ChromeVette

California Vette Owners -
So I just purchased my first Vette in California and really excited to get working on this 1976 4spd. There has been a substantial rebuild on the engine and exhaust system but there is no catalytic converter. I read that after 1975 the converters were standard. It looks like this may have been used only on the track is it was unregistered at DMV. Can anyone tell me if it is possible to pass smog before I go in without the converter or will it be required?

Thanks
Jeff

shok

It will fail on visual even if it runs clean enough. Do you have a pic of the motor? Peaple more knowledgable than me may be able to point out other smog no nos.

STINGRAY1WORD

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm

jordan89

You will definitely need a catalytic converter to pass smog, especially with the tougher laws that went into place this year. Is it true dual exhaust, or is it stock with no cat?

ChromeVette

Yes. After year 1975 it appears it will need to be smogged in CA. Makes be think maybe I should have bought a 75 vs. the 76. The current build is a true dual exhaust straight back from new Hedman headers from the rebuilt engine straight back.
Should I go with a new Exhaust system converter such as the A.I.R Magnaflow or is it even possible to put in dual Converters on each side given the space?
The new system can be over $600 while a Convert is only $200. There will of course be some welding involved.
I'll get some images posted for reference.

Thanks again

VetteHalen

well, I just went through the CA smog headache on my 1980 again two months ago. the registration required the highest/strictest type of smog check certification (can't remember the specific name right now). But, the first two shops i tried said they couldn't do it because they didn't have that certification yet. the third shop i took it to had the certification but he ran the serial number on my cat convertor and said it wasn't CA legal so he wouldn't even start my smog test. I asked him why that hadn't been an issue in previous successful smog tests in the past and he said they probably didn't check the cat's serial number, but he had to do everything by the book, per the new stricter rules or lose his license.

i immediately went to a muffler shop and asked for a CA legal cat convertor, which they had to go pick up somewhere else. $240 bucks later and I returned to the smog shop. he confirmed it was CA legal, and my car passed with flying colors (thanks to the new cat and a new 1-year-old engine, i'm sure)

i compared to my last 2 smog checks and it does seem the number maximums are all stricter than before, making it that much hard for us post-1975 classic car owners...

anyway, good luck and let us know what you go with and your results...

mrvette

There are many reasons my car is a '72,

bashcraft

There's also many reasons for not living in California.

Commodore

"i immediately went to a muffler shop and asked for a CA legal cat converter, which they had to go pick up somewhere else. $240 bucks later and I returned to the smog shop. he confirmed it was CA legal, and my car passed with flying colors (thanks to the new cat and a new 1-year-old engine, i'm sure)"

Dose CF require post '75 cars, if equipped, to have its mounted and functioning air pump as well as a certified cat?
RB

CA-Legal-Vette

They should. That doesn't mean they will. Same as your question about true duals. They should not pass your car with true dual exhaust even if you have a cat in each side. In a nutshell you are obligated to have all of the emission controls that the car left the factory with. You are allowed to substitute parts with a CARB certification (like the one on the cat mentioned above) but some of these are faily hard to verify (like on a muffler). As you've seen from examples above, some facilities are exremely picky and some more lax. It also seems to vary by county.

Mike Ward

No, there's only one. That's the model year it was built in.

VetteHalen

imagine what owners of post-1975 classic Ferrari's (and other Euro exotics) have to go through, i would think it's even worse than our cars.

...or maybe they just pay-off the guy at the smog shop with $200. (but i guess that's getting harder to do now, isn't it?)

AGVI

God bless you.

Mike Ward

And you.