1977 Toyota Celica - Cali 2AR Swap

Photos in the last post were visible yesterday, but are now down for me too.

Doing some cross-checking in a secret underground EPC with the exhaust manifold gasket part number, it looks like every 2AR exhaust manifold has roughly the same shape.  But some 1ARs got a tubular tri-Y header with a separate cat: https://www.ebay.com/itm/196655066073 (NMNA)

And at least one 1AR (2014+ Highlander of some kind) got a four into one like the tC catted piece, but with a straight pipe and remote cat:

I'm not sure what resources the smog referees have at their disposal.  If they are starting at a photo of an OEM manifold and integral cat, the 1AR piece is obviously different.  If they're just looking for OEM-looking parts and are OK with an approved cat, hooked up where it fits, these might work.  At least they could be modified to fit the car and not look patently chopped up if you were careful about it.

Sorry all for the photos. I still see them on my end but I will post them again in this. Here are the BAR rules

https://www.bar.ca.gov/consumer/smog-check-program/engine-changes

From other people, it seems that you are required to use a header/cat that exactly matches the vin of the engine and no modification can be done without an EO. I could cut up the header and see if I can make it look oem, but if I get caught, they basically put my inspection on pending and I cannot register my car correctly which is a big risk. Additional issue is the engine actually has to tilt toward the driver side by about 10 degrees, further pushing the header into the subframe and rack. In any case, the solution is custom headers so this swap would definitely be possible if I didn't live in this dumb state.

If the cat has to be OEM and in the OEM position, what about exhaust tubing immediately downstream of, and welded to, the cat? Could you lop that off and snake the tubing past the car?

I'm just not seeing a scenario in which the ref says that you must leave the entire exhaust system of the donor car intact and untouched. That would effectively render any swaps illegal unless the car accepted the entire donor exhaust system.

It might be worth talking to the ref before you go any farther. If you can show them what you are up against and demonstrate that you want to do this legally, rather than trying to sneak something past them, they may be helpful.

Oil pans aren't regulated. You might be able to tilt the engine toward the passenger side instead and adjust the oil pan and pickup (and probably also the engine and transmission interface) to suit.

I do not miss California. 

You may have more leeway than you realize to modify this stuff. Excerpts from the engine change guidelines (see PDF link from OP's BAR link above):

It will be interesting to hear the ref's interpretation of this. It certainly looks as though you have the freedom to make the swap fit the car, provided you leave all the donor stuff in the same functional location (e.g. sequential order and approximate distance from the engine) in the Celica as it was in the tC.

In reply to DarkMonohue :

AngryCorvair concurs

In reply to DarkMonohue :

I guess I read this in a different way, but what you are saying makes more sense. I will go ahead and call the ref station sometime and see whats up then. There is some hope. Thanks!

I would just call the California DMV. They're actually extremely helpful with these types of questions.

800-777-0133

When you hear the automated system and get through the initial language questions, just say "customer service" and answer yes when it asks if you want to speak with someone.

Also this:

https://asktheref.org/