No, he sidestepped the kit car laws.
Georgia's Clean Air Force: Other Exemptions
Below link is what I think the EPA at a federal level released. Seems they are on our side in some cases.
Kit Car Policy | Importing Vehicles and Engines | US EPA
GA seems to have overridden the federal policy after the date of Dec. 31, 1998.
Kit Cars
A kit car is a motor vehicle assembled from a manufacturer's kit. The kit body is placed on a frame that may be purchased with the kit, purchased separately or homemade. The engine and transmission are usually purchased separately or may be from the same vehicle as the frame.
A kit car does not utilize a chassis from an engine/chassis combination certified to meet emission control standards or where the original manufacturer's identification has been eliminated due to the replacement of the vehicle's body with one of a different make and/or style.
Kit cars that did not receive Non-Conforming Status by December 31, 1998, or those registered in one of the 13 covered counties after December 31, 1998, must have all the required emission control systems for the model year shown on the registration card.
Click here to visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website for complete information on kit cars.
Ralphy