The bill to stop smog checks of cars up to 1981 failed in a 3-4 vote, with 2 not voting in the senate transportation committee. Close but no cigar, this bill will be re-considered next year, so PLEASE contact the transportation committee members and urge them to vote yes next time, thank the ones that voted yes this time. (contact info below)

On a side note, the US senate voted July 13 as collector car appreiciation day!!! (senate resolution S 452)


Below is copied from the SEMA website....

California Bill to Exempt pre-1981 Vehicles From Emissions Inspection Requirement Fails Committee Vote; Granted Reconsideration
Legislation (S.B. 1224) to exempt all motor vehicles prior to the 1981 model year from the emissions inspection requirement has been granted reconsideration after failing to be approved by a Senate Transportation and Housing Committee vote. The bill failed on a 3-4 vote, with two committee members not voting. The bill will be reconsidered in a future committee hearing.
Those who voted in favor of the bill are Senators Gaines, Harman and Wyland. Those who voted against are Senators DeSaulnier, Lowenthal, Pavley and Simitian. Senators Kehoe and Rubio did not vote on the bill.

We Urge You to Contact Senators DeSaulnier, Lowenthal, Pavley, Simitian, Kehoe and Rubio (Contact Info Below) Immediately To Request Their Support for S.B. 1224
•S.B. 1224 recognizes the minimal impact of pre-1981 vehicles on emissions and air quality.

•S.B. 1224 acknowledges that pre-1981 vehicles still constitute a minuscule portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.

•S.B. 1224 endorses the fact that pre-1981 vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven (a fraction of the miles each year as a new vehicle).

•For years, legislators, regulators and stationary source polluters have felt the heat from failed efforts to meet air quality goals and have looked to older cars as a convenient scapegoat, using false data and inflated annual mileage assumptions to further their case. S.B. 1224 helps validate the truth. The old car hobby should not continue to carry the burden of past mistakes!
DON’T DELAY! Please contact Senators DeSaulnier, Lowenthal, Pavley, Simitian, Kehoe and Rubio immediately to request their support of S.B. 1224. Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.

Senate Transportation and Housing Committee
To e-mail Senators DeSaulnier, Lowenthal, Pavley, Simitian, Kehoe and Rubio, copy and paste the email address block below:

senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov; Senator.Kehoe@sen.ca.gov; Senator.Lowenthal@sen.ca.gov; senator.pavley@sen.ca.gov; michael.rubio@sen.ca.gov; senator.simitian@sen.ca.gov;

Senator Mark DeSaulnier (Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4007
Email: senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov

Senator Christine Kehoe
Phone: (916) 651-4039
Email: Senator.Kehoe@sen.ca.gov

Senator Alan Lowenthal
Phone: (916) 651-4027
Email: Senator.Lowenthal@sen.ca.gov

Senator Fran Pavley
Phone: (916) 651-4023
Email: senator.pavley@sen.ca.gov

Senator Michael Rubio
Phone: (916) 651-4016
Email: michael.rubio@sen.ca.gov

Senator Joe Simitian
Phone: (916) 651-4011
Email: senator.simitian@sen.ca.gov

good info

I agree whole-heartedly with this legislation, but this is only to stop the smog checks. It does nothing to the law that says an automobile has to meet smog levels. Even if gets past in a year it still leaves the door open to retest smog checks. California has suspended smog checks before, only to start them back up again a couple of years later.

also think about all the late 70's buicks and cadis that have huge v8's... 81?

they should just make it 76 for those 76 914 owners....

+1 .......... and for the 1976 912E .......

My son has a 1978 Camaro Z28. the current law demands that he have the original CA air pump system in place, and prohibits him from installing a much more effecient and less polluting engine like an LS1 or LT1.

the OE system spits out a huge amount of pollutant. it just mixes in clean air to dilute it. stupid!
An LT1 would be more fuel efficient, less pollution. At the least, the law should smply say, if your car can put out less pollution than when it was first sold, youre clear.

If you try and insert logic into politics, you'll never understand. It makes perfect sense if you dont think about it

If you go over to the LS1Tech forums (Conversions and Hybrids), you're sure to find several accounts of LS1 (LSx) swaps that meet CA smog requirements. There's a lot of info on that over there.

Andys

my brother in law fails smog on his 1978 firbird, becasue it has a newer motor, and stock in 1978 had a closed air element. passed emsions but fails on visual. and, he can not fit any closed air cleaner to fit.... so dumb.

CA is very air strict. i do not think this bill will pass.... no way to 81.