engine mods

[Tiburon]

Well here is the dilemma.....I live in Lovely California and the smog nazis will scrutinize my 76 280z until 2005 (rolling 29 year old vehicles become exempt)

So.....should i stick with the planned mild rebuild and buildup? or should I get that zx turbo engine and T5 5 speed swap and go nuts and build up a 300+ hp turbo car? (and wait to drive it until the car is exempt?)

V8's are out of the question as good handling and not butchering the body of the car are key.

provided I can find the turbo power plant(which I have).....how much would I look to spend in getting this car up there? LSD and intercooler are in the plans too.

I would like some opinions from those who actually have running and fine tuned L28ET series turbo powerplants.

thanks

R

[Ben]

Go stock turbo, and pass the inspections.

Then go crazy after 2005!

[240ZMan]

I had heard that in CA when an engine is swapped in that is NEWER than the body, the engine year (not body year) becomes what the smog is measured against.

I don't live in California anymore, but I'd check that out before getting too far down the road on your plans.

BTW, hope I'm wrong!

Daniel

[blitzkraig]

Well they can't enforce that if they don't know you swapped in a later motor

[Tiburon]

Blitzkraig,

we gotta get together and check on my options here.....

Where would you take the car for a smog? Know of any spacey smog techs that wouldn't notice?

Heck the way it runs now, the techs smile and shake their heads as soon as I pull up for a smog.

I know it wouldn't be so obvious since the I-6's look pretty much the same.

[mandtw]

I know of a couple of places in the Lancaster / Palmdale area that are modified freindly........For a small donation.