DeTomaso Mailing List: February 1997, Message #54
     



From: Asa Jay Laughton <asajay.laughton@mailserver.itron.com>

Subject: Re: Smog testing in California

Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 11:24:13 -0800



At 10:17 02/07/97 PST, Shane Ingate wrote:

>

>The recent thread on smogging older cars does raise a very important

>issue to all of us interested in older cars.  In 1996, California

>introduced legislation called SMOG II which is a very stringent series

>of tests to be conducted during biannual smog inspections.  Aside from the

>initial visual inspection (most after-market manifolds, exhausts, carbs

mean an

>immediate fail), the gruesome side of this new series of tests (which will

>also include dyno-testing) is that it is essentially "two-strikes and

>you're out", ie, fail twice and the car can never again be registered in

>California.



This is so blatently bogus on the part of our lawmakers.  It did my heart

some good the last time I got a new Crane catalog, to see a lot of their

"aftermarket" accessories are now smog legal.  My point is mainly this.

Most collector car enthusiasts take very good care of thier cars.  They

keep them tuned, even if they have aftermarket parts, these cars typically

tend to run better and cleaner than even some newer cars.  The idea of

failing a vehicle becuase it has a set of headers, or an aftermarket

manifold is plain BS.  Sniff the pipe, if it passes, it passes, end of

argument.



To me the only two criterea should be:

1)  Does the vehicle emit clean emissions?

2)  Is the vehicle safe? (brakes, windows, tires, etc.)



The problem with the second one, is too many testing facilities begin

getting into cahoots with repair shops.  They end up failing vehicles that

recenlty had NEW equipment installed.  I've known too many people that took

thier car to one place, had them fail things like brakes (when they had

just had them installed less than a week prior by a place like Midas), then

go to another shop (cause they were pissed) and had that testing facility

pass them.  Where's the justice there?



Anyway.... long story short....   I agree with Shane,  we need to write our

congressmen.  I've been hearing for too many years that people like Al Gore

have one thing on thier mind when it comes to cars.....  Anything older

than 10 years is no good for the road.  I've heard of some places offering

$2,000 rebates for simply turning in your 10 year or older car.  I've heard

of legislation pushing the aftermarket parts businesses into extinction.

If we don't jump on this now, we may not "have" a hobby in the near future.



Asa Jay



Asa Jay Laughton

General Engineering Specialist



Itron, Inc.

2818 N. Sullivan Rd.

Spokane, WA  99216



(509)891-3306			asajay.laughton@itron.com



Visit our web site at http://www.itron.com