OT: The new "tuner" law, Anyone know any details on this? Cops.. Options

[Andyrew]

My dad and i are leary of this new law that allows the cops to pull over any car that is "modified".

Does anyone know any details? or can someone post the actual law?

My dad thinks they can impound my car and crush it and i'll never get it back...

This is on the basis that they pull me over for no apparent reason.

ALSO, knowing that I will never street race, what if they catch me get on it a little, or throw some tire smoke..


Anyways, Im 19, and here are some obvious facts about my car (and soon to be car)

It will have subtle flares, but it will have 18x10's on the back with a lot of rubber.
Brakes look stock, fronts are painted red.
Fiberglass front and rear bumpers w/ (soon to be) lexan rear spoiler
Lights are stock
Front trunk has louvers, not entirely noticable, in body paint color.
Body is factory phoenix red (orange)
Mirrors un decided, but will have left and right.
License plate on both front and rear bumper.
Engine lid stock, can see chrome air filter cover (will paint) obvious sbc
Exhaust is dual, side exit w/ 2 mufflers, should be relatively quiet under normal driving.
Racing seats
Racing harness's
momo wheel, factory guages
Small tubes no higher than stomach (while sitting down) for long to door pillar bracing (follows seat lines)
Black carpet

Thats about all they can see..
Car is a 73, does not need smog...

What can they do to me?

Andrew

[lapuwali]

QUOTE (MikeP @ Feb 16 2006, 11:08 AM)

If you are that concerned, de-tune your motor, throw some catalytic converters on it and go to the refferee at your local DMV, they will certify that your SBC is in the configuration offered in a stock vehicle from 1973 and is now in another 1973 vehicle. The state doesn't care what vehicle your 1973 motor is pushing around as long as it meets the requirements from that year. They will put a nifty little sticker on the door jamb of your car and it will forever after be your get out of jail free card when a cop pulls you over. That said, I've been pulled over in my v8 car and had the cop shake his head look over the engine whistle and tell me to slow down a bit then send me on my way. Not an uncommon occurace for v8 owners I'm told. It really is all about the particular cop and your attitude.

Catalytic convertors are not required for 1973 MY cars. Even if smog tests were still required for a '73, a cat wouldn't be required.

Were Andrew to follow the exact letter of the law to bring his car into compliance, he'd have to do the following: if the V8 is from a '73, he'd have to fit all of the smog equipment orignally fitted to that engine in the donor car in 1973. Catalytic convertors would not be part of the package (these didn't appear in CA until 1975, and weren't required in the rest of the US until 1980). If the engine is older than 1973, he'd have to fit all of the '73 914 smog gear, including EFI, the charcoal canister, and all of the vent hoses. If the engine is newer than 73, he'd have to retrofit all of the equipment in use on that engine in cars with that engine in the model year of the engine. This may include catalytic convertors if the engine is a '75 or newer. Once this was done, a visit to a BAR referee station would test and certify the car as being a XX model year car for emissions purposes ('73 or newer, depending on the year of the chassis or engine, whichever is newer). From that point on, he'd be subject to emissions testing if the engine is a '76 or newer, as the car would now effectively be a the new model year as far as the DMV is concerned. The limits used would be based on the year of the engine.

Since the car IS exempt in CA, you're in more of a gray area. The EPA doesn't care, as the car is more than 25 years old. CA law is more iffy. You're not required to be TESTED under the exemption, but a strict reading of the law states that you're not really exempt from the requirements, just the enforcement. The engine swap rules technically still apply.

Most of the CVC regs that will get you pulled over, however, have nothing to do with the engine or emissions, but are instead concerned with things like how loud the muffler is, what color your lights are, etc. As long as he's using a sociable muffler, and correct 914 lenses (Euro lenses are iffy, but likely to be OK), and isn't lowered so much that no part of the car hangs below the lower lip of the wheel rims (except the tires, of course), then he's "street legal".