Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 09:54:17 -0700
Reply-To: Chris & Aimee <uzzi@AIMNET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From: Chris & Aimee <uzzi@AIMNET.COM>
Subject: Re: Conversion Kits: Beware 1991 Clean Air Act!
In-Reply-To: <BB4278B87DDCD011AAB600805FC115A02774CF@exchange-irvine.platsoft.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I'll go ahead and throw in my $.02, too.
I owned a '72 Westy (here in CA) which just after the smog law and the
previous owner, a friend of a friend, had done the same dual carb to single
carb conversion. The law, however as it was then, stated that it was the
responsibility of the seller to make sure the vehicle passed the smog test.
I agreed, reluctantly, that I would waive that right with the seller (hey,
it was at a great price!). Anyway, she'd pass the emissions, believe it or
not, but when they took a look at the dual port Weber mounted mightily
above the motor case, they laughed and tore up the papers. thus, I had to
resort to a smog certificate "under the table" (at a stiff price!). Over
the past few years the DMV has cracked down pretty heavily on that
"business"!
To get to my main point, back when I was going through all these hassles I
remember them telling me that the laws (as they were then) were only for
vehicles 25 years old or less. Anything older was exempt. I thought great
I only have a few years to go, unfortunately Betsy died before the age
25... :-(
Does any one know if this exemption still exists?
Chris
>I'll second this warning:
>
>Here in California the smog checking started earlier than elsewhere and
>is more vigorous than other states, or some I'm told. Back in 1990 I
>got a 73 whose original duel carbs had been replaced with a single carb
>before I got it. Two years after buying it I needed to get it smogged
>and found out that they wouldn't touch it because the fuel delivery
>system had been modified, it has to be stock or you'll never get it
>smogged.
>
>It's a worthwhile price to pay for clean air, these laws have really
>made a terrific difference here in California--we all remember how bad
>the air used to be here. But the sad truth is that in the end only the
>really well-taken-care-of machines can survive the smog laws, and a lot
>of beautiful old bugs and busses will probably have to be scrapped. So
>love your machine and keep it stock, and she'll always bring you home...
>
>Erik
>1979 Westie
>
>
>____________________________
>
>> Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 09:09:56 -0500
>> From: "Mark B. Magee" <condor2@FLASH.NET>
>> Subject: Re: Conversion Kits: Beware 1991 Clean Air Act!
>>
>> > >I am looking for a conversion kit for a 1984 Westpahlia
>> (water-cooled)
>> > >to convert it from fuel injection to standard carburetion. this
>> > >obviously requires a new manifold, hardware linkages and, of
>> course,
>> > >carburetors.
>> Thom et. al.,
>> Be careful, -very- careful in considering removing your EFI for carbs.
>> New EPA standards are being forced in from the Feds US wide (1991
>> Clean
>> Air Act) and are going to require that your van be smogged or at least
>> visually inspected. Carbs will not match the book on standard
>> equipment
>> and therefore you will not be able to pass inspection and register you
>> vehicle.
>> Here in Texas, our state is already coming into compliance with the
>> 1991
>> CAA and I have studied this -federal- program intently and one of the
>> main tenets is to get the old smoggers off the road. Period!
>> In fact the Chemical Plants, there are few around Houston, are allowed
>> to purchase smog credits from salvage yards that squeeze old smogger
>> cars. The title to your old vehicle now has smog-credit value to the
>> smog producing system (Chemical plants and industry in general) that
>> are
>> being bought and sold.
>> Keep your Vanagon as close to stock as possible and maintain the
>> system
>> or you could be in for a heartbreak later in getting everything back
>> to
>> stock. Believe me, when this happens, the govt. (EPA) wants you
>> heartbroken such that you will throw up your hands and send your
>> 'smogger' to the squeezer.
>> Keep it stock and Maintained!
>> Mark B. Magee
>> 87GL
>> 82 -Diesel- Westy (SMOG EXEMPT!!!!!!!!!!!!)((No stds exist for older
>> diesels))
>> Kemah TX USA
>>
>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris & Aimee Uzzi
uzzi@aimnet.com
http://www.aimnet.com/~uzzi/
'90 Westy
'72 Westy (deceased)
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