questions concerning geting a modified car smoged in cali

[troyboy162]

ok heres where i stand. my DD needs to get calified in order to be registered in cali. it has a a intake, headers and exhaust on it. it does have a cat but it is a race cat and not as big as stock.

the intake is CARB certified but the headers, cat and exhaust are not. it may make acceptable smog numbers but i dont know for sure due to the significantly smaller cat.

i understand the letter of the law states that i can not have these parts on the car weather or not i can pass decent smog numbers.

the car is not loud, dosnt have a turbo, no nitrous, but cali hates it.

*is there anyplace i can take it where they will overlook the obvious modifications and give me a shot at smogging?

*is there anyplace that will just pass me given that the car is mildly modified and still actually has a cat? i know these places exist but you gotta know someone right? it would be worth some good money to me seeing as i do not have some of the stock parts and would have to buy them, and the headers took me four 5 hour days to install.

if anyone has suggestions that may be out of lines of this forum, please pm me.

[4runnerchevy]

You will need to find someone on the down low. A smog tech can lose their certification if they get caught, as well as the shop. Most techs won't do it, cause they don't know if your an undercover inspector (yes this does happen). My suggestion is, you should keep asking around, and maybe you can find a shop that will overlook it, but most wont.

Also, go get a pre-test, to see if your numbers are good, and to see what the smog tech picks up on.

You can look up smog equipment EO numbers here
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php

[corax]

do you have any family in another state that you trust enough to hold onto the title? Transfer it to their name ($1 gift transfer tax?), register in that other state and drive in Cali. If you ever get pulled over, tell the officer you are borrowing it from "x" (insert economic sob story / vehicle repo / mechanical failure)

[troyboy162]

do you have any family in another state that you trust enough to hold onto the title? Transfer it to their name ($1 gift transfer tax?), register in that other state and drive in Cali. If you ever get pulled over, tell the officer you are borrowing it from "x" (insert economic sob story / vehicle repo / mechanical failure)


ive been driving it with the vermont plates for a year now lol. ive been pulled over once on my way to work. my insurance guy lives down the road from my parents and has wrote me letters to the effect of "you cant do this, we wont cover you fully". an out of state scam might work for a little while longer but i dont want to push my luck. as soon as i get some cali plats on it ill be fine since the car isnt loud or tinted....just gotta fine the right shop i guess :P

[Nick]

I was going to suggest the out of state thing but with a variation; keep your old address (if you can) and that way it'll be legit with the insurance.

Start going to the 'bad' neighborhoods and checking out the shops there. You'll find someplace eventually and stick with them. That's that I did; say, the inspection fee is usually $20, but, I pay $40. but...I pass inspection every year! Granted California has crappy inspection (stringent) standards, apparently, but I bet you can still pull it off .

My 4Runner has some minor things wrong with it, say - I don't have highbeams but have Lightforce 170s to cover their place. Inspection niggle. One of my steering rack boots is plastic bag. Etc.