ATL 13 counties emissions. $%@&%*@

[svobud]

I just attempted to get my FFR registered in Cobb Co in the straight up - "legal" way. Needless to say .. I'm walking away from the whole ordeal by articulating some of my most choice swear words. I'm posting this story here for 2 reasons .. I needed to vent and to warn others who might be thinking about purchasing a Cobra that will be required to pass emissions.

History: Bought the car as a completed/running Cobra from the 2nd owner. He lived in Helen, GA .. which is now where near a county that requires emissions. Super nice guy is all aspects - so this is in now way meant disrepectful to hm. He bought the car from the original owner/builder in FL - it was titled as a 1999 Kit Car (year of completion) originally in Florida.

I figured .. no problem. Slap some cats on it and have at it. WRONG. First off, it being titled as a 99 makes it fall within the OBD-II required emissions standards. NO WAY is a 87-93 EEC-IV going to pass that test. Finally talked to "the man" for the Georgia Clean Air Force after getting the run-a-round for a week or so. He was nice and cordial. I explained to him what the car is and so forth. He said, it will still have to pass sniffer portion of the emissions requirements. Once I get to the emission testing place of my chosing .. have the operator call him on his direct office line.

I'm thinking .. this is going to be a breeze. I order a set of cats from FFR (not cheap). It takes 2 weeks before I get them. Finally get time off of work on a day where my buddies shop (and lift) are available. Drive over to his place in Alabama and start installing the cats. As with anything .. if you think it should only take 2 hours .. figure it will end up taking you 8 hrs.

Getting the car on a lift is a magic act in it's own right. Then I notice the cats came with NO new gaskets bewteen the J-pipes and the sidepipes. After driving to 3 autoparts supply stores in BFE Alabama .. found some felpros that fit. Go back to work on the car. Removing the J-pipes... broke 3 bolts of the six that connect from both J-pipes to the sidepipes (3 per side). Trip the hardware store for new bolts and locking nuts. Got everything installed and made it home around 10pm last night (insert: angry woman at home).

Call "the man" this morning, informing him that I'm ready to have my Cobra tested for emissions. Take the trip up the emission testing garage after getting 100 miles of warm up cycle through the cats ... get everything hooked up... the Car FAILS like no other I've seen before. The testing operator tells me it obviously needs a tune up. The entire car has less than 8k miles on it. I give him a look like he's a typical asshat that doesn't know his butt from a hole in the ground... and leave.

So - on my next day off, I'm heading up Stephens County, using the Mother-n-Law's address, and registering the Cobra...which is where I should have gone in the first place.

Moral of the story? Heck if I know .. other than, 'avoid the headache and waste of money/time on trying to register a Cobra in the 13 counties of metro Atlanta if emissions is required because of how your Cobra was titled. If you're building one yourself .. make sure you get it titled as being exempt.'

If I had to do it all over again ... I would have bought a Cobra that was titled correctly (for my needs). Don't get me wrong .. the Cobra sitting in my garage is one of the sweetest I've seen as far as attention to detail - etc. I don't think there's many out there that can touch this one for the quality and money, but the problems caused by it being titled as a 1999 make me disappointed "today" in the car I bought.

Thanks for listening ...