[njsteve]

Not necessarily . I dont know about California DMV but in other states some the registrations can last for multiple years before expiring. Or maybe he kept renewing without driving it. Oh well. I'm still waiting for him to repsond to my email...or anyones, with the PHS and cowl tag info.

[kai]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Not necessarily . I dont know about California DMV but in other states some the registrations can last for multiple years before expiring. Or maybe he kept renewing without driving it. Oh well. I'm still waiting for him to repsond to my email...or anyones, with the PHS and cowl tag info.

In California you need to renew your registration every year. You get a new sticker good for one year at a time. Plus every other year you need to get it it smoged in order to register. I'm not sure that rule applied in 1980 and before. I started driving in 1986 and at that point you did. It was common for people to pay a mechanic a few extra bucks to make sure your car passed smog whether the car was there or not.

I have a book on Pontiac's that has a picture of a black 1971 trans am. The photo caption says it is a one off trans am that didn't get approval from management. Instead of a shaker hood is has louvers in it. Quite hideous.The car in the picture has Michigan plates making it appear to be a driven registered vehicle.

[eaglesan13]

In 1980 the California smog program in effect was the MVPC program (motor vehicle pollution control). As I recall we checked dwell, timing, idle speed and applicable systems with simple check marks on a certificate then used an infrared to measure the HC and CO which were recorded on the certificate. I'm pretty sure we only tested the vehicles during change of ownership and that bi-annual testing didn't start until the BAR 84 program which began in 1984. You are correct that it was common (and easy) to get a mechanic to issue a certificate since it merely required them to write out a cert. I think I still have an MVPC handbook so maybe I can look this stuff up.

So, this guy could have continued to pay the DMV for his yearly tag or used one from another vehicle in order to park on the street and avoid getting the car towed.

I wonder why he doesn't just post a photo of the PHS and data plate. The car is more valuable as a one-of so it would be to his advantage to prove his claim that it is an original black car.

Originally Posted by kai

In California you need to renew your registration every year. You get a new sticker good for one year at a time. Plus every other year you need to get it it smoged in order to register. I'm not sure that rule applied in 1980 and before. I started driving in 1986 and at that point you did. It was common for people to pay a mechanic a few extra bucks to make sure your car passed smog whether the car was there or not.

I have a book on Pontiac's that has a picture of a black 1971 trans am. The photo caption says it is a one off trans am that didn't get approval from management. Instead of a shaker hood is has louvers in it. Quite hideous.The car in the picture has Michigan plates making it appear to be a driven registered vehicle.

[BLKBRD]

All of the factory black cars that I've seen up through 1970 used red primer.

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by eaglesan13

In 1980 the California smog program in effect was the MVPC program (motor vehicle pollution control). As I recall we checked dwell, timing, idle speed and applicable systems with simple check marks on a certificate then used an infrared to measure the HC and CO which were recorded on the certificate. I'm pretty sure we only tested the vehicles during change of ownership and that bi-annual testing didn't start until the BAR 84 program which began in 1984. You are correct that it was common (and easy) to get a mechanic to issue a certificate since it merely required them to write out a cert. I think I still have an MVPC handbook so maybe I can look this stuff up.

So, this guy could have continued to pay the DMV for his yearly tag or used one from another vehicle in order to park on the street and avoid getting the car towed.

I wonder why he doesn't just post a photo of the PHS and data plate. The car is more valuable as a one-of so it would be to his advantage to prove his claim that it is an original black car.

The reason he hasn't posted anything should be obvious. But if he does post the PHS on this car, it should contain the special paint option code for 1972. The extra cost special paint option is listed for '72 Firebirds, but the option was not available on the Trans Am model as per the 1972 Accessorizer and Selling Facts. Judging by the number of bids he's gotten on this car and the current price, he hasn't persuaded many potential buyers yet. Let's wait and see.

Jim