TheBen

Hey! OK, this one isn't mine but its a close friends. He bought a 1983 Euro SC in Colorado a few months ago but is having trouble registering it in California. The problem is California smog. The car will pass the tailpipe no problem but the smog referee at the technical college downtown says it needs a 'sticker' or a letter from the importer that federalized it 27-years ago. Does that sound right?

What can he do to get this thing registered? Otherwise he'll just register it in a more lenient state...

Edgy01

That is not unusual. California is very strict about emissions, thus you just don't hear about ZZZ cars coming (for long!) into the state.

As a grey market car in 1983, the owner was supposed to import according to DOT and EPA rules. DOT meant adding side door beams, changing lighting, etc. EPA meant adding the requisite SMOG gear applicable in 1983.

The major reason that so many 911s came into the USA during that time frame was because of a favorable (for the USA citizens) exchange rate against the Deutsche Mark. You could buy a brand new 911SC in Germany for significantly less than one obtained through your local Porsche/Audi dealership in that era. For example, by 1986, you could purchase a new 930 Turbo for about $22,000 in Europe, but if you chose to buy one through your dealership in the USA it would cost you about $50,000.

TheBen

It passes smog but doesn't have the B.A.R. sticker from 1983 presumably because it wasn't registered here in '83 here. Oh well. Guess this is going to be registered in another state...

jaeger86

There is a registered importer in the LA area than can do this but it will cost. First he will have to make sure the car has had the DOT upgrades and then certify, then he has to make it pass the CARB (California Air Resources Board) requirements. These can be simple or costly depending on what it needs. I had to do this to a 1986 Carrera which was painful at the time but the car has been trouble free for the ten years I have had it so I am okay with it. Curt