CA car on it's way to PA: let's talk smog/inspection

[blue plates]

I purchased a 1977 e21 a month ago and have been trying to get it running with the stock m10. Only hiccup is I have a stahl header installed and can't locate a stock exhaust manifold to swap to smog. This is all CA smog stuff, but in 11 months I'm moving to Monroeville,PA. I hear there's smog out there and it's one of the worst counties to smog in. Is there a 25 year rule or a way to get this car registered out there?

As of right now:
The car is titled a CA car but needs to pass smog to get tags here in CA.
I leave to PA next week, should I take my paperwork and try to get it registered in PA to avoid the hassle of trying to illegally smog it in CA?

[blue plates]

So.. No one knows?

[fight4life28]

I Live in PA, Were Definitely different then CA as in for all the restrictions in smog. We have 25 year thing like your saying but I think its if you do less then 5,000 miles or historic tags, But I'm honestly not sure. Just thought I would say something since you were asking a second time.

[markd248]

From what I hear of California's smog testing, I feel like you'd be better of in any other state.

Do you have cats after the header? If so, you should be fine to pass here in PA. Just take it to a shop that will appreciate the car and do what they can to get it to pass. My shop will run the car for a nice long while to heat everything up before smogging it. Look for someone who specializes in older imports or BMWs.

[blue plates]

I don't have cats, and I'll just have paperwork and title. I'm flying back to see my wife on Thursday. Should I try to get a classic plate although I don't have a PA license or address at the moment?

[DeckDub]

Monroeville's emission's test is the same as everyone else's in western PA, although not every county has an emissions program. Monroeville is in Allegheny county so yes you get emissions.

Without classic plates you have to get the OBD 1 emissions testing done, that involves a visual check, gas cap check, and they stick a probe up your tail pipe to check the gases coming out.

I have my PA emissions license and it can be hard to find shops with the proper equipment to do OBD 1 testing. Most do not have it and the ones that do have it they are often broken.

I only know of one shop near me that does them and its actually not that far from Monroeville.

I know nothing about cali smog testing, but without catalytic converters you will not pass emissions. Get a classic plate and you only get a visual test and no testing.

Good luck and welcome to PA it sucks here.

[blue plates]

Hahah thanks! I'm not looking forward to moving there. My wife makes five times what I will ever make so I'm going. With a visual test I'll still have to find a stock 77 exhaust manifold which is almost impossible. I have a cat, no idea of the condition.

[SmokeE30]

for a car that old to pass a visual you just need something that looks OEMish it does not have to be the correct part for that particular year or model, most places will pass you if it look like you have the emissions related components installed. nobody at the local garage is gonna know if your putting the wrong year manifold on your e21 because its likely that even if they did check they wouldn't know what a stock one looks like anyway.

that being said you can always get a antique or classic plate in pa and not be subject to inspection or emissions testing but there are restrictions associated with each.

[blue plates]

I have a header on the car, came that way. The only other manifold is the stock one. 77-79 e21s had a 2.0l that was changed to the 1.8l in 80 so I'm kinda fucked.

[DeckDub]

If you get classic or antique plates you will be fine, idk remember how old the car has to be for antique plates off hand, 30 years old maybe.

The amount of miles you can drive every year is restricted as well as the the time of day, with antique you can't drive at night, those kinds of things.

Long story short tho nobody even looks at that stuff and the shop(s) i worked at previously never did, with those types of plates most techs don't really care at that point.

[blue plates]

Good to know! I'll definitely be registering it as classic