On Thursday, this thread appeared . . . ..
> I just read a post that you put on the Triumph list about going in for the
> "dreaded" california emissions test. I'm going to be moving to San
> Francisco at the end of September and am currently trying to decide if
> it's worth the expense of towing my car clear across the country. One of
> my main concerns is the emissions testing that the car will have to go
> through. I have a '78 Spitfire - but it has an engine from 1974 Spit. On
> top of that the PO removed the original ZS carb and replaced it w/dual
> SU's. Thus there are absolutely no emission controls. No cat, no air
> pump, no charcoal filters, ...nothing. Needless to say I'm thinking that
the mechanic who tests> my car will have a good laugh if I try to get it
thru emissions. Can you
> tell me a little about the process?
The first step is a visual check for all the emmission stuff that the '78
came with. Without it present and the impression that it functions, you can
not be tested and you can not register the car. period.
All that stuff must be replaced. Then a tailpipe test is done, using
standards that were appropriate for that year. There's even more. Any car
brought into the state that was not originally made for the CA market is
levied a CA emmissions charge. It is in the $3-400 dollar range. This is
regardless of the quality of the emissions! As much as you love your car, I
would not recommend bringing it here.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Regretably, I have to agree 100%. This state (CA) sucks with respect to
post-1964 sports cars. If you are a classic car enthusiast you have only
one true guiding principal -- only buy pre-1965 autos. Period.
Unfortunately, these are becoming rarer all the time and more expensive.
Welcome to the 90's.
Ross D. Vincenti
64 Spitfire 4 (undergoing surgery)
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