I remember that some possibly all 76's were exempt from california SMOG.

What are the facts?

they cut it off at -75..... Thats the latest I heard, no newer than 75 will ever be smog free.. Guess Arnold is on a power trip again

All cars 1976 model year and newer are required to submit to the biannual smog test. (exception: new model years can buy out of the system for the first couple of years only.)

Zois knows for sure, but it has something to do with the build date, if you can prove that your '76 car was built before a certain date in '75, you "might" be exempt. Not an easy task I believe.

I've heard various rumors to the effect that a '76 first registered PRIOR to April '76 would be exempt. This is, supposedly, because the new law came into effect in April, not January, to give the DMV some extra time to notify owners of '76 model year cars of the change. There are some 912E people (all '76s) who claim to be off the hook because of this.

Not verified, etc...

As far as I know, if the model year on the title is 1976, you're hosed. That's the way the law itself is written. The DMV, however, has been known to interpret edge cases like this differently from the way most people would read the law. They are the ultimate enforcer of this law.

If I were car shopping, I'd avoid all '76 cars no matter how nice, and no matter what the seller tries to tell you. There are a great many people out there that still don't know the 30 year rolling exemption is gone. There are even more who don't know ANY car is exempt from smog testing.

hmm,
as i recall, the 76s were just leftover 75s sold as 76s, no?

That's what the FAQ said until this morning, but that doesn't appear to be entirely correct, and the FAQ has been corrected.

In any case, the DMV doesn't care if the '75 and '76 cars are identical, the model year on the title is the metric they use, and the '76 cars are not exempt.

Generally speaking, and there ARE exceptions, cars built after 01 October of any given year are considered to be of the next MY. And it's true, if the DMV says it's a 76, it's a 76. My 911 was built in may of 65, but sold as a 66. There are a LOT of 911s out there with a later build date that are registered as 65s, and there's a largish amount of percieved difference in value. I spent a year trying to get mine changed, only to strike out. They gotcha! Since a good percentage of 76 914s have emissions equipment that is either missing or non-functional, California buyers have to be particularly careful what they purchase. Again, if the smog people determine those parts are available (and they are, no matter what the cost) you have to put it all in working order. There's NO exemption for missing/inop parts. No dollar limit, either. There IS a dollar limit on repairs to the basic engine, but only for one smog check cycle, and the limit has to be spent to qualify for the exemption. In addition, it must be spent at a registered emissions repair facility. You can't go out and buy parts to fulfil the limit, and you can't get the work done at an unqualified/unregistered shop. Furthermore, finding a qualified shop that will even look at a 914 might be really tough. BTW, legally, all cars registered in California have to have all the emissions equipment specified for the vehicle when it was first sold (and where it was first sold), they just don't test pre-1976 cars. The Cap'n

Time to find a rolling '75 chassis and ...

the cap'n is right once again ...

pre '76 cars are excempt from the smog *test* only! this is important to know. you're still required by law to run and maintain whatever smog equipement was originally installed on your car when it was first registered.

if the cops pull you over in your '74 chebbie 350 v8 with headers, they *can* write you a hefty ticket ...
Andy

IIRC, Bill P (914cats) chased through this with the 76 he had/has. There was something with the build date being in the "right" part of 75, and you had to talk to the DMV and get them to specifically list your car as exempt from testing by a certain date. Which was in March of 2005 or something like that.

A search on his posts would probably turn up the info.

--DD

Lots of good info thanks guys.

I searched and found the "date cutoff" with certain 75 build dates. Icouldn't quite understand if it one could still have a 76 car become exempt.

It sounds like this was a "under the wire" thing and is no longer available.

I heard the "right build date" was up to April of '76. Rumor has it that '76 cars are for the most part left over '75 cars so most '76 build dates would be early if that is true.
Call the referee station or check the CARB website.

Rob

here it is from the website,



Not all vehicles must get a Smog Check. Additionally, some vehicles only need a Smog Check when they are being sold or being registered in California after previously being registered in another state. Whether or not a vehicle needs a Smog Check depends on the type of vehicle, the model-year, and the area in which the vehicle is registered.

Some vehicles are exempt from the Smog Check program

Legislation enacted during 2004 made several changes in motor vehicle Smog Check exemptions that will become effective next year. Following is a summary of the revised exemptions and the effective date of each change:

Beginning January 1, 2005, vehicles 6 or less model-years old are exempt from the biennial Smog Check inspection requirement. For vehicles with registration renewals due in the 2006 calendar year, this exemption includes model-years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Beginning January 1, 2005, vehicles 4 or less model-years old are exempt from the Smog Check inspection requirement upon change of ownership and transfer of title transactions with DMV. In 2006, this exemption includes model-years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Beginning April 1, 2005, the 30-year rolling exemption has been repealed. Instead, vehicles 1975 model-year and older will be exempt. Therefore, 1976 model-year and newer vehicles will continue to be subject to biennial inspection indefinitely.

Beginning April 1, 2005, vehicles being initially registered in California that were previously registered in another state are exempt if the vehicle is a 1975 and older model-year vehicle. Newer vehicles, the first 6 model years, are not exempted upon initial registration in California. These vehicles are required to undergo a Smog Check Inspection.

There WAS a small window for 76s....the law cahnge wasn't effective until April. So people who had 76 models were able to register in the first three months w/o a smog check.

A neighbor actually had a non op 76 that he was able to get done.

Well this year DMV said...you need one now....his build date is 75. He can appaeal it, my opinion is that he has a solid case as the law is being applied retroactively but he's wimping out and taking the car to Texas.

You CAN fight DMV and win. It's frustrating and time consuming and you feel like you went one on one Shaq when yer done....but it's a stretch.

As to Ahhnold....I have high end Republican friends that have asked him about the law...his comment was..."I have taken a LOT of shit over that one...."

Then he sticks his cigar back in his mouth and changes the subject.....

Talk about air pollution! Wonder if he had emissions control equipment on that cigar ................? The Cap'n

i called DMV and they said it is when the car is 30 years old i dont think this is true.

They gave you bad information. IF it is a 1975 or older, no smog check. You are supposed to leave all the existing smog equipment on there, but there is no inspection, visual or tailpipe sniff, done to confirm that the stuff is still on there.

These questions are already answered both in this very thread, and on the DMV website. As I stated earlier, there's an astonishing number of people who don't know the 30 year rolling exemption is gone, OR that the 30 year rolling exemption ever came into existance. Obviously, some number of those people work at the DMV.

One other thing not mentioned here. It is the SELLERS responsibility to have the car smogged prior to selling it.

That means you can demand that the seller supply a current smog certificate before you pay them any money.

Later, Don

That is true, but in 2 years he will perhaps have a problem

Here's a link to some information I gathered on my 76 2liter that I was thinking of making into a V8. I ended up selling the 2 liter and buying a 75 car due to what I found out about the smog laws.

Smog Investigation

Good Luck!

Bill P.

Well, I have read and reread most of the information regarding smog challenges facing 1976 California owners, and I am not sure what to do at this point.

I bought the '76 from motorhead back in late March, and it seems to me that the biannual smog challenge is a large sticking point in keeping a teener long term.

I want to keep the car mostly stock for street driving, and the current 2.0 engine is operable with the original DJet. The car has passed smog and has been continually registered, so I have thought about keeping it intact with the idea that in a worst case scenario I could swap the engine back in every two years to pass the inspection.

Ideally, I would like to upgrade the engine to a Raby or six, but I am still unclear about the feasibility of a smog swap every two years. Obviously going the six conversion adds layers of complication and bucks.

I am aware that sourcing and maintaining parts to keep the stock smog equipment is not a cheap endeavor.

Few magic bullets present themselves, and I feel like I am stuck in neutral. My preference would be to not sell the car, since this is my first teener, and I would really love to be able to drive this car for the next 30 years. If I had to get a '75 or older in order to stay in the game, I would do that, but it seems to be a less than ideal approach.

Thanks for those that have dug up some helpful information, and hopefully I will find a long term solution to keep this car on the California highways until I am old and obnoxious like Howard.

By the way, moving to Utah and enduring multiply wives to keep the car is not in the cards either. Stronger men have done it, but I am not one of them.

Cheers.

I've been building up a pile of '76 smog specific parts to keep my heap up to snuff. It's not necessarily a question of "expense", but rather patience and perserverence in trying to find the right parts. If you can't find them, modifying parts from other cars (some 1.8 smog parts can do the trick), or make from scratch.

On smog laws and conversions..the RABY engine would give you nothing but grief. You'd HAVE to keep a completely stock engine on the shelf and do the swap every two years. The six though could be much easier. California law says that the car must comply with emissions requirements of whichever is newer, the engine or the car. ALL systems required for either that CAR or it's engine must be installed and working... example:

'74 4 cylinder 2.0 in '76 car.. must have all '76 smog gear
'78 6 cylinder in '76 car... must have all of the '78 SYSTEMS in place, basically the engine must be transferred completely.. but not that big a deal

'96 SUBY engine in '76... all fuel injection, ECU, Cat, Charcoal Filters, etc... again as a complete system.

What I'm NOT sure about is if I took a '68 Small Block Chevy and put it in a '76.... I believe you need to have all emissions equipment a '76 SBC would have in a Chevy (so you wouldn't need to convert to fuel injection for instance).

anyhow, look at your '76 as the "Luxury Version" of the 914 line. Might as well fit it out with AC, headlight squirters, rear window defogger, and every other factory weight gaining option.. it will never have the power and lightness of the older cars, so might as well maximize the "chick magnetizm"...

BTW, I know where good deals can be had on gold chains!!!

Or a 3.6 w/o ALL of the smog equipment that originally came on the motor....

Cats, all the fuel tank sensors, etc...

The rule is that the motor for a swap has to be newer than the one it replaces, and the smog equipment originally on the motor must still be in place. Fortunately, there are no more checks on 90% of 914's (in Kalifornia at least) so have fun.

BJH

Smart idea to build up a '76 parts inventory. It seems that there would be enough folks walking away from the smog gear that would allow those of us that need to keep the equipment going a pool of parts. I need to swap notes with you some time to figure out what I need to get and how much I need to spend.



Too bad the Raby route is full of friction. I like your thinking on the newer six, though. This car with 200+ horse would be nuts. A good nuts mind you. I know that I want to keep it air cooled and Porsche powered. I really like the project that Tony has done with his Suby upgrade, but that is not the way I want to go.

Got the gold chain, so no need for that. Just waiting on the hair line to disappear.

Thanks for the good thoughts.

3.6?? What, are you Crazy?

Trying to get me killed?

So, how many CA '76 owners have done a six conversion (3.6 or other flavor) and successfully smog their cars every two years? I am sure there is a way to do it, I just need to figure out all the hows and expenses.

3.6?? Next thing you know I will have to buy a 915 tranny, and, ..., and five lug conversion, and ...

There is a good chance that if you have condom bumpers (saftey bumpers) you

may need to smog it. You may be able to fight it with a early 75, this is what I was

told. Could be bullsh!t.

FWIW I had a very nice low mileage '76 that I wanted more HP out of and went through the same gyrations you are now going through. After much thought and research I ended up selling it because I could see no way to get more HP out of it and still pass smog every other year without a LOT of hassle.

Thanks for the input. I hope that there are some viable alternatives to keeping '76s in California rather than having to unload the car like you did.

I check out your conversion blog. Your car looks terrific, and I am sure it goes like stink. Very well done, and the attention to detail to both interior and exterior is amazing. I am not a big fan of light blue, but your car is beautiful.

[/quote]
Thanks for the input. I hope that there are some viable alternatives to keeping '76s in California rather than having to unload the car like you did.

I check out your conversion blog. Your car looks terrific, and I am sure it goes like stink. Very well done, and the attention to detail to both interior and exterior is amazing. I am not a big fan of light blue, but your car is beautiful.
[/quote]

Thanks for the props. Picking it up next week! More pics to follow on the blog!

The other reason I sold the '76 was that it was in such good original conditon I just did not have the heart to mess with it - it went to a guy that will really appreciate a totally stock low mileage Teener; matter of fact, its in Germany now running the "Ring"!

Here I am, yes indeed ...........

Ask and ye shall receive an answer. Conversions can be legal, and it's NOT all that hard, given most referees are "car guys". The smog goes with the engine or the chassis, whichever is newer. Therefore, you couldn't run a complete 71 914/4 motor in a 76. HOWEVER, you can run a 77 911 motor. Have to run thermal reactors, air pump, and EGR. Good news is all that stuff is available. Bad news is you don't want it. You want an 80 or newer, 'cause you lose the TRs, the air pump, and the EGR. You gain electronic monitoring/adjustment of the mixture, you get better mileage, and the engine runs cleaner. Gotta run a catalyst. Personally, I'd mod the headers and run 2 little ones, right before the stock muffler. You get it all done, make it look like it was done by someone who cared, pay your registration fees, get a one day permit, and head for the referee. Your ducks being all in a row, parts all there that should be, working as they should, your car will pass the visual and the tailpipe tests, and you'll get a plaque (glued to the door post), which henceforth will allow you to zip right through the annual smog check. Warning! As your car, by the year and model, might be on the "frequent failer" "hit list", you might get a renewal "test only" request, which means you'll have to get it tested at a special facility. As your ducks will always be in a row, you should have no problems there, either.

If you go too new, you have to deal with closed evap systems, OBD equipment, and other gummint bullshit. Save that engine for an earlier chassis, where you still have to have all that stuff, but they hardly ever check for it, and there's no biennial smog check. The Cap'n