Want to add smog junk...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Want to add smog junk...
I'm putting an LS1 (truck motor) in my 86 IROC that is currently in a 83 T/A Pace car (long story). The person that put it in the T/A removed all the smog "goodies" and put antique tags on the car. I'm in Virginia and you have limited miles per year you can put on a car with antique tags so I want to put regular plates on the car. The car won't have to go through emissions but we have to get inspections every year and you have to have all the smog junk on the car in order to pass inspection.
What do I need? What is the least restrictive?
What do I need? What is the least restrictive?
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 27,918
Likes: 2,448
Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: Want to add smog junk...
Kinda depends on what they "inspect" for.
The LS motors don't have air injection or EGR at all, so the AIR pump and all those tubes going into the manifolds, and the EGR solenoid & valve, aren't applicable. If you tell em it's a 2004 or whatever truck motor, they should be able to "inspect" it to those specs, not the "specs" for the sheet metal wrapped around it at the moment.
All you should need would be a good high-flow cat. Details would depend on your exhaust.
The LS motors don't have air injection or EGR at all, so the AIR pump and all those tubes going into the manifolds, and the EGR solenoid & valve, aren't applicable. If you tell em it's a 2004 or whatever truck motor, they should be able to "inspect" it to those specs, not the "specs" for the sheet metal wrapped around it at the moment.
All you should need would be a good high-flow cat. Details would depend on your exhaust.
Supreme Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,356
Likes: 15
From: northern VA
Car: 88 Sport Coupe Camaro
Engine: V6 2.8
Transmission: Borg-Warner T-5
Axle/Gears: RPO/GU6: 3.42
Re: Want to add smog junk...
In order to run antique tags in Virginia, you need to have a second car registered as a daily driver.
There is no specific fixed limit on how many miles you can run a car with antique tags in Virginia.
The Virginia antique vehicle restriction is as follows: Club events, exhibitions, and similar activities. Occasional pleasure driving, up to 250 miles from your home address.
Nobody jerry-rigs AIR pumps and EGR valves onto an LS motor to try to dupe an inspector into giving you a pass so you can run an LS-converted Third Gen as a daily driver with daily-driver plates and daily-driver inspection sticker.
Virginia is not a custom-car-friendly state.
If you drastically modify a third gen, you can apply for a whole new VIN number under umbrella of "replica vehicle."
Replica vehicles have to pass safety and emissions, and there is an annual mileage limit for replica vehicles.
See https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/vsa22.pdf
If you simply must have a mondo motor in a third gen in Virginia, your best bet is to put antique tags on it, and limit how freqently you drive it. Its just not gonna work out if its an attention-getter and you use it as your daily driver.
Frankly, if you can afford to pay what its going to cost to render a third-gen LS conversion into a sufficiently reliable and safe daily driver, you almost surely also have enough money to buy a $10K daily driver from Carmax to keep you under the radar with your super-modified hot rod.
There is no specific fixed limit on how many miles you can run a car with antique tags in Virginia.
The Virginia antique vehicle restriction is as follows: Club events, exhibitions, and similar activities. Occasional pleasure driving, up to 250 miles from your home address.
Nobody jerry-rigs AIR pumps and EGR valves onto an LS motor to try to dupe an inspector into giving you a pass so you can run an LS-converted Third Gen as a daily driver with daily-driver plates and daily-driver inspection sticker.
Virginia is not a custom-car-friendly state.
If you drastically modify a third gen, you can apply for a whole new VIN number under umbrella of "replica vehicle."
Replica vehicles have to pass safety and emissions, and there is an annual mileage limit for replica vehicles.
See https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/vsa22.pdf
If you simply must have a mondo motor in a third gen in Virginia, your best bet is to put antique tags on it, and limit how freqently you drive it. Its just not gonna work out if its an attention-getter and you use it as your daily driver.
Frankly, if you can afford to pay what its going to cost to render a third-gen LS conversion into a sufficiently reliable and safe daily driver, you almost surely also have enough money to buy a $10K daily driver from Carmax to keep you under the radar with your super-modified hot rod.
Last edited by W.E.G.; Oct 13, 2017 at 10:57 PM.