Just back from AZ; emissions, mods, trucks, etc.

[cowboy33713]

Howdy:
Got back from my trip to Phoenix area, where the wife and I shall relocate next year. Was pleased to see a good many of our trucks in daily service there. While getting a feel for the real estate market, found that a high % of homes have one kind or another of a car or truck project going on, in spite of the state mandated emissions testing for the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
I went in search of the "411" on how folks are passing, mods, etc. Briefly, what I found out;
A good many of the REALLY radical cars and trucks didn't have to go through emissions testing by virtue of being model year 1965 or older. Early Chevy IIs, '65 Chevelles, a few pre '66 Mopars at the "cruises" I attended. Other than that, radical rods- very nicely done, some like street driven Gassers of old, more bordering on show cars. 1966 and newer where mostly milder, as they have to pass both a visual, and an emissions "sniffer" test. Talked to some guys with '67-'69 Camaros, El Caminos, Chevelles that where obviously radical "street machines"- they where registered outside the "emissions" area, generally. OK if you can prove a residence outside! One guy, very well to do, had a different way- he got a dealers license, as cars that dealers list as inventory do not get tested, apparently unless sold to a member of the general public. With the number of cars this fella was working, the fees where worth it. Heck, if you have the green, you wouldn't need a bunch of cars to have it work for you. Just meet the requirements. Saw a few Cadillac 500 CID engines in trucks- lots of pull, and pass just fine, being basically stock engines. Talked to a fella with a 1977 Trans Am that sounded strong- nice cam, headers, dual cat. converters, EGR, the whole bit EXCEPT that his PCV was not properly a closed system, so he'd failed a visual, though not the sniffer. Bummer!
Asked a fella who runs a parts store ( won't say who or what store) about the testing. He said it's a joke that lots of people work around, de-tuning modified cars just enough to scrape by for the test, temporarily recalibrating the fuel mixture so lean the engines will barely run, then back to where it can be driven after. Says people have told him they do this. All hearsay for me.
Asked a fella behind the counter at a store thats sells truck, mustang, 55-57 Chevy, and street rod stuff; His personal truck has a 350, auto, mild cam, no problems passing.
Saw a '68 C-10 in a parking lot; had low hanging headers and dual cat. converters, though not required for that year. Guess they scrub the exhaust enough for what he's done with his truck.
The folks at the testing stations weren't much help. They look and test. Your car or truck passes or fails. If it fails, you pay X number of dollars to have it repaired, and try again.
I did enjoy driving around Phoenix; noteworthy was the fact that, though I'm sure it still exists, I did not hear drivers yelling at each other in traffic, and did not see the famous one-finger wave.
I'll just have to re-think the engine I was going to build for my Mustang; the truck stuff is all good- for me, anyway.
There was also talk of a bill that was moving at a snails pace that would allow cars/trucks with "historical" plates and "antique car" insurance to bypass testing- but then you may have other restrictions to live with.
My brother had lived in California for a time, and there, anything that was 35 years old or older flat didn't need to be tested. Now, THERE'S a deal!
Just my 0.02
cowboy33713

[QKENUF4U]

1. if you come here thinking your gonna drive like you do in your home town then your gonna be pissed off alot. you have to ADAPT to the driving out here, simple as that.
2. 67 and up are reqrd to pass emissions. 66 down does not have emissions. of course its my luck they start emissions right when our body style starts.
3. i have a BB w/ cam/intake/headers and it passes with no problems. just did mine on tuesday. i actually bought a small set of cats to put on just incase but didnt need them so i will keep them stashed away just in case :p
4. 83rd/beardsly is where i go on the weekends and there are LOTS of older cars there. i havent talked to any of the guys about how they get their cars to pass emissions. i need to though cause some of them have monsters under the hood (big cam etc.) prob. do what you said and register in another county.
5. when ya move down let us know so we can all go to 83rd and meet up. there are some very nice 67-72's there every weekend.
6. you came out at the perfect time. the heat just dropped off about 2 weeks ago. it will be 80-85 every day now till may or so again. YAAAAAAAAAAA 8 months of perfect weather !!!! I LOVE IT !!!

[cowboy33713]

Howdy;
Beardsley/83rd is a BIG weekly cruise by local (St Petersburg, FL) standards.
Went there last Saturday, talked to a lot of folks; great fun, great info. Also had gone to Northern and 35th on Friday night; real nice cars and trucks, a bit smaller scale.
To be clear-I had no problems with the lack of the one-finger wave in traffic; again, I enjoyed driving in the Phoenix area- it wasn't so much like work, as it can be here.
cowboy33713
P.S.
Desert Valley Auto Parts ranks as a national treasure in my book- what a great salvage yard for the vintage car and truck crowd!