[DonNewton]

Yesterday, I had opportunity (opportunity?) to visit a local DMV to title and register my 75 ex-racer and get the paperwork settled as the conversion progresses. Wow.

Once you get past the standing in a glacially moving line (2.5 hours) and finally get inside to process the paperwork, you need to take everything you will need; forms and all reference material from DMV to support your goals.

My car is a '75 and according to the CA DMV website, 75 and older gasoline vehicles are EXEMPT from the smog requirement. One of the nice gentlemen decided that I was completely incorrect that the law was actually "All vehicles 75 and NEWER require a smog certificate." Dialog follows:

Me: "No, the current law and even the DMV website states that 75 and OLDER do not require . . ."
Him: "Show me."
Me: (goddammit) (cell phone to CA DMV website)
Him: (rummage around the material on his desk, finds a smog brochure) "Wow, I guess you're right!"
ME: "YOU work here?"

Silence.

Him: "Ok, you don't have a VIN verification."
Me: "Yeah, the cars been in storage since 2003 and has not been run. How we going to do that?"
Him: "You could trailer it here."
Me: "Don't have a trailer (I do. . ), and AAA won't do this."
Him: "I can give you a temporary tag (60 days)."
Me: "Jeez, why didn't we say that at first? I'll take it."

BOTTOM LINE: Take everything you think you might need to bolster your case. Yes, you have to be own attorney and plead your case from a position of knowledge, because they'll just make stuff up.