TexasMadMan

How far back will most inspection stations go on requiring the smog gear to be on the car. I know it might be different in the big cities (Houston or Dallas). Does a 68 have to have all the gear? What about an 80?

I live in Wichita Falls.

Whats the general thought in Texas on this issue.

Thanks in advance.


[Modified by TexasMadMan, 5:52 PM 8/31/2003]

JB

Yes, legally speaking you have to have the smog equipment that came on your car from the factory, which for a '68 would be the AIR system. How far back do they check? Depends entirely on the inspector. I've got no AIR on my '69 and no smog stuff on my '82 pickup, but the inspection place I use doesn't even open the hood to check, so I'm cool. The real problem is that a lot of counties are having to institute tail pipe checks to keep from loosing federal funds because they've got too much ozone in the air (Hays, where I live, looks like it will soon because of Austin's ozone). That's no problem for your '69, because cars 25 years and old are exempt, but it could be a problem for your '80 & my '82.

JB


[Modified by JB, 1:34 PM 8/31/2003]

page62

You can always go the Antique license plate route if smog checks (or smog equipment inspections) come to your area. No inspections (but no daily driving) ;) You'll even be able to put antique plates on your '80 in January 2005 :yesnod:

TexasMadMan

Thanks for the replies so far.

The antique option would not work for me. I want to drive the car a lot.

Let me ask another question to Texans. Would you consider buying a 70s or early 80s car if the smog gear was removed even if you live in an area that Currently does not look under the hood?

Things might be okay today, but you never know when the Texas legislatire will change the laws.

Simply put......Yea or nay on a car in Texas without the gear?

Tom73

A '68 would not be subject to smog testing so that is a plus. But if you have a regular license plate you have to have a safety inspection and part of that is a visual for the factory smog equipment. You can go with antique plates and not have any inspections and a much lower registration costs (about $53 for five years). Both of my 73s have antique tags now but when they had regular registration they did not have a smog pump and no one ever questioned them.

tom...

munday

my 79 doesn't have any emissions, just go to a place that has some hotrods out front if you find one, or some beaters. anything 78 and under in texas doesn't have to pass the sniffer, but is supposed to have the origional equipment"


Then again bubba probably dones't even know what smog equipment was supposed to come in your car so your safe anyways, he still remembers his 83' in competition yellow with a 427 that had factory cat bypasses.


[Modified by munday, 8:31 PM 8/31/2003]

flynhi

What does the visual inspector do with an engine bay full of mods from different years of Vettes and several aftermarket suppliers?

bob_robert

I live in Henrietta, TX and they don't even pop the hood to look at my modified 78 with a built 406 in it. Turn on the lights and blow the horn, that's it. Go to this Texas DPS web site for info on Emission inspections.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/act.htm

Hope to see you on the road sometime.


:auto:

zwede

Ok, here's what the law says for TX:

Cars 2-24 years old are part of the emissions check program.

Cars older than 24 years are only subject to a safety inspection.

Part of the safety inspection is a visual check of some emissions equipment.

Things included in the viual check for a safety inspection:

PCV
Thermostatic air cleaner
Vapor recovery
AIR pump

(I may have forgotten something, but that's the major stuff).

Thing is, though, many older cars didn't have some of the above equipment, in which case they are supposed to pass you. You're not required to have smog equipment that wasn't there from the factory. I have never been to an inspection station that had any books on what car had what kind of emissions system on it, so I have never had any problems.

My 71 came from the factory with only PCV and vapor recovery. I still have the PCV, but not vapor recovery and I pass. I also have port EFI and sofar no one has even figured that out.

BTW, I'n in Collin county which is part of the high-enforcement area around Dallas.