Author Topic: CA referee? (Read 3727 times)

Twisted Minis · « **on:** May 29, 2007, 09:26:39 PM »

Is anyone familiar with refereeing vehicles in CA?

Say I want to put an EFI 302 into a 95-99 vehicle, is there any way to make it legal? Or would I have to run the newer 4.6L to give a chance at being legal?

Or am I just better off having it smogged by one of those places, and hoping I never get pulled over and asked to pop the hood?

Goose · « **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:22:52 PM »

Haha... your in my same boat.
I wanna do the same thing, but i gotta get mine to pass smog first

The route im going is:
I have a friend that lives up in Quincy, (plumas county = no smog) so Im gonna register at his address, then do my swap, and hope i never get pulled over and have to pop the hood, and never wanna sell the damn thing.

the other route is to get it referee'd as a special somthing blah blah vehicle...
"Since custom-built cars do not have a year-of-origin designated by a manufacture, they must be inspected by a BAR Referee Station instead of a regular smog check facility" <- DMV's site.
I once found a page on DMV that had all the info about doing this, but i lost it, and cant find it. DMV's site is like a black abyss of pages for stupid people.

Anyways, there are some people that have done it in 4x4 yotas, and they might be of help.
http://www.geocities.com/eazyfox/

Good luck, and lemme know how the swap come along, Ive got too many other projects lined up in front of this swap, so its gonna be a while

Twisted Minis · « **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:25:51 PM »

I've found that in order to be legal its supposed to be the same make of motor, and also the same year or newer emission system. Looks like I might be stuck with a V6...

Goose · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:36:54 PM »

Eh, maybe not, lets see if i can get this pic to work...

Goose · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:42:56 PM »

Well, from what i remember when i was looking into it, is to make it legal it has to be a newer engine than the chassis. doesn't matter what make, model etc. Theres some kind of 'Special Vehicle Registration" where smog and what not is decided by either a) model/year of chassis. or b)Make/model and year of (swapped) engine.
Oh, and just to make it harder... this Special crap only allows 500 vehicles each year... In All Of California! So basically you have to try and get it done on jan. 1st or your screwed.

I read somewhere they were done by jan 2nd or 3rd...

Twisted Minis · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:51:02 PM »

Damn that sucks. Good to know you can swap a different make motor though. But damn this sounds like more of a hassle than I want to go through. I may end up leaving it stock for now and thinking about it later... I'll talk to my smog guy.

I'd really rather not have to run the 4.6L Ford motor. I'm just not as hot on that idea, and its a smaller motor, for a lot more money.

EarlKann · « **Reply #6 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:54:21 PM »

The "special vehicle registration" is for completely new specially constructed vehicles that have never before been registered. Mostly full reproduction street rods and kit cars. For an engine swap the engine must be the same model year of newer than the chassis, and the engine must have been offered in that "class" of vehicle. ie 1/2 ton truck, not necesarily the same brand/make.

Find your local referee and call them up. The one here in SoCal Riverside was very helpfull.

jimbo74 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:57:56 PM »

Quote from: EarlKann on May 29, 2007, 10:54:21 PM

The "special vehicle registration" is for completely new specially constructed vehicles that have never before been registered. Mostly full reproduction street rods and kit cars. For an engine swap the engine must be the same model year of newer than the chassis, and the engine must have been offered in that "class" of vehicle. ie 1/2 ton truck, not necesarily the same brand/make.

Find your local referee and call them up. The one here in SoCal Riverside was very helpfull.

i dont think that mustang engine was ever in a truck..... there might have been 5.0s in the f150s at that time, but they werent the HO

jimbo74 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2007, 10:59:04 PM »

as for the 4.6 dohc ford, i dont think its going to fit.... its a lot bigger than the 5.0 or the 5.8

Goose · « **Reply #9 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:03:59 PM »

Yeah, im tryin to find the site that those pics came off of to contact the guy and see how he got it smog legal. Its one of the only ones Ive ever seen, definetly the only one that took a pic of his registration sticker. He must either know his stuff, or kiss real good ass

jimbo74 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:09:26 PM »

Quote from: Captain4x2 on May 29, 2007, 10:59:04 PM

as for the 4.6 dohc ford, i dont think its going to fit.... its a lot bigger than the 5.0 or the 5.8

here is the pic

Goose · « **Reply #11 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:19:37 PM »

Pffft... who needs fender wells? ... or fenders for that matter?

Ha ha, actually, you could start a new trend >> Valve covers.. that double as fenders

Twisted Minis · « **Reply #12 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:21:04 PM »

Holy geez. Screw that.

Basically I am trying to put a 5.0 EFI motor in a mid to late 90s Trooper. Kinda looking grim at this point. But they do not offer a 2WD auto transmission for the V6....

My only problem with a big motor is it hitting the suspension itself.. Lol.

jimbo74 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:26:37 PM »

hmmmmm there might not be a v6 for a trooper, but usually there are similar vehicles with similar components that can be swapped in.....

like hos some jeeps have aisin parts

Goose · « **Reply #14 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:51:07 PM »

Lol you could go with a 3.4 tacoma v6 and trd supercharger

Twisted Minis · « **Reply #15 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:54:12 PM »

Troopers come with the same VD as the Rodeo. But from what I understand, the Rodeo only came in 2WD with a manual, and no other vehicle came with the same motor in 2WD form. All 4WD stuff I don't need..

Quote from: Goose on May 29, 2007, 11:51:07 PM

Lol you could go with a 3.4 tacoma v6 and trd supercharger

If I'm going to do a swap, I'm pretty set on a 302. Or, an LT1. But a Ford motor means less cuting because the distributor is up front and won't hit the firewall.

rage · « **Reply #16 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:17:11 AM »

Dude, just call your local referee. as long as it has all of the smog equipment from the original vehicle/motor then they will just slap a new sticker under the hood so the smog guy can scan it and smog it. the referee in the merced/atwater area is pretty cool.

Goose · « **Reply #17 on:** May 30, 2007, 11:22:48 PM »

^^ for some reason that sounds way too easy to me.
I may be wrong.
I hope Im wrong.
Itd make things a whole lot easier for me...

8D3TOY · « **Reply #18 on:** May 31, 2007, 02:21:05 PM »

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/replace.htm

The ref is there to help but i don't think you can just call and talk to him/her you have to make an appointment. What I did years ago was I made an appointment before I did the engine swap took my car in and then he tested it & passed it and said WTF? Then i drilled him with all my questions about the upcoming swap. He wasn't happy but he gave me all the info i needed. You have to have a vehicle to get the appt. you cant just walk in.

old school toy · « **Reply #19 on:** Jun 28, 2007, 06:51:50 PM »

1980 toy with 1996 lt1 350 smog legal

with A/C.

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