I crossed posted this thread to the Oregon Region and was advised I might post here as well. Any information you fellows can give me would be appreciated.

VIN# 1FTHX26FXTEA42804

 

If any of this transaction occurred across state lines, I'm sure the California DMV and some other state/federal entities would get involved in helping rectify this issue.

If it were me, I would be calling every agency I could to get this joker. Selling a vehicle purported to be good but with a salvage title is fraud and punishable. IF the VIN on the paperwork doesn't match the cab VIN on the dash, that's a felony, if I remember right.

BTW, trans code is on the door jamb sticker along with the axle code.

 

I've already talked to my lawyer. It's an interstate problem. He says it would be very hard to prove intent in a court. The VINs match. Considering the number of dollars involved in the transaction ($7500), it's senseless to throw good money after bad.

Besides, I should have Carfaxed the damned truck before I bought it. I didn't based on the fact that the CA title was clean. (Let that be a lesson to everyone here. Clean titles are not necessarily clean.)

What the hell did I know? I'm just a dumb old retiree.

Anyway, my lawyer said, "Look if you like the truck, just fix it. At least at the end you'll have a truck that you know runs right! Sounds reasonable to me. I've already got all new ball joints and tie rods in it.

So, I still need the correct axle ratios for a 5-speed manual transmission.
Oh, yeah, and a new front end.

 

Sorry for your troubles ... I am surprised this was able to happen, California and Oregon are communicative states!

Unfortunately there are a lot of scum bags in this world and not enough firing squads, hangmen or lethal injections ... Exactly what they deserve!

As for gear ratio's behind a ZF5-42 (or 47), they came with several, most common is 4.10's.

And if my memory serves correct,
Trans code for ZF5 is C
Axle code for 4.10 is 45.

Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

The second paragraph in you own quote doesn't make sense to me. You say that someone swapped in a 5 speed in a truck that originally had an automatic ZF 5 speed or a Ford 3.03 3 speed auto. Huh? The Ford 3.03 trans is not an automatic transmission and neither is the ZF. The 3.03 was used back in the 60's and 70's and would not have lasted very long behind that Diesel engine if you even find a bell housing to fit it to the engine bolt pattern.

As far as the axle ratio it could be a couple different ones. Look on the driver's side "B" pillar for the sticker that says what the trim and drivetrain code are. Then do a search to decode them.

 

There is no "correct" axle ratio for the ZF5. You either got 3:55 or 4:10 from the factory, that's it. You will have to look at the tag on the rear axle to know as the door code won't necessarily match the axle of things have been swapped out...

Also, u can't just pull out the auto and swap in a 5 speed, there is other things specific to each trans that need to be done as well like different PCM, the wiring harness from the trans to the PCM, the steering column has to be changed, the pedal assembly has to be changed, the gear indicator in the dash has to be changed..... It's quite the process, to do it right...

FWIW I live in MN, and own a jetta that my friend crashed and totaled, he bought it back, I bought it from him, fixed it and when I got the new title back it's clean, DOES NOT say salvage on it. I think once a salvage vehicle is fixed and sold is considered clean.

Why the hate for a salvage title anyway, I've always thought they were cheap vehicles that i knew the history of once I fixed them.

 

the 5 speeds that came in these trucks were ZF5s, 87-95 were the 42s model, the 96/97 were the 47s model

4.10 and 3.55 were the only 2 gearing options

 

I guess two is less than several ... I'm part human, I make mistakes!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

Selling a salvage truck as clean raises the value of the truck, whereas if he knew it was salvaged, it could easily be argued down

 

My point was it may have had a salvage in OR, but once transfered to CA it was clean.

 

No I understand, but a truck that had a salvage title anywhere should have the value of a salvage truck, not a clean one.

 

not if the "Rebuilt" title vehicle is in better shape than a "clear" title vehicle


I would MUCH RATHER have a R title vehicle that was rebuilt correctly than some BEAT up POS that has a clean title. And I will also pay for for said R title vehicle as well

 

Touché, Brad.

 

That's a very valid point, but you have to weigh the cost of repairing in time and parts, against spending additional money to get a truck that was taken good care of.

In my case, I haven't that luxury. I have a truck that needs a front end. If you or anyone else knows of one in the Northwest, or for that matter a complete wreck with a good front on it, let me know. I'm interested!!

One other thing: if you buy a salvaged titled/reconstructed truck, any service bulletins and recalls are completely invalid. In the eyes of the manufacturer, that truck no longer exists!

 

Service bulletins... hmmmm, don't know.

Recalls are forever. Ford looks at registrations by state. If its registered & on the rolls, it (the current owner) gets a notice. That's federal law.