[John S Peterson]

So you thought you were exempt..........

Some people seem to think that their 1975 or prior vehicle being exempt from
inspections allows them to remove or modify emission control equipment. It is against the law as it always has been to remove or modify any emission control device on vehicles manufactured beginning 1966. Law enforcement agencys have always had the right to issue "fix it" tickets as they were called back then but it was such a hassle they pretty much gave up on it. I got one on a 1969 Chevelle SS 396 in 1973.

It has been coming for a long time, starting in the bay area and if you were unlucky enough to live in the Fremont area there was a very "emissions educated" officer nicknamed "Rosie" you did not want to meet. Stockton Police Department has been educating their officers for some time now and it has become one of the Hot Spots for violations, not only for emissions but for noise. I just saw a nice 1968 Cougar at the referee at the school where I teach who got pulled over for excessive noise in Stockton, at which time the officer then checked for emissions devices finding many missing and/or modified items which he got a citation for. You might laugh to youself the next time your at a stoplight when you hear the car next to you and notice a nice mid 70's car or truck with a 671 and mutiple carbs sticking out of the hood and ask yourself.........is that legal?
The lesson here is...Stay out of Stockton, don't throw out your old smog stuff, and don't think they won't pull our Cobra's over just to ruffle the feathers....jp