My car and Cali SMOG?
 

Im looking into info on stuff for emissions out in California. And my step up is 100% not Carb approved :giggle: and would be highly illegal. So say I move to California and dont want to sacrifice all the hard work I have been putting into my Miata. What are some of yalls sudjestions as to what i should do? How would some of you California guys approach this situation?

Should I:

A. Return the car to stock
B. Sell most everything I have and buy a CARB approved setup
C. Dont be a Bitch and do this illegally
D. Other

Basic rundown of the cars setup:

95 1.8L
MSPNP
TSE COPs
2860RS
3" TBE Straight pipe with the removable cat

^^^^ I think thats all that really matters....

Carb approved setup? there is like 1 or 2 and are gay/make pussy power.
here are your real options:
1) return to stock for smog, then re-install and do this every 2 years
2) Illegal
3) homosex

I like Number one! :D

really? only every 2 years....thats awesome!

That's how I do it. Some bitch and moan about it like pussies, but its really not more than about a day of work (not even a full day at that) unless you ditched all your emissions equipment in which case you're SOL

:facepalm: yep, all that shit is gone......all the connections on the engine harness are still there so it would just be a matter of putting all that crap back on!

I dont mind doin the work, the setup i have is so easy too install and remove. :laugh: I might be able to rig up a factory exhaust to connect to my turbo manifold. just weld a lil bit extra on and put a V-band flange on. hahaha that would be funny as fuck to look at....

1) Don't move to the PRC
2) Do the swap every two years, try not to have the cops pop your hood
3) Illegal
4) Swap your drivetrain into a Spitfire.

PRC?

The most likely i would move to would be San Fran. The reason I say that is because I have a friend out there that has offered to give me a place to stay while I get on my feet out there.

Sadly, it wouldn't pass visual. While there is a tiny bit of leeway, the general rule is that with the hood propped open, it needs to look like a completely bone-stock 15 year old engine (or have a CARB EO sticker on every single piece that doesn't.)

The reality of the situation is that if you want the car registered out here, you need to get your hands on the necessary equipment to make it look stock. Exhaust manifold, airbox, intake plumbing, ignition coils, the whole shootin' match.

This is the primary reason why my red car has been parked for the past six months- I sold / trashed all the stock hardware when I moved to FL in '08, and have just been too damned lazy to swap all the necessary stuff from the blue car to the red one.

On the plus side, there's a lot of folks in the same boat as you, so chances are excellent you can find someone (or several someones) willing to loan you the hardware you need. I used to know a couple of VW guys who, collectively, had one stock engine which they shared amongst themselves.

But yeah, it's only every other year. Kinda of strange that CA is one of the most lenient states in this regard, :rolleyes:

This, to me, seems like an EXCELLENT IDEA and I have thought about it many many times before.

For my next big project I'm considering something along the lines of LSx or 2jz into a miata. Some kinda swap for sure. Its definitely not going to fly here, so a "stock double" would be awesome. Assuming I can figure out a way to be able to do a swap that is completely reversible for a day every 2 years.

thanks for the input joe, it is much appreciated. I still have a some of the stock hardware, and getting my hands on the rest of the stuff I need shouldn't be a problem. I know a few people i can buy some parts from and just hold onto them for when they are needed.

I like the concept of the whole every two years thing. Doing emissions every year here is a real PITA!

LOL, Leave the spare engine on a subframe and drop the whole sucker out and vis versa! Im looking to possibly be out there sometime in june if all goes well and would gladly help with that lil project. And I deffinatly wouldnt mind picking up a spare engine to share with everybody.

As far as I know, you only need to have a newer engine than your cars model year(plus no diesel swap?), use the oem ecu associated with your donor engine, keep all the emissions eqipment on the motor in working order, and get the car reffed.

Swaps on motors found in the domestic market are not that hard to get legal.

What about doing something like registering your car in Nevada.

that's just as illegal as anything else. and california's not small like the east coast where you can drive around for years with neighboring state's plates. cops notice and will deal with you.

you may or may not even want a car depending on where in san francisco this friend lives. Unless by "san fran" you mean "the greater san francisco bay metropolitan area" which can mean anything. if it's SF proper, there's only a few places where a car would not be a royal pain. ie doing your biennial smog engine swap four blocks away from your house on a steep hill.


there is another solution: get a car that is brand new. then you have four years of exemption from the smog inspection. I worked this with my 2001 turbo car and moved away before the big day came. woot. for 2005 and newer cars, the exemption is 6 years. I realize this doesn't help you if you own a miata.

or if you want to split the difference between faeflora's illegal and kinda legal, you can register the car in a county that doesn't require the inspection. Here is the list from wikipedia:

These counties do not require smog check.
Alpine
Amador
Calaveras
Del Norte
Humboldt
Imperial
Inyo
Lake
Lassen
Mariposa
Mendocino
Modoc
Mono
Plumas
Sierra
Siskiyou
Trinity
Tuolumne

I thought you were moving to Texas? How do you go from moving to an Awesome state such as Texas to a not so awesome state such as California.

The problem here with V8 swaps (at least, LSx swaps) is that I'm not aware of any factory header which physically fits into the Miata. Both V8Roadsters and boss Frog supply a set of custom headers to solve the problem, however aftermarket exhaust headers are one of the items that are specifically illegal in CA without an EO.

I can think of two resources which you be particularly valuable if you're serious about pursuing this. The first is http://v8miata.net and the second would be a shop called Monster Miata, which is actually very near where I work. I stopped in once just to say hello, and the owner (Martin) seems like a decent guy. All of his conversions appear to be Ford-based, but if I had to guess, I'd wager that he is probably the single most knowledgeable person on earth insofar as how to register a V8 Miata in California. His number: 760-510-9682.


That would be ideal if he lived in Nevada. It's 250 miles from San Fran to Carson City, and as y8s said, that's not really the sort of commute that you're going to plausibly convince a LEO you make every day.


The idea of having sex with farm animals lost its appeal?

Shit man, if I had a good friend that lived in Texas that said "hey dude, imma need a roomate soon and you can stay here for free while you find a job in a TIMELY manner" I would move to Texas. :giggle: but right now that offer is in San Fransisco. :D

:laugh:

Its in downtown San Fransisco (I think it starts with an A), and from what i was told the parking garages that are within a decent walking distance are like 300 bucks a month. So I will have to figure that one out.

you're going to hate your car there. seriously

Your probably right about that, but I cant leave it here. My mom will probly end up selling it for a big ass bag of weed or something. I dont want to sell it, I have way to much of an attachment to the car.

LOL, maybe I can talk somebody into letting me store it at their place and provid in turn free help for anything from time to time. IDK something...........

ftfy

lol, why would i hate life there?

I thought Hustler was domesticated?

you will hate the car there. you will possibly enjoy many edgy liberal chicks. but not if you wear khaki pants ever.

Lol, I dont even own a pair of khakis.

Well, figuring out what the hell im going to do with/about my car is my main problem right now.

Sell it to some Florida moron.

Answer me this: Given where you are likely to be living, do you want / need a car of any kind?

seriously if you're downtown SF (which you aren't, there is nowhere to live) then car is unnecessary. muni or bart goes everywhere.

if you're in the outer sunset, then car is feasible. find out what neighborhood this dude is in (cross streets) and then we can give you feedback that's useful.

He said he lives near the lower nob Hills area, IDK if thats correct though. imma check my texts again. yep, thats what the message i got said.

Have you ever been there?

I couldn't stand it. I spent 4 days in SanFran and everything's tiny, on a hill, and has cables strewn above it. The roads are shit and there're words like "sustainable" and "organic" everywhere you look. Beyond that, it's an expensive place to live and not car friendly, much less so if you're an enthusiast. So you'll ride the Muni. Look up the Muni on youtube...

I have never been further west than Alabama. We wont be living in the San Fransisco area for to long, he graduates college in may and his lease runs out sometime in late August early November. He said he would wait to decided on another area till im out there so ill have some choice in it.

EDIT: holyshit, i have always wanted to ride on one of those.


and besides even if living in SF is a complete disaster I would be okay with it, for me its something totally new. Idk, im just really excited about it....

SF blows. Move to LA. People that have lived here for a while love it, yet I haven't really seen the appeal. I'm moving back to LA as soon as I finish my program, but I also prefer buildings to trees. I have been enjoying the beach recently, with these unexpected good days of weather.

Snob Hill? I'd still get a car. How do you expect to take girls out? On the MUNI? Lolz.

I fucking hate downtown SF.
Complete clusterfuck, everything is tiny and cramped, roads indeed are shit, and I'd end myself if I had to live there.
Its cool to visit every now and then, and we do fairly often, but if I had to deal with all the traffic, bullshit, and retarded street layouts every day I'd walk. Everywhere. Or ride the public tansport

So yeah. Pretty much what everyone else is saying.

I think a 250cc bike would be great there tbh

*edit: but despite all that, I still think its probably 10 times better than anything in ALABAMA ell oh ell:giggle:

If you end up coming out and need a spot for your car, I could find a place in the driveway I imagine. I'm over in the East Bay but not far from BART.

The east side of this country is so boring to me! So even though its cramped, tiny and nothing but a clusterfuck its going to be like heaven in my eyes. Atleast for a lil while. :crx: then is going to be working on getting into a better area!

That would be a huge help! Thank you for the offer on that. I think ill be flying out there somewhere around march 17th and head home around the 27th, so i can scope the area out, have a lil vacation and do a little bit of job prospecting. we could possibly meet up while im out there so you can get a feel for who i am so your not just offering a section of your property to a complete stranger to park their car.

you guys are funny basing your opinions of SF on its roads. if you dont like living in a city, dont live in a city?

PM me a reminder in a month or so and we'll figure something out.

I thought that was pretty funny too... I hate driving there myself but I don't think the place sucks in general, LOTS of cities suck to drive in.

IMO the worst things about the Bay Area in general are the high cost of housing, and the generally self-absorbed/self-centered nature of a majority of its inhabitants. I'm from the rural NW originally and I used to think Seattle was bad in those regards... I now know better.

will do, thanks again.

I definitely dont mind walking everywhere i go, hell or ride a bike. Its a good way to keep my weight in check, ill be 200+ by the time im 25 if i stay out here. lol

as far as the roads and people go! i could care less what the roads are like and the people (self-absorbed/self-centered) as they may be, I tend to keep to myself so they wont bother me to much..

The plan is to stay in SF for a lil bit and then move to a apartment complex just outside of SF (i cant remember the name of it, but garage parking is included in the rent) so i think that would be perfect.

Bottom line: it will be a step up from your current bum fuck Egypt residence. Worst case scenario if you don't like it it will be easier to move to some REALLY cool places like Santa Barbara or San Diego. I'd move to either in a heartbeat

Funny you mention San Diego cause my friends family lives there so theres is also a possibility of easily moving there.

oh yeah, hey man you down for drinks when im out there? IDK how far away you are from SF, how are you anyway? I would feel less like a stranger in a new place! :giggle:

I'm about 2 hours away, and have a busy schedule, but I'm sure I'd be able to make it down there some time and check out your beast/show you my slut lol

Also if you're not already on norcalroadsters.com already get on there and start making friends. Tons of miata folks there from the bay area. Really chill/laid back little forum too.

hell yeah man! Beer and car talk.....my fav! lol my car wont be much of a beast for a lil while untill i can offord the injectors i want. so low boost for a lil while...

thanks man, ill go signup now! lol

Maybe Daly Shitty? They always told me the reason it's so foggy there is because of all the Asians and their rice cookers. lolz.

I'm leaving at the end of this month for LA for around 4 months until school starts, otherwise I'd show you around.

Maybe you could put your car in storage outside town where it's cheaper and get a SuperMoto for day to day stuff.
Ex. Suzuki DRZ400SM
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/...de86a24d21.jpg

rice cookers :giggle: shit man when ever your back in town well get together, go grabs some drinks or somthin.

that would be awesome!

I could buy a moped and drive it around, then drive it to the storage unit when i want to drive my car. lol

Cities have personalities. Some are warm and friendly and some are rude and selfish. Frisco is the Philly of the West.

I think you would benefit from a little travel for a change of perspective. You would probably enjoy the change of going to San Francisco for a week when you go visit. Once you have been in a place for a while to work and try to make ends meet you get a different level of understanding about it. The newness wears off and the overarching attitude of people gets on your nerves. I'm just saying that the vast majority of people there won't be kind to you as a stranger in the same way that they are in Newnan, GA. As has been pointed out by folks who live near there, there are far friendlier places to be.

I just don't want to see you become negative from interaction with hateful, selfish people. You are too nice a guy for that.

99% ghetto with burned out cars lining the road and 80% of the population lined up for welfare checks on the first of the month?

I really apreciate the concern! :)

I really believe that i am incorruptible. so many have tried and failed. I feel that if i can put up with a shitty relationship with the worlds biggest bitch for 3 year, i think i can tolerate some unpleasant people. its not like im going out there to to please the people of the area. lol, my kindness tends to rub off on people :laugh:

besides, this is the perfect opportunity for me to get out on my own and make something of myself. My mothers is losing her house (im not spending anymore time than i have to living with her) and going back to my farther house is a bad decision (we will end up trying to literally slice each others throats open)

I have alway been one to take on a challenge. I have been building my car by myself with only the aid of information on the web (im am so close to mastering that challenge)

idk, deep down in my heart is telling me do do this and to take the risk, Im young and only live once.

I used to live in Oakland and take BART to downtown SF. I really enjoyed working there. Who gives a fuck if people are selfish if you're self-sufficient? You can walk to lots of different places (SF MOMA, ATT Park, whatever) and there's lots of good lunch places.

That said, I didn't find the people rude or cold at all. They've just got shit to do and places to be just like I do.

I'm hearing a lot of negativity here...

The facts:

1: WonTon currently lives in Atlanta, GA. For those of you who have never lived in Georgia, or in the Southeast, let me assure you that Atlanta is a feculent hell-hole.

2: SF isn't perfect, nor is CA in general.

3: No place is perfect.

4: SF is better than Atlanta. (For that matter, Islamabad, Pakistan is better than Atlanta.)

5: Kari Byron lives in SF. 'Nuff said.

Source for Islamabad is better than Atlanta? :P

I bet even Islamabad has better roads than SF, and I've lived in Georgia (and Wisconsin, Florida, California, Texas, and North Carolina...) and been to Atlanta countless times. I'll take Atlanta over SF any day.

lol, i guess im just weird. Atlanta is not for me....

Really Atlanta is not for anyone who does not love Soulja Boy.

Any possible job prospects in SF? Also got a good chunk of change saved up?

Im not down with the Soulja Boy! :giggle:

yeah, there are a couple of prospects, and ill be looking for more while im out there checkin stuff out. i should easily be able to get some kinda warehouse job.

im working on the change chunk, im shooting for 2k!

As I was reading this line two girls in bikinis pulled up on a scooter next to me at a light and one of them smiled at me. I'm thinking Largo, Florida isn't a bad place to be in February.

Atlanta isn't for me either, not anymore. Does it make me sound like a geezer to say it was a lot better 20+ years ago and I don't like it much now either?

I guess I really am not a fan of really large cities in general. Smaller and medium size cities that are big enough to have things to see and do, but not so large that they have collapsed from their own weight in their heart.

Every city has a different identity and a different feel. All of that comes from the people there. People make the place. Certain cities or even parts of a particular city attract people with things/ideas/feelings in common. Think of Buckhead vs. Forest Park vs. Peachtree City vs. Newnan. They are all parts of "Metro Atlanta" but you can walk into a grocery store or restaurant in any one and they are all different. They feel different because people behave differently and hold different values/ideas/feelings about others and their own lives.

I guess what I am trying to say is you might be able to find whatever you are looking for without moving thousands of miles away. Travel is good. But making a new start comes from the inside. Does that make sense? I just don't like the idea of abandoning your support structure (friends and family) and possibly getting marooned without a raft. Just ask Buffon how that feels. That man really needs a raft.

Expect the job search to take twice as long as you expect. Also I would try to have more then 2k available. You will end up blowing through money faster then you expect.

I just did the whole lets move away thing and it took me 4 months to find a job I wanted. I was expecting it took take maybe a month or a month and a half at the most. I also blew through 4k in that time, but a lot of that was buying more go fast parts for my car.

I took 7 months. but early in that stretch I bought a PS3 so...

Hey WonTon,

I don't really post much and would PM you with this but since I don't have the post count for it I'll say it here. SF isn't a bad place to live and the people are pretty decent but it's not for everyone. I moved here from LA permanently about 10 years ago and much prefer SF to LA. The Bay Area in general gets old after a while because it's just so damn expensive to live here. Ultimately you'll probably realize you're better off living somewhere where your money travels a little bit farther but at your age I doubt that's much of an issue now. I don't know you but from what little I've read here about you I think you'll like the change of pace. If you need help finding a job let me know. You mentioned a "warehouse job" and while I'm not sure what you mean by that I work for an advertising company that has an operations facility in San Francisco (as well as one in Oakland) which may be something you'd like to hear more about. We're often hiring and I'd be happy to put in a word for you. PM me and I can tell you more about what we do if you're interested. Good luck!

Atlanta is indeed a shithole....it'll make you a raging racist in about 2 weeks. After having been around the country a fair bit, I will stand by my statement. I'd rather sit on the 101 at 5pm than I285 at 2am on a Sunday morning. General Sherman didn't burn enough of this place down...fucker should have tried harder :giggle: