Administrators SuperDan Posted January 20, 2005 Administrators Share Posted January 20, 2005 So, to clear things up for me (not an easy thing ) After April 1 2005, all 1975 and older cars are exempt... right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 Z Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 When Big Arnie got into office, He got rid of the 30 year exception and brought it back to 1975 and older. JOEY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 I read somewhere, technically speaking anyway, it is illegal to modify smog systems on any car, even ones older than 1975! However, we all get away with it because there is no checking involved by the authorities! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 Everything 1975 and older are exempt from emissions TESTING. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 Thanks Tim! I thought that's what I was saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 After April 1 2005, all 1975 and older cars are exempt... right? As Tim and 2126 said above, "No!" Pre-1976 model year cars are exempt from the bi-annual and sale testing but those cars still have to comply with all the smog requirements as of their date of manufacture. A police officer, a BAR offical or contractor, or the DMV can order a specific car to undergo testing essentially at any time and for any reason. I've seen BAR officials take down the license plates of modified vehicles at car shows with the intent of ordering a smog inspection. When I asked them why they were doing that, their reply was, "Random compliance checks." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 Z Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 WOW!!! Johnc. I've been a smog tec here in northern Cali for 18 years. And I've haven't seen or heard of BAR nailing cars at car shows. But..... The small town I'm in has sheriffs (spelled wrong) instead of cops and they have issued tickets for modified cars to go to Test only for a Smog inspections! JOEY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynekarnes Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 what John says is correct. the bill says, exempt from testing at time of registration, or change of ownership. the car is not exempt from having any required smog equipment, smog equipment for the year of the engine and the car. in california, it is illegal to swap an engine that is older than the vehicle it is going into. if one swaps a 1992 engine into a 1972 z car, that z car ( to be technically legal ) it must have all the original smog equipment for the 1972, plus what ever equipment the 1992 engine would have, the 92 eq. will surplant the 72 eq. if the 92 engine required a cat and single exhaust, that will be required on the 72. one can not swap a truck engine into a passenger car, nor a passenger car engine into a truck ( legally anyway ). google search AB 2683 Existing law exempted from those requirements, until January 1, 2003, any motor vehicle manufactured prior to the 1974 model-year, and after that date, any motor vehicle that is 30 or more model-years old. This bill would instead, commencing April 1, 2005, exempt from the smog check requirements, and the smog check compliance requirements, any motor vehicle manufactured prior to the 1976 model-year. < snip > Section 44011 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 44011. (a) All motor vehicles powered by internal combustion engines that are registered within an area designated for program coverage shall be required biennially to obtain a certificate of compliance or noncompliance, except for all of the following: (1) Every motorcycle, and every diesel-powered vehicle, until the department, pursuant to Section 44012, implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles or to diesel-powered vehicles, or both. (2) Any motor vehicle that has been issued a certificate of compliance or noncompliance or a repair cost waiver upon a change of ownership or initial registration in this state during the preceding six months. (3) Any motor vehicle manufactured prior to the 1976 model-year. so, yes, an officer of the court, may pull you over and ask to peek under your hood. should the officer, believe that the engine is modified, smog eq. modified or removed, officer may issue a ticket for tampering. ( mind you, there is no $$$ limit on repair costs, if the court agrees with the officer, that there has been tampering ) ... this will be a fix it ticket ... however, i have been told, that a ticket for tampering will require a visit to the judge, to verify that all has been untampered. so, a visit to the authorized smog test center, then if they fail the vehicle, you may bring it back into compliance, retest, or schedule an appointment with the state referee. the referee will inspect the vehicle, advise you what you need to comply or give you an exemption sticker ( sticker is not likely ). the other option, now this is fun, the vehicle is tested by the smog center and fails, you see the referee and it is decided that the vehicle is a GROSS polluter requires it to be brought into compliance... now, once labeled a gross polluter, a smog test is required once a year, no matter the year of the vehicle. fortunately, most officers, believe, as most people do, that all pre 1976 vehicles are smog exempt, don't require any smog reducing equipment, and will most likely never bother you about it. that said, all it takes is one jerk with a badge in your neighborhood, that hates cars, and that jerk can force you to off road only use or park your ride. 1974, my brother's 500 hp 55 chevy 2 door hard top, got pulled over on the way to high school, a safety inspection, every morning, monday through friday, plus an underhood smog compliance inspection, check for pcv, the dist retard device on the radiator hose, approved air cleaner in place. once a month, they would have a smog test trailer, for the random smog test, fully equipped to perform a complete smog test, motor cops, flagging cars over to the trailer, on los gatos almaden road. the 55 made 3 trips to the trailer. passed all the tests, everytime. never once was a ticket issued. this went on for 5 months, stopped when officer's beat was changed. our parent's had no money for a lawyer, officer offered to inspect our dad's car as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 1974' date=' my brother's 500 hp 55 chevy 2 door hard top, got pulled over on the way to high school, a safety inspection, every morning, monday through friday, plus an underhood smog compliance inspection, check for pcv, the dist retard device on the radiator hose, approved air cleaner in place...[/quote'] I think there is something to be said about "police harrassment" in such a situation. I would have paid a visit to the chief of police and would have sat down with an attorney...but it was not my show. Also, I believe cars made prior to 1966 were literally smog exempt (at least this was the case in the 1980's if memory serves me correctly) not just test exempt, but then again that particular situation was in 1974 and I was 8. The '55 would be way overqualified IMO for an exemption. Smog laws, grrrrr. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynekarnes Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 back then, 55 and newer ... were under smog controls. though 1968 and older foreign cars and cars under a certain cubic inch were exempt. that particular officer and his partner were out of control ... it was okay to harrass high school kids in hot rods ( that was one wicked 55, full metal body, full interior, pull the front wheels 3 inches off the ground, through 1st gear on pump gas ) and poor people in beaters, guys on harleys. if you got enough tickets, a judge might just suggest you would be forgiven if you joined the military ( vietnam )... happened to one of my cousins. dad stopped and questioned those two cops, they offered to inspect his car, well truck, a 56 chevy big window, running a 64 vette 327 and a hydramatic. i had heard that those cops hassled some wealthy guy, driving a 429 cobra. he'd made his fortune yet stayed in the middle class working man's neighborhood. supposedly, cobra pulled out of neighborhood, onto los gatos almaden rd. cop pulled him over, treated cobra driver the same as he had my brother ... 2 weeks later, both cops were gone. heard this from mechanic i worked with at the texaco station, 1/4 mile from home, on that same street. i knew the cobra, but no idea if mechanic's story that was true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 WOW!!! Johnc. I've been a smog tec here in northern Cali for 18 years. And I've haven't seen or heard of BAR nailing cars at car shows. But..... The small town I'm in has sheriffs (spelled wrong) instead of cops and they have issued tickets for modified cars to go to Test only for a Smog inspections!JOEY I saw it happen at a local car show here in Southern California and in the California Speedway infield during a NASCAR race. In both cases the cars were highly modified and were driven past the the BAR folks to a parking space. Now, I have no way of knowing if the smog checks ever actually occurred and maybe those guys were just BSing me. But, to have it happen twice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonsZ Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Keep your yap shut and your hood too! But if anyone shows you up in a street race, you know where to send his liscence plate number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.