What is a front clip or half cut? Why do I want one?
A “half cut” (also known as a “front clip”) is a used vehicle that’s been cut in half, through the cab, just rear of the dash board. Whole vehicles cannot be legally imported unless they meet EPA and DOT specs. To get around this, vehicle/engine importers cut the vehicles overseas, so the front end (where all the good stuff is) can be imported as “parts,” which don’t need to meet EPA or DOT specs. The advantage of a half cut is that you get all (or almost all) of the parts you’ll need to complete the conversion. With an engine only, there are quite a few other parts you’ll need to track down. The disadvantages are that a half cut will cost quite a bit more than an engine alone, and also cost quite a bit more to ship. You’ll also need somewhere to keep it during the conversion process.
