The Great Arizona Decision!!! Please help!

['70 C/10 SS500]

Well, my wife and I just got back from visiting the Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa area and are totally infatuated with moving there from here in California. We are looking to move no later than Feb., actually the sooner the better though. However, since my truck is a '70 and will have to be smogged being in the metro area I can't see how I can keep my truck with me when we move, I refuse to DETUNE a motor to meet smog requirements. Also, having a Cadillac motor in my truck probably isn't going to make things any easier either. If I can't find a way to get around having to smog my truck then I see no other alternative than to sell it and live the rest of my days in regret and sorrow! Can anybody offer any suggestions on what to do? I (we) have been so wrapped up in our excitement to get out of CA and also the general excitement of living in AZ that I have been avoiding this HUGE concern for too long. I really don't know what to do but I can't stand the thought of having to sell my baby! Please help!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I've lived in SC and NY and neither state has required smog equipment on any vehicle pre-72. Actaully, SC did away with inspections entirely in '96. I also thought California was the strictest state? If it passed there won't it pass in Az? Also, in NY my family was kinda poor and our vehicles had a little trouble passing sometimes, so we made friends with some local garages and umm, well, not all inspections were really thorough....

[72BLAZERDUDE]

Lived in AZ for the first 40 years of my life and I never had any problems getting anything to pass. If your worried about passing all I ever did was right before I went for emission I would lean it way out, run it through the inspection and drive around the corner and reset it so it ran good. Alot of shops will do the same thing for you. And of course make sure you have good plugs, good air cleaner etc. You shouldn't have any problems.

[GreyHoundSteve]

I thought CA had the strictist emisions laws as well. Regardless, in TX they are supose to hook your car to a machine and measure the emisions but i have had 3 late model sports cars with ALL of the emisions equipment removed and ive never had trouble getting a sticker. Just about any clown can get licensed to do state inspections so it shouldnt be hard finding someone who shares your pasion for these old trucks.

[tim m]

I have 2 that pass with no problem. On my 71 it has ZZ4 and I have to retard the timeing. As soon as I leave I set it back.

['70 C/10 SS500]

So, from the sound of it I may be able to pass the test with some slight temporary modifications? My motor currently has ALL smog items removed and no cat converters. Are there any visual inspections, because if so it would be very clear that it doesn't have any smog items installed? If it is just a sniffer test, well maybe I could get it to pass with a bit of tinkering, I don't know....

My motor is a 500 c.i. Cadillac motor. Big cubes means big emissions I would assume. Tim M, your ZZ4 motor is probably a hotter motor than mine, but again, does being 150 c.i. smaller help?

[Project1970]

AZ emissions is -easy-. My '70 failed exactly once, because for some reason, the idle mixture screws were turned to full rich, so of course it blew high on idle. Turned them to full lean (it didn't run any different!) and went right through later that day, passed with flying colors.

There is no visual inspection of anything on a '70 other than the gas cap. They have never once popped the hood on my truck there. It's a simple constant-speed-load, then idle test.

The only car I've ever had fail AZ emissions is my girlfriend's '79 280ZX, which has sat more or less for over a year, and refuses to run right.

[GreyHoundSteve]

If visuals are an issue i would tack some heatshields around your exhaust pipes to look like you have cats. I always do this after i remove them just for piece of mind. Ive only ever heard one person say they inspected the bottom of their car and he said they did it with a mirror and werent very thorough.

[robert wright]

I visit Phoenix a couple times a year, and found it to be the mecca for custom vehicles of all kinds. I've seen many examples of our trucks at the cruises with everything from stock engines to blown big-blocks, and they all had license plates. I'd have to agree that if you're able to license in Calif, you'll probably have no problem in AZ.

Good luck with the summers there. I got my 70 c10 from Flagstaff and drove to phoenix. Found out what it's like to drive in 109 weather without air conditioning. Do like others there and keep your truck covered, or the sun will bake the paint pretty quickly.

[Mudder]

Man I would love to move to Arizona.

[HeavyD]

Ya, me too. All this rust drives a person nuts.

[gr8scott51]

Originally Posted by '70 C/10 SS500

My motor currently has ALL smog items removed and no cat converters.

Catalytic converters were never installed on these trucks and I don't know of any smog pumps, etc. They can't make you install them after the fact. A cop tried to tell me I had to have shoulder seat belts, but state law didn't require seat belts at all before '73, so they cannot force me to change.

I don't think you'll have any problem as long as you keep your rig tuned up.

[69sixpackbee]

Currently here in "The Golden State" all vehicles before 1974 are exempt.....for now. Thats why most all of my toys are older than 30 years!

[Zonaman]

Greetings from a "Route 66 pilgrim." You won't need to worry too much about your truck! The smog laws in Mariopa county aren't so bad. The East Valley- Mesa, Tempe, Chander, Gilbert, Ahawtukee are great places to look! Better get here quick- the stampede of California refugees is really heating up the housing market. Though by California standards, everything looks like a smokin' deal! Good Luck!

[69sixpackbee]

Arizona is nice but I am going a little further....Texas!
I am getting as far away as I can from here where not all of California is going to follow.

[vtblazer]

I lived in Tempe for about 3yrs and had to go through emissions with a 69 roadrunner running a 440 6pak that was pushing around 500hp. It failed miserably on the first pass, all they had me do was prove I spent $50 bucks to correct try and correct. So I did just that. Came back, showed them the receipts, failed again and got an AZ plate. :p That was back in the late 80's though, things may have changed by now.
My uncle lives there and he says he puts a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the tank before he goes in.
Good luck, don't sell your truck.

[69sixpackbee]

FYI...when I lived out of state for a while I still had my cars registered in CA. The tags were sent to my mom's address and she sent them to me. Can you show a residence in Calif.? Folks? Siblings? Aunt/uncle? Might be worth the trouble.

['70 C/10 SS500]

Thank you everyone for the replies! My wife and I have been "Having the Talk" about selling the truck quite a bit recently. It's been terrible thinking that I would have to sell her, but from your combined replies I think we'll DEFINATELY keep the truck and see how it goes in AZ!

[67ChevyRedneck]

YAY!!! Good decision. Remember, there is always a way to get around emissions! Also, isn't it more fun doing this in a Chevy???

[vtblazer]

Great news, good decision.

[special-K]

On my wifes `99 ZR2,both cats are gutted.They were melted-down and clogged.Not worried`bout emmissions.It`ll probably pass.To make sure I`ll run it low on fuel and put a couple gallons of"magic juice"my friend runs in his 8-sec Vega.If you know what I mean.