That's crazy....
In Michigan, we are not subjected to any inspections whether for safety or smog/emissions. I can title my car with historic, regular or vanity plates and they don't care. I can put a new engine, or an old engine in and.....you guessed it, they don't care.
Now, if you put a new engine in, you can't use historic plates correct? And if you're not using historic plates, you have to pay $2000 for a "modern vehicle tax?" So, if you drove a modern vehicle over there, would you still have to pay the tax?