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

[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]

registration

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.