Hello,
i own a 77 kenmeri with all the bells and whistles for street racing in japan...but i know it won't pass smog in California. The car has been in my garage since I left japan and I illegally drove it to a car show a year ago...but the car is not registered. Can anyone help me or guide me in the right direction to get this RHD on the road legally?

I have the same issue with my '77 (actually 76 build date) Kenmeri. I have been going through this process for about 2 years with a BAR referee.

Send me a PM and I can help you out. Long and the short is you will have to swap in a US engine from a '77 or later 280z or 280zx (need the F54 block). All emissions will have to be transfered as well. From that point on it will smog as that year engine.

Also, make sure you have all the paper work from Japan, you will need to have the CHP verify the VIN number and the only document they will accept without questioning is the shipping documents when you deregistered it in Japan before it left.

Chris

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GC111 Skyline GT-R Clone

are you planning on staying in ca? if not i wouldnt bother you are gonna have a hard time getting the car smog legal you will, but it will take alot of time i had lots of problems with a 77 a freind of mine had a while back car went to tennesee due the smog issue,and yes you will have to install a motor and all smog equipment from a 77 260z or 810 no fun...

I do plan on staying in California for the time being, at least until i finish school. I guess; being optimistic, I could put a turbo rebuilt L28 in the car- but I really like the engine in it now! -crap
I really can't afford a daim engine swap right now...so I guess I'll just keep it clean and stored for now.
Chris, I thought your car was legal? you have plates on it don't you?

Ya know... If you had family in another state...

Had plates on it. It was illegally smogged when I bought it. That shop got busted and my VIN was caught and flagged in the DMV system.

Don't illegally smog it, trust me.

Do the swap when you have time and money.

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GC111 Skyline GT-R Clone

Swapping one L series out for another shouldn't be terribly difficult, a couple of weekends and you'd have it done

my thought on this is if the car jas a L series 6 in it already I you might not have to do a hole engine swap just get the intake many with egr and ecu from a 280z and o2 sensor if the ecu requiers one and install a catalitic converter oh and maybe retard the timeing .. just my 2cents

you could try jus putting the egr and smog stuff problem is now car is flagged by dmv so most likely will have to go to ref if reffed or bar check will need l20 and all smog compliance for that year in car, too bad car got flagged ..i am currently in school for smog tech....(which is boring)

I do have family in Kentucky, friends in Texas and North Dakota- but it's probably best to just wait. Finding parts for this beast is not easy- Japan goes through cars like Americans go through IN-N-OUT burgers. If i get in an accident...done. I will be stocking up on spare Z parts though, they seem to be seldemly seen now days. lol, but yeah...I'm in school and so money is tight....i'll chill for now.

2000gtx,

Here is my experiance from talking to the BAR ref, DMV and emissions testing labs. If your studying to be a smog tech, I would be interested in you take on what is legal and what is not.

If you register the car in California as an engine swap, the car must be older than 25 (this is the DOT import rule to have it here) and you have to swap in a complete California emissions engine. California does not care if the engine was originally equiped or not, only that it is California emission and all equipment is still attached. For a Kenmeri, the easiest swap is from a 280z. The swap must be from a California emissions car and include the evap system, fuel vent system, egr and cat.

If you want to register the car in California with the original engine (L20) you would need to take the car to a California emission lab. At the lab they will conduct all the tests on the car to prove that it is California compliant, with whatever equipment is on the engine. This is how the Lambo's and other exotics get registered in California. The lab will charge about $4000-6000 to certify the engine. There are only two labs in the state that will do this. For the record, I called and neither will touch a Skyline, regardless of age, because of the problems with the R33 importations.

Just wanted to clean up the post, as I have spent the last two years talking with the BAR, DMV and emissions labs trying to do the right thing and have it all legal.

Chris

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in that case how are all the ppl that import silvias/240sx and hondas do it to legalize thier cars... also if he does do a swap of parts the 1980 280zx does not have egr just an o2 sensor ( thats the car i cot me ecu from to put in my 77 810 just welded a o2 and matched up the pins ) .. also u sure the will check the block number to se if its a l24 - l28 since they all look the same ?..

in that case how are all the ppl that import silvias/240sx and hondas do it to legalize thier cars...

I have no idea how those people do it, you might ask them. I actually haven't seen a legal 240sx in California that was imported directly from Japan. Friend of mine has a RX7, totally illegal, but he snuck it past DMV and got an illegal smog. It will suck the day he gets hit in a CHP mobile smog check. Can we say impound!

also if he does do a swap of parts the 1980 280zx does not have egr just an o2 sensor ( thats the car i cot me ecu from to put in my 77 810 just welded a o2 and matched up the pins ) ..

As long as all emissions equipment from from what ever make or model is swapped the BAR ref will pass it.

also u sure the will check the block number to se if its a l24 - l28 since they all look the same ?..

Yes the referee will check the block number. L24, L26 and L28 are different block numbers and actually do not look the same. F54 block is visually different in 5 ways from previous blocks, as are JDM blocks. Remember, we are talking about a BAR referee checking the car, not the the local smog check. They can take all the time they want, demand factory documentation and delay passing the vehicle until they verify all the facts.

Jumping through these hoops is the difference between getting it legally smogged and certified by the state of California, instead of doing something partly legal, or just plain illegal. I don't want my Kenmeri impounded and crushed. That is why I am spending the time and money to to it legally. I also don't like breaking the law.

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