So Cal Smog Referee Questions

[GSMnow]

I know the souther California group is fairly small on this list, but I was wondering if there was anyone on here who has had to smog check a modded car in So Cal.

I recently got my 1983 Celica back up and running with the 1993 Lexus 1UZFE engine in it. I am trying to help out the situation by getting the cal all legal back in Illinois before I have it brought out to Cali. By doing it this way, maybe they will allow the car to come in without a big ordeal, but just in case, I woud like at least a little intormation when I get it here.

From what I have been able to find searching the net, my car is considered an "Engine Change" under the law here. An engine change is legal here as long as the donor motor is from a newer car, from the same basic weight class, and all of the emissions controls of the new engine are intact. I have only differed from this exact letter of the law in two places, both related to the exhaust system. The driver's side exhaust manifold needed a slight mod to route it around the steering shaft, and both catalytic converters had to be relocated about 2 feet further downstream from the engine. Both of these moves were done for fit and safety.

The other reason I am completing the build back in Illinois is that the chassis and doner engine are both 49 state emissions vehicles, not CA emissions. I know that you can bring a 49 state car here if you owned it in another state and move here, and there is also some allowance for buying out of state used vehicles. In the past they tried to charge a big fee. I think they called it "An Environmental impact tax". I am pretty sure that was thrown out and they had to pay back the money as well. I was hoping someone out there knew for sure.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

Gary M.

Celica GT4000 coupe

 

[Lextreme II]

Good job Gary for the successful swap. I think you might want to contact DeanM in our forum. He is one of the Supra MKIII guru and he was trying to do similar to his MKIII. He is a Californian as well.

 

[GSMnow]

Thanks Lex, I will look up DeanM. I did some more web searching, and according to a site that does Chevy V8 conversions in pickup trucks, it is okay to use a 49 state engine as long as the chassis was originally 49 state, so I guess I am good there. My only real concern is the relocated cats. I will wrap all the pipe between the manifolds and cats to hold in as much hgeat as possible, and hopefully the referee will accept that.

Gary M.