New California Smog Law change proposed...

[Ron61]

Sheppard,

You make good points and I sincerely hope that you are correct. I have talked at length to several people who have knowledge of this farce and they for the most part seem to think that since SB-708 does away with SB-100, the cars registered under SB-100 would then at the states discretion be considered as just 1965 or whatever year they are registered and the special construction would not prevail. Their concensus is that basically the states opinion is that any car or vehicle registered as a 1960-1965 however it was done is going to have to meet the enhanced emission requirements. Since SB-100 will no longer exist, then the cars registered under it are just cars of whatever year and not protected by the exempt sticker put on at the time of registration. All these people are hoping they are wrong about the states intent but at least two of them have spent a couple of weeks at the capitol talking to Senators and anyone else they can find and they said the basic feeling was we feel sorry for the people but the bill has to pass. Just look at the whole 700 series of bills dealing with farm equipment and emissions. But the big one is to get rid of any car not at least 45 years old and to force people to buy new cars. I am all for cleaning up the environment but this is not going to do it. It is like you having a gallon bucket of water and deciding you have to empty it to clean it. You dip out a pint and the state sells me the right to put in a quart. How are you ever going to empty that bucket ? I don't have the thousands of dollars to try to make my stock 1965 Comet meet any emissions, there was no emission equipement ever made for it, and even if they made some now the engine isn't built to mount or run with it. As hot as the new engines run to meet the requirements would melt that poor little engine into a puddle of molten iron. Just a few months ago for several hundred thousand dollars they sold a fiberglass plant a few miles from where I live the right to dump several more tons of pollution out of their smokestack because it would cost to much to make them bring it into compliance with the law. Ergo my bucket of water theory. SB-708 can be interpeted to many ways depending on who is doing it. I just hope for the best as it is to late for anything to be done now except maybe move to another state which is really becomming appealing.

Ron