engine swapping in ca Options

[Stallion]

ok... so i wanted to do the 3sgte swap. i have a 94 gt hatchback. from what i understand reading the other threads it just drops right in.

just found out though cause i live in nazi germany, i mean california thats an illegal engine. what the hell.

so can anyone recommend a legal engine swap for me living out here? preferably a factory installed turbo engine? i wanna upgrade intake as well, short ram or cold air depending on the engine. i just want like 3 hundred horses... ya know.

[6strngs]

I looked into this too when I blew the engine in my 6gc. I also live in california, so I'm in the same predicament. I figured the oly way to do it would be to get a USDM engine block from 94-95 MR2, a USDM head from any 90-95 mr2 or alltrac, and USDM itake manifold, throttle body, and EGR system from any 90-95 mr2 or alltrac, also a USDM ECU. Then everything else could be JDM or USDM. Then take it to a smog referee, and tell him it's an engine swap from a 94-95 MR2 (whichever year your block was from). He won't have anyway to know the rest of the stuff wasn't from a 94-95 since it isn't stamped like the block is. Then, he'll check it out to make sure you still have all the smog equipment on there that the car orignally came equipped with, and then he'll give you a sticker to put in your door jamb. You now have a street legal 3sgte. I figured the total cost would be about $3500-5000 to gather all the parts to complete the swap.

Option B is, buy a JDM front clip from a 90-93 alltrac for like $2200 or so. and get a USDM head, intake manifold, throttle body and EGR system for ~$500. Then take it to the referee and tell him it's from a 94 MR2. Then cross your fingers that he doesn't check the numbers on the block, which apparently they rarely do. If he doesn't check, it'll be legal. if he does, you'll need to find one, quick... total cost for this would be about $2500-4000.

I decided it wasn't worth it to me, so I went and bought an alltrac for $2500. now I not only have a street legal 3sgte, but AWD