Lenos Law is finally law!

[Rodsrsr]

Governor signs this bill into law so beginning 2028 cars 1976 through 1980 will be smog exempt in California. Each following year, eligibility extends by another model year until 2033, when vehicles manufactured through the 1985 model year will be included.

Car still needs to be a classic with classic car insurance which shouldn't be a problem for most early Porsche car owners. This is a huge win for CA car culture.

https://abc7.com/post/gov-newsom-signs-sb-1392-dubbed-lenos-law-exempting-more-classic-cars-smog-tests/19836833/
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[look 171]

Yep. My 88 930 will need smog forever. I really like the idea of the rolling smog exemption from the old days

[KNS]

I wonder if it will spread to other CARB compliant states. A precedent has been set.

[onewhippedpuppy]

The expectation that a 46 year old classic car should pass modern smog testing is insanity.

[Gogar]

I'm really excited on Colorado that my 1983 is grandfathered exempt "unless" I sell it; then the new owner will have to put the cat back on and smog it. Or put something that looks like a cat on it.

[oldE]

If originality was not an issue, might not modern, digital fuel injection get an engine which is in otherwise good shape through the tests, or is modification a no no?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by oldE

If originality was not an issue, might not modern, digital fuel injection get an engine which is in otherwise good shape through the tests, or is modification a no no?

That's a difficult question. Technically, if the car is not exempt you can't change the induction. IDT they will toss you for installing headers as long as you keep the 02 sensors in place and it could be that the header have to be approved as an aftermarket part that complies in CA. But they could give a rat patootie if you lose the heat exchangers.

There has always been the visual check for proper by-the-year smog equipment which would be altered changing to FI. I'm not sure how to treat your question because the now rolling exemption is just that, one year you're still required to obtain a smog cert, and in the case of a '84 car, that goes away entirely in 2030, an '85 in '31, and so on.

The law is fraught with exceptions. They can't do anything simple.

[look 171]

Milt, I think it stops at 84 and no rolling forward like it use to so all cars mfg after 84 will need to be smog and every two years after, for ever.

[zakthor]

Does this mean my 79 doesnt need the air pump in cali?

[KNS]

So if it’s 1984 where it stops, then California classic car owners are really only getting an additional 10 years (from 1974). With restrictions that I don’t think owners of 1974 and older cars had.

Plenty of owners of cars from 1985 through the ‘90s will still, increasingly, have a hard time passing emissions as their cars get older and older.

[Steve Carlton]

Wow. Great news!

[Cairo94507]

@KNS - In CA, it has been the rule for a long time that 1975 and older were smog exempt.

[KNS]

^^
I recall it being ‘74 or ‘75. So then, they get nine more years rather than ten. Good news for sure but still only half way there excluding owners of “newer” classics.

[Zeke]

It doesn't stop rolling at the '84, instead, 1985.

Here's the Ai write up:

"Leno's Law" expands smog-check exemptions for qualified collector vehicles built between 1976 and 1985.However, the law features a phased rollout timeline that concludes its expansion in 2033:January 1, 2028: The first exemptions take effect for qualified collector vehicles from model years 1976 to 1980.2029–2032: The exemption advances by exactly one model year each January.

January 1, 2033: The final expansion occurs, incorporating vehicles up to the 1985 model year. The program stops rolling forward after 2033. From that point onward, the law permanently applies only to qualified collector vehicles manufactured in 1985 or earlier.

I mentioned it had exemptions. Perhaps there is a better word. Notice that it says "collector cars." Well what will be considered a collector car going forward. Surely the idea that a shag van (shaggin' wagon) would even be considered anything collectable is dubious, but they have gained notice. Will some shag vans qualify? Pretty vague.

Some have indicated that anything with a chrome bumper is destined to be a classic. So does that include a 1980 Pinto?

Yes to the post above, '75 is inclusive at this point. Come Jan 1 2028 you can add '76. Much ado about nothing, really.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by zakthor

Does this mean my 79 doesnt need the air pump in cali?

Too make it even more confusing, here's where your car lands, again, Ai:

January 1, 2028: Vehicles from model years 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980 all become exempt at the exact same time.
January 1, 2029: The 1981 model year is added.
January 1, 2030: The 1982 model year is added.
January 1, 2031: The 1983 model year is added.
January 1, 2032: The 1984 model year is added.
January 1, 2033: The 1985 model year is added (the final year covered by the law)

So yeah, in a year and half you can ditch the pump only because they won't be inspecting. What might become interesting is if that is actually legal. I think other existing laws could be invoked say like at a point of sale, or getting a new title. Who the fook knows?

I don't because there is a lot of conflicting info at this point.