Body Mods or Motor swap in Cali with new Starr Smog

[funinthesun95]

not sure if this is the right place for this.....but

This is all just things info to think about when changing your ride also my short story….hah

Ok boys when you add fiberglass or change your core support or replace any front body parts to update your street league ride…… make sure you keep the factory equipped smog and motor info sticker that’s on the hood or core support for safe keeping. I have a new hood on my F250 and I just fail smog due to not having this sticker. Smog tech tried to tell me I did a motor swap in my 1996 f250 with a 460….no buddy cali was the first state to get MAF 460 in 1996 1997 cali trucks. The truck passed all phases with above average and failed his visual. I even asked him to get his smog book out that list what you need and he said he checked already ….I get all the BS it is his ass… etc etc etc just irritated. I also don’t want anyone on the forum to get blind sighted on this with all the upgrades we do to our gofast desert DD

Also if you do a motor swap upgrade to MAF or 302 to 351w or even 460 in the bronco you may want to grab the sticker from the donor vehicle this would be or at a bad idea or at least the vin as you can order the sticker from ford later if need a new sticker by using the vin number from the donor truck or bronco

Just a heads up the standards have not gone up but the people you can take your 1999 and older to have changed. This may be on the forum already but I wanted to vent..

Welcome to Star Smog Check Station List. com Our goal is to inform the California motoring public of the new changes to California's smog check program and help guide you to the correct station to perform your smog check services. As of January 1, 2013, most, if not all 1999 and older vehicles will be referred by the DMV to a specially designated smog check station known as a "STAR" smog check station.

[bajascott]

One more reason I love living in free America

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I hate california

[Rmc]

I feel your pain, I had a vehicle fail the visual check due to no seperate c.a.r.b. sticker for the air filter. Obviously this idiot was unaware that a single sticker is issued with an intake system. My advise shop around when the time comes. And always have a pretest, if u fail the pretest no big deal, if u fail when logged into the state data base u will be flagged to a test only station ( state referee). If deemed a gross polluter mine as well part out the car. Thank Mary Nichols and the wonderful legislative body that is the California government. Btw Mary Nichols as head of carb is a non elected position and has no term limits or accountability. It will only get worse in the future. Each county also has their own air resources boards ( non elected as well , appointed) with additional guidelines to complicate the rules further. U can however get smogged in any county to my knowledge. Some shops and counties are more laxed on the visual checks and emission restrictions.

[ChaseTruck754]

Willie - take your VIN and motor calibration number (may be able to do it with just the VIN) to the Ford dealer & order a new sticker. They are $12 - or were at least in 2000 or so when I did the supercharged 3.8L in the ranger.

BS like this is why I moved to building 70's stuff. After dealing with a smog nazi (BAR referee) I will never again waste my time & effort on that crap. My swap passed the sniffer test the 1st try but it took six (yes 6!) additional visits back to him to pass the VISUAL inspection. Every time I would have him list what needed to be changed and change it & come back. He'd find something else the next time... I got to the point where I'd specifically ask "are you sure this is ALL I need to change" and he'd of course say "yes.", but it never was.

He went so far as to fail me because I had a generic vacuum switching solenoid on the truck. I bought generic vs. the Ford one because generic was $7 and Ford was $35. He said I HAD to have the Ford logo on there to pass the visual. So yeah, I had an over priced one in the truck then and a cheaper spare


Sorry for the rant, rambling but my point is the system is screwy. It's NOT about air pollution & controlling it or they'd go with the sniffer test alone. I refuse to give in & deal with the bureaucratic red tape BS anymore.

[funinthesun95]

[quote="ChaseTruck754"]Willie - take your VIN and motor calibration number (may be able to do it with just the VIN) to the Ford dealer & order a new sticker. They are $12 - or were at least in 2000 or so when I did the supercharged 3.8L in the ranger.


Yes you are correct..... Take the Vin to ford and it is $16 .....

[ChaseTruck754]

So hopefully you can take the new sticker back to the smog guy & tell him to suck it. Bummer you had to pay for the 1st smog before finding this out.

[Agui-E7TE]

Hmmm, I paid for my registration almost 7 months ago but I haven't smogged my Bronco since then. Mainly because I'm lazy and haven't had time to deal with it due to work.

I wonder if I can still smog it one last time at the local test only center I take it to..

This is honestly the reason I'm going to get rid of my Bronco (after building up everything in it and dumping loads of cash in it) because I don't want to deal with smog anymore. The Fudge with all the smog laws, I'm going to start going '75 and under to fix that problem. The only newer stuff I'd get now are diesels that don't require smog.

I wonder if there's a way of swapping a '79 Bronco body onto a '75 F150 frame and registering it as a modified '75 f150. All I want is my classic Bronco body on a truck frame that doesn't require smog.

[ChaseTruck754]

VIN goes by the frame in CA. Put a bronco body on a 75 or earlier frame & document it through the state as a cab swap. You'll need to have everything (both VINs) verified by the CHP or maybe DMV (think CHP does all) but it's doable for sure.

This is semi where I was going with the supercab idea before I sold it. I just wanted a stretched bronco though so was going to put the bronco back half on the supercab.

[Agui-E7TE]

I guess technically I could build a stretched first gen Bronco by using a '75 F150 short bed 4x4 frame. I wouldn't mind doing it and I'd even keep the '75 headlights and grille. All I'd have to swap over is my drivetrain since it's all built already and the Cage Off Road long arm kit is easy to swap over.

I'd likely need to modify some Autofab fiberglass quarters to get it to look right though.

[ChaseTruck754]

just run the truck bedsides - they are the right length since your wheel would be in spot for the F-150 not the bronco.

[Agui-E7TE]

You're absolutely right! Well I guess I'll start saving for that endeavor.

[navynuke]

I am moving back to California later this year, thinking about selling my 82 because of emissions.

I have none, zero emissions and no way to even get any of them for a reasonable amount of money.

Stupid Cali laws

[Rmc]

When I owned a Cherokee I was told that that make was tagged as gross polluter by brand type era ect. The state said I had to smog it yearly instead of bi-annually like all other cars. Food for thought anyway.

[ChaseTruck754]

The annual smog comes if the vehicle you own ever tests as a gross polluter from what I remember. My ranger hit this list in the early days I owned it & before I knew about the smog nonsense. I didn't know why I'd get a "test only" smog check requirement EVERY year until I figured it out a few years back in looking into the smog crap.