Do '76 308s Need Cats and Air Injection In California?

I think this is correct. You actually have a limited amount of time to register your cars in California if you're bringing them into the state on anything more than a vacation drive, in essence.

 

I've checked. CA Historical Vehicles are emissions exempt.

 

I know an Fchatter with a '79 with historic plates. No smog since he put the plates on. It seems to work!

 

just make sure you vote for Obozo. He has ALL your change.

 

http://www.chp.ca.gov/prog/cheaters.cgi

 

You'd have to be some pretty low-level scum to use this site the way the DMV is hoping.

 

No doubt they're trolling for jealous neighbors or coworkers.

 

You do know that Obama has nothing do with California vehicle emissions regs?

Well maybe you don't...

Either way, political posts go in P&R.

 

Amazing. I know at least one FChat'er who sold his European spec 308 because he couldn't get it registered in CA. I'm surprised he didn't know about this.

 

I own a 76 GTB and went through the CA system after buying the car from Symbolic Motor’s out of La Jolla. The car was sold “without” a smog certificate (should have been a clue, but I wanted the car). I contemplating titling it in Washington but a change in plans forced me to get the car through the California system. First the State wanted all the equipment on (air pumps are cheap at Napa) but needed an exemption for the Thermal Reactor (which I got after a few months). The inspection was done and got a pass. The next step was getting the smog certificate. That was the $4,000 problem. I took the car to my mechanic, Jim (the best), at Sports Cars Garage in Palm Desert. First, Symbolic said that the car had just gotten a belt service etc., which was in-fact not the case (Jim needed to replace the tensioner bearings and lower cambelt drive pulley, a long and expensive story). After a lot of work on the car, we went three rounds of running the car through the Smog machine at the test center near the College of the Desert. All tests failed. Jim had detuned the carburetors and timing, but nothing worked for the state. I then took the car to Gary Bobileff at Bobileff Motorcar Company in San Diego. Gary (a great guy) took off the existing muffler and put temporary cats on (still have if anyone wants tooo buy them?) and three or four tests later, the car mysteriously passed (I think Gary found a deaf smog guy that may have been just a little short of cash?). Car was good toooo go for two years. Would I do it again, NO ____ing way. Moved to Arizona where the car is now a historical vehicle and only cost me $45 to license with a vanity plate (did need classic car insurance, which I had anyway). They did not even want tooooo see the car (so much for the detailing). Love Arizona.

p.s. - My car now overheats when I think about driving back to California.

 

Gary is terrific.

Was there a reason you didn't register the car as an "historical vehicle" in California? Per the earlier posts here it sounds like that would exempt the car from smog testing (?)

 

Cut off for Historic vehicles in California is 1975.

 

Even people at DMV do not consistently treat historic vehicles in the same way. Some years back, cars newer than 75 had to have smog check before it can be declared Historic. Maybe someone has found a loop hole.

It is for this reason that I would not consider a carb car post-75 in California. Very hard to register and life is too short for DMV crap.

 

Yep, cut off is 1975.

My 1981 Mondial 8 is an ARB car. ( now CARB)
I have an ARB plate on my door jamb and a Clean California title.
My ARB plate says, no CAT, no EGR and no Air Pump.

I have a Grey Market car.
If you don't,,,? California is Ferrari He11.
(whew)

Edwardo

 

Edwardo, how is Tippy? I miss your updates since you went to the Mondial forum!

 

Jim,
Off, topic.. Tippy is a hoot.
I have been busy with NY, NY. (aaaaaarrrrgggggg)
thanks for asking.


Edwardo
in California, Car He11.
with a car the DMV hates.
working on piston liner options.
ha ha

 

Not true. Car must be 25 years or older and, again, have historical significance.

 

You're mixing two separate classes. The cut-off for smog testing is 1975 models and older. "Historic Vehicle" tags are for cars (if approved) over 25 years old. With Historic tags, you don't need a smog test every two years but run some risk of being ticketed if your local cops decide you're driving more than for special events or meetings.

 

FYI, not all counties in California require smog inspection for registration renewal.

That means once your car passes the smog inspection, you could register your car in the county that don't required smog inspections to avoid the biannual smog test.

 

It doesn't say this in the DMV regs posted on their site. Thus my confusion.

 

I think you're right, although all of the counties in SoCal do, IIRC. San Diego certainly does.

 

I say that because a few FChetters with CA historical car plate have said they've not received "smog test required" on their tag renewal notices when one would have been due.

 

I know an FChatter with a 1979 GT4 with Historic Plates. The cutoff isn't/wasn't 1975. 1975 is the cutoff year for smog checks, that is different.

 

I believe this is true - you have to get post-1975 cars to pass smog one last time before getting the Historic Plates.

It was definately one of the main reasons I chose a QV when looking for a GTB/S to replace my GT4 - I wouldn't mind having carbs but just don't want the smog hassle. I could run Historic Plates but I think I might drive too much.

 

with all this discussion on carb problems, I have to state my car runs clean, i put new magnaflow cats on it, lean it out, got it super hot, and its passed with flying colors the first time. I have smog coming up in a few months hopefully i am not cursed.