1976 914 LS3 Emissions Question, 1976 with LS3 Emissions Options

[Gearup]

Good evening gentleman. For those people on here with an LS3 and in a state with California type emission laws, have you been able to get your car past emissions/inspections? I live in CO and they are very similar. Also, any who are running catalytic converters and your source of purchase. Appreciate any input. I have a new LS3 and am curious if I will be able to get it through.

Thanks!
Brett

[Steve]

Good evening gentleman. For those people on here with an LS3 and in a state with California type emission laws, have you been able to get your car past emissions/inspections? I live in CO and they are very similar. Also, any who are running catalytic converters and your source of purchase. Appreciate any input. I have a new LS3 and am curious if I will be able to get it through.

Thanks!
Brett

California goes by the year of the motor or car. Whichever one is newer will be the year it goes by. The LS is probably newer than the car, so the smog requirements will be the year of the motor. Call Renegade Hybrids in Vegas, they can tell you what you need and probably sell it to you. At a minimum you will need a catalytic converter.

[technicalninja]

Here in Texas in "non-attainment" counties (and any county touching the non-attainment county) the OBD2 is connected to the state mainframe and a Chevrolet engine in a BMW will NOT pass.

The laws usually reads "all originally equipped emission devices in their original placement."

If the computer has been flashed with anything but the OEM programming your blown so if the immobilizer has been removed (super common for GM stuff installed in something else) your blown.

In the Miata world the California guys swap in the COMPLETE original drivetrain every two years. After the smog they swap the built motor/turbo system back in...

Major PIA!

I don't know exactly how Colorado laws work but my advice is check with a classic car organization near you and find out how others are "skinning the cat".

I moved to a county here in Texas that does not touch a smog county.
We have basically no emissions check every year, just a Safety inspection...

A significant number of classic/modified cars down here run Montana plates through Montana LLCs the owners have set up. No sales tax and no inspections at all...

There is almost always a work around. Checking with locals who have figured out HOW to do it there is the easiest path IMO.

[bkrantz]

Good thing we live in a free country.

[technicalninja]

Forgot something STUPID important if it applies!

Down here you can register your car as a "Classic" as long as it is at least 25 years old.

Classic registration has limitations on use that are NEVER enforced down here.

You're supposed to be using it as an enthusiast, not using it as a "daily"...

Same basic use rules similar to Hagarty Insurance

Cheaper registration and ZERO inspections.

Really old cars will not pass a normal safety inspection anyways.

Some didn't have parking brakes or seatbelts.
High beam indicator? Not a chance!
Functional wiper system-nope.

Might check if Colorado has something like that, many states do...

My car will be registered "Classic" when it lives again.

My 98 M3 became eligible last year. I could NOW pop the LS3 in it and get tags back in Tarrant County, the non-attainment County I grew up in.

That's a drop-dead easy way to do it legally if available...

[tygaboy]

Get an LS3 "e-rod" engine. In CA, it's CARB legal in anything OBD1 or earlier. You have to run the factory ECU and cats. Should be fine in a '76. I'd check with a smog referee, just to be sure.

[dakotaewing]

Forgot something STUPID important if it applies!

Down here you can register your car as a "Classic" as long as it is at least 25 years old.

Classic registration has limitations on use that are NEVER enforced down here.

You're supposed to be using it as an enthusiast, not using it as a "daily"...

Same basic use rules similar to Hagarty Insurance

Cheaper registration and ZERO inspections.

Really old cars will not pass a normal safety inspection anyways.

Some didn't have parking brakes or seatbelts.
High beam indicator? Not a chance!
Functional wiper system-nope.

Might check if Colorado has something like that, many states do...

My car will be registered "Classic" when it lives again.

My 98 M3 became eligible last year. I could NOW pop the LS3 in it and get tags back in Tarrant County, the non-attainment County I grew up in.

That's a drop-dead easy way to do it legally if available...

I live in a smog county, and just had a 1998 toyota corolla with an engine light inspected and passed. Regular plates. (Normally an engine light is on, the inspection is an automatic fail in Texas.) But, due to the new laws that were recently passed, my understanding is that in the smog counties in Texas, any car 24 years or older only has to pass safety inspection. No smog. I doubt my local inspection guys would blink on a 70's car for the omissions ( not saying that they shouldn't).

The solution for CO might be a WY plate, registered to a company...

[mepstein]

Forgot something STUPID important if it applies!

Down here you can register your car as a "Classic" as long as it is at least 25 years old.

Classic registration has limitations on use that are NEVER enforced down here.

You're supposed to be using it as an enthusiast, not using it as a "daily"...

Same basic use rules similar to Hagarty Insurance

Cheaper registration and ZERO inspections.

Really old cars will not pass a normal safety inspection anyways.

Some didn't have parking brakes or seatbelts.
High beam indicator? Not a chance!
Functional wiper system-nope.

Might check if Colorado has something like that, many states do...

My car will be registered "Classic" when it lives again.

My 98 M3 became eligible last year. I could NOW pop the LS3 in it and get tags back in Tarrant County, the non-attainment County I grew up in.

That's a drop-dead easy way to do it legally if available...

PA is similar. Antique plates. Need a daily (for insurance) but very few restrictions. No inspection and a one time registration fee.

[r_towle]

OP, I think renegade hybrids is going to be the most educated answer.
Ask them if they know others in your state that have conversions also.

Rich

[technicalninja]

I live in a smog county, and just had a 1998 toyota corolla with an engine light inspected and passed. Regular plates. (Normally an engine light is on, the inspection is an automatic fail in Texas.) But, due to the new laws that were recently passed, my understanding is that in the smog counties in Texas, any car 24 years or older only has to pass safety inspection. No smog. I doubt my local inspection guys would blink on a 70's car for the omissions ( not saying that they shouldn't).

The solution for CO might be a WY plate, registered to a company...

We just ran our 97 Chevy 3/4 ton van through inspection.
The inspection station said "last time for inspections".
They said the non-smog counties are dropping all inspections next year!
I believe the "Safety inspections" are a good thing. Keeps truly dangerous cars off the road.

Interesting bit about 25+ in the smog counties. I wasn't aware of that.

The safety inspections are SUPPOSED to include a visual check of emissions devices.
They are supposed to be there!
No one down here checks...

They are supposed to drive the car.
Many of my customer cars I DO NOT allow anyone else to drive.
Putting an 18-year-old kid that cannot drive a stick in a big block Cobra replica is a MISTAKE!
They have always respected my "no drive" rules.
A few of my customer cars I INSIST that the customer is with me when I drive them.
The Cobra was one of them.
If bad shit happens I want the owner front and center...

[mrholland2]

Yes, the smog laws are a pain for classic and custom car owners. It is unfortunate that we have to live with that. Of course, we rarely live with brown air in major cities anymore instead of brown air being the rule. I do think that the ORIGINAL intent of the California law should remain: after 30 years, the car is exempt from smog. Maybe they could actually do what the original law stated. Or, perhaps, you CAN smog your older than 30 years car for a discounted registration rate? I dunno. Seems like there are so few old cars being driven regularly that we could make this work.