"California doesn't care if it's 50 state or not..."
Huh, I thought the rule is that if the vehicle doesn't have 7500 miles AND is not 50 state legal you could not bring it from out of state and register it as a new owner. If it is 50 state smog legal, you CAN register it as a new owner. If the statements above are true, then CA DOES care if it is 50 state smog legal.
I also have read that if the vehicle is registered in another state in your name, then brought into CA the 7500 mile + 49 state smog requirement are not in play. So as you state, you can skirt the rules by registering it in another state first (or further skirt the rules by just leaving it registered in the other state while in CA).
I don't have a way to register out of state, so I am curious if newer FJR's are 50-state legal.