[formulabird428]

So, it's obvious that I cannot get away with calling it a '69 after the engine.

How about this -- what happens if I change the entire front clip to a 70-style. Now it looks like a 70. Would it be modified enough then? Do "specially constructed vehicles" still need to go through smog checks? What happens if I made the car a tubular frame car, now the original chassis is gone as well?

[b-man]

The VIN says the car is a 1979.

Nothing you do to the car changes that simple fact.

Put your engine in an older car, or get used to the fact that your car is never going to be a street car in California.

[INJUNTOM]

Originally Posted by b-man

The VIN says the car is a 1979.

Nothing you do to the car changes that simple fact.

Put your engine in an older car, or get used to the fact that your car is never going to be a street car in California.

Yep, but look at it on the bright side: You'll be going to the land of rust free Pontiacs galore. Not to mention the land of car culture, swap meets, etc.

Where are you going to be located? (General area).

[formulabird428]

near Pasadena.

last question -- If I buy another car (pre 1976) and put the current engine in it (obviously not street legal), are there ANY emissions checks or ANY way for them to disallow the car on public roads?

[tikler]

Man. That's tough. I'm so glad I don't live there. Beautiful place. Seriously, that just sounds like another country to a Bama boy. Its a little easier to "unelect" politicians here and they know most of the bubbas and bros would be walking if they tried that here.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by formulabird428

are there ANY emissions checks or ANY way for them to disallow the car on public roads?

Officially, no. But as I said earlier, it is technically illegal per the motor code of California to modify the emissions controls on ANY car from as it was delivered status regardless of age. And if a police officer or CHP wants to make your life hard, they can pull you over and make you pop the hood and send you to a referee station or impound the car. This really only happens if you've done something stupid and gotten pulled over (drinking & driving: $10k fine as well) or the police officer is having a real bad night and wanting to make an example out of you.

I've got a '67, a '72, a '73, and a '75 and all of them have had some work done to them beyond stock and I've never once been asked to smog it or gotten pulled over for it. I only got grief when I brought my '72 into California as it had no emissions tag on the core support or a second VIN stamp and I got sent to CHP to investigate my car. The fact that I retained the '73 EGR setup (albeit non-functioning) and routed all of the vacuum lines properly made the officer give me a break about it and he said he liked it when the DMV people wasted his time. My '77 and '78 required every other year smog and since I keep them mostly stock and in tune, so no hassles there as the margins to pass are quite wide.

[LeighP]

I've toured over a large percentage of the US, enjoyed the people and places.....I've got to say, that must be one huge paycheck you're chasing....because it'd take a real lot to make me want to live in California...there are so much nicer places to live that don't come with the government issued "total control" attitude.

If you're going, I'd sell the car and buy something older when you're settled in CA.

[Ken K]

Don't forget the service stations charge you $1.00 so you can air your own tires up.

[lust4speed]

Before my '67 became exempt, I was considering building a clean smog engine that would only be installed for the smog test. Less than a day to drop it in, and the same amount of time to take it out. Not a bad investment for the other 728 days of hot rodding. Never had to because of the rolling exemption - which unfortunately stopped rolling in '76 when the socialists greenies voted it down. The exemption was brought up this year to extend the year of manufacture, and while it actually got quite a few votes, it went down in flames.

I envy my friends that have made the move to other states. Many of my friends that are currently still here have purchased houses in other states, and will be blowing out of CA as soon as they retire.

[Formulabruce]

have a relative register it in Ohio, and have it put in their will. Seems Nevada may be closer, and anything can show up there on the road

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

Before my '67 became exempt, I was considering building a clean smog engine that would only be installed for the smog test. Less than a day to drop it in, and the same amount of time to take it out. Not a bad investment for the other 728 days of hot rodding. Never had to because of the rolling exemption - which unfortunately stopped rolling in '76 when the socialists greenies voted it down. The exemption was brought up this year to extend the year of manufacture, and while it actually got quite a few votes, it went down in flames.

I envy my friends that have made the move to other states. Many of my friends that are currently still here have purchased houses in other states, and will be blowing out of CA as soon as they retire.

Texas welcomes you to retire comfortably and mostly do whatever you please to do with your car and well whatever else

[LeighP]

Yeah, Texas was on my list of nicer places to be, thats for sure.

[formulabird428]

actually, Austin was my 2nd choice.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by LeighP

Yeah, Texas was on my list of nicer places to be, thats for sure.

As long as you fit in, yes. I was run out of Texas =(

[tom s]

With all due respect to the CA haters,I have lived here for a long friggin time.Lived in PA and NJ as a kid.lived on the west coast of FLA for awhile.Been all over the world,NZ,Germany Maurishis(spelling) etc and there is no place I would rather live.There are bad but IMO way more good.You can be at the beach and be sking in the local mountains on the same day.Weather over all is second to none.Yes the DMV stuff can be trying.JMHO,Tom

[59safaricat]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

Seems Nevada may be closer, and anything can show up there on the road

I don't know about state wide regulations, but Washoe and Clark county still require a YEARLY smog for vehicles all the way back to 1967.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by 59safaricat

I don't know about state wide regulations, but Washoe and Clark county still require a YEARLY smog for vehicles all the way back to 1967.

Not to mention unless you are in a place like San Diego near a giant military base with military tags on the windshield, running out of state plates with an in-state license or in-state permanent residence is a good way to get some pretty hefty tickets and fines.

[gregneun]

Most of the cars that are exempt can get away with a lot. Many of the shows are put on or have police presence and they pretty much leave people alone. There's some pretty wild rides around and people really love the classic cars here. They have open header contests.

You just need to dump the 1979 with the older engine. I don't think you would have much of a problem putting the HO engine in a 65 GTO or 67 Firebird. There's a lot more old cars to pick from out here, the salt does not get to them. I see cars all the time with DART blocks, huge Hemi's or whatever. Chevy 502's are pretty common at a car show.

The car gusatpos will get to a 1979 car with a 1969 engine. I've had a car inspected by the DMV, for VIN, stuff and they didn't ask anything about the engine.

Haul or drive it out here and change what you have to. Ot sell the body and bring the engine. There are still tons of speed shops here. Google Pasadena speed shops and where you currently live, I'll bet there are more around Pasadena. Nice community too. You could trailer it to the 1/8 mile in Irwindale (10 miles from Pasadena), Fontana, Pomona until you decide what you want to do.

Why do ya think the NHRA starts and ends the season here? Mickey Thompson was a local, NHRA Museum is here, Hot Rod Magazine and therefore the Peterson Museum, on and on. It's not like the post war car culture was created in Delaware. I even foud Big Daddy Ed Roth's shop on Slauson Ave in Maywood, not much to see, but it still exists.

Iskedarian, Edelbrock, the foundry's for all that stuff was out here and some still are. I wouldn't bag everything.

Impossible to be happy with the politicos, it's all left, no middle or right. Tax the citizens and give it to the immigrants, and there are plenty.

Route 66 car show is coming up in September. It probably won't be what it was during a booming economy, but still plenty of nice cars. Check out the online pics when they get posted. SEMA is not far away (LV,NV). Here's link to the coming months car shows and the NHRA Twighlight cruise is cancelled because of the fair, so it's not on there.

http://www.socalcarculture.com/events.html

You can always say "to hell with it" and move back.

Greg

[formulabird428]

If I put the 301 back in the car (still have it), do I have to literally make everything as-stock...even stuff like the air cleaner, plug wires, distributor, mechanical fuel pump and fuel lines?

[Ben M.]

Yes. Air cleaner is the big one. Plug wires they likely won't care about, distributor only matters so far as initial timing is concerned.