Engine purchasing mistake?????

[flotowngtm]

I just purchased my motor last month. Its a LSX ( the true Iron Block GM aftermarket ) 454 from Mast Motorsports. Its has not even shipped but I think I have already run into a snag with this choice. I just picked up a copy of Kit Car magazine from the PX. Read the Tag and Title Tool Box article and found that the SEMA based legislation just passed in Texas starting September 1 2011. From what I have read and understood I think that its good for the Roadsters but bad for GTM's like mine. Under this Legislation the vehicle has to be smog tested for the year it replicates. Like a 33 hot rod has to hold up to the standards that a real 33 Ford did in 1933. But a GTM has to be tested to the same standards as any other vehicle of the year its titled. So mine would be a 2012-13. And something tells me that a fire breathing 710hp 454 will not pass a emissions test! I don't know maby it will but I am thinking that there is no way! So I really dont know that to do. Is there some way that I can tag and title the car in Texas without having to get it tested????

Maby some of the guys that have checked in to this in Texas can chime in. Also I would like to know what the guys in Texas that already have tags on there cars will have to do at renewal? Will you have to pass the test then? Just to let you know I have only lived in Texas for 3 months. And am in Kuwait right now.

I would have posted this in Engine choices and lessons learned.... by anton but I thought it might be a thread hijack!

[crash]

I think you can get it to pass the sniff test by just putting on cats and retuning, but the visual will be near impossible to pass at 2012-2013 standards.

Not sure in Texas, but in CA if the vehicle doesn't resemble any current model then it is exempt and considered a "special construction" vehicle. The trick in CA is that they initially ask you if you want to be considered for smog rules under body style or engine year. If you answer engine year, then they look up the manufacturing codes on the engine and you have to meet engine build year standards. If you say body style, then you must meet body style standards, but in the GTMs case, the only thing close is a 66 GT40, but since that too is a stretch, it simply becomes not recognizable and is exempted.

Sorry I couldn't be more help for TEXAS, but I thought it might give you some thoughts knowing what happens over here.

[ArtGirl]

An acquaintance registered his build in Texas a few months ago and the process was so simple for him that it made me jealous. Looks like that has now changed. I guess SB100 in California isn't so bad after all.

[flotowngtm]

My guess is that right now no one in Texas has gone through this since September 1
Prior to that I heard it was easy.

[ram_g]

My guess is that right now no one in Texas has gone through this since September 1
Prior to that I heard it was easy.

Not sure I get this last statement.

I've actively followed the progress of the SEMA legislation in Texas, and the gist of it is accurate per your original post in that it allows replicas to be titled as the model year that they replicate. Prior to this they had to be titled as "assembled vehicles" with the model year either as the year of assembly, or the year stated on the manufacturer's certificate of origin. The SEMA legislation does not change this, it only adds the provision for replicas and street rods. So AFAIK there is no change for something like the GTM. So your question really should be how did the GTM guys ever get their cars titled in Texas such that they could avoid emissions testing? Per my understanding of the Texas process, this is/was not possible, regardless of SEMA legislation.

Also just BTW, while the SEMA bill was supposed to be effective Sep 1, it has not yet been implemented. See:
http://www.txdmv.gov/publications/bulletins/2011/043-11.htm

[flotowngtm]

I have been misinformed, when I was at the Killeen DMV getting my drivers license changed over I had a brief discussion with the lady that was doing my license about the process of getting a tag and title on my GTM. She told me that I would not need to get a emissions test done on this vehicle. Maby she did not completely understand me at the time. She gave me some paperwork that I didnt bring over here with me and talked about the inspection process but said no emissions test. So when I read this SEMA legislation I was under the impression that Texas did not require the test to be done on a GTM but would starting September 1. Make since now.
With that said is there anyway to get around the emissions test in Texas? And how stringent is it. I swear there is a 600+hp GTM I seen on this forum somewhere with Texas tags on it.

[ram_g]

Let me ask this - are emissions tests required for any vehicle in Killeen? My understanding (may be wrong) is that Texas in general did not have any (or at least had very superficial) emissions testing - except in the "EPA non-attainment areas" of Houston+suburbs, Dallas+suburbs, and Austin+suburbs. Sorry I wasn't clear on this in my last post. AFAIK it is just about impossible to title a GTM in these areas because of the emissions rules, but elsewhere in Texas there is no issue. (Again I may be wrong; I haven't probed too deeply because it is a moot point where I live just outside Houston.)

[flotowngtm]

I see, I thought everything was state wide as it is in other states. I didn't bring any vehicles to Texas as of yet. I just moved some things there when I was on leave. I didn't have time to drive my vehicles there and register them in the 2 weeks I was home. I just asked a friend that was stationed at Ft Hood he said that he didn't remember getting his car emissions tested there. So maby I wont have to get it tested????

[ram_g]

OK, here's the definitive answer - you do NOT need to get ANY vehicle emissions tested in Killeen, Bell County, TX. See:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/item_insp.asp

Where I live, in Fort Bend County, I would be unable to register a GTM legally unless it had a modern powerplant WITH OBD-II CONTROLS AND AN OBD-II INTERFACE PLUG. The SEMA legislation (when implemented) will allow me to register the replica of an older model in that model year, hence avoiding emissions testing as well.

[crash]

Just an FYI, all crate engine GMPP ECUs are OBD II.

[Richard Oben]

It is a replica of a 66 Ford GT 40, there are people who got around the emission etc by using that registration. HTH, Richard.

[flotowngtm]

I didnt know you could do that, I mean we all know that it has a lot of GT40 traits but seeing how FFR went there own way on a lot of the design I just didnt know we had that option! Thanks

Crash, Yea I was really thinking about going with a LS 3-7 but I thought it would be much cheaper for me personally to go with that built aftermarket motor. I was looking for around 700hp as reliable and cheap as possible. Maby I should have just threw in a LS-3, titled it. And then slapped in some twin turbos;)

[crash]

Bottom end probably wouldn't handle it on an LS3. Cast pistons and powdered rods. ;) Lucky if you get 550 out of it reliably...IMHO.

[The Stig]

It is a replica of a 66 Ford GT 40, there are people who got around the emission etc by using that registration. HTH, Richard.

I've always thought the nose resembled the GT40, but that's about it...

[Fraser D]

I didnt know you could do that, I mean we all know that it has a lot of GT40 traits but seeing how FFR went there own way on a lot of the design I just didnt know we had that option! Thanks

Crash, Yea I was really thinking about going with a LS 3-7 but I thought it would be much cheaper for me personally to go with that built aftermarket motor. I was looking for around 700hp as reliable and cheap as possible. Maby I should have just threw in a LS-3, titled it. And then slapped in some twin turbos;)

Nothing wrong with a couple of hair dryers! :p

[Mark Dougherty]

I dont know but I do believe in TX The GTM is really just a GT40 :cool: there is nothing in writing that says how close of a replica it has to be.
I guess it is how someone reads the rules
.
later
mark D

[Richard Oben]

Take an overhead shot of each with you and it will be fine. It uses the same windscreen, is mid engine, and has radiator exhausting through the hood. Good enough for a state inspector. It has been done already. HTH, Richard.