1976-1980 Chevy trucks smog exempt in California S.B.1239

[John Gilbert]

There's a Senate bill that if passed could make all pre-1981 vehicles in California smog-exempt. For those that couldn't care less about California it means more rust-free California trucks available to haul back to the Rustbelt, or anywhere else in the world the cancerous plague of rust exists.

Please follow this link to my article on www.SuperChevy.com that explains how you can help get S.B.1239 passed.

Thanks, you guys!

http://www.superchevy.com/news/1603-...mpt-heres-how/

[flashed]

I will check it out later tonight ,thanks for the link.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Wouldn't that mean less since people in California will now be hanging on to their pre-81 vehicles instead of ditching them cheap?

[Rich84]

Thats what I was thinking...

[John Gilbert]

No, it means instead of running '76-80 trucks across the scales for scrap metal they'd be worth keeping. I've got a complete '73, and 75, but cut up three or four good rust free '76 up trucks and scrapped them.

[KrazyRay]

Yes. If you have a truck in California with a messy title the DMV will not issue a clean title to the new owner without it passing smog. A clean title means the truck can go to another state with no problems. A truck with title problems goes in my garage to be cut up.

[68c10owner]

No reason to cut up any of these trucks if they are able to pass smog. I have a 85 GMC with all the smog crap possible and even though I`m still trouble shooting things to get my CEL to go out so I can smog it, dealing with the smog stuff isnt too bad unless you are trying to hot rod the trucks.

With that said I have no problem with them bumping it up to 1980 but keep in mind that does not mean these trucks can be modified without problems. The law states that the smog equipment must still be installed if pulled over and inspected for any reason.

It`s issues like this that makes me think GM should drop the price of their EROD engine packages. I`d love to have a 430hp LS engine in my truck and be 50 state smog legal but I cant justify $12k for the package.

[Matt Man]

I would miss it by 1 year. Which is BS because my truck has exactly the same emissions as a 1980 k10 for California emissions.

[lilpoindexter]

I really hope this pans out. I stress out everytime i take my'78 for smog check. When smog check started it was supposed to be a rolling 20 year exemption...meaning '96 wouldnt smog this year.

[Matt Man]

Anything with OBD should be smogged IMO.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Originally Posted by KrazyRay

Yes. If you have a truck in California with a messy title the DMV will not issue a clean title to the new owner without it passing smog. A clean title means the truck can go to another state with no problems. A truck with title problems goes in my garage to be cut up.

Seriously? Shred that title and sell it to me, only need a bill of sale here to register anything 99 and older. I just bought a 1999 K2500 Sub last night and going to register it later on the bill of sale.

[cadillac_al]

Originally Posted by KrazyRay

Yes. If you have a truck in California with a messy title the DMV will not issue a clean title to the new owner without it passing smog. A clean title means the truck can go to another state with no problems. A truck with title problems goes in my garage to be cut up.

Those cut up trucks would be worth big bucks in another state that doesn't stress out over titles. If you advertised them you would be surprised at the people traveling out there to take them off your hands. Scrap isn't worth much now.

I can't see California letting a bunch of old trucks stay on the roads without smog checks.

[MikeB]

Wow, that's great! At least they are considering it. On the one hand, CA is car crazy. On the other, the politicians seem to be a little to the left of Chairman Mao.

We've had a deal in Texas for many years that exempts vehicles =>25 years old. We even have antique plates that renew every 5 years and require no safety inspection. Same is true if you run old plates the same year as your vehicle. And you only need a rear plate.

New Jersey has a similar program with their "QQ" plates, which my son has on my old 69 C10.

Seems like I saw a statistic somewhere saying vehicles 25 years and older account for <0.1% of C02 emissions, which is virtually nothing.

[RDrancher]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Wow, that's great! At least they are considering it. On the one hand, CA is car crazy. On the other, the politicians seem to be a little to the left of Chairman Mao.

We've had a deal in Texas for many years that exempts vehicles =>25 years old. We even have antique plates that renew every 5 years and require no safety inspection. Same is true if you run old plates the same year as your vehicle. And you only need a rear plate.

New Jersey has a similar program with their "QQ" plates, which my son has on my old 69 C10.

Seems like I saw a statistic somewhere saying vehicles 25 years and older account for <0.1% of C02 emissions, which is virtually nothing.

If you want to run year plates in Texas and actually use the vehicle legally for more than shows and cruises, it still requires a safety inspection, just not yearly. I have year plates on my '85. Registering with the plates includes a small reflective metal reg tag. Pretty much disappears attached above one of the top license plate bolts.

But back to the subject. I spent most of my life in Ca. The state is run by a bunch of nuts. And just my opinion, if there's a market for no-title trucks that can be registered fairly easily in states with sane legislators, it's a shame that any enthusiast would revert to scraping them.

[KrazyRay]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Those cut up trucks would be worth big bucks in another state that doesn't stress out over titles. If you advertised them you would be surprised at the people traveling out there to take them off your hands. Scrap isn't worth much now.

I can't see California letting a bunch of old trucks stay on the roads without smog checks.

I had a mint condition 85 swb k10 no engine no transmission with tow company lien paperwork. I could not get it in my name without it passing smog inspection. Zero rust and zero dents and I had a hard time getting $700 on ebay. I am better off cutting it up and selling the parts.

[flashed]

Send those no title trucks to Ga with a bill of sale we can save them .

[68c10owner]

Originally Posted by KrazyRay

I had a mint condition 85 swb k10 no engine no transmission with tow company lien paperwork. I could not get it in my name without it passing smog inspection. Zero rust and zero dents and I had a hard time getting $700 on ebay. I am better off cutting it up and selling the parts.

Those are a little tougher to register but if the title is clean and there is no lean on it you can non-op it and still put it in your name.

I was pretty intimidated by all this smog stuff on my 85 gmc but as I learn more about it in doing the repairs to it I`m finding its not all that difficult to deal with unless you are trying to hot rod the truck as I mentioned before. And there are ways around that as well but not everyone will have the options to do that or the desire. Doing a late model engine swap is a good way to catch a small break in the smog crap. I plan on doing that with my truck at some point.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

If you want to run year plates in Texas and actually use the vehicle legally for more than shows and cruises, it still requires a safety inspection, just not yearly.

Hmmm. I had 1955 plates on my 55 Chevy sedan for 11 years, but never needed to get a safety inspection to renew my registration every 5 years. Also, I didn't have a sticker on the license plate, only on the windshield. Last time I got a new sticker was 2012, so maybe it's changed since then. Or maybe mine was registered as an antique. ???

[snaptoo]

I hope the Nevada DMV gets wind of this proposal and follows suit . Our DMV allows a Classic Vehicle tag to be issued but there are restrictions on mileage driven per year and not smog exempt must pass a visual and sniffer test when application is made . You can't believe some of the "Classics" that are included , junk imports mostly !

[Malo83]

Originally Posted by lilpoindexter

I really hope this pans out. I stress out everytime i take my'78 for smog check. When smog check started it was supposed to be a rolling 20 year exemption...meaning '96 wouldnt smog this year.

We can thank the Governator for ending the 20yr exemption JackA$$!!!

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

I can't see California letting a bunch of old trucks stay on the roads without smog checks.

The last time this pre '81 exempt SB senate bill came around in failed by 1 vote ( dems voted against it, repubs voted for it) kind of shows you how is on your side regarding classic cars. IMO, it is a major reason why there are very few of these '76-'80 vehicles on the roads of California, most all I see are depressing slanted or squared out headlight aggressively styled vehicles. A lot of these pre '81 trucks ( which aren't own by enthusiasts ) end up in pick and pulls because of the smog hassles. Its a shame, many are clean and heavily optioned and still had plenty of life left in them. The old rolling 30 year smog exception should never have been changed in the Ca senate, let these trucks naturally disappear thru the owners care or neglect, not thru the bureaucrats.

[sawyerrm]

If I wanted to buy a truck like this one

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5446248465.html

How do I protect myself from smog issues later. Can I insist on a current smog certificate or do I have to wait until it's due next time and then seek restitution if it fails?

[68c10owner]

Originally Posted by sawyerrm

If I wanted to buy a truck like this one

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5446248465.html

How do I protect myself from smog issues later. Can I insist on a current smog certificate or do I have to wait until it's due next time and then seek restitution if it fails?

The seller is responsible to smog it upon sale. The smog is good for 90 days on a transfer. As long as the original smog equipment is stil intact you shoild be just fine. I would not hesitate to buy another smog vehicle after dealing with mine. They arent all that difficult.

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by 68c10owner

The seller is responsible to smog it upon sale. The smog is good for 90 days on a transfer. As long as the original smog equipment is stil intact you shoild be just fine. I would not hesitate to buy another smog vehicle after dealing with mine. They arent all that difficult.

I would agree, they are not too bad but still would be nice to not hassle with it.

[MikeB]

How in the heck are there so many 1930s-1960s hot rods in CA?