Western Members - Worth it to ship my heavily modified 408 Z from VA to CA?

When I moved out to CA a year and a half ago for a job, I left my camaro behind in VA. I've been making trips back to VA every couple months or so and have been taking it for drives and maintaining it as much as possible. It sits under a cover under a carport outside in the meantime.

Lately I've been getting to the itch to ship it out here but I'm not sure it's really worth the money involved to do so and make it CA legal to the point where I can be able to drive and enjoy it without having to worry about cops on my ass.

Anyone well versed in complying with, or skirting, the issues associated with running a highly modified LS1 around CA, specifically the Bay Area? As the car stands now, it's got a 408 with huge cam, LT's, 2 high flow cat's, straight out the back through a single resonated SLP LM1 exhaust. The shit is loud and burns a lot of fuel. There is no way it would pass emissions without a total engine and exhaust swap. Is there any way around this? Is there a way to register it as a "collector" vehicle or some crap so I can just take it for cruises on nice days and such?

Anyone with experience/info regarding all of these issues would be greatly appreciated. I'd love it to finally have my Z back. If I can't have it, I'll be forced to buy an emissions legal vehicle and that just doesn't feel right.

I can check with a buddy up that way who has a tbird turbo coupe that he had smogged, I will find out if the place he went to is that friendly.

you can still drive it around here with VA plates

you can still drive it around here with VA plates

not if he has a cali driver license he'll get fucked with.

Yea. I did that with my Jetta when I first moved out here. I still had a valid VA license and plates and I still got pulled over twice for it. The law is that you have 20 days from becoming a resident to get plates for the vehicle, or 20 days from the date it entered the state to acquire plates for it. Like I said, I'm not looking to go any route that will cause me consistent worry.

If you have family back there then you can keep it registered in VA then you dont have to worry about it, just pay your family to pay the fees.

To my understanding, in order to consistently operate a vehicle as a CA resident, it must be registered in CA. Therefore, it doesn't matter where it was last registered. If you're a resident here and driving the car on CA roads, you must title it as a CA car, thus paying the taxes toward the roadways you are operating on.

Also, CHP is 1/4 mile from my house.

To my understanding, in order to consistently operate a vehicle as a CA resident, it must be registered in CA. Therefore, it doesn't matter where it was last registered. If you're a resident here and driving the car on CA roads, you must title it as a CA car, thus paying the taxes toward the roadways you are operating on.

If the car is registered in someone else's name in a different state then you're fine. Otherwise they'll fuck with you if it's in your name and you hold a cali license. There are friendly smog shops in cali if that's what you're asking. If you have to take it to a ref, there are friendly refs but it costs. If you have to take it to a ref it's more of a pain in the ass.

I find it hard to believe CA would let a CA resident indefinitely drive a car registered to someone else in another state. I think what I'm going to have to do is head up to CHP and ask them directly about what does and doesn't fly for car registration.

So, ASSuming I would have to register it here, let's address smog. Even if I did find a "friendly" smog person to pass me and get everything straight on paper, I really feel like my car would lead to their ultimate demise as there is no way I am not going to get pulled over daily in my obnoxiously loud ass camaro by CHP who I would assume will eventually find out who passed this vehicle that is killing the precious environment.

There are quite a few people with obnoxiously loud camaros out here, you would be surprised how many are not hassled, they really only like to get the ricers.

Also, CHP is 1/4 mile from my house.

yikes...they're the biggest sticklers when it comes to modified vehicals...but they pick on the import crowd more than anyone

hmmm. well i have my car registered to my name in cali, i am technically a nevada resident with a nevada license and i was pulled over a week ago for a speeding ticket and he didn't say anything about the plates on my car. but then again, cali likes to squeeze every dime they can from people so you might have to register it in cali.

i think if your license is from VA you might be in good shape, my parents have all their cars registered in nevada and keep most of them in california and don't really see any problems.

Well, I had to get a hole put in my VA license when I got my CA license in order to register/title my new car.

eh. im sure there is a loop hole in the system somewhere to your advantage lol

Well, I had to get a hole put in my VA license when I got my CA license in order to register/title my new car.

damn that sucks, i came to texas and they tried taking mine also and i just told them i lost it...but getting ur car inspected will be cake out in cali...if u know the right people..its much more expensive than Texas...i payed 80bucks to get it sinpected and pass emissions with flying colors..lol...but i gotta do it every year so it kinda sucks and at the end u pay more than cali

Yea, I'm just worried about cops stopping me and realizing there is no way in hell this thing passed inspection as they choke on the fumes and see my "passed" smog certificate.

Only one way to find out.I've been pulled over twice by chp.
They didn't hassle me for my loud car(h/c true duals).
BUt a 408 is way louder.My car is my daily driver,it just depends
on the officer.

ArcticZ28, most of what you're saying regarding getting harassed and found out about depends upon what happens IF you are stopped. I would cross that bridge when I needed to.

In the meantime, I would keep it registered in VA, and bring it out here. If stopped, come up with a story (just moved out here, only visiting relatives, etc.).

So, ASSuming I would have to register it here, let's address smog. Even if I did find a "friendly" smog person to pass me and get everything straight on paper, I really feel like my car would lead to their ultimate demise as there is no way I am not going to get pulled over daily in my obnoxiously loud ass camaro by CHP who I would assume will eventually find out who passed this vehicle that is killing the precious environment.

You will have to fall on your sword and admit that the mods were done after being smogged.

You will have to fall on your sword and admit that the mods were done after being smogged.

I've considered that path but a complete motor swap and custom fabbed exhaust done after being smogged? That sounds like a huge stretch. I'd REALLY prefer to find an easier story to follow or "out" that I can have.

I'm not trying to argue anyone's suggestions here, just trying to express my concern for finding a route that won't cause more trouble than necessary. If I/we can't come up with something, then I won't even bother with it.

In the meantime, I would keep it registered in VA, and bring it out here. If stopped, come up with a story (just moved out here, only visiting relatives, etc.).

But they'll be able to look up when I got my CA license and see how long I've had it.

Even if I did keep it registered in VA under someone else's name, insurance would NOT go for that and insure it knowing it's out here. I've yet to have anything happen to it but it would certainly be my luck to have those waters tested should I take that chance. The last thing I need is for me or my relative to be dropped from a policy just b/c I wanted my camaro out here.

But they'll be able to look up when I got my CA license and see how long I've had it.

Even if I did keep it registered in VA under someone else's name, insurance would NOT go for that and insure it knowing it's out here. I've yet to have anything happen to it but it would certainly be my luck to have those waters tested should I take that chance. The last thing I need is for me or my relative to be dropped from a policy just b/c I wanted my camaro out here.

I just noticed where you said you no longer had a VA license.

I personally wouldn't register it in someone else's name, but I would drive on it as long as I could with VA plates.

I've considered that path but a complete motor swap and custom fabbed exhaust done after being smogged? That sounds like a huge stretch. I'd REALLY prefer to find an easier story to follow or "out" that I can have.

I'm not trying to argue anyone's suggestions here, just trying to express my concern for finding a route that won't cause more trouble than necessary. If I/we can't come up with something, then I won't even bother with it.

How would a cop who pulled you over know that?

I just noticed where you said you no longer had a VA license.

I personally wouldn't register it in someone else's name, but I would drive on it as long as I could with VA plates.



How would a cop who pulled you over know that?

Well yea, motor swap, impossible to tell but there's no mistaking the rabid animal that is in the car now for a stock engine with just a few mods. Looking under the car you can see the tiny, high flow cat that and 3" piping that sits 2" off the ground. You can't even fit your hand under it flat. There is no mistaking this for stock exhaust.

If you were moving to socal I could have hooked you up with a smog test. Got several friends driving around with illegal cars.

Twould be nice.

To my understanding, in order to consistently operate a vehicle as a CA resident, it must be registered in CA. Therefore, it doesn't matter where it was last registered. If you're a resident here and driving the car on CA roads, you must title it as a CA car, thus paying the taxes toward the roadways you are operating on.

What they dont know wont hurt them

And when they find out, they want to hurt you.

its not as bad as you put it to be

I know it's not usually as bad as I'm saying. I'm just trying to play devil's advocate as much as possible to determine worst case scenarios here since it's a hell of a lot of money to transport it out here in an enclosed trailer 3000 miles across the US.

There's a couple smog friendly places here in the bay area. I dd mine with long tubes no cats and a lm redonator. Rest of the mods are in my sig. I've been pulled over quite a lot but I've been lucky enough to have cool cops give me warnings or a fix it ticket for my tint.

you worrying a little too much, just bring the ride out here

Ok, let me pose this question to everyone then. Considering it is going to cost roughly $1500 just to get the car out here, would you do it considering the risks involved? I've put $8k into the engine and internal/exhaust mods. The last thing I need is for that to be a paperweight in my garage.

You could always just register it as non-op and turn it into a track-event trailer queen. :D Assuming you have a towing setup. If not...

Ok, let me pose this question to everyone then. Considering it is going to cost roughly $1500 just to get the car out here, would you do it considering the risks involved? I've put $8k into the engine and internal/exhaust mods. The last thing I need is for that to be a paperweight in my garage.

yes i would, i have three cars that are just as or more "shady" as yours

I think you worry to much just bring it out here. most of us here dont pass smog everyday only the day we take the test;)

I am in the same situation with my Firebird. I live in south orange county and with it being as populated as it is I think a 15:1cr 421ci w/ a solid roller would get a little too much attention. If it was just a H/C car I think I could tame it down with some cats and a good muffler. I did call CMS so if I decide to bring the car out here I can find fuel but I just don't know what I would do with it if I couldn't even drive it to a car show or two a year.

Artic, check with norcalls1.com they have plenty of cars like your and can point you to a smog shop. We all deal with the situation you are talking about and we all manage.
If it is not your DD then I really would not worry about it.

KC same thing, smog is an issue that can be overcome. Law enforcement rarely knows much about modded cars, at most you get a modified exhaust ticket and you usually get those if you are hanging where they are targeting street ricers.

Here in socal though you can fight every ticket by written declaration, cops do not care for extra paperwork.

I know it's not usually as bad as I'm saying. I'm just trying to play devil's advocate as much as possible to determine worst case scenarios here since it's a hell of a lot of money to transport it out here in an enclosed trailer 3000 miles across the US.

are you in the military by chance??
cause if you are that is your loop hole
if your in the military you can have a vechical register in one state and live in another
because they consider the state your living in to just be a temporary resident
i have a few freinds that do this

if not just get a friendly smog (there not hard to find) and drive your car
they are only going to fuck with you about mods if your doing something really stupid(like 150+ mph) or you have an attitude with them
ive been pulled over many times with only a ory on the car and NO mufflers or cats and never been hassled by the pigs about it

Well, this is making me feel a little better, guys. I really appreciate all of your insight and suggestions. Maybe come spring time you will see me a little more involved on the board here again and showing up to some get-togethers with my ride.

lets just say, there is ways "$$" around everything, everyone has there price

why not throw some mufflers on it to quiet it down.If loud is the only thing your scared of getting pulled over for.They wont generally pull you over for nothing,so just get it out here..
you can also get a mailing address in a northern county and then you dont have to smog it period

Truth. I need to get a quieter exhaust anyway. The LM1 is painful.

Your located by the bay area?

I'm in Dublin. Been here a year and a half now.

Ok, just talked to my friend and he has a guy in the bay area that could hook you up if you ever decided to bring it here.

Bring the car out, the bay area is a good place to come and play with a fast car :) lots of fast and loud cars out here amongst all the tree huggers lol.. PM me about smog..

Sweet. I appreciate all the help, guys. My house lease is up in July so I need to figure out what's going on with that first. So, it's looking like it'll be around late summer that it would be brought out here. Look forward to meeting everyone.

Eh, maybe I'll just order the new Camaro. 422hp and smog legal is a nice start.

Resurrection.

Still haven't shipped the car out yet but I do have a place for it now in my garage. I got the stock springs swapped back onto it so someone could actually load it onto a truck to ship it out here. I'm still battling with the smog issue, though. I'm very weary of shipping it out and ending up having to swap a stock motor back into. Put way too much work into it to do that.

If your worried about being pulled over just quiet it down and don't drive too aggressively, you will be fine. I would also look around for someone to help you out with smog. Just ship it.

Dude...there are a TON of other more aggressive cars out there on the road. I drive mine just about every day and its probably just as loud as yours.....with a loud ass blower as well. Smog can be done....don't worry about that...a couple guys already chimed in saying they could hook it up. Worst case senario....you get a ticket and take care of it then. I myself and a couple of others have gotten them before...not a big deal. They don't take your car or anything lol

Haha, thanks for the optimism, guys. You're making the decision a bit easier for me, which I really appreciate. I haven't seen many loud LSx's around so I wasn't sure of the numbers of existence of ones like mine. Actually the first thing (after a re-tune for 91 instead of 93) I would do is get a quieter exhaust. The SLP LM1 is just flat-out obnoxious.

I'm not sure how I'd "take care of" a ticket I would get for my car's current lack of being able to pass smog.

BTW, here's more info about my setup:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/698507-critique-hell-out-my-setup.html

You're overthinking this. Just bring it out here. Get a hook up on the smog and throw CA plates on it. Change the exhaust and drive it. Generally when you get pulled over out here, they really only care about what you did, and could really care less about the car you're driving. The exception to that rule would be if you are giving them a reason to hassle you. Such as driving a rice bucket, giving them attitude or driving wreckless/drunk/racing, etc.

There are plenty of people that have a car that's stock, smog it, and then crazily mod it directly afterwards. If you were busted for the mods say same day as the smog, then maybe in that case you'd bring heat to the smog shop. But what are the odds.

This is worst case, and chances you'll never need to do this, but just to ease your mind: if you were sent to a ref, just throw stock manifolds back on it, stock cam, and retune. The ref would never know about the CI increase or heads. They dont look for casting numbers or anything like that. And it will blow the same numbers as stock or better.

No way I'm ever swapping stock parts back onto the block. It's either all or nothing. If I get a fix-it ticket for engine mods, I'll most likely just do a complete block swap to something else (considered just doing a set it and forget it LS7 swap), or end up selling the car. I've put too much into it to start farting around swapping different parts around just to be able to drive it. I used to have a lot more time to fool around with it, but I don't anymore. Got way too many other projects and things to do anymore.

No way I'm ever swapping stock parts back onto the block. It's either all or nothing. If I get a fix-it ticket for engine mods, I'll most likely just do a complete block swap to something else (considered just doing a set it and forget it LS7 swap), or end up selling the car. I've put too much into it to start farting around swapping different parts around just to be able to drive it. I used to have a lot more time to fool around with it, but I don't anymore. Got way too many other projects and things to do anymore.

I definitely hear you on the free time part. Honestly, there's almost no chance of it coming to that point anyway. You have cats, just throw a nice magnaflow muffler to quiet her down and enjoy the car out here. I'd go crazy not having mine this long.

That's what I was thinking. Throw a quiet Magnaflow cat-back on there and be much better at ease with the noise level. As for the cat's, they're so small I always get weird looks from the visual inspectors in VA when they look under there. They're not really sure what to make of them as they look almost fake but they technically satisfy the law. I never get tired of the look on their face when I pull into the shop rattling the windows and blowing fuel out the exhaust, but a plug-in of the OBD II test yields passing results with zero issues. It was a great day when VA decided to ditch the sniffer test.

I'm right there with you on going crazy without it. I went out and tested the new Camaro SS when it came out just to get a bit of a fix, but was disappointed how it felt like such a dog. The salesman come up thinking this would be my fast car and I have to inform them this would be my slower DD.

PM one of the "smog" guys. I'm sure they can explain how it works. Just bring the dam thing out lol. I had a LM1 on my car until just recently. Its not as hard as you think.

I'm going to get a smog tomorrow. My $ says I'll pass. 15mins in and out.

when i mooved out hear from chicago i brot my 84 z28 with me.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j211/gorr4/frends/cars/myold84Z28Eng.jpg
I had to get a Ca DL for Ins but left my IL plates on the car till i parted it out
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j211/gorr4/frends/cars/Whosedcamarosaretoheavy.jpg
(do to rust & getting a verry clean 89 vert ) 3 or 4 years later.
I was going to school "thats the outher loop hole" if your a FT stodent you dont have to get CA plates as long as your in classes. I was never asked to pruve how meny credits i was taking! just have an school id or a bunch of books in the back seat :) then you let your home state know the car is residing out of state & thay shuld exemt you from thear smog untill you bring it back, thats what IL did any way. & as much as i hate to say it, don't go to the chp asking for help, unless you want them to be looking for you! go to the ca dmv web site & read. thats what i did... when i got pold over & was told i had to redister my car in ca i just sed no I dont I'm hear for school! after a siting in the car for a few checking... wuld come back, ask if i was full time (I'd say yes) then reluctently tell me to drive safe & have a nice day.
PS I'm runing CC LT headers & tsp catted 3" Y-pipe on a stock cat back on my 00SS & I can sit nex to a cop @ a red light & not get a 2ed look :)

Well, the car is registered in another family member's name, as well as the insurance. So, the grey area for me is whether or not I have to register it here if it's a car belonging to someone else in another state. From what I'm told by DMV, it's up to the cop how he wants to approach it.

I would think that as long as you're covered by the insurance and reg is complete you'd be okay with the cop. Unless he has pulled you over multiple times and catches on to what you're doing.

I would think that as long as you're covered by the insurance and reg is complete you'd be okay with the cop. Unless he has pulled you over multiple times and catches on to what you're doing.

sownds good to me! only outher thing is to make shur your coverd on the insurance, do to being a famly member..

Damn thats a long haul....

Yea, I'm covered on the insurance, but I'll double check to see if that might change if it's out of state.

I'll save the insurance company rant for another thread, but that would be a wise thing to do to cover all your bases (and ass).

I believe my insurance covers me driving other people's cars as well, so I'm fairly certain I'm covered either way. But, I'll check into both.

Your thinking too much on it. Just get the car here and drive it.

That's the plan. Gonna wait until spring, though, because I'm shipping it in an open trailer. I'd rather not have it exposed to the winter elements through the mountains in winter.