[Gary S.]

Here is an update on the subject,which has been discussed before at various times.This is my personal experience.
Took my car to the muffler shop,for a new system from the manifolds back.My car never had a catalytic converter,from when I bought it in 1996.I'm the 2nd owner.The shop guy was pretty hesitant about it,as there was no converter.I had him duplicate the system that was on the car,which was a straight dual exhaust,no crossover,with glasspack mufflers.My splitter tips were in too poor shape to be re-used.
Took the car last week to the station to get a safety inspection.The man didn't look real hard under the hood.He did stop the inspection when he saw no tips on the exhaust.Said I had to have that on there,so the exhaust extended visibly beyond where the passenger compartment ended.
Ordered the correct tips from Performance Years,and took them to the muffler shop today and had them installed.Very happy with the appearance.
Took the car back to the inspection station.He did verify that the exhaust was complete.Did a standard safety inspection-horn,brakes,turn signals,etc.Again,didn't inspect real hard under the hood.Looked at the power steering pump and made sure that it wasn't leaking,made a comment about the canister being present (the lines aren't even all hooked up),and didn't do any disassembly of the air cleaner/hoses etc.
I've got the standard factory parts on there,with the hose coming up from the right side valve cover and into the breather assembly,etc.He looked only casually at that,then closed the hood.The intake manifold is a 1969,and the engine is a 1971-neither of which was any issue whatsoever.
The car did not need to be emissions tested because of being 24+ years or older.
Inspection cost $12.50.
Now I've got all my plates and stickers,the car is legal,and it is back on the road after about a 5 year hiatus,and I'm very happy.
So it appears to me that if your car is running well,and you have most of the factory stock pieces on it,then it isn't going to be all that closely examined.He made sure it was basically safe to operate,is what I gathered from all this.
It sure feels good to be driving a Trans Am down the road again.Kind of feels like a T-Rex on the prowl.