[SCOBRAC]

Ron,

Yes. 1578 was actually an ammendment to the ammendment, the original SB-100. It allowed previously registered cars to be exempted in the same way new cars were. But still using the same 500 slots originally created under SB-100.

I really have no information about the cars who's titles were pulled. It seems like they should be allowed to proceed with their original number, but that would be too logical.

The specially constructed vehicles registered before 2001-2002 were and are still under the old rules are required to get a smog check regardless of equipment allowed.

That process requires the owner to present the car to the BAR and verify the year of the engine or chassis, and verify that the smog controls for that year of manfacture are present. The owner may select which year to use as a basis for future inspections. An example being a 1940 ford built on a 1940 frame would be completely exempt even if every other component was new.

You are right. A 1964 anything had no emissions equipment. My Contemporary for instance had a 1966 428 in it when I bought it. I was required to do an initial smog upon purchase as all used cars are in California and I was required to do a bi-annual test at the point the registration was due and would have continued that way, forever it seems as my car was built in 1988.

In 1966 the only smog for a pasenger car was a PCV valve, light trucks had no smog. A 1966 427 similarly had no smog devices. When my car was first inspected in 1988 it was determined a PCV valve was required. When I smogged it the PCV valve had to be there. If the engine had been a 1970 it would have required a termoactor injection (into the heads) and a EGR valve. I think catalytic converters became a standard in 1973 or 1974. In any case if you opted for that year's equipment that equipment must have been present at the bi-annual inspection. Now obviously the system was rife with fraud.

There are emissions specifications from as early as 1966 here in California but they are so broad any car running on most of it's cylinders can pass. The requirements got much more strict as the years went on.