Okay, word is the dreaded sniffer is coming to upstate NY in a few years.  This will be bad for my Sammy, which right now has a cat that looks a lot like a piece of 2" pipe.

Looked into registering my Sammy as a "homemade vehicle/dune buggy" and get a new VIN.  Few problems, a) the emmissions and safety reguirements are dependant on year of the engine/chassis you start with.  b) the insurance is higher for a homemade buggy than my Sammy now, and c) you must retain records and titles/slips for any donor vehicles you use.

If you use a 2002 TJ,  as the basis of your buggy, then you must comply with all the regs for a 2002.

BUT!

If you start with a CJ3 chassis, graft on a TJ body, add a 2003 Vette motor, you only have to comply with the regs for the model year of the CJ3

Sooooo, I have access to several rusted by-gone MBs and CJ3s with pink slips.  What if I register one, graft the VIN into the frame of my Sammy, and fore go many emmissons, safety and such requirements.  No sniffer and no cats for 'pre 67's.  I can have it inspected no problem, and I would technically be driving a 50's Jeep, just "upgraded" with some nice, newer Zook parts.

My Sammy is so radically altered now, many think it's a Jeep.  And when I get thru with it, it will look even less like a Zook.  I could use the homemade buggy route as a back up, again, providing a pink slip of the Heep for the chassis build.

There has got to be a way to acompish the goal I am setting out to achive.  Any advice?

If the rig is old enough there was no vin number, they went by the engine number, so should be no problem if you have the pink with the engine number but just incase you find a green horn you could stamp the engine numbers on the frame your self or take it to the highway patrol or motor vehicles dep. and have them place a sticker on the frame and body incase your car gets towed or stollen or the plates get taken and car towed ect.

that idea is sweet.  I'm actuley goin to do somthing like that to my 4X4 T-bucket.  it is sitting on a 66" Bronco frame.   But i got a too.  could i run open headers(I wouldn't anyway. 600HP is kinda loud) on it?  thanks  Stu