One more year to smog exemption?? (1 Viewer)

[SurfPonto]

Trying to decipher the DMV requirements but if I am correct my 1977 FJ40 will no longer need a smog check as of next year.

It is originally a "Federal" FJ40 (non-cat) from Hawaii. Funny thing is it has never failed a smog check in the 13 years I have owned it.

Runs fine but I was thinking of a non-USA SOR carb for next year.

 

[Poser]

Let me know if you remove the stock 77 carb...I would like it.



-Steve

 

[SurfPonto]

OK I am wrong here are the smog requirements :

Beginning April 1, 2005, the 30-year rolling exemption has been repealed.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.

 

[ducktapeguy]

Yup, 1975 is the last year for smog exemption. I just made the cut since both my project cars are 1975. The smog exemption was the deciding factor in getting that year rather than a 76+ FJ40, I definitely didn't want to go through the hassle of a smog check every other year, and failing a emissions test could become very expensive.

It kinda sucks because it used to be 25 year rolling exemption, but they just kept increasing it trying to get the older cars off the road. I had to deal with the smog check twice during that period, and both times I wasn't sure I would pass, but luckily I did (time to become friends with a smog tester ). I've heard they make it very difficult to register with previously failed vehilcles, so I'd be very careful to make sure that your car passes the first time so you don't get labeled as a gross polluter.

 

[SurfPonto]

Yup, 1975 is the last year for smog exemption. I just made the cut since both my project cars are 1975. The smog exemption was the deciding factor in getting that year rather than a 76+ FJ40, I definitely didn't want to go through the hassle of a smog check every other year, and failing a emissions test could become very expensive.

It kinda sucks because it used to be 25 year rolling exemption, but they just kept increasing it trying to get the older cars off the road. I had to deal with the smog check twice during that period, and both times I wasn't sure I would pass, but luckily I did (time to become friends with a smog tester ). I've heard they make it very difficult to register with previously failed vehilcles, so I'd be very careful to make sure that your car passes the first time so you don't get labeled as a gross polluter.

Thanks for that.
Luckily it seems to pass smog by a pretty good margin. I figure I have one more test in 2007 and that will be it.

That is of course they change the law again.

Bob

 

[projektdotnet]

Actually I talked to my uncle about the same issue. They will not roll anymore years off period. You can thank the govenator for starting that one. Luckily they can't go backwards so 75 and older are safe now . You could get a different VIN and register it as an older truck

 

[wantatlc]

yep, not gonna change the year or grandfather anymore here in CA. Did a bunch of research on this a few years back before I bought my FJ.

this is one of the big reasons I went for a '75 or older rig as I did not want to deal with smog ever..... ever... ever on these old rigs.

(And BTW, I am in the Encinitas area and over at Ponto beach area (Ponto, Grandview, etc) daily. Weird I have not seen you FJ... I will even be in that area (likley Grandview) tonight running at sunset. You can often see my rig parked in that dirt lot right next to Robertos right in Leucadia on the 101 for sunset runs.)

 

[Fast Eddy]

You can often see my rig parked in that dirt lot right next to Robertos right in Leucadia on the 101 for sunset runs.

Cool. I need some parts.

 

[mustardfj40]

this is one of the big reasons I went for a '75 or older rig as I did not want to deal with smog ever..... ever... ever on these old rigs.

Same here!!! Back then when I had to smog my '75 FJ40 it was a PITA even the truck passed the sniffer test, the smog technician still tested the the EGR valve...Now up here, non-exempted cars will be tested on a treadmill

I rather do a mini-truck disk conversion on a '75 FJ40 than try to smog a '76-later

 

[rsc71]

that is why i bought a 68 have had to get rid of sooo many vehicles becuase of smog.can remeber when the cut off year was 67 too

 

[Living in the Past]

You are lucky it's only 76 and newer. In the Phoenix and Tucson areas it's 67 and newer that have to go thru emissions, the rest of Arizona is exempt. The older vehicles are every year the newer ones every two years and the first five years are exempt but you stiil pay for emissions with on your registration. I had about two years with my 68 that is was exempt on the older twenty and older rule until they rolled it back to 67 and froze it there. It really bothered me because I never used the vehicle in the Phoenix, I towed it the northern part of the state to use but I had to run it thru emissions every year. I'm lucky I now have a address in the nortern part of the state so emissions have become a non-issue since all my old ones live up there. We were hoping in AZ that we could get something like CA had with the year rolling up every year. But now that the governor in CA froze the year it's seems to be a dead issue over here.

John

 

[ducktapeguy]

Thanks for that.
Luckily it seems to pass smog by a pretty good margin. I figure I have one more test in 2007 and that will be it.

That is of course they change the law again.

Bob

The way things are going right now, it sounds like you're gonna have to keep smogging it for the life of the vehicle. If you are really concerned about the emissions test, you may want to trade in your car for a earlier model. Unless you happen to be really attached to your current cruiser. Not only will you have to worry about emissions testing every other year, but it also limits any major engine modifications you can do and also when you can work on your car. By that I mean if you happen to be in the process of working on it when the registration renewal came, you would either have to throw the cruiser together to get it tested, or deal with temporary permits until you are able to test it, which is a headache. The first temp permit is good for a month, but after that, you can only get 1 day permits, which means you have to tell them in advance on what day you want to drive your car to the test station (not sure if it's the same rule in all cities) CA DMV won't issue your registration tags until you show proof of testing, and I've heard horror stories that they will impound your car if you can't show proof of current registration. Just a lot more hassle to deal with.

The good news is, at least the emissions requirements of that period were fairly lenient, so if your cruiser passes now with no problems, it shouldn't have any problems in the future. As long as you keep it maintained.

 

[projektdotnet]

If you start having REAL bad troubles get a vin from an older totalled cruiser and salvage the current one. I know it's not good to cheat the system but sometimes...well you know

 

[1973Guppie]

yep, not gonna change the year or grandfather anymore here in CA. Did a bunch of research on this a few years back before I bought my FJ.

this is one of the big reasons I went for a '75 or older rig as I did not want to deal with smog ever..... ever... ever on these old rigs.

(And BTW, I am in the Encinitas area and over at Ponto beach area (Ponto, Grandview, etc) daily. Weird I have not seen you FJ... I will even be in that area (likley Grandview) tonight running at sunset. You can often see my rig parked in that dirt lot right next to Robertos right in Leucadia on the 101 for sunset runs.)

Hey wantatlc and surfponto, I am in San Diego as well. PM'd you.

noah

 

[SurfPonto]

(And BTW, I am in the Encinitas area and over at Ponto beach area (Ponto, Grandview, etc) daily. Weird I have not seen you FJ... I will even be in that area (likley Grandview) tonight running at sunset. You can often see my rig parked in that dirt lot right next to Robertos right in Leucadia on the 101 for sunset runs.)

Funny.
I am in SeaBluff right next to the Robertos. Mostly been driving our red FJ60 so look for that. The 40 pretty much lives in the garage except for the occasional trip out to Borrego.

Will look for your 40.

 

[SurfPonto]

The way things are going right now, it sounds like you're gonna have to keep smogging it for the life of the vehicle. If you are really concerned about the emissions test, you may want to trade in your car for a earlier model. Unless you happen to be really attached to your current cruiser. Not only will you have to worry about emissions testing every other year, but it also limits any major engine modifications you can do and also when you can work on your car. By that I mean if you happen to be in the process of working on it when the registration renewal came, you would either have to throw the cruiser together to get it tested, or deal with temporary permits until you are able to test it, which is a headache. The first temp permit is good for a month, but after that, you can only get 1 day permits, which means you have to tell them in advance on what day you want to drive your car to the test station (not sure if it's the same rule in all cities) CA DMV won't issue your registration tags until you show proof of testing, and I've heard horror stories that they will impound your car if you can't show proof of current registration. Just a lot more hassle to deal with.

The good news is, at least the emissions requirements of that period were fairly lenient, so if your cruiser passes now with no problems, it shouldn't have any problems in the future. As long as you keep it maintained.

Thanks. Luckily it is a non-cat Federal version. Not sure what the 77 FJ40 CA plumbing looks like but our 1982 FJ60 is scary. (see pic below)

Bob

 

[Robert LaDuke]

The '78 CA version looks a lot like the one on the left. Still no Cat. though. Not sure when the cat converter was required? '79 maybe

 

[SurfPonto]

The '78 CA version looks a lot like the one on the left. Still no Cat. though. Not sure when the cat converter was required? '79 maybe

I think you are right. 1979 was the first year of the catalytic converter.

Hmm and to think I always wanted a 79 for the highway friendly diffs and Power Steering option.