FYI (it seems that maybe you at least don't HATE the LS1) many people have passed emissions with the ls1 swap. In fact, it may be easier than passing with a modded rotory. Also, I would double the suspension mod price in the earlier post to $2000.
Dan

 

Depends what sort of emissions you have to pass. In California it's basically impossible to pass unless you can pretend with a straight face that the engine is of a type that might have possibly come in the car stock, or in the same model but newer. But you have to meet the emissions requirements of the engine's year. So, you can probably get away with a JDM engine (not that that makes any difference on a rotary) but probably not with a V8. Also you have to have all the original factory smog equipment or CARB certified replacements. So you can put a 2nd gen 13B in a 1st gen as long as you use mostly factory parts. God only knows why these laws are in place, they just make people use tricks to get around the process instead of getting them to build actual non polluting cars which is frankly not that difficult.

In some states you only have to pass a sniffer test, or nothing. You can make anything pass a sniffer test and obviously nothing is easiest of all

 

Well Said.

 

Where Im at you have to pass a dyno smog, but some things still pass for the right price

 

Everything passes for the right price.

 

You could have it shipped. I bought one of my cars in CA and had it shipped to me in Iowa. I told the guy I would give him his asking price (it was fair) if we could split the shipping. Total shipping bill was something like $800. I guarantee you can't build that car for $20k, or even the $24k he's asking with those wheels. With having the Power FC you could make it pass emissions once you add a cat ($300) and an airpump ($150). People have passed emissions in CA with HBP motors, so a streetport shouldn't be to hard. If I was looking for a FD that car would get serious consideration. If you're really looking for the 'best' option for $20k or so, you'll have a hard time finding something better. There is always going to be something that you don't care for about other peoples cars (it's the hood for me in this case), but you have to consider the overall package. Good luck!

 

First off, there is no way to get an airpump on that car (or at least not a Mazda one) with the installed IC design. The piping is directly in the location of the IC piping.

Second, he'd never pass visual inspection with that car anyways (not legally that is).

*IF* he is really serious about this (and I still think he is looking at the car for ALL the wrong reasons), he should look for one with stock or modified twins. He'll have an easier time with CA emissions that way.

 

I'm not saying this is what I would do, but by far the easiest and the cheapest way to beat both of your buddy's cars would be to just buy someone else's monster car. I sold my single turbo monster for just under $15k. I sold it with a stack of reciepts that totalled $52K.
At the time, I was moving around a lot, living in an urban area, which sucks *** for sports cars, and the car was so modded that it was just loud and obnoxious...it had become more of a pain in my ***, so I just dumped it. It was also a finished project so there was nothing left for me to do.
There are plenty of people who build a car simply for the fun of building a car and then get bored......you just need to research the car and make sure you are buying one that was built correctly......but that is far and away the cheapest and easiest way to get to the end result that you are looking for.

Not saying that is what I would do, although in the future I may think about it....you just have to realize you are buying someone else's car.....you didn't build it, and its pretty cool to be able to know that you built the car and you are the reason it is so badass

 

If I wanted to buy that car lagit it would be one hell of a head ache. To bring a car into CA is a lot harder than it is in any other state. Plus I dont like the hood, and I really dont care for the color, which isnt cheap to fix.. It is a nice car but just not worth the effort for me thats all.

 

Hey I don't see a cat costing anyone $300....I'm sure there are people on here who will sell you there's for $10.....I would have given mine away

But I agree with mahjik on this one ^

 

this is exactly the reason I am going with BNR stage 3 twins for my 13b-rew fc swap project.

 

Hmm,

I would think in the 20k range, you could theoretically find a Single Turbo RX7 with High HP (400-500 range) with a ported and recently (<10k) rebuilt motor in decent condition with a bunch of mods . Granted the HP at that high with a single turbo would be best be tuned with a mix of race gas and/or an AI system.

20k - Go for the Single Turbo, low miles rebuild (1.5k-8k), High performance mods (Standalone ECU/bigger injectors/cooling/upgrade fuel etc..)
2k - Fix any minor issues with the car (There's always some) and get any missing gauges (EGT/AF/Temp) and get a quality AI system and you should have a very competitive car...

There are lots of options.

Good Luck!

 

Yeah that has crossed my mind, but does anyone know of someone that can "help" me get it smogged in northern CA?

 

https://www.rx7club.com/a-31/

 

man thats a lot fo stuff to read.

 

Just ask in the West forum for help with emissions testing/passing. That's why we have the geographic sections there for people to ask questions that apply to specific geographic locations (i.e. CA emissions).

 

i didnt read everything, just a few on the first page. Go FC. You can buy upgrades cheaper and you'll have WAY more room in the engine bay. 20G is enough to build a bad *** motor and turbo kit plus suspension.

If you are really stuck on an FD I'd find one with no motor and a nice body (shouldnt be hard). But your still gonna spent more than 20g on it. check out CosmoKramer s FD. He paid for a top notch FD only to find it was a forged dyno sheet and the enigne blew soon after he bought it. I'd never buy one of these based off a previous 'rebuild' but rather have it done myself so i KNOW what has been done.

just a few cents from me