OT-Jeep Diesel Swap

[T-TownDawgg]

Wanted to street legal a new Mahindra Roxor, but the state of Alabama is absolutely run by the State Insurance board, and they have pissed me right off. They wont classify one as a kit or an altered vehicle for VIN, tags and registration. Apparently they don't like vehicle tax and registration revenue, so the hell with em. I'll buy a beater and build one and they can choke on the 5 bucks in tax and single issue classic car tag. Idiots.
Anyhoo, I have looked at all the popular engines swaps (4bt, Benz OM617, VW,) even looked at the new cummins 2.8 crate engine, (too expensive, 10k for engine alone).
Want to do either a CJ7 or YJ.
Leaning toward the kubota 2203 for cost, availability, and simplicity. On youtube, a guy is building one called project Felicity, but he's doing everything himself.
This will be a toy driven at least once a week. Company out of California builds the bell housing conversion plates. Anyone done this, or have experience in this endeavor? And if so, what am I up against? One builder told me I'd be in the 12-15k range for a decent shape used rig and swap, another told me 20k plus. Another told me don't do it because I will hate it. If the swap is done correctly and it's so terrible why isn't the market flooded with them?
Wife's gonna be pissed, but she has the whole dang house. I have my garage.
Someone talk me out of it.

 

[jdbulldog]

Wanted to street legal a new Mahindra Roxor, but the state of Alabama is absolutely run by the State Insurance board, and they have pissed me right off. They wont classify one as a kit or an altered vehicle for VIN, tags and registration. Apparently they don't like vehicle tax and registration revenue, so the hell with em. I'll buy a beater and build one and they can choke on the 5 bucks in tax and single issue classic car tag. Idiots.
Anyhoo, I have looked at all the popular engines swaps (4bt, Benz OM617, VW,) even looked at the new cummins 2.8 crate engine, (too expensive, 10k for engine alone).
Want to do either a CJ7 or YJ.
Leaning toward the kubota 2203 for cost, availability, and simplicity. On youtube, a guy is building one called project Felicity, but he's doing everything himself.
This will be a toy driven at least once a week. Company out of California builds the bell housing conversion plates. Anyone done this, or have experience in this endeavor? And if so, what am I up against? One builder told me I'd be in the 12-15k range for a decent shape used rig and swap, another told me 20k plus. Another told me don't do it because I will hate it. If the swap is done correctly and it's so terrible why isn't the market flooded with them?
Wife's gonna be pissed, but she has the whole dang house. I have my garage.
Someone talk me out of it.

one of the best restoration men in the south once told a friend of mine that if anyone drove up to his place pulling a trailer holding their “prize” and proceeded to ask him if he would do the ground up restoration he would always tell them yes and instructed them where to park their trailer. IF they ask him what it is going to cost he would tell them to take it back home with them. He was contrary but an absolute pro who had customers from all over th USA....primarily the south but had customers from the Midwest and CA. Money cannot be an object when pursuing rebuilds.

 

[turkish]

Why do you want to drive a diesel Jeep on the road so bad?

 

[West Tn Dawg]

Wanted to street legal a new Mahindra Roxor, but the state of Alabama is absolutely run by the State Insurance board, and they have pissed me right off. They wont classify one as a kit or an altered vehicle for VIN, tags and registration. Apparently they don't like vehicle tax and registration revenue, so the hell with em. I'll buy a beater and build one and they can choke on the 5 bucks in tax and single issue classic car tag. Idiots.
Anyhoo, I have looked at all the popular engines swaps (4bt, Benz OM617, VW,) even looked at the new cummins 2.8 crate engine, (too expensive, 10k for engine alone).
Want to do either a CJ7 or YJ.
Leaning toward the kubota 2203 for cost, availability, and simplicity. On youtube, a guy is building one called project Felicity, but he's doing everything himself.
This will be a toy driven at least once a week. Company out of California builds the bell housing conversion plates. Anyone done this, or have experience in this endeavor? And if so, what am I up against? One builder told me I'd be in the 12-15k range for a decent shape used rig and swap, another told me 20k plus. Another told me don't do it because I will hate it. If the swap is done correctly and it's so terrible why isn't the market flooded with them?
Wife's gonna be pissed, but she has the whole dang house. I have my garage.
Someone talk me out of it.

See if you can talk to Paul Rutledge in Jasper, TX. He did a Bronco swap. Major article in one of the Diesel Magazines. I believe he is building parts for these swaps now.
Diesel Bronco Link

 

[Shmuley]

You have my total and complete and unreserved blessing, my son. Proceed.

 

[Dawgbite]

Buy the Roxor and I’ll register it in MS. Then I’ll sell it to you for a dollar with a Ms title. Or..... I’ve got an all original 64 CJ-5 with a Hard top and a PTO winch for less than the Roxor. Most people have never seen a 55 year old vehicle with cruise control, it has a dash mounted throttle as well as an accelerator pedal for use with the winch. I also have a complete extra winch and PTO.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Buy the Roxor and I’ll register it in MS. Then I’ll sell it to you for a dollar with a Ms title. Or..... I’ve got an all original 64 CJ-5 with a Hard top and a PTO winch for less than the Roxor. Most people have never seen a 55 year old vehicle with cruise control, it has a dash mounted throttle as well as an accelerator pedal for use with the winch. I also have a complete extra winch and PTO.

Ok, you have my attention.
Are you confident MS will issue a new vin and title? AL will not issue registration to anything if the title or MSO has the dreaded "Off road Use Only" label. I've tried every way I know to get around it. Dirt legal can't even issue in state plates here. If MS is more accommodating with its altered or kit vehicle laws, it MIGHT work...

 

[T-TownDawgg]

No way I spend 20k for something I drive to the mailbox and back. Unfortunately my ancestors left me a proud legacy of horse thievery and bootleggery instead of a thousand-acre ranch for me to justify an off-road-only toy like that.

 

[Zebrahater]

Just curios, why would you want a Roxor? A friend bought one to use around his farm. I was following him to get gas & was shocked the top speed was 42-44. If you want a toy, I'd settle for a CJ5. They're so short & compact, they'll go anywhere. Plus, it's very common to find the old CJ5's with V8 engines. It'd literally drag that Rotor around like a toy. Plus, you could always get your money back if you wanted to.

 

[Shmuley]

Y'all be careful. Make damn sure you figure out the sales tax component to this before you start down this road.

 

[BrunswickDawg]

Just curios, why would you want a Roxor? A friend bought one to use around his farm. I was following him to get gas & was shocked the top speed was 42-44. If you want a toy, I'd settle for a CJ5. They're so short & compact, they'll go anywhere. Plus, it's very common to find the old CJ5's with V8 engines. It'd literally drag that Rotor around like a toy. Plus, you could always get your money back if you wanted to.

I'll echo that a bit - I've got a '95 YJ I use as my daily driver. You can get them cheap, in good shape, and other than the square headlights you get the best things about old Jeeps - easy to tinker with, pretty indestructible, no modern electronics to deal with and fun - while getting better stability and drive-ability then the older models. Because I'm a coastal flat-lander, I got one with a 4 banger. I can tow a small trailer,use as our family beach vehicle, and it spends most of it's life topless and door-less. Going to drive it until it dies - which it won't.

 

[Dawgbite]

Ok, you have my attention.
Are you confident MS will issue a new vin and title? AL will not issue registration to anything if the title or MSO has the dreaded "Off road Use Only" label. I've tried every way I know to get around it. Dirt legal can't even issue in state plates here. If MS is more accommodating with its altered or kit vehicle laws, it MIGHT work...

I'll have to do some homework on this. I stopped at the Roxor dealer in Tupelo and they told me that they could point me to someone who could make the modifications to get it legal. I never pursued it. Wife's nephew bought one with the intention of making it legal but I only see him at holidays and funerals so I haven't asked if he did it. I will say this, I had a ***** of a time getting a title for my street legal golf cart due to it never being registered years ago when new. The laws on this stuff changed when they eliminated the yearly inspection stickers.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

Man, don't waste too much time if you start to hit roadblocks, it's a 17'in goose chase. A few states still cater to adding turn signals, horn, brake lights, windshield, and you're clear, but not here. No way unless you strip it, put jeep parts on it, swap vin plates, etc, but that's highly risky and expensive. What pisses me off so bad about the whole thing is they have gone out of their way to exclude these type of vehicles (for liability, I'm sure) but I can go buy an old rust bucket death trap with good title that will actually move and get plates with absolutely no inspection and legally be dawg61'ing on the interstate, no problem. That's why I want to build one. Always been partial to the earlier diesels. Was at a jeep show years ago and saw an old willys cj3 with the perkins diesel, and it was neat, and purred like a sewing machine.
The diesel will fit my needs well, is reliable, unique, and way cool.

 

[Zebrahater]

I have built a couple of bikes years ago, out of custom frames or chopped frames. They were mostly bobbers. After building them, I'd have to take to New Albany Highway Patrol Office to let an older ex highway patrol inspect them. If passed, I'd fill out the paperwork to get a VIN# issued to register. None of the bikes were designed to have blinkers or horn. To pass inspection, I'd literally zip tie blinkers that were made for a bicycle & bolt a bicycle squeeze air horn on the bars. The trick is not to piss off the old guy, it's completely up to him if you pass or fail. I never failed any, but heard horror stories of guys who went multiple times to pass. I'd never even have to unload my bikes. He only inspects a few times a month & you had to make an appointment. I heard if you were 1 minute late, he'd pass you up & go to the next in line.

 

[Dawgbite]

This won't work any more

I have built a couple of bikes years ago, out of custom frames or chopped frames. They were mostly bobbers. After building them, I'd have to take to New Albany Highway Patrol Office to let an older ex highway patrol inspect them. If passed, I'd fill out the paperwork to get a VIN# issued to register. None of the bikes were designed to have blinkers or horn. To pass inspection, I'd literally zip tie blinkers that were made for a bicycle & bolt a bicycle squeeze air horn on the bars. The trick is not to piss off the old guy, it's completely up to him if you pass or fail. I never failed any, but heard horror stories of guys who went multiple times to pass. I'd never even have to unload my bikes. He only inspects a few times a month & you had to make an appointment. I heard if you were 1 minute late, he'd pass you up & go to the next in line.

When they did away with inspection stickers they did away with the inspection process. To get a title now you either have to have the original title application with serial numbers or a MSO, Manufacturers Certificate of Origin. In order to issue either you have to be registered as a manufacturer. An example would be a guy building utility trailers as a business. There is a guy in Matthiston that can issue a new vin and title app for golf carts, dont know if he can do it for other vehicles.I have his number if you want to contact him. I can PM it to you.

 

[coach66]

Make sure you put a good muffler on it*

nm