Can you de-computerize newer vehicles?

[wcurtin1962]

One thing that truckers do is buy a "glider kit" that's a truck that is shipped without an engine or transmission. A rebuilt or built with new parts pre emission engine and manual transmission is installed by the buyer or a shop hired by the buyer. This is with class 8 tractors. If you can buy lighter trucks or vans this way I don't know. I would call a company that builds electric vans/box trucks and talk to them. Maybe you could buy one thru them or they could get the order codes a dealer would need to order one for you.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

One thing that truckers do is buy a "glider kit"  that's a truck that is shipped without an engine or transmission. A rebuilt or built with new parts pre emission engine and manual transmission is installed by the buyer or a shop hired by the buyer. This is with  class 8 tractors. If you can buy lighter trucks or vans this way I don't know. I would call a company that builds electric vans/box trucks and talk to them. Maybe you could buy one thru them or they could get the order codes a dealer would need to order one for you.

Yes you can get new bodies from a manufacturer, called 'body in white'.  BUT per EPA:

"For light-duty vehicles, installation of a light-duty engine into a different light-duty vehicle by any person would be considered tampering unless the resulting vehicle is identical (with regard to all emission related parts, engine design parameters, and engine calibrations) to a certified configuration of the same or newer model year as the vehicle chassis, or if there is a reasonable basis for knowing that emissions are not adversely affected as described in Memo 1A. "
 . . .
[size=medium]"For heavy-duty vehicles, the resulting vehicle must contain a heavy-duty engine which is identical to a certified configuration of a heavy-duty engine of the same model year or newer as the year of the installed engine."[/size]

[size=medium]https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/engswitch_0.pdf[/size]

Glider kits are a very restricted operation (I think limited to ~300 units/year).

 

[wcurtin1962]

So unless it's delivered to CA or NY no problem!

 

[Smitty716]

We call them rolling chassis , My Uncle bought an International roller years ago and had his engine he had just put in his old truck put in it . That thing was sharp , it was at a truck show in Detroit and the dealer had it shipped down here. It turned out cheaper then buying a new rig but not by much. Considering you can’t work while they swap out everything and labor rates are astronomical.