Titles and heated garages

["Doug" <dougm@domain.elided>]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here awhile and following the discussion
on titling a "homebuilt" vehicle.  In most (all?)states and
for federal rules, the chassis is the determining factor for
titling a vehicle.  I don't know how they would know, but
them's the rules as I understand them.  A few years back,
Carroll Shelby found a bunch of chassis for the Ford AC
Cobra left over from '67.  This allowed him to build them
and sell them as '67 vehicles with everything new except for
the frame.  Now when you go swapping engines and emission
components, you must use the most current emission standards
for the engine you use.  ...but it's illegal to swap in an
engine with older emission standards than the year of the
vehicle.  This is a federal law, so even you folks who don't
have to meet state emissions inspections violate federal law
if you perform an illegal swap.

For example, my Scout is a 1978 vehicle.  I have an '94
injected Chev 350 to swap in.  To be legal, I must keep all
of the 94 emissions stuff on the engine, including the
catalytic converter.  We have emissions testing here in
sunny Utah, but I don't have to pass a visual inspection on
a vehicle older than '84 or so.  I only have to pass the '78
tailpipe standards (a joke) in order to pass the state
emission test.  ...but I'd still be violating the federal
law if I don't keep the '94 emissions.  I plan on keeping
the '94 emissions, cuz I'm socially responsible, and I can't
stand the stink of my emissions-legal Scout.  If I run it in
my driveway, the carbon monoxide detector in my house goes
from 0 to 10 ppm.  I think someone crawling up a slow trail
behind me would appreciate my modern emissions too.

As for heated garages, mine is heated in the winter and
air-conditioned in the summer.  I just have to open the vent
from the house system, and it blows hot or cold air
depending on the season.  The temperature never dips below
freezing anyways in the winter.  I have one of those
basement garages.  ...but I only have an 8-foot ceiling, so
I can't pull and engine in my garage.  The new (for us)
house we are trying to buy has no heat or ac or insulation
in either garage.  I'll miss it.  ...but the ceilings are
tall and I'll probably install a heater and a swamp cooler
in the shop.

Doug (a bit long-winded today)
'78 Scout II
'78 Traveler