Im thinking about buying a 2000'' itr shell and swap over everything from my 98'' gsr, motor, interior ect. is this legal in cali. and what do i need to do so that cops dont give me trouble about difrent vinn. numbers, im not sure how it works do i have to get it reffed or just checked and bared by the reff or will it be ilegal cause its a younger year than the shell? any help is appreciated thanks.

 

not legal and no possible way for it to be legal in california. swap must be same year as chassis or newer.

 

x2

 

If you don't swap in the transmission, is there any way for anybody to tell it's an older motor?

The only reason I say leave the transmission is because it has a vin tag on it...

 

Damn having a car in Cali must suck! Here on the east coast you can pretty much swap anything into anything, no questions asked.

 

The year of the motor is stamped on the head.

 

Not to mention the VIN and the serial # on the block can be traced back through Acura.

 

Maybe it's different in Rhode Island, but here in NY we do have an autocrime unit, who makes sure everything is in order...which is how it should be.

 

The last time I went to the Smog Referee, they had no idea how to check the head stamp or block numbering to tell the exact year of the motor/trans.

As long as it has all the emissions components that a 2000 GSR swap has, there is no reason that it can't "be" a 2000 GSR swap when you take it to the ref and they ask you what year the motor is. (yes, they literally ask you).

I've done it personally so I know it can be done . . .

 

theres a difference between BAR state ref and a smog tech at a smog check station

 

you should really be asking your local DMV about this... and be prepared to wait on the CA DMV line for more than a few minutes. =P i had to wait on line for than 30 minutes... and then the call was dropped after the first minute. what a PITA.

 

Has nothing to do with the DMV, these regulations are made by the Bureau of Automotive Repairs (BAR) and the Air Resources Board (CARB).

 

The stamp on the head has nothing to do with it.

The first digit of the serial # on the block. <---USDM motor--- GSR(B18c1) and Type R(B18c5) blocks

If starts with the following #
1 = 94
2 = 95
3 = 96
4 = 97
5 = 98
6 = 99
7 = 00
8 = 01
0 = DOT Approved Replacement for 94-01

So save your self the trouble. not worth it.

 

What? The year the head was cast is stamped on the head. It is usually the same year the car was sold or the year before. Either way is head will be stamped 97 or 98 and if they actually know to look there he will fail.

 

The date code cast on the head is the year of the head was cast. And Yes I do agree USUALLY sometimes very very very very little though.
A early 2001 car is made in nov/dec of 2000 the head stamp will show 2000 so does that make it a 2000 yr engine No.
however if the car is 2000 and cast show 2000 then you would be right.
and one last thing if the 1996 block got a new head cast date 1998 does that make it a 1998 block again No.

 

lol I just said the same thing. It is either the year the car was sold or the year before if it was built the year before. Either way the Ref will know the engine is not made in 2000 since is will be stamped 97 or 98. Btw how do you think the Ref figures out which year a jdm motor is? Last I checked jdm motors do not have a vin.

Also did you even read the question I answered? Someone asked if there is another way to tell what year the motor is and I said that the year is stamped on the head. No one was talking about swapping the head or whatever else you are rambling about.

 

yea pretty much...just gotta stay away from the inspection stations with converted obd's and testpipes..lol