Looking at a '78 Carb GTS in CA

I'm tagging along on your thread, Mongo. I have been wondering in carbureted 308's are technically legal in CA.

As for visual inspection, I think it's related to my question about carbureted cars being legal overall. If they are legal generally speaking, then I believe you can treat the car like any post 1975 car and take it to one of many known Ferrari mechanics who will work with you to get the car to pass muster, visually and with emissions. If they're not/weren't legal in CA, then i think you need to deal with BAR to get the coveted BAR sticker, which is where the real misery seems to reside.

 

I have a QV so cannot answer your questions about FI vs carbs, but I have experience with the California title transfer vis a vis SMOG.

There is no additional inspection after the title of the car has been transfered. The seller of the car, by California Law, is responsible for the car passing SMOG before Vehicle Registration can be transfered. Before the sale can occur, the seller must present you with a fresh (less than 90 days) SMOG certificate showing that the car passed. This should provide most of the assurances you are looking for.

You can also look up the serial number on the DMV website and see the SMOG test history for the car. (You can still technically buy a car that does not pass SMOG, but you can't register it with the DMV as a licensed vehicle.)

The gotcha that got me was that there are different SMOG categories in California. I did not know this. My car was previously registered in Monterey County which has more lenient SMOG standards than the Bay Area. My car did not pass in the Bay Area SMOG test (fortunately for me it simply was running too rich) (which is a set-and-forget adjustment for a FI car).

If you are worried, you should pay for an independent SMOG test. This will also confirm that there was no monkey business by the seller.

 

I have a '78 GTS that I am replacing the cats on with Hyperflows. I should be able to answer any questions from firsthand experience soon.

 

I can't comment specifically, but when I had to get the cat replaced on a different car (1991 BMW 318i), the owner of the Licensed SMOG Repair Joint made a passing comment that today's cats are constructed much better than those of just 5 years ago. He said availability is much better now too.

My car is starting to sound like one of my cats is trying to cough up a hairball and I still worry about finding cats which fit and have both the air injection and thermocouple ports. ... I know which side to test, but I shall see next SMOG test if I need to replace the cat(s). Gulp.

 

They aren't CARB as far as I know. Of course, since the 308 was made before CARB was required, as long as the cats weren't replaced, they should be legal for the car... My guess is with the diaper on, the car will pass visual without problems.

 

eVry few CATS are BAR Certified labeled, so trouble there.

There should be thermocouples in them (or in exhaust adjacent) as from 1978 onwards, the SLOW DOWN light appears in the dash to indicate malfunction.

The combination of carbs and CATS is the most explosive of all the years IMO.

A single bank ignition failure, if not turned off immediately, flashes off as fire in the engine bay.
Within the CAT certainly, but the glow will start to melt adjacent stuff immediately.

If not in California I would advise new cams and "Offroad Only" type of ownership..

 

Cali wants "all systems in place and working" matching the Model year.

That said, I have heard of electric air injection systems, which is certainly better than the cam driven OEM pumps.

That might work.

It's the CATs themselves and the BAR labeling that gets sticky, legally.
And the carbs and timing have to be on the razor's edge.

My NON CAT car "made the numbers" when driven right from shop and tested Full Temp 210 degrees hot.
Have to know that method.

Then, at 25 years, Texas quit caring...

 

Call Larry Buskirk in Novato if you get a car. 415-883-8875. Should be less than dealer but nothing on these cars are cheap.

 

Mind giving me a contact number? I'm looking for one too, located Bay Area and have my own shop.

 

It would be great to have a few more 308 owners in the SF area.