I have been defeated

[thegreentaco]

Well, this is it. The beautiful 95gt has to go. Bought the car when I was in high school, during that time I thought it would be a good idea to put a 351w in it, trick it all out, litterally (trickflow everything) everything from gears, driveshaft, numerous exhausts, computer tunes, you name it, I did it. Oh I forgot to mention I live in California, where you cant own a car and be happy with it.
So I get back from college, well a few breaks in between but yea, I got it done and I have this car back on my plate (have paid for a storage shed for the past 4.5 years to store it). Doesnt pass smog, CA now how a law that doesnt let you put any sort of truck motor into a car, my block cam from a 96 F250. Blah Blah the motor can never be driven on the road, Im glad that I spent 5 grand and got nothing for it, yes I dream big, unfortunately.
So now here I am, looking to have another motor built, a 302, forged everything, alum heads, the works, just to find out that any sort of cam in a 94-95 5.0 requires a tune of the computer(I really hate ****ing tuning) and I know CA smog shops just love that ****, so thats it, its done. Cant go on, **** California.
Time to buy a junk yard motor, all the 5.0 crap again (lucky for me i was smart enough in my youth to throw away all my original crap 5.0 stuff). Hopefully after the 1000 dollars it will take with junkyard parts I can get 2grand for my car and break negative. What a joke

 

[revhead347]

How do they know for sure it's a truck motor. I mean seiously, can the emissions guy even tell it's a 351? There has to be a way around it.

Kurt

 

[blksn955.o]

The 302 is out of a F150 and the 95 cobra's 351 was out of the F series as well...That law means every mustang since at least 87 with the E7 heads and even the 95 R that has the same block/heads/basic intake as the 93-95 lightning PU is 100% illegal from the factory? I would go to another inspection place...or move out of CA. Even the new edge mustangs and up have the 4.6 that was first put into the F series linup.

How in the hell will they be able to tell? Its not like you went from a 4.6 based motor to a pushrod as most states have it that you can not go backward.

 

[YEAHLOH95]

y es i agree go somewhere else there is no way i would pull all that out

 

[thegreentaco]

The 302 is out of a F150 and the 95 cobra's 351 was out of the F series as well...That law means every mustang since at least 87 with the E7 heads and even the 95 R that has the same block/heads/basic intake as the 93-95 lightning PU is 100% illegal from the factory? I would go to another inspection place...or move out of CA. Even the new edge mustangs and up have the 4.6 that was first put into the F series linup.

How in the hell will they be able to tell? Its not like you went from a 4.6 based motor to a pushrod as most states have it that you can not go backward.

So went to my 3rd smog shop today...another $25 for a 1 day registration from DMV, the guy there told me the same exact thing. The second they see the heads and the intake manifolds they start checking numbers (California Air Resource Board #s, CARB) my heads are unfortunately illegal for CA and so is the ford truck block number...all three places have told me to go to a referee, who checks ALL numbers to make sure engine swaps are done safely. I'll pass visual and emissions Im sure but its this whole CARB # bull **** that is the thorn in my side and the migraines in my head.

Sadly they just changed the smog laws here so that smog techs that give faulty smog certs go to jail, fined, and lose their license revoked, not just a fine and license revoke anymore, so there is very very few people that do under the table smogs in CA. At least the 3 guys I knew that use to do it stopped all together, economy is **** so peoples jobs are more important.

I hate to say I am a law abiding citizen but in all honesty I try to be. So not really down with drivin somethin that has the possibility of gettin towed and auctioned off even if i did get the faux smog.

I think Ive exhausted all options here, my signature...will now be in an early 90s ski boat haha. Im just goin to the junkyard, pickin up a 100k mile complete engine, drop it in, get smogged, and go from there. I could always just switch motors every 2 years. Not really down with that but it is doable.

 

[thegreentaco]

wait who am i kidding, the world ends in 2012 so ill only have to do it once

 

[toyman]

There may be a way around this. I would see if you can have the vehicle make reclassified as "modified". You will need to make an application to register a modified vehicle and find a shop certified by the state to sign off on the inspection. There should be lots of shops that are certified. Of course the car still needs to meet the safety standards which it will do unless you've pulled safety features. Now, I don't live in California but in my jurisdiction (BC Canada) that worked. In fact, now being a declared value vehicle for insurance purposes, the dollars spent are protected and my insurance premiums actually went down slightly.

 

[revhead347]

You can build yourself a nice 347 with smog legal heads.

Kurt

 

[Venom351R]

wow CA is so F'ed up!!! Glad I dont live anywhere close to that god forsaken hell hole

 

[revhead347]

GA sucks too, but not that bad. I miss FL.

Kurt

 

[BlackVert]

i'd sell it and get an vintage hot rod that is exempt from emissions ... like a 1967 fairlane with a 390 FE motor for example

 

[Dj95]

move out of California, but still close enought for work or w.e! then if you have different state plates on it......they cant do anythign about it at all!

 

[Venom351R]

We have inspections here which means you have to have a legal exhaust system meaning Converters but beyond that its all good. You can run no smog, no EGR and it wont matter

 

[BlackVert]

wow CA is so F'ed up!!! Glad I dont live anywhere close to that god forsaken hell hole

f'ed up in more than the emissions way too ... i hear the taxes are among the highest in the nation and the state is teetering on the brink of bankrupcy. i don't know why barbara boxer and nancy pelosi and jerry brown are so popular there

 

[revhead347]

California, the Granola state. Sorry, had to say it.

Kurt

 

[Venom351R]

You know damn well they wont cut social services to the welfare seekers and the illegal mexicans so the next thing to do is to tax the people even more.

Prime example of what liberals in full control can achieve...... complete and utter failure. Arnold may have been a republican but he did nothing to reverse the severe damage that state has been dealt by years of liberal control. I hope that state does go bankrupt that would be so awesome b/c there is no way in hell the current congress would bail them out no matter how much obama would want to

 

[revhead347]

God I hate politics. Everyone thinks they are an expert. I think people just need to except that California is bankrupt because of geographics and over population. Doubtful it has a whole lot to do with who is in charge.

Kurt

 

[Venom351R]

lol kurt your so wrong thats what it has everything to do with it. If that was the case every place that was over populated would be bankrupt. You hate politics b/c you dont understand it. What would CA geographic location have anything to do w/ it being bankrupt lol. If anything that should help it b/c of its great weather, everyone goes there to visit/vacation. Yet the state cant keep its head above water


If a state spends more money in hand outs then they take in revenue wise you go broke. Its like that for any business any state any coutry. Its quite simple.

 

[BlackVert]

arnold is a gop, and he tried to change things for the better in the beginning, but he was overridden enough times that he just gave up and caved in

i don't understand why it's ok for the government to spend more than it takes in, but i have to make sure my incoming money is not less than my outgoing money

i can't just make a new rule that says my boss has to give me more money because i happened to spend more than i got and didn't feel like spending less. my boss would look at like i was nuts.

the states and this country need a balanced budget amendment.

sorry for taking this thread off topic

 

[revhead347]

California's bankruptcy was preceded by a period of oppulence and wealth. The taller you are the farther you fall. The geography drove the overpopulation. The overpopulation drove the suscessful business that grew the state, which crew the cost of living to astronomical levels. The standard of living drove the necessary government salaries. The rest of the country wonders why they pay police offices $110K/yr in California. If you're sitting in a bar in LA, and you make $110K/yr, you're the poorest one in the room. That's just reality. It's not that I don't understand politics, I just don't understand as much as I would like to. Everyone thinks they are an expert on politics, because they simplify complicated problems.

California has smog warnings in 2 cities 85 days a year. The smog warnings are caused by the geography and the overpopulation. How do you expect the state to react? Of course they are going to have tough emissions laws. Some of them will be misguided, but they are going to be tough either way.

Kurt