THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

undysworld wrote:

Wow. I'd never thought it possible.

This thread is making Pinzgauer ownership in WISCONSIN sound simple, by comparison!

How did it come to be, that CA seems to have the most anal-retentive laws regarding our trucks, yet still finds itself home to so many Pinz owners and specialists? Are you guys just nuts?

I hate to say it, but Eric's suggestion of moving might be the easiest. That or overthrow the DOT out there...

Paul,
Though this is anal by the state ( read liberal, Commie, Socialists), it is not all that different than the rolling 25 year DOT and EPA by the Feds. Before Arny signed the law to fix the date at 1975, Cal DID have a rolling 28 ( more or less ) year exemption.

Wisconsin tried to cancel your "road rights" for military vehicle, and IF that was an actual law (and not some one's own policy), you'd been screwed. Some other states have requirements for their registration, and mods have had to be made to the truck, as minor as they may be ( red brake lamps, reverse lamps, annual vechile inspection, etc....), they are restrictions.

The Cal's restriction is only on emission, and not any other DOT requirement.

Dave
But remember, The Pink Cow is titled here, and any state in the union will accept that .

To the best of my knowledge (and I'm amassing quite a bit on this subject) the California CARB requries both EPA stickers (which the Pinz does not have, hence all the fuss) and requires smog testing ON 1975 AND NEWER vehicles. However, the California DMV only requires smog testing on 1976 and newer vehicles to get new tabs. Fortunately, DMV and CARB don't talk to each other much so most 1975's have been able to be licensed by the DMV.

I had a 1976 licensed in CA for four years and had passed smog twice; however, the third time I was going through smog CARB actually called the smog shop while I was there!! They said to the shop owner "what's the EPA sticker say on that Pinzgauer?" His answer, to save both of us, was "oh, that truck already left." THAT'S how anal CARB can be. Solution? Sold the truck and bought an older model that was registered in Maine; got it licensed in CA with no problems so far.

I have even spoken to the Department of Consumer Affairs, they were knowlegable and sympathetic and went so far as to suggest that since my 1976 had been sucsessfully smogged (they could even pull up the records) that I just try to get it smogged wherever I could. This worked once, but CARB obviously has such a wild hair up their a*s that they have their computers flag any Pinzgauer going through smog in real time.

Jim M.

Jimm391730 - gr8 post! thx!

Warning: Somewhat off-topic comment...

Wait til national health care works that way. If you think having a pipe stuck up your vehicle's exhaust is rough, wait til something similar is flagged in a national health care database.

To quote The Sopranos, "Hey, I don't even let nobody wave their finger under my nose!"