SB-100: How to make the built trucks CA legal

[rdc]

Hello, this is just an FYI of how to make the built up trucks officially CA
street legal without worrying about the smog checks, which is also what I plan
to use for a near future (I hope! depends on AJ) Baja Shop built prerunner w/
motor from Ford Performance Solutions (aka Pacific Performance) (I apologize
beforehand if it's already been discussed):

Although it's primarily for kit car owners, anyone with a specially constructed
vehicle including trucks can take advantage of Senate Bill 100 which adds code
section 44017.4 to the Health and Safety Code, essentially stating that a
owners of a specially constructed vehicle can choose whether they want to smog
their vehicle based on the body or the engine. What this means is that the
referee will try to match whichever option you choose to the closest production
model and failing that will default it to a 1960 year. So basically, if you
have a new body style but with an old style motor, or a modern but custom
motor, you would choose the engine option.

There are two caveats:
1) you need to qualify as a specially constructed vehicle (link provided below)
which means essentially built from ground up, i.e. new chassis or new body, or
something 80% not stock as a whole. For example, a kit car using a Fiero
chassis with a lamborgini body and a chevy 350 engine, another would be a
prerunner where the only thing stock is the cab body and a portion of the frame.

2) only 500 vehicles a year are allowed this

The basic process is this:
1) go to DMV with the finished truck, and ask to register as a specially
constructed vehicle also informing them of SB100. Ask for the forms (I forget
exactly which ones, but one of them is reg 256). If they're unfamiliar with
the process, ask them to contact the main office in Sacramento. They will also
have one of their tech guys go out and inspect the truck (i.e. has proper
lights, etc) and then they will issue a temporary license for 30 days.

2) go to CHP with the stuff from DMV and the VIN officer will inspect for
ownership and issue you a new VIN. I spoke with the officer in the culver city
office and he said all you need to do is keep a good detailed paper trail--so
all the receipts and what not (if you use the cab of a existing truck, show
your title or where you purchased if from junk yard, etc).

3) go to a BAR office and mention SB100 and which option. I spoke with a
referee (and a guy in the main BAR office in sacramento) who has had many cars
come in for it and basically the attitude was just come in and get exempt :)
However, you do need some things.. I think a PCV and a for it to be "testable".
What this means is that they need be able to put it on the dyno and officially
log the results and the machine can only test under a certain idle. The referee
told me that he has had people come in with full blown race engines but the
idle RPM was too high for the machine to beginning testing (but he just required
them to come back with that adjusted to a "normal" idle--assuming those engines
can make enough vacuum down low without stalling)

4) go back to DMV for official registration and you'll be issued a SPCNS #
(Specially Constructed Vehicle Certificate of Sequence) or sequence number.

Here's the DMV page:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm
(currently shows 280 out of 500 slots left as of today).

Here's the CA vehicle code page defining a specially constructed vehicle--look
for #580:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=veh&group=00001-01000&file=100-680

Here's the CA health and safety code page that has the results of SB100 in
section 44017.4 :
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=hsc&group=44001-45000&file=44010-44025

And here's the story behind Senator Johannessen, a car buff himself, who
authored SB100:
http://popularmechanics.com/automotive/opinion/2001/11/senator_likes_car_hobby/

An interesting excerpt:
"Johannessen: I have several cars, among them a 1970 Camaro specially
constructed for and successfully raced in the 1982 Cannonball Express (New York
to San Francisco). Among notable aftermarket modifications are a 9-in. Ford
stock-car rear end and a Gale Banks 350 twin-turbo V8 pushing 650-plus hp. I
also have a 1974 Lotus Super 7 with a Lotus big-valve twin-cam engine and twin
Weber carbs. It's balanced and blueprinted with a competition clutch and
transmission--it's fast and fun! Then there's my 1947 chopped Ford "Rod" with
all modern conveniences. It's used frequently for commuting to the State
Capitol. I have a 1982-vintage Lamborghini Countach replica full of aftermarket
parts that was photographed for a front page and centerfold in Specialty Car
Magazine [May 1993]. And lastly, one of my favorites is a 1997 Dodge Viper GTS
used to satisfy my speed and power needs. The rest of my cars are fairly
normal--just some turbo tweaking here and there. I also have a '66 Cobra. It's
an excellent reproduction, but I wish, in my next life, for an original Shelby.
One can only dream."

[Chris_Wilson]

Bingo - that's how my class 8 is legally registered. The cab and frame rails were pulled
off the assy line for the Rough Rider support program and never had VIN numbers.
Or you could do this with a full tube frame construction as Mark Newhan has done.
So the car was granted a year 2000 Special Construction VIN number, had to meet
brake and light inspections and was given a lifetime smog exemption based on the
engine which is a Leon Patten 430" small block SVO endurance race motor.
See you at the Baja 1000 start line!

[YotaWhoopRunner]

Has anybody recently tried to accomplish this status lately? I have tried to register my truck under this provision, but was stopped since I am using an 86 frame eventhough i have tacoma glass. Any comments or experiences would be appereciatied.

[SpareChangeRacng]

Thanks for posting that! I was just gonna start looking/searching through the old threads for that info (was posted about a year ago), anyways - just whay I was looking for. Steve

[YotaWhoopRunner]

It might be harder that it seems... I'm not sure what motor you would have to have to make it default to 1960. SInce I have a newer body style, but an 86 engine, I would still have to follow 86 smog standards.

[SpareChangeRacng]

Bringin the dead back to life here...
I have been researching this a bit again since I am considering putting a 351w in the truck instead of the supercharged 3.8 I've got now. After reading this and many other writeups I am concerned it is not possible.
JimVeta says he spoke w/ the bar guy and they were typically cool w/ just a PCV. My experience was different than them ever being "just cool" with anything. When swapping my 3.8L I passed the sniffer test the 1st time out, but had to make 6 more trips back to the smog nazi's for the visual. At one point I was failed because a solenoid was a generic part and did not have the ford name on it.
I'm worndering if Jim is still here, and if so - have you tried to register your truck yet? I know you had an SVO block going in it, so did that default to a '73 and were you able to pass, or not? Also, what BAR did you go to? I seem to remeber your truck being at Baja Shop, so that makes me believe you are semi local. I've been to both the Irvine, and Fullerton (not sure if it's there anymore) BAR and both were not super lenient - just wondering if your luck was any different.

I guess it all boils down to the same thing that was posted above - Has anybody done this successfully yet?

[partybarge_pilot]

The earlyist a 3.8 was made was 83 I think. So that would be the earlyist year you could use as a "production motor".

351W = 1969

Leon Patton motor = non production = defualt 1960

If yo go with the 351W the smog will be for the 69 year. PVC and TAC only.....
Be shure to tell them it's a 69.....

[SpareChangeRacng]

Thanks for the help.
I already have the 3.8L smog legal - I was using my experience w/ the BAR and getting that passed as part of the story.
I am interested in doing a 351W but was unsure on the 1st production date (sounds like '69 according to you which is good), and how feasable it would be to get one w/ a completely STOCK emissions system to pass the BAR. I have read posts on here and other pages while researching this and was excited, and thinking I could pull it off until I read the following...
http://www.cobratrader.com/registrationCA.html
I had heard that the default date for an engine they can't find a # on is 73, but if it is 1960 that would be even better. According to the cobra guy, the smog nazi's would require all STOCK smog stuff, plus a VIN # from an original California car, and a bill of sale linking the motor # to that car.
Read the cobra guys description on what is needed for 1965 and earlier engines, 1966-1973 engines, and so on. It seems like a lot more than what people on here are saying. I was just hoping to speak w/ someone who has actaully done it to get it straight for the horses mouth so to speak. I sould love for the BAR guys to be as cool as people in this post are making them sound, but the truth of the matter is they are NOT. I was failed before because a part I was using did not have the ford logo on it (worked the same - cost 5x less). I am nervous that situations like this would be exaggerated in trying for a SB100 smog.

[ntsqd]

While it's true that '69 was the first year for the 351W, that doesn't mean you'll be able to simply tell them it's a '69 and have it labled as such. Ford p/n's have their date of original manufacture and the original application encoded in them. The Ref's have the means to figure this out of they care to or if there's a question.

Typical Ford p/n: C8AE-12022-A
"C" means the 1960 era; "8" means 1968; AE is the original application, 12022 is what the part is (i.e. fuel pump, distributor, wiper arm, etc.); and the "A" is the revision number.

On the Windsor blocks almost directly over the starter is the casting number. That will tell the Ref, if he/she cares to look, when the block was cast and if it was intended to be a truck engine or a car engine.

What the ref is looking for is that you "Match the Configuration" of the engine year you are claiming it to be. So, if you are claiming that the engine is a 1969 engine, it had better have EVERY emissions device that the engine would have come with in 1969. Obviously those devices must also be functional.

I recently went thru the similar engine swap process with a TransAm's LS1 in a Jeep Wrangler (Yes, it hauls booty). Because this was an OBD II engine we had to have the VIN from the donor (it's actually loaded in the PCM)., but that is the first I've heard of needing it for a non OBD II engine. The stolen parts angle does make sense though.
The BAR ref I delt with (in Oxnard) was cool to the limit that the rules would let him be. At first he was stand-offish until he saw that I/we were trying to work with the sytem and not work over the system.

In your case it would be very KEY to get in the first 500 of each year. About 300-320 are already gone this year. Don't remember what eh vehicle is, but going "Bodystyle" in your case might pay off.

Remember that you can not regress. You can not put a '65 engine in a '69 body and get it smog legal. You can put a '69 engine in a '65 though.

[partybarge_pilot]

Correct, I was just stating the earliest possible dates for the engines he had. The 69-72? 351w blocks also have a shorter deck hieght (.020). Finding old blocks is getting harder for the 351's. he would have a better time finding a 289 (64&up). All mountings are the same and easily swapped laterfor a real motor. I have several of each squriled away for a rainy day projects......... I also have a fontana blocked motor for sale.......

[SpareChangeRacng]

I understand the newer motor in the newer car thing as I had to find a 90 or newer 3.8 to put in my 89 ranger. The beauty of SB100 is that if the vehicle is 80% custom of more (mine is = full tube frame w/ most of an 89 ranger ex-cab welded to it) the owner can choose to smog by bodystyle or motor #. This is the whole reason I am looking for a 74 or older motor. After I go to the BAR and they record that I have the engine in there in stock configuration I do not have to do any more smog checks - ever!
I also understand the engine # thing and the fact that the BAR guys want a completeely stock and matching motor, which is what gets me worried. I was going to try and find a stock, complete 351w motor IN a late 60's or early 70's car which had not had the motor swapped out (good luck - I know). I was going to put this in the truck and run it through the registraton process, then once registered legally, and marked as a pre 74 motor (meaning no more smog check - yea!) I'd pull the motor and do some work. I am just realizing how hard it will be to find a stock block, or complete setup from something that old.
I never thought about the 289 route... since there were more 289's and since they started making um earlier it might be easier to find one.
Anyone have any good leads on finding a complete, STOCK motor w/ everything (stock carb, air filter, etc)? It has to be 74 or older and 351w, 302, or 289 will work as of now.

[ntsqd]

I don't think the Ref is going to check the vintage of every little part. If you find an age unknown air filter can that looks like the one that would have come on your engine, that will probably fly. Muscle Car mags are a great source for finding out what it looked like stock. A 289 is a rare beast any more. There were a lot more 302's built than 289's. Wouldn't waste my time specifically looking for one since you don't need one to be correct for a restoration.

My thinking, & I could be wrong, is that truck engines are less likely to have had things monkeyed with. My reasoning is that trucks of that era were work vehicles and not hot rods. So they may have minor things changed b/c it was easier or simpler to do it that way, but they will generally have more of the correct parts on them.
May be worth your while to buy a running truck rather than trying to find a completer in the JY's, or trying to piece together a completer from multiple trips to the JY's.

A further twist in what you can do. LEt's say you put the 5.0 SEFI on a '70 302 engine. That is an "Upgrade", not an engine swap. The stds & equip. reqmts for the '70 engine still apply. I would not complicate your SC's trip to the Ref with this, but it is handy to know.

[Ryno]

Keep in mind...it's AT LEAST 80% non stock. I don't think the ref is going to care about Tacoma glass. He's going to be more concerned about the overall stock content on the truck. A good example of this is Greg's (United Prerunners) ranger. It could probably pass, with the back end of the frame gone, and fully caged. You pretty much need to have a full tube chassis, keep the stock frame under the cab. 500 vehicles a year is alot, a nice attitude helps much more as well.

[SpareChangeRacng]

Thom - I think you've got my plan now. I am looking for a complete and running 289, 302 or even 351. It just needs to be 74 and older and as close to still being stock as I can find. Oh and plus it needs to be out of a car that was originally legal for sale in the state of califonia.
I understand the air filter and little parts can be non stock, but the majority of the engine and it's components must be STOCK for the BAR to pass it. I like the idea of looking for a truck, hadn't really thought of that. I had considered buying a running car though as then I would have pretty much everything I needed minus whatever stock parts the owner has replaced.
The plan is to get the stock motor in and run it througth the SB100 registration process w/ the engine in STOCK configuration so I KNOW it will pass, Then after I get the registration I can pull it out and modify it to my liking (looks like a 377 stroker as of now).

On another note - forget the 3.8L SC - that thing is done. I've had a BAR sticker on it for over a year now. It's all legal and no longer a worry. I could run it in the truck w/ no problems, but I'm not sure I want to anymore. It made the ranger FLY in it's old state, but now it's got more susp. and less balls which is where this whole 351W thing came in. http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Ryno - I'm not sure where you got tacoma glass from, but I am doing a complete rebuild on the truck (full tube frame w/ just a cab skin) so it will be more than 80% custom. The truck has kind of snowballed (went from equal length beams and a cage to full tube frame, 3 link and a-arms), and now I am thinking I will need more motor than my 3.8. I'm not sure Gregs would pass for 80% custom (some frame, stock motor, stock cab, etc.) but mine definately surpasses the 80% mark. That is not the worry though - getting the motor past the BAR is.

This whole thing has gotten confusing. I guess JimVeta is not around any more to ask how (if he ever made it) the BAR thing went. I will continue to look for a complete, as near stock as possible, and pre '74 289, 302, or 351. If anybody has any leads please let me know.

Oh, and Thom - do you mind if I PM you for the Oxnard BAR info when I get this thing straightened out? The guys I dealt with up here weren't that helpful.

[ntsqd]

They don't know where you're calling from when you call for an appointment. If you say Carpenteria they're going to send you to the Santa Barbara area ref, if you say Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula, or Camarillo they'll send you to the Oxnard ref. Doesn't matter to the system which ref you go to.

Being early (I was unavoidably late to the first appointment) and having your ducks in a row when you get there makes bonus points. Sounds like you have that idea.

I won't say that the Ref in Oxnard is a peach and amazingly compliant, but considering how he could have been I was happy with his approach.

[transformed]

what about something newer say a supercharged Ford 5.4 being put into a Explorer Sportrac, how would that be smogged? Does it matter if it has a fuel cell or not?

[SpareChangeRacng]

For something like that you'd have to do the swap and then go to the BAR to get it oked. They would give you a sticker with a bar code that is placed on the truck and canned and used as the smog guidelines for that car.

[ntsqd]

I doubt the Ref will care about the fuel cell, but he/she will inspect that ALL of the fuel tank Emissions related hardware is hooked up & functional.

You also can't go backwards, You can not put a '02 engine in an '03 vehicle. You also can not put a heavy duty engine (3/4t & heavier) in a light duty vehicle (pass cars & <\=1/2t's)

[Junior]

What a bunch of _________ designed to regulate the way you guys live your lives. What ever happened to the goal here? Is it not cleaner air? How about test the exhaust to see if it passes some standard and leave it to that? I wonder how many people are employed in the CA Govt to create, monitor and handle all these regulations. What a mess.

Jr

[phorensic2k]

I agree, what's wrong with passing a sniffer test and leaving it at that? Does it really matter if my engine is a 1983 in a 1996 truck if the emissions numbers are perfect??

[transformed]

so im not sure if i heard right but i wouldnt be able to put a f-150 engine into a Sportrac and does it make a difference if the engine is an 03 and the sportrac isnt

[ntsqd]

You got it, Junior! It's about people control to at least some degree. See, we the people are not fit to make any important decisions for ourselves, that is why we elect others to make laws that require that we wear seatbelts in cars and helmets on motorcycles. As a bonus those 'feel good' laws help get that guy re-elected. Must be because he's doing such a good job of protecting us from ourselves.

The clincher is that the CA Air Resources Board (CARB) has at least once issued policies that fit thru a loophole, but contradicted what the legislature sent them. The Legislature had to pass a new law basically saying "NO, You will not do it your way, You will do it OUR way."
From that and other articles on them I get the impression that CARB is out to save us from oursleves, whether we like it or not. The head guy would appear to have a very autocratic attitude. Not a good thing in an un-elected official of such power.

The problem with just a sniffer test is that it's not real world. An engine's emissions are greatly influenced by if it is loaded and working vs. just idling.
Colorado used to have a similar system to what we have now, with one major difference. It didn't matter what was under the hood if it passed the numbers for that year vehicle on a chassis dyno. That made the most sense to me, but then Politicians got in the mix and screwed that up too.

[AZmiik]

Since a F-150 is a 1/2 ton truck that swap would be fine. As long as you don't try to put a Powerstroke or a V10 in a Sporttrac it would be ok.

Mike

[SpareChangeRacng]

Yeah - we Kalifornians get screwed right and left.
I guess you just gotta put up with some of the crap though.

Oh and fuel cells will NOT pass smog, or the BAR's eyes - not yet at least. Hopefully soon.

[transformed]

that would be funny though to see a v-10 in a sportrac

[ntsqd]

I should have asked the Ref about the cell issue. There is only one obscure law that I could see them possibly failing it for. Fed DOT has a drop test requirement for OEM tanks, and supposedly for aftermaket tanks made by outside vendors. If YOU make the tank, you are not required to comply with the test.

A fuel cell would take the drop and laugh about it. They're made to deal with far more serious impacts. However, no fuel cell maker that I know of has gone thru the test procedure. This is understandable since each application has to pass the test, not each model of tank.

So the Ref could deny based on that, if they care. The guy I delt with didn't ever really look at the AeroTank in the YJ.
The smog guys should have no issue with a fuel cell. If they do, they are going beyond their duty. This is assuming that all emissions equipment is properly operational. That includes using the stock filler neck or some other stock type filler neck with the restrictor in it.

[SANDlessNSeattle]

I sure don't miss all that crud down there..up here we have the old 25 yr+ rule (25+yrs no smog test req.) and the if it cost more than xxx dollars to fix then you get a waiver deal kinda the way CA was 20 yrs ago..also we have the rural area rule like AZ if you live in certain parts of the state then no smog test req. that's my favorite cause most of the wifes family lives in those areas so I'm just gonna register my junk at their addresses...good luck guys and happy motoring!!

[transformed]

so as long as you have to stock filler neck leading into the fuel cell there shouldnt be a problem? what if the fuel cell is exposed as it is in most prerunners, will it pass the visual?

[SpareChangeRacng]

The cells will NOT pass the visual. I'll see if I can find the thread about this I started a while ago.

[ntsqd]

Yea, I remember that being the case from that thread. I'd like to know what they'll basing that decision on. My previously stated reason is the only one I know of and I'm not sure that the Ref's are charged with enforcing that law. The Smog guys shouldn't be. My former Ref friend just renewed his Smog license. I'll ask him about it.

[SpareChangeRacng]

I've always been confused on the issue also, but have come out of all past discussions with the understanding that they (cells) will NOT pass the visual because the do not have a DOT or CARB cert. I am curious on wether they will be ok on a SB100 truck. I think they might be ok if using 73 or older engine (based on the cobra kit car link), but I wouldn't want to chance it. I think I will be running a stock ranger tank if/when I get this thing ready to show up to the BAR. I'll just put the cell back in after that visit.

[ntsqd]

Talked to my local friendly smog guy. My ex-ref friend was on an install. He said that they (smog check guys, not Refs) should have NO issues with it if all of the emissions equipment is present and functioning. No plugged off holes and no hose w/ nowhere to go. And that the restricted fill neck is the only way to fill the cell.

The next thing he said was, & I quote "There are a lot of A-H's in this business and some of them are very anal about what they do." So, bottom line is to find out who the true car guys near you go to for Smog Checks and go there.