Do you have any pics of this creation. Im an offroader sami lover myself. Always thought a small block ford 2wd sami would be fun! Hope this works out for ya

All I have so far is the mock-up. The rear axle will be mounted in the traditional style parallel leaf spring SUA, the front will be a suicide spring with radius rods.

Since this picture was taken, I have cut the body about 6" behind the door opening in plans of building a RPU "cab" using a scrap hood (the price is right). I have aquired the trans/t-case but still waiting on the tranny-to-bellhousing adapter to get here. I will then mate it to some form of Chevy motor (whatever I can get my paws on cheap). I found an old road sign under my house that's like 4 foot by 4 foot that I plan on cutting in half to make bed sides for a RPU bed.

If I find that the Sami cab looks like crap, I'll look into a vintage pickup cab. I've seen some good deals on some 39-49 cabs ($200-500). Being a stay-at-home dad doesn't allow much in the form of spending money, so it's slow going. When I lived up in Michigan, I had a network of buddies that once they found out someone was building something on the cheap, they'd come by and drop off surplus parts. We used to build Jeeps and stuff together out of all of our leftover parts. I miss having guys like that around now! I've pretty much exhausted my stash of excess parts.

 

[lowbudget50]

This was my last sami build

It had a small block ford. It was a tin top sami cut down to a cab and then a soft top rear made into a bed. Keep us updated.

 

[Coffee Freak]

Well, the Samurai tub ended up looking like total crap, so I found something else to work with. I now have the tub from a 1955 M38a1 that I picked up dirt cheap. Actually sold the Samurai tub for almost half of what I paid for the M38a1 tub, so Now to see how to mount the vintage Jeep tub to the not-so-vintage Samurai frame. I also have a buddy of mine that is selling me a 1955 Chevy inline 6 cyl that includes a 3 speed trans. I should be able to either use the bellhousing to mate up the t90 I already have or just use the mated three speed and get a centered rear end instead of the Samurai rear axle I already have.

If the weather would ever make up it's mind, I could get some work done on it!

It's still looking like it will have to be trailered since the M38a1 was never titled from the government. I doubt the DMV will go for titling this thing. We'll see.

Question is, how dorky does it look when a rat rod is trailered to a car show? I'd probably only take it to local stuff anyway, so it may just get flat-towed. I also have to check on the legality of that too.

 

[animal]

Okay, maybe I'm out of line here, but why spend all that time and effort building something that is only going to be towed to shows? [S I (and please excuse me if I offend anyone) can't see what purpose that would serve.

I would rather find something with a title, license it in my name, then hack it up into whatever you want. As long as it has the lights, etc required by your state, I doubt anyone would hassle you about the title, because it would already be titled and licensed.

Again, I'm not trying to be a butthead, but I hate seeing people spend a bunch of time and money building something they can't do much with when they're done.