After researching smog issues pertaining to Bricklins (of any model year)
based in, or destined for, California, I thought I might as well document it
in case others are heading for that. It would probably be of greatest
interest to potential Bricklin buyers here (that is, non-CA will likely want
to skip reading).
Vehicles of 1973 or earlier are exempt from smog examinations. If you own
such a car, you can do just about anything you want with it's engine. In
effect, the cut-off year is 1973; as such, Bricklins must pass smog checks
every two years even if it is not changing hands.
The DMV regulates registration, which coincides with verifying a smog check.
In theory and in practice it is possible to have "historical vehicle"
plates and yet still be subjected to the smog regulations like a daily
commuter devoid of any special interest appeal.
The year of exclusion is not set by the DMV; the Bureau of Auto Repair
(BAR--see links at end) decides this. Nothing per se, stops the Bureau from
changing the rules tommorrow, from rolling back the cut-off year to 1960 or
rolling it forward to 1990.
The Bureau of Auto Repair is constantly lobbied by two special interest
groups to roll it back (to at least what it had been in the 80s ... a cut
off year about 1966). Environmentalists lobby for such rollbacks. Smog
check station owners are the second group (surprise); they sort of miss the
days of collecting in excess of $200 from muscle cars they would have not
otherwise seen. The special interest group lobbying for a roll UP, is the
special interest car people. Obviously, Bricklin owners are not alone. To
say some 2nd generation Firebird owners with 455 blocks 'share the pain' is
an understatement.
The Bureau of Auto Repair refuses to estimate what the next exclusion year
will be and when it would be effective. If you were thinking along the
lines of a 2 year restoration with upgrading to a bigger engine, this would
matter a lot.
If the Bureau behaves in the future in any way like it had in the past, it
will wait until 2007 and then set the exclusion year at about
1980...consequently letting all Bricklins off the hook at the same time.
If your Bricklin is estimated to cost over $400 to make smog-legal, it would
probably be labeled a 'gross polluter' and there is no financial limit on
what you can be made to spend. It becomes a red flag and you are likely to
be directed to "special" stations.
Bricklins with engine swaps will raise eyebrows. The Bureau wants engine
swap cars to pass only if that engine were offered. (A senior agent of the
bureau also said the year of the engine had to meet certain parameters but I
was able to make him reverse his position when I pointed out that so many
engine swaps in daily commuters are conducted without regard to engine
year--and these are never frowned upon, in and of themselves). The
Bureau/smog station "might" give a 1974 401 Bricklin the green light, if
it's emission is low enough. However, if they figure out that Bricklin did
not offer a 401 at all, they would immediately write it off as illegal, even
if it put out far less than the legal limit. For 75-76 Bricklins, the same
would hold true: too much toxic waste and the car fails, a technician
recognizes a better engine (even of the same make) and happens to know it
wasn't offer then the car fails.
The mediocre silver lining on this cloud is that which is probably known to
most already: the bigger the engine and the older the car, the higher the
tolerances for various pollutants. Also, (to my knowledge) 1974 Bricklins
never had catalytic converters. Which means they can take leaded gas. But
if a Bricklin is "borderline", the addition of new catalytic converters is
not illegal and would probably 'save' the smog inspection. Sooner or later,
an engine rebuild will probably still be necessary though.
Technicals:
During the mid-70s, carburetors approached a climax in complexity but still
did not meter accurately under all conditions to have minimal unburned fuel.
Also, pre-1980 engines tended to rely on valve overlap to make a lot of
power. Post-1990 engines had mature fuel injection and ECM systems.
Consider that one may buy a Dodge Viper making 450+ hp and it's ok. But
consider what Dodge would have said to you if you wanted that such a car in
1974--"get lost". The difference is FI, ECM (which, in the most advanced
cars can dictate a bewildering array of valve timing to make power and burn
almost all the fuel).
Outlaw esoteric:
If a cop thinks a Bricklin merely "looks smoggy", he can write up a ticket
that requires an early smog check. If a citizen wants to complain about a
Bricklin "looking smoggy" (or just get revenge because of road rage), he can
call 1-800-CUT-SMOG but that only results in the DMV sending the owner a
letter hinting that someday you may be found to be not in compliance with
smog laws.
Most smog station technicians do not know what engines were offered in the
Bricklins. Moreover, they may rely on the ID tag only, not knowing anything
if it's the wrong tag or missing. A technician who is keen on AMC practices
(how many of those are left?) can look for a large 401 cast into the lower
left side of the block. Otherwise, the 401 is outwardly identical to it's
360 cousin. Consider also that in the 24 months between smog checks,
backyard mechanics have swapped engines (out goes the 'green' engine, in
goes the 'mean' engine, until the next smog check). I didn't dream up these
concepts up and don't mean to endforse them per se...it's just that it's
been such a hassel for so long that people have already given thought to
various resolutions. Prior to 1997, the black market for certificates
errupted and spread like wildfire. Later, that market became a ghost town
for three reasons, 1) govt agencies set up stings to catch issuers, 2)
prosecutions of issuers became more frequent and fierce, and 3) most muscle
car drivers didn't need them when the exemption was changed to pre-1974
cars.
As for me, I haven't even tried to pass yet...I want everything to be
perfect...or as close as I can get it.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/faq/faq.htm#SMOG
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/stdhome.asp
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