California Legality of 914 engine swap Options

[wiredwrx]

Hello All,

I am looking for people, specifically in California, who have gone through the process of registering, insuring, and smog testing (If it is needed) a 914 with an engine swap.

I recently read about the change to law that says post 1975 cars, no matter how old are not smog exempt, so I plan on getting a pre 1975, or whatever year I need to get, to avoid that. But, what about registering the car. Do I have to see the state ref before I can get the registration. Do I even need to go to the State ref to get signed off on. DO I have to notify the DMV of the engine swap (I have a friend doing an engine swap, and his research has determined that the DMV must be notified of the engine swap)

I am looking for any information people have.

Thanx
Michael

[lapuwali]

The Cap'n has it correct according to my reading of the law (not a lawyer).

The emissions regs currently state 1975 and older and you're off the hook for testing completely. However, the bit on engine swaps (a completely different section of the law from the emissions regs) states that if the year of the engine is newer than the year of the chassis, the engine year is the one that counts for emissions, and all of the emissions equipment that came with the engine must be present and functioning in the new chassis. There's a complete procedure for getting this tested at a BAR referee station the first time you license the car after the swap. Put a 1980 engine in a 1970 chassis and you've now legally produced a 1980 car as far as the emissions are concerned. The referee station gives you paperwork to that effect and from that point forward you have a 1980 whatsit, subject to all of the smog testing for a 1980 car.

Now, from a practical standpoint, since pre-76 cars aren't regularly tested, you could put a brand new Boxster engine in a 914, with Webers replacing the EFI and no catalyst, and you'd probably get away with it indefinitely. You can usually get away with cheating on your taxes for a good long while, too. And I'm sure all of us pay strict attention to posted speed limits at all times...

Note that there's a section in the Health & Safety regulations (can't remember the number off the top of my head), that states that CARB reserves the right to backdate some emissions regulations all the way to 1958. I have no idea if this has ever been enforced, or even discussed seriously, but the section is there if you do a search on the full H&S statute. The current emissions laws only exempt you from the current testing. If some new test is dreamed up later (roadside or otherwise), I'm sure you could be subject to it, and I'm sure some significant number of people would be caught out by it, esp. those with carbs in place of EFI on a 914.

So, put a pre-smog V8 or what have you in a 914, and you're still more or less safe. It's an open question if someone could tell that your engine is or isn't pre-smog (esp. for something like a small-block).