The Hon (sic) Sen Flores

[O2BAGPz@xxxx]

SB 708 is part of a 10 bill package that Sen Flores is trying to push through 
all related to clean air/environmental. At first he wanted to have all 
vehicles built after 1957; note after 1957, to have to submit to bi-annual 
emissions testing! Its interesting that he chose that year as the cut-off as 
most "restricted" classic and hotrod shows use that year as the cut-off on 
age. Imagine the outrage if all those '57 Nomad guys suddenly had to comply 
as well?! I think that Sen Flores could! Lets not let the rest of us 
disapoint him. Make him regret the day that the idea came into his mind. You 
all know the arguments for this routine as we've all danced this dance 
before. Most autos this age that are still/back on the road are in better 
condition that your average new 100,00mi+ wondersedan! The after market 
industry that services our hobby is worth millions+ (an understatement I'm 
sure) to this state and those of us who own vehicles produced between 1958 
and 1973 would like a chance to run this guy's backside down! Just like those 
(him) behind "SMOG CHECK II" ; these people need to kiss my tailpipe! Some of 
the vehicles that I own I've had for 30yrs and I'm getting real tired of 
having my 1971 Pinto and/or 1971 Celica continuously bounced back and forth 
on and off the exemptiion status. My 1969 Toyota Corona 4dr, 4spd with 50,000 
original mi on it froze its AIR pump the other day and a rebuilt, when they 
get one done for me will cost me $160.00. Not to mention the downstream check 
device, another $22.00 and a replacement belt (I had to cut one off beside 
the road to make my doctors appt.) I can gaurantee you that I can make the 
ole 3RC pushrod 4banger run better, with greater fuel economy and for less 
money by boltting on a 32/36 Weber and ditching all of that plumbing that 
does little for emmissions once the car is warmed up and rolling down the 
road. Some parts for 1974 through 1979 or so autos quite frankly are not 
available at any price new or used! CA will give you a whopping $500.00 if 
you let them crush your classic-----OH!!!!!! but it must be currently 
registered and to you for the last two years, be able to move under its own 
power forward and reverse and essentially be safe and legal to be driven down 
the hi-way. Jeez! Any auto that will do all that will get you $1,500.00 from 
somebody and many hard ups don't even care if you have a pinkslip to go with 
the darn thing! Towed cars being sold on Lein Sale from impound were netting 
$1,000.00 or more depending upon the amount of time left on the reg tags 
until some DMV "crat noticed and now they pull all the plates and you get to 
start over beginning with "USE TAX" on the purchase price of an auto which 
has been taxed countless times in its life already. About once a month I have 
to spend a couple of hour at DMV to replace the REG TAGS and/or PLATES that 
are stolen off of my meeger fleet of classic econo-boxes! But I digress if 
just a little. WRITE NOW TODAY NO on SB 708. Heck write even if you don't 
live in sunny CA cause its coming to a state like yours soon. I'm not a 
proponnent of anarchy but every time this issue comes up I feel worse about 
it even though we are supposed to meloy with age?! I wonder what Unobtainium 
Emissions related component will fail today on my way to my getting more 
frequent Doctor's visits. Think positive thoughts for me today as I really 
don't feel like having to cut off perfecly good fan belts in a traffic lane 
on the SF Bay Bridge or some equally dangeous spot to have to stop in. You 
know that ole 354 Hemi out back wouldn't be stooped dead by a seized smog 
pump. Maybe it'll just fit through that hole where the hood used to be on the 
Corona...naw my luck and I'd have to argue that motor change next year at the 
referee station. No the really did put a Hemi in the Corona in ' 69; there 
was only a few ordered you know.. kinda a rae piece you know? Just like a 401 
Gremlin or a "63 1/2 Fairlane 427 (man I hope this guy buys this line of 
bs.....)
Crazy as ever
DANA
aka Orphanautos


As California goes, so it seems goes the rest of the country when it
comes to automotive legislation. California's SB42 allowed vehicles
built earlier than 1974 to be exempt from the state's emission
testing program. Now California State Senator Dean Florez is pushing
SB708, which will require biennial certificate of compliance for cars
all the way back to 1960-unless you can prove that the car is driven
less than 12,000 miles per year. If you care about your classic car,
no matter which state you live in, take the time to read this up-to-
date information on the situation. Targeting the Classic Car Market
in California will impact the whole country. If classic cars get
parked in museums there will be no market to supply new and rebuilt
parts. It's time for all classic car owners to step up to the plate:
get active, mail Senator Dean Florez and let him know the impact this
legislation will make to California state taxes and employment.

If your not in California Remember California Sets the Trends when it
comes to Smog laws. We need everyone e-mailing on this to kill this
Bill ASAP.


http://www.gray-davis.com/
http://democrats.sen.ca.gov/senator/florez/


I agree, and have written to Sen. Florez. I think the response he got when
the bill was first introduced is what prompted the amending of it to include
the 12,000 mile bit(still pre- '74). I think it should be known that several
other states watch CA, and the EPA uses us as the measuring stick for the
rest of the country and its smog laws. Several states are beginning or have
begun, "E checks", and the like. It WILL only get more and more restrictive
unless we voice our opinions and involve local politicians to help keep the
hobby alive.
Your local city council members, the mayor, everyone in your state can be
asked to help further our cause, but you must speak out. None of them are in
our living rooms or garages, and few may be aware of our events and car
shows. To not speak up now only allows them to make decisions based on what
their perception of our hobby is, apparently they don't know about the
passion many of us feel towards autos and automobilia(just look at how
passionate we get in defense of a particular make or engine family, and
they'd rather see the revenue from smog check, regardless of who makes (or
made) the car in question, or have it dismantled!).
I have written to the mayor of L.A., and my local council person, and
received a response(!), from one- supportive and the other a more
bureaucratic "I would need to do more research before supporting..." blah,
blah. But at least I got a response, and any support is helpful.
I don't think it would be a problem for most makes, but the import guys, and
orphaned car owners need to be worried because of smog parts availability. I
personally own cars from 1969- 1973, and would only have a PCV valve on the
69, but on the 73 cars I have an A.I.R. pump, the injector hoses, a charcoal
canister, and an E.G.R. Plus, whatever else the technical service manual
states I might need. These parts are not so easy to find for an AMC, as I
imagine they would be difficult to find for some other makes. Speak up
before it's too late! Or am I talking out my ass?

Joey




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