[T3] California smog inspection for Type

[Phil Hof]

There are two different inspections here:  first-time (or lapsed)
registration, and biennial (every other registration year).

The laws cited have to do with what is otherwise a biennial inspection
requirement.  Cars older than 1976 do not get this.  Newer cars must have a
smog inspection every other year, with a few exceptions like my Prius.

When you first register the car in the state, there can be a slightly more
rigorous process, that MIGHT include an inspection.  My fastback was an
example of bringing in a car with lapsed registration.

In my case, before I parked it, I had paid to register it non-op, which
requires no yearly fee.  Four years ago I brought it back to life and wanted
to register it again.  But because it had been 7 years since the last time
it was registered, when I went in to reactivate it, it had been dropped out
of the system entirely.  I had to bring in the original pink slip from the
first sale (to my dad) in 1970, along with my most recent active
registration, to show the names matched, and an address trail.

It was still a bit of bother, and I had to first buy a temporary permit to
drive it to the DMV, then let them inspect it, then wait a few weeks for my
new tags and documents to arrive.

As I said, they inspected the VINs, looked at the motor for a bit (saying
nothing), and asked for the engine number (very odd), then asked me to start
it.  It was so factory clean that they may have assumed it was all stock,
since the exhaust certainly was even to an untrained ear.  It may have also
limited the inspection since it was clear I knew more about this car than
any inspector! ;-)

That said, I bet this process is not the same for everyone, and that really
makes the point that you don't really know what you will get asked for when
you bring in an "outsider."  They may inspect it, they may not.  Different
offices have varying degrees of knowledge, and remember, THEY will ALWAYS be
right if you try to argue!  They are the DMV, after all!

Do you want to take a chance, or just take a day and clean up and bolt on
the equipment (working or not), and KNOW it will get through inspection?

Good luck, hopefully no one will have a problem.  At least we know that,
being older than 1976, NO Type 3 will ever have to be inspected biennially
in Cali!

-Phil
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> From: Robert Donath <rdonath at astound.net>
>
> My '69 square daily driver has never needed an inspection since I bought
it 5 years ago here in CA.
>
> > Four years ago, my '71 was inspected at DMV when I sought to reregister
it
> > after about 8 years on non-op.  However, all they inspected were the two
> > visible VIN plates (dash and doorjamb), and strangely enough, they also
> > wanted me to read them the engine number!
> > 
> > The law always requires all original equipment to remain installed, even
if
> > they do not check the functionality.  So this could leave open the
chance of
> > a visual inspection to assure all equipment is at least installed.
However,
> > this was not done in my case.  Maybe I was just lucky?  Or maybe the car
> > looked clean enough they assumed all was correct?
> > 
> > -Phil
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