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CA Smog...help!!

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pismorat

1/2 ton status
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I have a '79 p/u and it has a 500hp full roller 383 in it. The time for smog (test only) is rolling around and I need some advice from truck people! This engine will not pass, it doesn't have the parts or the heads for it. I could do a possible motor swap every two years...but that will be a PITA. Does anyone know where to find what counties in CA are exempt? I am getting desperate...almost considering doing a non-op:1zhelp: Any help, advice, or friends would be greatly appreciated!
 
Mammoth County, whatever county Blythe is in, and El Centro, for starters, are Change of Ownership areas, which is what you want. Some places have mail box places that can do forwarding, some areas just have a post office box situation, so you occasionally will have to go there and get your mail. Be certain that the zip code for the post office is a change of ownership zip code - there are areas where the post office zip is not on the change of ownership list, but the area around it is (like Salton City, for example - it's CofO, but there's no post office in Salton City, it's in a nearby town, which isn't CofO).

I always wanted a box at Mammoth but there was a waiting list last I checked. You may have better luck in the summer - I checked it in December.

Once you get your new address, just go to DMV and do a change of address when you register the truck. I did mine at AAA instead of DMV. The woman said,"You have to have a physical address", when I gave her my post office box, and I replied,"This is my address". Then she made the change in the computer, the smog requirement went away and that was that.

This thread has the data you need. Read BAJA BLAZER's post. He knows exactly what he's talking about. I still bow in his general direction.:bow::bow::bow:
 
You can try what Skigirl suggested, but few people actually make that work. Sometimes people get lucky. Bottom line, Ca. smog laws suck. All it takes is on really inquisitive CHP officer to stop and and start digging and the house of cards falls anyway. I've been through the wringer on smog stuff and there is just no way getting around it sometimes. The DMV and the Ca. government are aware of people who try everything to get around the smog laws and they are always looking for you. Here is the map of change of ownership areas: http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/ftp/pdfdocs/program_map.pdf and according to the DMV: "Most areas of the state require vehicles to have a Smog Check performed every two years, when being sold, and when being initially registered in California. These areas are referred to as the state's Basic and Enhanced Areas. However, Change of Ownership Areas only require a Smog Check when the vehicle is being sold or initially registered in California."
 
Desert Rat said:
You can try what Skigirl suggested, but few people actually make that work. Sometimes people get lucky. Bottom line, Ca. smog laws suck. All it takes is on really inquisitive CHP officer to stop and and start digging and the house of cards falls anyway. I've been through the wringer on smog stuff and there is just no way getting around it sometimes. The DMV and the Ca. government are aware of people who try everything to get around the smog laws and they are always looking for you. Here is the map of change of ownership areas: http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/ftp/pdfdocs/program_map.pdf and according to the DMV: Most areas of the state require vehicles to have a Smog Check performed every two years, when being sold, and when being initially registered in California. These areas are referred to as the state's Basic and Enhanced Areas. However, Change of Ownership Areas only require a Smog Check when the vehicle is being sold or initially registered in California."
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How about that 12 buck "smog abatement fee" (a.k.a. another car tax) that you still have to pay for the first six years of a new car's life, even though you aren't required to smog test during that time? It seems odd, but if you multiply every car less than 6 years old in the state of CA by 12 bucks, that's a lot of money the full-time legislature (as in they can spend the taxpayers' money year-round) can dole out to buy votes.
 
The day I retire will be the day I pack up and head for a more gun friendly, truck friendly red state...
 
I live in El Centro. Find it on a map, haha.

I think your best bet is a presmog truck.
 
Another thing, you are required to smog the vehicle one last time before it can be transfered to an address in a non smog county. They have every flippin' angle figured out.

Smog killed my K5, and is why it sits behind my shop and hasn't been started in 2 months.
 
rjfguitar said:
Another thing, you are required to smog the vehicle one last time before it can be transfered to an address in a non smog county. They have every flippin' angle figured out.
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Well that certainly was not true in my case. I didn't need another smog first. When I registered the truck and changed the address at the same time, the smog requirement dropped off.

The law seemed pretty clear about not having to register a vehicle at your primary residence. I've had no problems. But hey, everyone has a right to their opinion and I'm not gonna argue. Believe it or don't, try it or don't. But I would certainly appreciate it if whoever doesn't believe this is a valid, successful strategy would please spread that opinion around. :waytogo:The less people that take advantage of it, the better for me... it's only when everyone gets into the act that it becomes a problem :p: So, poo-poo away my wanged bretheren. I stand wangless and corrected. :D:D:D
 
It isn't that it won't work at all, just a gamble. You did yours at AAA, that probably made the difference. DMV may have been a bit more invasive. Even if it works, my issue is that somewhere someday somebody decides to stick their nose into your rig and you open up a can of worms. By and large most local cops don't know that much about smog laws, and quite frankly don't care. But the CHP on the other hand view things differently. Most conscientious officers will not accept a P.O. box on a citation. So, they ask for a physical address. The minute you give them your actual address, and then they notice the city is different from where it is registered, they may start digging. Trust me on that one. Having gotten screwed on a couple of cars I had, I wouldn't want to pump any money into a setup only to have it backfire later.
 
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