25 year import rule for CA

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boozewz

boozewz

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I'm thinking of importing a 1982 fJ45 Troopy to CA from Saudi Arabia, and I cant seem to find any info on the 25 year rule for CA. It seems clear that most states allow 25 yr old vehicles to be imported, titled and registered with no modifications required, whilst for CA its not as clear. Does CA just require a catalytic converter and you're good to go? Can anyone point me in the right direction?
 
The 25 year rule is Federal EPA (and DOT?). I've never heard of a state requiring anything more than the Federal requirements for legal importation. I'm far from an expert but having lived overseas for quite a while I did a lot of research into importing vehicles from Europe. I have to say however, I wasn't planning on importing them into California.

There are a few threads in the 80 section about people importing diesel engines that are less than 25 years old and putting these into their 80s. Apparently they have been able to get them registered (or have kept their registration) in California. The way I read the EPA legislation that isn't legal so if anything I would say that the states, in general, are more relaxed than the Feds. Again, I'm not an expert; just passing along some info.
 
I would contact Marv Spector, he does it, I know how others do it here, but dont want them implicated in criminal matters.
 
CARB recognizes no exemption for 25 year engines, they don't care what the EPA lets into the country, you must comply with CARB to get CA registration.

... in practice that means you will have to pass smog. There might be more hoops to jump through on the books, but the men on the ground in the DMV or the test-only stations aren't going to know what they are.

Be aware that to get CA registration you'll need the DMV inspector to indicate your engine has an emissions label. If you don't have one, or its not a US emissions label you might be asked to provide proof that the Saudi engine is the same as an engine already on CARBs books. You're basically fxxxed then because Toyota won't help you.

As was said, some people obtain emissions labels.
 
WarDamnEagle said:
There are a few threads in the 80 section about people importing diesel engines that are less than 25 years old and putting these into their 80s. Apparently they have been able to get them registered (or have kept their registration) in California.
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calstyl2 said:
I would contact Marv Spector, he does it, I know how others do it here, but dont want them implicated in criminal matters.
Click to expand...

CA put an end to this. There used to be a loophole that allowed "fuel type swaps" that some people at some DMVs were doing.

Now any fuel type swap has to go through the BAR, same as an engine swap. The new engine has to be newer, from the same weight class (no cummins, duramax, powerstrokes, isuzu, which only came in medium-duty or heavy-duty trucks). They have to be mated to the original transmission with all the computer controls in place. The BAR will fail anything they can't look up in their books. Your documentation is irrelevant. If you're planning a swap you should get it pre-approved as much as possible.

A VW, Toyota 2L, Nissan SD-33, 6.2, maybe a 6.5 or mercedes diesel swap is still possible.

CA is not going to allow any imports of anything that was not originally imported into North America. I suspect it still may be possible to import a Canadian diesel that's > 25 years old.

I personally know some people who have imported vehicles that can now not get them registered in CA. I have also met some folks who have stuff like hj75 pickups with legal CA reg. :rolleyes:

The bottom line is that there is no way to import a post 1975 rig from anywhere except perhaps Canada and register it in California.
 
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Fast Eddy said:
CA is not going to allow any imports of anything that was not originally imported into North America. I suspect it still may be possible to import a Canadian diesel that's > 25 years old.

I personally know some people who have imported vehicles that can now not get them registered in CA. I have also met some folks who have stuff like hj75 pickups with legal CA reg. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Wasnt the Troopy ever brought into the US? Even if the 2F engine and the entire powertrain is the same as those installed on the FJ40s would that still help?
 
Fast Eddy said:
CA put an end to this. There used to be a loophole that allowed "fuel type swaps" that some people at some DMVs were doing.

Now any fuel type swap has to go through the BAR, same as an engine swap. The new engine has to be newer, from the same weight class (no cummins, duramax, powerstrokes, isuzu, which only came in medium-duty or heavy-duty trucks). They have to be mated to the original transmission with all the computer controls in place. The BAR will fail anything they can't look up in their books. Your documentation is irrelevant. If you're planning a swap you should get it pre-approved as much as possible.

A VW, Toyota 2L, Nissan SD-33, 6.2, maybe a 6.5 or mercedes diesel swap is still possible.

CA is not going to allow any imports of anything that was not originally imported into North America. I suspect it still may be possible to import a Canadian diesel that's > 25 years old.

I personally know some people who have imported vehicles that can now not get them registered in CA. I have also met some folks who have stuff like hj75 pickups with legal CA reg. :rolleyes:

The bottom line is that there is no way to import a post 1975 rig from anywhere except perhaps Canada and register it in California.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I was looking at importing into Alabama and as long as it was 25 years old then it was no problem (of course we don't have annual inspections or smog tests). I always assumed that the guys importing the newer diesel engines were importing them for "agriculture" purposes (one of the import exemptions) or as replacement Toyota diesel forklift "parts" or some other BS. Of course I could never understand what explanation was used to allow the legal import of a half clip. Much of California is pretty rural so I also assumed it wasn't impossible to find a place to get the vehicle registered as a diesel conversion (regardless of the Federal regs). Still it always seemed like a very risky proposition as the consequences are high.
 
boozewz said:
Wasnt the Troopy ever brought into the US? Even if the 2F engine and the entire powertrain is the same as those installed on the FJ40s would that still help?
Click to expand...

If it has a 2f and you bring it up to that year of CA smog before you _ever_ bring it into a CA official, there is a chance you could get it by them. I assumed we were talking about a diesel.


WarDamnEagle said:
Much of California is pretty rural so I also assumed it wasn't impossible to find a place to get the vehicle registered as a diesel conversion (regardless of the Federal regs).
Click to expand...

The DMV and the BAR are separate and the DMV now slaves 100% to the BAR for all smog regs. This is only recently true, but it is now true in every DMV. It was the smaller, more rural ones that used to allow the "fuel type change" that people were getting away with.
 
What has happened to California??
 
Haggis said:
What has happened to California??
Click to expand...

sheeple.gif


It became a liberal paradise.
 
I emailed SOR regarding getting ahold of a smog kit from them to do an install to get it to certify EPA and this is the reply I got:


Hello,
No we do not offer a kit. Many of the parts are no longer available new, and used are becoming rare. The parts needed would include carburetor, distributor, catalytic converter, air injection system, EGR system ect. An educated guess at the cost would be in the $3500.00 range if all the parts can be located.

As for California registration, we suggest you contact the Department of Motor Vehicles in California to determine what they will require to accept this vehicle as we do not know the current laws.
Regards,
 
So I went down to the DMV and they confirmed that my 1982 petrol engine Troopy would need to be smog'd to get registered, as its vehicles with pre 1975 or 76 that are exempt from smog. I then popped down to the local test center, and the guy there was helpful saying that if we installed all the emissions equipment on it, OEM or aftermarket, it will pass smog alright and I'm good to go. I double checked his OEM or aftermarket comment, just to make sure, and his reply was that either or, it makes no difference as long as there is equipment on it, and its not a polluter then its fine and will pass smog, "but please check with the BAR." I reminded him that the 82 Troopy was never imported in the US, so there may be no records for them to measure the smog standard/benchmark.

Drove up to the BAR, and the dude there had no clue about anything, and told me to contact a CARB referee. Drove by to the CARB referee center, and the guy was super busy, so ended up calling their 800 number. Spoke to a lady, and her answer was you may be able to get this vehicle exempt from a smog test as its a collectors vehicle, but to "please contact the BAR to verify". Great.

Getting nowhere!

Question: would I be able to just slap on any emissions equipment on it, surely the newer the better as technology has evolved and they're probably better at reducing emissions, and get it to pass the smog test without a referee red flagging it because the equipment on it is not OEM from the year of the vehicles production?

Edit: Holy thread revival. This just occurred to me now!
 
I would register it outside of Kalifornia first, and then transfer it later. My understanding is Kalifirnia will accept out of state registration and the vehicles smog equipment will be as is or ir will be exempt from testing.

It is legal to bring a 48 state vehicle to Kalifornia, so this sounds like it works, and I have seen it work.

Doug
 
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