How to Smog a 79 Land Rover Series III in California?

[blue thumb]

Hi All,
I recently purchased a 1979 Land Rover Series III petrol, right hand drive.(See images attached) I am getting the run around on getting it smogged in California. I would be exempt if it was 1974 or earlier. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any recommendations on how to get it smogged here in California?

Thank you!

[Terrys]

Hi All,
I recently purchased a 1979 Land Rover Defender Series III European made Don't tell an Englishman that England is part of Europe, and it's not a Defender
I am getting the run around on getting it smogged in California.
You don't say whether it's diesel or petrol but either way, isn't it exempt because of it's age?

[blue thumb]

It's a Petrol. 1974 and earlier is exempt.

[Linus Tremaine]

When you say run around, what do you mean?
California will require some type of listing in their computers to run a test against. Since land rovers were not sold new in ca in 79 they wont have any thing to test it against. I know of at least two land rovers sitting in driveways that cannot be smogged in this state because of their age.

This is probably not what you want to hear, but you may not be able to smog it. They were not made to meet california smog requirements for those years and there isnt much you can do.

I could be wrong though. You need to speak to a smog person outside of the DMV perhaps.

[navydevildoc]

Here is the deal straight from a fellow California resident, and owner of a Series IIA.

I didn't have to smog mine ('65), but a friend of mine did with his '75 Series III. First off, as has been noted it's not a "California" spec car. That's fine, it just means they test it to different standards.

Your truck will have to meet the federal emissions standards from 1975, not the more stringent California standards.

Depending on where you are in California, you may be in the "Enhanced Smog Check" zone of most city areas. In that case the smog check shop will have some dyno rollers in their garage. You can skirt around that by telling them it's full time 4-wheel drive if you wish.

The standards are very lax from back then. Just make sure it's not belching smoke and you will probably pass. If the truck originally had a PCV valve, catalytic converters, or any similar equipment make sure it's not been removed, or at least not obvious when the tech looks under the hood. Otherwise they will stick the sniffer in the tailpipe and let it sit there for a minute. If you don't have a tachometer, then they can't perform the high-rev test.

In the end, you should be just fine. If you already have a California registration (or all that's left is the smog) you are 95% home.

[navydevildoc]

Also you didn't mention how you are getting the "run around". Have you been to a smog shop?

[blue thumb]

First of all, Thank you for the responses. These are a great help thus far.
To clairify "RUN AROUND". I went to a Smog test facility yesturday. They said they couldn't smog it becuse it isn't domestic and it dosn't have some numbers on the serieal plate for them to put into there computer to test. And I need to call a Referee shop to get it done. I went to the Refeere shop this morning. They told me the same thing, and said I need to go see a ARB lab. Does anyone know what numbers I need to give to the smog technitions? It seems like they won't even let it in the garage without these.

[scott]

move to anywhere in new mex but albuquerque. bernalillo county is the only place here that requires all original emmission controls be there and work on 75s and newer.

beside ain't cali overdue for it's big slide into the pacific?

[navydevildoc]

OK, now I see where you are headed. They are calling your Series "Gray Market", since it was imported.

You say you went to a Referee station, where did you go?

Once you go through this headache, you will get a CARB label that will go on the door jamb for the life of the car.

[blue thumb]

I went to (BAR) Bureau of Automotive Repair. State of California Smog Check Referee Center. Station 799194- LA Pierce College. Your right, there are calling my Land Rover a "GRAY MARKET VEHICAL" and need to go to an ARB lab for further assistance. So what can I ecxpect to happin when I go to ARB? The gentleman at BAR said it could be up to $2,500 to make it pass. I find that hard to belive. Thoughts?

[ScottT]

I knew someoneyears ago that had their series truck plated in AZ because of Cali issues.

You may want to try calling British Pacific in Valencia. They might have first hand info.

[blue thumb]

Thank you.
I will give that a try.

[willy510]

California has made it very expensive and somewhat impossible to do what you are trying to do, I hate to tell you but this but what you are trying to do may cost in the thousands and take a really long time . When you go to the ARB lab you may find that they will not be very helpfull or no help at all. But where there is a will there is a way. Good luck

[daveb]

launder the title through another state and turn it into a 72. don't ask me how, use google.



Hi All,
I recently purchased a 1979 Land Rover Series III petrol, right hand drive.(See images attached) I am getting the run around on getting it smogged in California. I would be exempt if it was 1974 or earlier. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any recommendations on how to get it smogged here in California?

Thank you!

[LaneRover]

Actually as long as you can get it registered and titled in another state you should then be able to bring it into California without 'turning it into' a 1972. Officially Volkswagen diesels were not brought into California until very recently. A friend bought one in Minnesota and brought it here and he registered it just fine.

Brent

[ktom300]

Diesels are exempt.
I got really lucky when I picked up my 74. I had no idea of the smog laws but it was nearly free so I had nothing to lose.
Everything I've heard is that you're SOL if it's 75 or newer.

[LaneRover]

There also used to be a market for certain motorcycle speedo's in California because if it had 1500 miles on it or more then guys would swap them on to their motorcycle to register it in California. It is all about whether the vehicle is used or not. to California 1000 miles isn't used as you may have just bought it somewhere else new to drive it back. With 40K on it who know when you actually bought it and it can't be proven that you did bought it elsewhere just to circumvent the law.

Diesels may be exempt but we are talking about registering his Rover. If he briefly registers in another state and gets a title, it is now a US titled vehicle and I believe that you can bring non-California-legal vehicles into the state if it is used and is titled in some other state.

In the end it is most important to learn the rules and then beat the system to death with its own rules .

[blue thumb]

FYI: When i went to DMV a couple weeks ago they came out to the vehicle and looked at the VIN# to make sure it matched the the one on the Title from previous owner and same with the milage. Everything checked out ok. Then DMV asked for my smog cert. I didn't have one, but.... I was able to go ahead and pay all my registration and Title fees. DMV then gave me a temporary sticker until I get it smogged, witch is where I am now.....stuck!

[msggunny]

Hi All,
I recently purchased a 1979 Land Rover Series III petrol, right hand drive.(See images attached) I am getting the run around on getting it smogged in California. I would be exempt if it was 1974 or earlier. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any recommendations on how to get it smogged here in California?

Thank you!

Where did you buy it from?

[amcordo]

That one's from FL. I remember seeing it on Craigslist. Nice buy.


Where did you buy it from?

[navydevildoc]

FYI: When i went to DMV a couple weeks ago they came out to the vehicle and looked at the VIN# to make sure it matched the the one on the Title from previous owner and same with the milage. Everything checked out ok. Then DMV asked for my smog cert. I didn't have one, but.... I was able to go ahead and pay all my registration and Title fees. DMV then gave me a temporary sticker until I get it smogged, witch is where I am now.....stuck!

So no luck getting a hold of a CARB approved lab?

[LaneRover]

FYI: When i went to DMV a couple weeks ago they came out to the vehicle and looked at the VIN# to make sure it matched the the one on the Title from previous owner and same with the milage. Everything checked out ok. Then DMV asked for my smog cert. I didn't have one, but.... I was able to go ahead and pay all my registration and Title fees. DMV then gave me a temporary sticker until I get it smogged, witch is where I am now.....stuck!

Did the person you buy it from ever register it in the US anywhere before you bought it?

[JimCT]

I believe California has their own smog laws. They could care less about previous registrations, they are only concerned about what comes out the tail pipe and that is meets the year of manufacture for that particular vehicle.

[navydevildoc]

I believe California has their own smog laws. They could care less about previous registrations, they are only concerned about what comes out the tail pipe and that is meets the year of manufacture for that particular vehicle.

Bingo. They care if it was a "California Car" when it was made, which means it has to meet the stricter CA laws for that year, otherwise it has to meet the federal EPA standards of the model year.

[LaneRover]

Not necessarily. There was a case a while back because California was basically charging people to bring their cars with them to California. It became a huge case that the State of California had to pay back a billion dollars or so to all sorts of people who had been charged. It was regarded as an unfair tax to an American citizen who has free movement within this country. It was looked at as a forced tax to move to California which is unconstitutional.

If a vehicle is accepted in one state it must be accepted in another. California has tighter smog laws for vehicles sold new in the state going back to 1955. But that is for vehicles sold here new.

Where our friend might be screwed is if the car had never been registered or titled prior to him receiving it and the first place he tried was California. Now it is on the books, that could be problematic.

I still say register it somewhere else (do you own a vacation home or have family elsewhere?) and then go about transferring the registration to CA. You may need to actually move the vehicle to another State briefly.

By bringing it in from a State where it has already been titled and registered you may circumvent the smog check on a vehicle that is nearly 30 years old.

It does look like a nice Rover!!

Brent

[blue thumb]

Your right. I got it from Florida and had it transported to California. It was registered and titled from Florida.

[blue thumb]

So no luck getting a hold of a CARB approved lab?

I havn't tried the CARB approved lab yet. I have a leed on a place tomorrow that i'm going to try.

[LaneRover]

Good luck at the CARB lab! We're all pulling for you, definitely let us know the results. Hopefully you get a nice little sticker that goes in the door jam!

Brent

[fajuga]

I've got the same problem as you. I just purchased a 1983 Series III petrol in GB. I'm getting ready to ship it to California but I'm starting to realize the challenges I'll have to get it registered. I thank you for starting this thread and look forward to seeing how you pull it off. Good luck.

[kevkon]

I don't know if this would help you guys, but I have purchased numerous Norton motorcycles of the 70's vintage with no title. It really isn't that difficult to get a new title which could have an earlier production year. I have not done this since I have had no reason to, but the smog issue is different.
The only problem I can see is if you have already gone to far in the process with CA DMV.

[amcordo]

Bump.

Any update on this? Were you able to get the correct certifications or whatever?