California Argh!!!

bronco t · May 31, 2016

California smog laws continue to amaze me. After many years of rumors about reinstating the rolling 35 year smog exempt rule our illustrious leaders found a way to twist it. We now wait until 2019 for this twisted law to take effect. Argh!

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB1239

tirewater · May 31, 2016

Heh, it's a bit confusing. The bill would go into affect at the start of 2017. The 2019 reference means that Section 2. would replace Section 1 in 2019.

What you're interested in are the Section 1 amendments.

"This bill, until January 1, 2019, would also exempt from the biennial smog check inspections all motor vehicles manufactured after the 1976 model year but prior to the 1981 model year if the owner submits proof that the motor vehicle is insured as a collector motor vehicle."

In 2019, then Section 2 takes into affect.

I believe the change that allowed the bill to get this far is:

"(3) The motor vehicle complies with the exhaust emissions standards for that motor vehicle’s class and model year, as prescribed by the department, and the motor vehicle passes a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks."

So the visual test is practically eliminated. This would (supposedly) allow the owner to swap air intakes, cylinder heads, etc...as long as the vehicle passes smog (at the tail pipe), doesn't leak & fuel cap keeps pressure.

jckkys · May 31, 2016

Your only hope is to move to a free state. Big brother (Moonbeam Brown) doesn't like people who can do much of any thing for themselves.

bronco t · May 31, 2016

jckkys said:
Your only hope is to move to a free state. Big brother (Moonbeam Brown) doesn't like people who can do much of any thing for themselves.

Socialism... Or is that Brown'ism?

ezbngreen · Jun 1, 2016

So what does this mean for your 1976?

Are you smog compliant now?

tirewater said:
Heh, it's a bit confusing. The bill would go into affect at the start of 2017. The 2019 reference means that Section 2. would replace Section 1 in 2019.

What you're interested in are the Section 1 amendments.

"This bill, until January 1, 2019, would also exempt from the biennial smog check inspections all motor vehicles manufactured after the 1976 model year but prior to the 1981 model year if the owner submits proof that the motor vehicle is insured as a collector motor vehicle."

In 2019, then Section 2 takes into affect.

I believe the change that allowed the bill to get this far is:

"(3) The motor vehicle complies with the exhaust emissions standards for that motor vehicle’s class and model year, as prescribed by the department, and the motor vehicle passes a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks."

So the visual test is practically eliminated. This would (supposedly) allow the owner to swap air intakes, cylinder heads, etc...as long as the vehicle passes smog (at the tail pipe), doesn't leak & fuel cap keeps pressure.

tirewater · Jun 1, 2016

ezbngreen said:
So what does this mean for your 1976?

Are you smog compliant now?

I'll take it to be smog'ed this week, I'll know then.

The new bill adds a less restrictive smog test for 1976-1981 vehicles if they have classic car insurance. If I read it correctly, you need to pass the tail pipe test, but the visual test identifying that smog related parts are in place is not required.

The classic car insurance requirement is silly, and left over from the original bill wording. They initially introduced the bill with the classic car insurance requirement allowing smog exempt status. That was never going to pass.

If they just introduced a bill that relaxed the visual test, but tail pipe emissions would stay the same, it likely would've passed first time through.

Regardless, props to the people who introduced the bill in the first place. It's easy to be critical behind a computer screen & do nothing - it takes work & action to actually get the ball rolling.

Howard2x4x4 · Jun 1, 2016

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

ntsqd · Jun 1, 2016

jckkys said:
Your only hope is to move to a free state. Big brother (Moonbeam Brown) doesn't like people who can do much of any thing for themselves.

No, Our only hope is to evict the carpet-baggers who continue to elect these clowns and reclaim our great State. If we move the cancer will spread, as it is already doing. Witness the smog checks now required in parts of OR, NV, and AZ.

Most classic insurance requires indoor parking. Can't get it if you don't have a garage that you can park the vehicle in. Which I do not.

JAFO · Jun 1, 2016

All Bronco owners should drive to the fault line, buy land on the east side, then plant their charges.

ezbngreen · Jun 1, 2016

Good luck on the test. I just passed CA smog a few weeks back. Had to adjust the timing and heat it up, but she finally passed on the 3rd try.

tirewater said:
I'll take it to be smog'ed this week, I'll know then.

The new bill adds a less restrictive smog test for 1976-1981 vehicles if they have classic car insurance. If I read it correctly, you need to pass the tail pipe test, but the visual test identifying that smog related parts are in place is not required.

The classic car insurance requirement is silly, and left over from the original bill wording. They initially introduced the bill with the classic car insurance requirement allowing smog exempt status. That was never going to pass.

If they just introduced a bill that relaxed the visual test, but tail pipe emissions would stay the same, it likely would've passed first time through.

Regardless, props to the people who introduced the bill in the first place. It's easy to be critical behind a computer screen & do nothing - it takes work & action to actually get the ball rolling.

markw · Jun 1, 2016

I'll happily stay on the west side of the line for the time being. I'm with ntsqd, reclaim our great state. Even if it is a huge PIA. As to Gov Moonbeam, it would be a lot worse if he didn't rein in the lefties in the legislature. If they had their way, I probably would move.

TheGanzman · Jun 1, 2016

I'm here in Kalifornia too; I've lived in four states in 60 years, and visited most of the others. I have YET to go to a state in the USA where I said "Yep - now THIS is the way to run a (state) government!" EVERY state has its own goofy laws, taxes, and "ideas" - it's like picking the leper with the most fingers to make your BBQ sandwich - no matter WHICH one you choose, you're gonna be eating something you don't like!

For all the BS that we have to put up with (or just IGNORE), I'll still take SoCal, with its 340 days of nice weather every year. NO tops and no heat on my Bronco, except for my mesh top to keep the sunshine off of my balding pate - the way God, Nature, and FoMoCo MEANT for a Bronco to be!

markw · Jun 1, 2016

Ganzman, you nailed it. Of course, you do live in one of the most desirable parts of a state with a LOT of desirable parts!

jckkys · Jun 1, 2016

In Az. the idea of freedom still has wide appeal. In Cal. the Bill of Rights is seen as an obstacle to the socialist utopia. I prefer the climate here too, and the access to real off roading. With relatives in San Diego and L.A. I'm there a couple times a year. These are the supposed better parts of the state. As a white male hetero sexual Christian advocate of the 2nd Amendment. I'm not welcome there. America was founded by people escaping totalitarian government, a great tradition. I escaped the corruption of Chicago to come here. If I had stayed there, it would still be corrupt.

dbruce9035 · Jun 2, 2016

ntsqd said:
No, Our only hope is to evict the carpet-baggers who continue to elect these clowns and reclaim our great State. If we move the cancer will spread, as it is already doing. Witness the smog checks now required in parts of OR, NV, and AZ.

Most classic insurance requires indoor parking. Can't get it if you don't have a garage that you can park the vehicle in. Which I do not.

When I renewed my classic car insurance they wanted several pictures of the Bronco. So I'll pulled it out in the driveway and took my pictures. After I submitted the pictures I got a call back. They didn't believe it would fit in the garage. So I actually had to take a picture of it in the garage to make them happy.
I had maybe an inch of clearance, but it fits.

elan · Jun 2, 2016

My take on the "classic car insurance" is limited mileage from the insurer.
I can't recall what mine is, perhaps 2000 miles a year? This would mean to the smog police that the vehicle would be driven very little and that equates to less pollution.

You are lucky you don't live in certain zip codes in Arizona. Phoenix and Tucson require 1967 and newer smog checks. Now that.........is insanity at it's finest.
I have a place out in the middle of no where and they want smog checks, go figure.
Yes, it's a pain but I do like clean air so I play the game.

P.S..................thousands of cars cross the Mexican border everyday..........guess what?........no smog checks required. There is your governments in action.
In summation, a smog belching pile of junk can come on over, and ............nothing, like it doesn't exist.

markw · Jun 2, 2016

Elan, it's AZ, the land of the free....

jckkys · Jun 4, 2016

I know you don't want to talk about what freedom means, but here we can defend our families anywhere we go. The cartels, crips, bloods, Muslim terrorists, Mexican mafia, etc aren't the only ones who are armed. No surprise San Bernardino was very soft target for Isis. The State of Ca. is run by Stalinists who only care about their own power. They openly hate Christianity and support racist hate groups like the new black panthers and la raza. Just look at the mayor of San Jose' who backs violent mobs and blames their victims. Or the disgusting San Fransisco city counsel who are harboring violent felons who broke into our country. Kate Steinle's was no problem for them. There's still plenty of productive tax payers to steal from. She won't be missed. It's pathetic that some smog tests are all you can point out.

bronco t · Jun 4, 2016

Well, I should have kept my mouth shut! I just got the DMV renewals for my Bronco and Motorhome, and low and behold... I need to smog check both of them this year. What a Pain! The MH will pass, but the Bronco takes special preparation and a blind eye to pass. It's a shame because neither of these vehicles travel more than 5-10k miles per year. Certainly CA could base the smog checks on mileage driven in a year or two, instead of biannually.

markw · Jun 4, 2016

Jckkys I'm in total agreement with you on that. What most don't recognize is the great swaths of this state which do not march in step with the Bay Area or LA. However, that's where the population is concentrated and that's where the votes that support this stuff arise. Combine that with an entrenched state employee ruling class and we have what we have. That's why I could never live in any of the coastal urban areas. But I do still have to live by their rules and that is what I detest. Not enough yet to make me move but maybe when I retire. Makes no sense for me to start over in the waning years of my career. But I hear you!!! Mark

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