How can anyone drive a 959?

[Paulporsche]

As with just about everyone here, I've enjoyed Wayne's recent acquisition of that beautiful 959, and his subsequent threads on its repair and modification.

Amidst all this, I began to wonder: how is it that someone can have a 959 in the USA? I don't live in CA, but I've heard alot about the Governator's rule regarding smog exemption, and obviously these cars are well past the 1976 deadline. I also seem to remember that they couldn't be registered in the states because they either hadn't been crash tested or didn't meet emissions regs. I even recall a story about Bill Gates and partner not being able to even have their cars grey market certified when new.

Anyway, what changed? Since I haven't lived in the states for over 30 years, I'm not always up to date on the laws. I'm glad for Wayne that he was able to get this car. I'm just surprised that he is able to actually drive it.

[lateapex911]

My knowledge is fuzzy, so somebody who actually knows will correct me in less than 2 posts, I bet...LOL, but..

I seem to recall that there was some new allowances for a "one time" exemption. Maybe that's the "end run" option?

[JayG]

In the county my car is registered in out here, I don't have emiisions and GA doesn't have safety inspections either.

You could own whatever you want basically but in some of the counties surrounding metro Atlanta they have emmisions which is just a sniffer test on the pre OBD II cars. Thats much easier to pass or "fool" I should say.

Have you ever seen Rain Man? Tom Cruises job was legalizing exotic around the late 80s and had a tough time with it in the movie. A bone stock 959 should pass with some effort.

[911nut]

A 959 can be imported under a recent federal law called essentially "show and display". Yearly mileage is very limited and the car must meet applicable emissions standards for the particular model year that the car ws manufactured in. The car is exempt from safety standards, though.

Last I heard, the 959 that Bill Gates tried to bring into the country in the '80's is still in the custody of United States Customs as he tried to do an end-around of the regs and this law wasn't on the books yet.

[Zeke]

Many 959's have been federalized by Bruce Canepa's shop in NorCal. He spent years getting the specs together and approved to put these cars on the street legally. I understand this involves quite a lot of work including adding internal door braces and tearing down the engine to install different pistons and other goodies. I'm sure that's the short list. You could google his name and find a lot of info.

I suspect any car sold in the US today would have to go thru registration processes that would weed out most of the gray market cars. And, as mentioned, there may be some places in the US that look the other way, but not CA from what I hear.

So, I suspect the ones you see have been thru the process.

[JayG]

Originally Posted by milt

I understand this involves quite a lot of work including adding internal door braces and tearing down the engine to install different pistons and other goodies. .

Safety standards make sense. Emissions makes sense. Piston configuration.....That doesn't. Why would the government care about the compression ratio or power output?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by JayG

Safety standards make sense. Emissions makes sense. Piston configuration.....That doesn't. Why would the government care about the compression ratio or power output?

I did some googleing and info does not abound. So, let me not state any mis truths. One tid bit says he changed the sequential turbo system to twins. I think Wayne's is still stock, then. I really don't know. But, other info indicates that a federalized car by Canepa has MORE HP than the original.

The point is, standards were approved to make these cars that are in the US street legal. John Dixon is reportedly the first to do so and Andial may have done others. I have seen them there before when they were in business.

Let someone who really knows take over. I was just trying to address this:

"Amidst all this, I began to wonder: how is it that someone can have a 959 in the USA? I don't live in CA, but I've heard alot about the Governator's rule regarding smog exemption, and obviously these cars are well past the 1976 deadline. I also seem to remember that they couldn't be registered in the states because they either hadn't been crash tested or didn't meet emissions regs. I even recall a story about Bill Gates and partner not being able to even have their cars grey market certified when new."

[JayG]

Originally Posted by milt

I did some googleing and info does not abound. So, let me not state any mis truths. One tid bit says he changed the sequential turbo system to twins. I think Wayne's is still stock, then. I really don't know. But, other info indicates that a federalized car by Canepa has MORE HP than the original.

The point is, standards were approved to make these cars that are in the US street legal. John Dixon is reportedly the first to do so and Andial may have done others. I have seen them there before when they were in business.

Makes sense. When they are in there adding any necessary emmisions equipment they may as well diasble the sequential turbo system and add some goodies. Switching over from sequential to a "synchronized" can improve overall output. Supra and Rx7 guys do it all the time.

[spuggy]

Well, this was interesting:

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88282

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Paulporsche

As with just about everyone here, I've enjoyed Wayne's recent acquisition of that beautiful 959, and his subsequent threads on its repair and modification.

Amidst all this, I began to wonder: how is it that someone can have a 959 in the USA? I don't live in CA, but I've heard alot about the Governator's rule regarding smog exemption, and obviously these cars are well past the 1976 deadline. I also seem to remember that they couldn't be registered in the states because they either hadn't been crash tested or didn't meet emissions regs. I even recall a story about Bill Gates and partner not being able to even have their cars grey market certified when new.

Anyway, what changed? Since I haven't lived in the states for over 30 years, I'm not always up to date on the laws. I'm glad for Wayne that he was able to get this car. I'm just surprised that he is able to actually drive it.

There was a time when the same laws applied to '73 RS cars...yet, in they came...and they were driven. On the flipside? The first Turbo 911 arrived on our shores in '75...I recall folks laughing at the '75 Parade banquet, because a factory rep spoke of the Turbo soon to reach our shores...while one was already in the parking lot.

Alas, one day, some Feds knocked on the owner's door, and that "Turbo" was never seen again...confiscated.

True story here folks. Grady can back me up, if he chooses to. Owner of the confiscated Turbo? His first name began with an F...

[Wayne 962]

Bryan's one of my trusted advisors to working on the 959 - he knows his stuff...

-Wayne

[boxster03]

needless to say it has either been federalized like Seinfelds S or it sits in a garage not drive like Pelican mans.

[TRE Cup]

not true on the bill gates car! Bruce canepa was stabling several 959's (inc Gates car) and legalized them as well. Stop making all this stuff up guys!
True: The feds at one time were like the SS chasing these around the country (Otis Chandler almost had his red one impounded and Canepa did indeed get followed by the Feds to his not so secret warehouse < where he invited them in for coffee and a chat!) The cars currently here have been legalized or on their way to that state.
You can thank true enthusiasts in the EPA , like Dick Meritt, who worked with the car culture to allow special cars entry to the USA

[jtkkz]

http://www.canepa.com/