CA Smog law re-write, the best CA political decision since we voted for Reagan in 84

[rang-a-stang]

Check this out! New verbiage to California's Smog law. In a nutshell, it removed the visual inspection and make it so a car 35 years old on Jan 2018 (model year 1983) and older will only have to pass the gas cap test, the sniffer, and a visual check for fluid leaks as long as we insure it as a collector car.
(c) For purposes of subdivision (a), a collector motor vehicle, as defined in Section 259 of the Vehicle Code, is exempt from those portions of the test required by subdivision (f) of Section 44012 if the collector motor vehicle meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Submission of proof that the motor vehicle is insured as a collector motor vehicle, as shall be required by regulation of the bureau.
(2) The motor vehicle is at least 35 model-years old.
(3) The motor vehicle complies with the exhaust emissions standards for that motor vehicle?s class and model-year as prescribed by the department, and the motor vehicle passes a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks.

This bill has already passed the CA Senate and is scheduled for assembly vote on 21 Aug!

HOLY CRAP! I hope this passes! This would mean we could install whatever we wanted as long as it passes the sniffer and the gas cap test! I am so excited I can barely write!
There is a lot more to the bill but this is the meat and potatoes of it for us.

Here's the write up on it:

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1274

The voting history is overwhelmingly positive!

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1274

Notice all my links are to CA legislature, not fake news or anything. this is legit!!!

[rang-a-stang]

If this passes it means, in California, on an 83 or earlier FSJ these parts would now be smog legal (provided you still pass the sniffer and have collector car insurance):
-Engine swap (you have a 360, now you can swap in an LS, 401, Hemi, etc.) and not have to hit up the ref.
-HEI
-GM TBI without a Howell CARB sticker, controlling the ignition, the EGR, etc.
-Headers without a CARB EO number
-dual cats
-3" cat(s)
-49 state cats
-Fi-Tech, Megasquirt, MSD Atomic, FAST EZ-EFI 2.0, Edelbrock E-Street, Holley Terminator EFI, or ANY other EFI
-Edelbrock intake manifold
-4bbl carb when your truck came with a 2bbl carb

If this bill passes, it is such a game changer for us suckers in Cali! it would re-instate the "rolling" exemption to 35 years old. Which means by 2026 EVERY FSJ would be exempted from the visual inspection.

I have said, MANY MANY times, my problem with Cali smog checks is the visual inspection. If I could have re-written the smog law in California, this is how I would have written it (except for the collector car insurance, not sure why that matters).

I rarely write my state reps but I will be writing them tomorrow. I hope EVERYONE of you Cali FSJ drivers writes your rep. find them here:

http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

[gsmikie]

insure it as a collector car.

[babywag]

the first part has already been in there for several years.
the partial exemption, subject to smog referee inspection/approval, AND collector registration and insurance.
issue is heavy dmv restrictions on driving/use on collector/historical vehicles.
the main selling point on this new bill is adding 2yrs (6-8yrs) to new cars for exemption.

*if* they do change the visual inspection nonsense on older stuff cool, but I don't think it actually does.

EDIT:
Found it...look familiar?

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB1239

Section 44011 of CA Health and Safety Code...
(c) For purposes of subdivision (a), any collector motor vehicle, as defined in Section 259 of the Vehicle Code, is exempt from those portions of the test required by subdivision (f) of Section 44012 if the collector motor vehicle meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Submission of proof that the motor vehicle is insured as a collector motor vehicle, as shall be required by regulation of the bureau.
(2) The motor vehicle is at least 35 model-years old.
(3) The motor vehicle complies with the exhaust emissions standards for that motor vehicle's class and model-year as prescribed by the department, and the motor vehicle passes a functional inspection of the fuel cap and a visual inspection for liquid fuel leaks.

[SJTD]

So what are the requirements for a collector car as far as insurance companies go or is it up to each company to decide?

Mileage limits I could maybe live with but parades or too/from shows only aint going to work for me.

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

California Vehicle Code 259 states,
"Collector motor vehicle? means a motor vehicle owned by a collector, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 5051, and the motor vehicle is used primarily in shows, parades, charitable functions, and historical exhibitions for display, maintenance, and preservation, and is not used primarily for transportation."

[rang-a-stang]

I had Haggerty collector car insurance on my Falcon about 10 years ago and all they insisted on was that I could not drive it to and from work "most days" and if I remember correctly, it had to be stored in a covered garage. There were no mileage limits because they know people cruise in their collector cars. It was VERY reasonable insurance too.

The catch with collector car insurance (its not a big catch) is you are paying for an "agreed upon" value. So if you both say your rig is worth $10k, that's what is insured. If you munch your rig, you get a check for up to $10k, no more. Even if you had just rebuilt the engine ($3k) and the value of your rig went up by another $2k since you took out your insurance. Or, the reciprocal, you are paying for insurance on a rig worth $10k when its really only worth $6k.

[ShagWagon]

That's even worse.

Then they will say you can't drive it.

Only in parades.
Must be towed to car shows.
Must buy special expensive collectors plates and tags.
Limit on number of miles driven per year.

It's cali. I'd be leery.....

[babywag]

It's clear as mud as anything with CA DMV...

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/b6694537-9245-49f4-93ff-f577dbe0abf6/12vin12.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

However w/ historic plates, the restrictions are there.
I personally would never get historic plates on any vehicle I owned/drive.

All this nonsense has multiple factors. The laws, the DMV, and the CA BAR (smog testing).
They're not always on the same page.
Test stations aren't always clear either.

[rang-a-stang]

BUt the bill doesn't say "Collector Plates" its says "vehicle is insured as a collector motor vehicle". Haggerty is the company I know that provides "Classic Car insurance". I am not sure if that is the same as "insured as a collector motor vehicle" but I think it could be argued that it is.

http://www.haggerty.com

[babywag]

Neither does the old bill/code, BUT the CA DMV dictates their own requirements for smog.
I know someone who tried exempting his camaro when the law/language changed a few yrs ago.
He gave up, due to DMV and testing hassles.
They wanted him register as historic AND visit a ref.
He said screw it.

As with anything DMV, YMMV and maybe for some it wirks?

[rang-a-stang]

As with anything DMV, YMMV and maybe for some it wirks?

very true. So very true. Sigh. I feel like my puppy has kicked.

[SJTD]

Getting the insurance is one thing. Getting the company to pay in the event of an accident is another.

If the policy has any words about shows I wouldn't risk it. Not driven to work "most days" is pretty vague. Seems to give them a big out if you try to collect.

About the DMV, what I always say is if you don't like the answer you're getting, go to another window.

[babywag]

I use AAA for my DMV stuff.
Local DMV office here is horrible.
Loooong lines, lotsa windows, rarely a good answer.

I'd never kick a puppy...
Lots of folks got all excited last round of the smog exempt chatter.
Seems they forgot beaurocrats hate old iron.

[SJTD]

AAA for me too. Except they don't do Green Stickers.

If I have to go to the DMV itself I plan ahead and do it on one of my trips to Bishop.