What have you learned since joining Rennlist?
10-07-2016, 03:35 PM
#227
I'm with Mr 5chn3ll! If/when mine dies from one of the to numerous to count failure modes, I'm going to seriously look at having this done. Neb. doesn't have smog rules...for the time being. Speaking of that how do all the California Hot Rodders get by the test, especially with different engines than stock? "$20k"!? That would be less than a Flat6 or RND replacement with installation! I know it would be an abomination to many in the P-car world, but more HP, torque and better sleep. What's not to like?
Last edited by wildbilly32; 10-07-2016 at 03:36 PM. Reason: poor spelling!
10-07-2016, 07:06 PM
#228
Race Director
It's getting harder and harder to grease the system. Folks with dedicated show/track cars now register then PNO (planned non-operation); they're not legal to drive on public roads.
There may be a time when a numbers-matching 996 will be worth a pile of money; today, a 996 with a pushrod V8 sounds awfully tempting but it's just not a California reality. Nebraska just climbed way up my list of places to consider moving...I'd love to drop a LSX376-B8 (ready for boost crate race motor; 500HP N/A or 900HP and 900lb-ft @ 5,500RPM ProCharged) or similar crate motor into my '96 Corvette, but the smog ***** will never let that fly as long as I'm registering it here.
There may be a time when a numbers-matching 996 will be worth a pile of money; today, a 996 with a pushrod V8 sounds awfully tempting but it's just not a California reality. Nebraska just climbed way up my list of places to consider moving...I'd love to drop a LSX376-B8 (ready for boost crate race motor; 500HP N/A or 900HP and 900lb-ft @ 5,500RPM ProCharged) or similar crate motor into my '96 Corvette, but the smog ***** will never let that fly as long as I'm registering it here.
10-07-2016, 07:52 PM
#229
Rennlist Member
It is a shame, CA DMV allows home built cars such as the Factory Five kit car to be registered in CA using certain forms. wonder if there is a way. I would have no issue going with LS3 conversion.
10-07-2016, 08:09 PM
#230
Race Director
The last time I checked, registering a specialty built car like a Factory 5 involved acquiring a California SB100 exemption. The DMV issues 500 of these per year. If you don't get one, you wait until next year.
Fact 1: There are way more than 500 California DMV employees, meaning that your chances of getting an employee who has never actually done an SB100 exemption - or even HEARD of it - is pretty good.
Fact 2: Registering a specialty car involves visits to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Highway Patrol (to verify that the car is not stolen and to assign the new VIN), the Bureau of Automotive Repair (they do a smog inspection and then declare the car smog exempt. Let that one work on your brain for a while), a certified shop to perform the light and brake inspection.
Buying a kit car that was previously registered in another state in no way guarantees that the car will be able to be registered in California.
California used to be the epicenter of car culture in America; the DMV and CARB have pretty much exterminated it here.
IF you can get away with it, doing a conversion (like a Smythe) and keeping the car registered as the donor car is the best way to avoid spending a significant part of your life at the DMV, but if you get pulled over in a Smythe Ute conversion - with a VIN and license plate belonging to a Jetta - you may find yourself looking at a grumpy Officer O'Friendly (or, if he's especially suspicious, the loud end of his service piece) as he tries to wrap his head around why your pickup has the credentials of a Volkswagen with a salvage title.
Fact 1: There are way more than 500 California DMV employees, meaning that your chances of getting an employee who has never actually done an SB100 exemption - or even HEARD of it - is pretty good.
Fact 2: Registering a specialty car involves visits to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Highway Patrol (to verify that the car is not stolen and to assign the new VIN), the Bureau of Automotive Repair (they do a smog inspection and then declare the car smog exempt. Let that one work on your brain for a while), a certified shop to perform the light and brake inspection.
Buying a kit car that was previously registered in another state in no way guarantees that the car will be able to be registered in California.
California used to be the epicenter of car culture in America; the DMV and CARB have pretty much exterminated it here.
IF you can get away with it, doing a conversion (like a Smythe) and keeping the car registered as the donor car is the best way to avoid spending a significant part of your life at the DMV, but if you get pulled over in a Smythe Ute conversion - with a VIN and license plate belonging to a Jetta - you may find yourself looking at a grumpy Officer O'Friendly (or, if he's especially suspicious, the loud end of his service piece) as he tries to wrap his head around why your pickup has the credentials of a Volkswagen with a salvage title.
10-07-2016, 09:07 PM
#231
Wow! That all sux! Cali used to be the street rodder paradise. Rat Rods, Woodies, T-buckets, George Barris, etc...I remember reading all of that stuff in Hot Rod magazine when I was a kid even though that was a long time ago. Just assumed it was still that way! Hey, what about all those boy ricer racers we hear about? How can a 9 second Civic pass smog?
BTW you would not like Nebraska especially when you find out your P-car should sit in the garage from mid-Nov. to mid-April because of frozen white stuff on the roads!
BTW you would not like Nebraska especially when you find out your P-car should sit in the garage from mid-Nov. to mid-April because of frozen white stuff on the roads!
10-07-2016, 09:18 PM
#232
Race Director
There's a 6-year exemption for smogging new cars; you can drop a Duramax into your Civic and be fine until year 7 comes along.
A lot of the tuner/import kids are doing "show, not go" mods, especially now that it's harder to cheat the smog system.
Cars originally registered in 1975 and before are smog exempt - so the rat rods, woodies, street rods, etc. are all covered. What sucks is everything in the middle; that gap between 1975 and less than 7 years old all has to be emissions-legal. Every so often someone will try to pass some less brutal smog legislation, but it gets shot down by the environmentalists who want as all to be driving free-range, gluten-free electric cars with hemp seat covers.
A lot of the tuner/import kids are doing "show, not go" mods, especially now that it's harder to cheat the smog system.
Cars originally registered in 1975 and before are smog exempt - so the rat rods, woodies, street rods, etc. are all covered. What sucks is everything in the middle; that gap between 1975 and less than 7 years old all has to be emissions-legal. Every so often someone will try to pass some less brutal smog legislation, but it gets shot down by the environmentalists who want as all to be driving free-range, gluten-free electric cars with hemp seat covers.
10-07-2016, 09:29 PM
#233
"...shot down by the environmentalists who want as all to be driving free-range, gluten-free electric cars with hemp seat covers."
So...How did they catch the VW Diesel scandal cars? Weren't they less than seven years old?
"...they do a smog inspection and then declare the car smog exempt. Let that one work on your brain for a while."
That comment just soaked in! WHAT! How much does that non-event cost the owner?
So...How did they catch the VW Diesel scandal cars? Weren't they less than seven years old?
"...they do a smog inspection and then declare the car smog exempt. Let that one work on your brain for a while."
That comment just soaked in! WHAT! How much does that non-event cost the owner?
Last edited by wildbilly32; 10-07-2016 at 09:35 PM. Reason: more questions
10-07-2016, 10:01 PM
#234
Race Director
All cars are required to have all of their original smog equipment and it must be properly functioning. So, a '74 914 that has been converted to carbs is illegal. But, since the state gestapo do not require smog inspections for pre-1975 cars, they prolly ain't gonna find out.
10-08-2016, 12:09 AM
#236
10-08-2016, 02:49 AM
#238
Not quite correct. The pre-1975 cars are smog inspection exempt, not smog exempt.
All cars are required to have all of their original smog equipment and it must be properly functioning. So, a '74 914 that has been converted to carbs is illegal. But, since the state gestapo do not require smog inspections for pre-1975 cars, they prolly ain't gonna find out.
All cars are required to have all of their original smog equipment and it must be properly functioning. So, a '74 914 that has been converted to carbs is illegal. But, since the state gestapo do not require smog inspections for pre-1975 cars, they prolly ain't gonna find out.
10-08-2016, 10:25 AM
#240
Intermediate
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