karay240 Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 I've been looking around for a good candidate for the shell of my project. I'd rather get the 280Z due to it's stiffer chassis, but the issue of smog check is always dangling over Californians' heads. I've heard many different and contradicting stories regarding the exemptions of different years. I've searched/asked around, but w/ nothing concrete. So here's what I'm wondering: What year is your car, and do you have to smog it? I'm wanting personal accounts of whether or not YOU have to. NOT "yea, my friend BillyBob hasn't had to smogg his car in years." type of second hand info. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who's wondered this, and I've tried the "search" feature. I've read the article about the smog thing, but I want to see if that's personally had any affect on anyone. Another thing is when dealing w/ the police. . . has anyone had to pop their hood? I'm assuming/hoping that since it's a test exempt car, it doesn't matter, but, again, I just wanna know before I spend waaaay too much $$$. Thanks for your help. -Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Anything 75 and older is exempt for biennial testing and change of ownership testing. They are required to have original and operational emissions equipment (tampering or removing is a Federal offense). Will you ever get caught if you do....crapshoot, but likely not. I was pulled over in my Z when it had the LT1/T56 (for not having front plate). The officer commented on the car and how he liked it. I offered no info on the powerplant, and he didn't ask. Search for the post by JohnC on roadside testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COZY Z COLE Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 I own a 75 280Z and as of last year it's been smog exempt. LARRY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Dont do doughnuts in front of the police with the door open and your arm and left leg out the window with Lil Jon on full blast, and you should be ok. Smog? whats that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karay240 Posted March 16, 2005 Author Share Posted March 16, 2005 No, I'm not planning on street racing or anything like that. . . it's just that I'm a little cautious. One of my friends got pulled over while he was driving home in his SR20 powered 240SX. He was pulled over because the cop saw the intercooler. The cop claimed that the 240SX shouldn't have an intercooler since it's a non-turbo car. The cop made the guy pop the hood, and that was all she wrote. The guy didn't get his car impounded like I've heared happen to some, but his wallet is in a word of hurt right now. The court room isn't my favorate place to be, so I'm just trying to make sure. lol. -Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 No' date=' I'm not planning on street racing or anything like that. . . it's just that I'm a little cautious. One of my friends got pulled over while he was driving home in his SR20 powered 240SX. He was pulled over because the cop saw the intercooler. The cop claimed that the 240SX shouldn't have an intercooler since it's a non-turbo car. The cop made the guy pop the hood, and that was all she wrote. The guy didn't get his car impounded like I've heared happen to some, but his wallet is in a word of hurt right now. The court room isn't my favorate place to be, so I'm just trying to make sure. lol. -Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com[/quote'] Exactly the reason to black the intercooler out. As long as the powerplant is newer than the car you are putting it into and has all the orginal emissions equipment that came with the new powerplant, you're fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Wow, never heard of a cop being able to recognize an intercooler and stop someone for it. Thats crazy. If you do 280z you would be stuck with the 75, since that is the only year that the smog nazis let slide. Lucky for me, I got another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 As long as the powerplant is newer than the car you are putting it into and has all the orginal emissions equipment that came with the new powerplant, you're fine. Still need to get the swap certified. If you don't have the modified door plate you still run a risk. If you want to be 100% safe then go through the certification process. Once you get the basic swap certified by the state, then you can probably get away with modifications that aren't too blatant. But even the average cop can tell a Chevy engine from a Nissan one. You also run the risk of the exempt law being repealed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 Exactly the reason to black the intercooler out. As long as the powerplant is newer than the car you are putting it into and has all the orginal emissions equipment that came with the new powerplant, you're fine. Not true. From a post I made on another site: Even if you're driving a 1932 Model A Ford you can be ordered to have the car inspected. If they find a newer engine in the car (like, say, a 1995 LT1 small block) you have to have all of the emissions equipment on the car that are required for the later model engine fitted to your Model A. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm "Specially constructed passenger vehicles or pick-up trucks registered without a certificate of sequence are subject to emissions control requirements based on the model-year of the engine as determined by the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) referee." The default smog compliance rules for any vehicle is the model year of the engine in vehicle as determined by a BAR referee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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