neohic

I'm actually lined up to get parts this weekend from a local guy. Food for thought though, I suppose. I'm sure they'll end up on the truck just to be sure. That thought of rolling in to get tested with MN plates is stuck in my head that they'll be a bit more than thorough. At this point, it's kind of exciting in my head. As much of a hassle it is, it's one more thing on my list to do before we move... which is really what it's all about.

So... ahem... the topic at hand... The consensus is I need all my EGR stuff back under the hood and functioning, yes? What do others suggest I use for a cat? Stock? Something better out there?

No tests down where you are, Jim? Might need to do some more looking as to where it'll make most sense where to pound in some tent stakes. Not sure I'll need a trailer this time around. Thanks though! Austin has made the offer in the past to load up his trailer and make a trip too. We shall see when it comes down to it and I'm in panic mode again.

It's more than likely going to turn into a multi trip kind of move. I have a tow bar for the VWs so that'll put me at a couple trips if I play my cards right. The jury is still out if the Beetle is coming with or not. As for the camper... someone might still come along to buy it?

By now it's no secret that I'm moving west to Colorado. The problem I'm looking at right now is what to do with my '88 Eliminator's emissions components. The truck mechanically really isn't anything special outside of being a mild stroker running on RENIX. The truck has never had a catalytic converter as long as I've owned it and, being that I currently in the cold state of MN where anything goes, I never put one in when I did the exhaust years ago when I was rebuilding the truck. The EGR on the other hand, was removed last summer along with the solenoid and related lines. I'm going into panic mode over what I need to do with it right now. :eek: Here's my questions... What catalytic should I put under it (stock/performance/other)? How involved are the inspections in Colorado (for those who need to do them)? I've looked into how things are tested, but I don't remember seeing anything about a visual inspection of components. Obviously, the cat is an easy one that anyone can just look under and see if it's there or not, but will there be someone who knows what they're looking for in late '80s Jeep emissions technology under the hood? I mean, Jeep got rid of the EGR in '91, so how much will it really make a difference when it comes to the actual test?

I suppose I was more so looking for someone to tell me "it's all going to be okay. :idea: Focus, I'm not worried about. The Cherokee, as far as I know it's only missing the cat. Being that it's a '98 it should only have the one downstream of the O2 sensor. Everything else is in place... again, as far as I know. The Comanche... um... it's got everything there minus the cat and EGR. Never had a cat as long as I've had it and the EGR was actually just removed this last summer. Excellent! Yeah... that's kind of what I was thinking. My real concern is the actual inspection (come the day that it actually is roadworthy) that someone looks at it and says, "well, it doesn't look like a Beetle." The trailer has a VIN assigned to it and it's on the state supplied ID sticker on the tongue. Depending on the DMV you go to, they'll either want to inspect it or they won't. When I went in, they were told that it's a home built pickup box trailer... which it is. I guess I have some work to do. :doh:

Been looking into vehicle inspections today... and getting a little concerned. :( We have nothing to worry about in the cold rusty state of MNso I have no idea what I should be worried about if anything. Being that I have a job waiting for me in Commerce City, I'm sure we'll be living temporarily around the east Denver area. Once moved there, we'll have 30 days to get a CO driver's license, and then 90 days to register my vehicles. Right now, the vehicles that I'll have to deal with are... 1988 Jeep Comanche: 1972 VW Beetle: 1974 VW "kit car" ("dune buggy" is an evil word in the eyes of DMVs and insurance companies) but is titled as a 1974 VW Beetle: 1998 Jeep Cherokee: 2007 Ford Focus (not a great picture, but I'm pretty sure this list doesn't really need pictures anyhow): From what I found on the CO DMV site: The Eliminator, Cherokee, and Focus will need the I/M 240 test every two years which is... ... and the Beetle and buggy will need the two-speed idle test every five years which is... But then... this is interesting too... The exempt list at the bottom has that "kit car" term. Now, my buggy is still technically titled as a 1974 VW Beetle, so I'm not sure what it would be involved with changing that to "kit car" or if it would be worth it. I understand that every vehicle must get a VIN inspection, which my buggy does still have the original stamping in the chassis, but not the dash plaque as it does not posses the original dash (or body for that matter). In MN, it would be considered a frame swap that the vehicle drivetrain and suspension is still original to the VIN/title. Right now the car is just titled in my name too. Being that it's still a work in progress, and I purchased the donor vehicle before you had to have proof of insurance prior to transferring a title, it has no current plates. On a side note, all my quoted information is found at the COLORADO DMV INSPECTION PAGE. So, back to the topic at hand, I'm getting some butterflies over everything. My Eliminator does not have a catalytic converter, nor does my Cherokee. Neither had one when I purchased them and I've never put any thought into it. The Cherokee doesn't have any check engine lights on from it either. The Beetle has no emissions equipment as it never had any from the factory, and the buggy has nothing as well. Should I take the time to add anything to my vehicles? Anything really to worry about? Anything I'm not worrying about right now that I should be? On that note, I'm also probably going to be taking along my camper... (yup... another picture that this post really doesn't need, but it was getting a little dry and people loves pictures, tight?) ... that has been kind of for sale but I haven't put a whole lot of effort into it. There is a for sale add for it, but all the pictures are dead links now because I used facebook. (See? I didn't even take the time to find the ad! How's that for effort?!) I have a MN title and registration for it already so I don't think I'll have an issue with registering it it CO based on this info... ... and I found HERE. Unless there's something I should be worried about with that? It's currently titled as a 3000 pound homemade trailer (note: NOT a camper). It's a one time type deal that got me a piece of paper (title) and a sticker on the tongue (registration). Anyhow... thoughts from the group?

^Agreed. Love that little thing!

Brake lines done. Went a little long with one but it'll be under the car, I guess. It was nice to finally start adding some new fluids to this thing. Next came the pedals. I did need to bleed the newly finished brake system anyhow. I wanted to clean them up first but I also wasn't happy that I didn't modify them in any way yet. It's subtle, but I couldn't let one piece go unmodified. :roll: And then it happened... it's now a roller! My shop got a little cleaned up, rearranged some, and then things got a bit flipped upside down for more finishing. Right now the plan is to leave the body alone. I've made the decision to let things stay with some patina... at least until I have the time to really do it nice. We've made a bigger decision to put the house up for sale soon. Time to get this thing as done as I can! FAST!!!

Heads up, Jim! I'm coming in your direction in a month and a half! If you still have this one... ... I'd still like to talk to you about it.

I'm sure I have it, but I'd have to dig some. Waiting to hear back from Jim on a few things for my upcoming trip out to Colorado right now.

You are about an hour and 15 mins away from Jim. It is worth the visit Adam. Agreed. X1000

PM sent.

Went into work Friday morning to talk with my plant manager about some hypothetical future stuff. I go in this morning to find out that I have a job waiting for me in Commerce City. :banana:

Little bit more today... hit a road block. My goal was to get the brake lines done. I got close though... maybe half credit for showing my work? :laughin: Ran short on one line, kinked another, and should've grabbed one more union.

Oh, what a day. Suspension and steering systems are now complete. I need to make up the hardlines for the brakes, but everything else is in place. Had to make up a few tools today out of wanting to just keep going and not run into town. I did the ball joints that needed an adapter for my ball joint press (piece of pipe with a plate welded to it), and then I needed bearing race punches for the front calipers. I still had the spindles and drum brakes off of the chassis, so... ... they were obviously the perfect size. :yes: Shocks were next. Three of the four went just fine, but I can't believe I never notices the right rear lower mount. Left... Right... Ratchet strap, block of wood, and a BFH made short work of shaping that up. Otherwise, everything else just dropped in place as it should. All I have left of the parts I recently ordered are taillight parts (lenses, gaskets, and trim), and a trigger shifter. Nice to have some big progress like this... even if all you notice are the bright blue cheap-@$$ Monroe shocks. :roll: Transmission seals, lug bolts, and front sway bar bushings on their way.

Thanks dude! :thumbsup:

Ask freakjeep93!... for anyone who's been around long enough to remember that, anyhow. :laughin: Boy, I've been feeling old lately. There are a few good threads here where others have plated their frames. It really comes down to removing everything that isn't good metal and cleaning it before welding. Some nice long fish plates are also your friend here along with thinking through your cuts to make sure everything goes back together properly. Here's some stuff to think about at while crawling under your truck with a square and tape measure... Z-cuts: These are to extend any stresses of cutting over a larger area. They also make it easier for lining things up again if you do a good job of measuring. Fish plates: See the ends how they come to a point? Those are also there for moving stress points. Welds don't like straight lines that are perpendicular to a long frame... it'll only crack in the future. Plug welds aren't a bad idea either. They further tie in the fish plates to the good material under them. How far back to add in new metal: Cleanliness! CLEANLINESS! CLEANLINESS!!!... cannot be stressed enough. Grab a chipping hammer or a punch and just start knocking around under there. Does it poke through? Soft? Then grab a grinder and just take off the layers of under coat and paint. The frame shouldn't look pitted at all if you have intentions of welding over it. If it were me, I'd tie in at least a good 6-8" of known solid steel with my fish plates. Before any cutting starts though... ANY CUTTING!!! :smart: ... make sure that the frame is level and make a good road map of some dimensions that you can refer back to when it comes to start gluing it all back together. How about some pictures of what you're working with?

Another round of bed liner! It's getting warmer outside and it was super nice to have the door open while working out in my shop. The sun went high enough that it cast a shadow into the shop and all my heat suddenly went away. Ah well... the torpedo heater worked really good last time so it went back to assume its position. I taped off the VIN also in case of any impromptu future reference. Mmm... more progress...

I think it's cute and I kinda dig it. In my head I'm trying to justify liking it. :rotf: Wait!... the bed side! :idea: Put the outside on the inside and things start looking familiar! ... AND?!... There you have it! It's pretty much the same truck we already love! :D Anyhow... I still like it.

Real nice, BJ!

Had a nice stack of tires waiting for me today. :banana: Now to find time to have them mounted.

Definitely. We're more interested in a small house though. Not tiny, but not more than 500 square feet. My brother is an architect as well and he loves the idea too. He drew me a 22'x22' footprint house that we're hoping to make happen eventually. Small house... big shed/shop though.

Alright, so I didn't let it sit for the week. Everything was dry and looked great, and I needed something to do this morning. So it got flipped... ... and then I lost all sense of accomplishment. That needed to change. Bed liner next weekend I suppose and then new parts start going on.

This is getting good!