California Smog Regs

[John P]

FWIW, I just went through this with my FF Cobra.
1.Be at the DMV bright and early on Jan 2d, I got to the Lancaster office at 0500, and was seventh in line for the SB 100 number. You will pay all taxes due at this time. Be sure and have a reasonable amount of receipts, such as the wheels, engine, trans, etc. You will also need you Manufacturers Statement of Origin. No vehicle inspections will occur at this time.
2. Do not request a temp operating permit, unless you car is ready to complete all the steps necessary to the SB100 process. The TOP is only good for 30 days, and it's DMV policy to only give 2 Temp Op Permits. If you don't complete your build by the expiration of the second one, you are SOL and the car will have to be trailered.
3. Visit the CHP with the car on a trailer. They will assign a CA VIN, rivet the VIN tag to the chassis, and also stamp the VIN into the chassis at another location. The chassis number must match the data on the MSO.
4. The smog referee visit is a formality. Some cars get checked, others don't. Results of the check don't matter, they just have to get the car in the system. They will also affix a smog referee sticker to the car, usually somewhere under the hood. This sticker has a BAR code, and must remain legible, or you will have to go through the whole process again.
5. Proceed to an authorized Brake and lamp inspection garage, they will inspect the lamps and brakes. Sometimes, some of them get sort of picky about what is required, and not required.
6. return all paperwork to the DMV, and get your tags.
7. Enjoy the ride!

If anyone is in North LA county, I know of a "hot rod friendly" B&L station, and can supply the name and address on request.
John

 

[Mesa]

You got there at 5:00AM?
I'll bring my sleepng bag ;-)

Very helpful information
Thanks John

 

[Mike Christian]

I SB100'd a gross polluter a few years back. It had a new engine, built for performance with no smog equipment. They asked me whether I wanted to smog based on year the car replicated or the engine. I said the car year replicated (1955). No sweat. The car would barely idle because I hadn't finished setting up the Webers. No wipers on the car either.

Mike

 

[Ian K]

Thanks for some good news, I thought it was by body otherwise what would the point of the SB100 be, as the default (Non-Sb100) is by year of engine???

I don't think the Holley Dominator on top of a Can Am Aluminum Big Block Chevy will make them happy or be in any of the smog books except under the section marked FAIL.

Sandy

Hi Sandy,

So I looked this up again. If you do not get an SB100 SPCNS (Specially Constructed Vehicle)
Certificate of Sequence, then the car must be registered based on the calendar year. Only
SB100 allows you to choose between engine or body. This allows the Lambo and Ferrari
replicas to register if they have an old engine to work with.

Here's the quote from the CA DMV page:

After the first 500 vehicles have been registered in any calendar year, all others will be assigned the same model-year as the calendar year in which the application is submitted.

So the default non-SB100 registration is by calendar year. And now you know why the option
is body or engine. Those replicating newer cars (or in Mesa's case, totally original cars) can
opt to install a pre-smog engine and register based on that.

Ian

 

[Sandy]

I think I'm ok I already have the SB100 Sequence number. Just need to wrap up the last bits of the inspection for lights/brake/chp, so I'm in that 500 so I should be good as it sounds like.

Sandy

 

[Howard Jones]

You get to choose the model year of the car body work OR the year of the engine manufacture. You MIGHT just get away with "it doesn't look like anything else" but I think this is for a one off body style constructed by the home builder. If you do go this way make sure you go back to the same smog ref that agreed with this idea when the time comes.

So this leaves you with engine year. I think I would lean toward a bare bones cheap as it can be done 65 SBC. Then when all is done put in what ever you like.

To the best of my knowledge this would be completely legal. And that is my advice, do it completely legal.

Start your paperwork well in advance of the first open DMV January date. Once the car is running you can get a temp tag so you can go to the brake and light guy, the Highway Patrol for a vin number, etc. Keep every piece of paper related to your build, especially the recipes for the engine, trans-axle, kit, and other pieces. Take pictures from day one and include the shipping documents in your records. It is a good idea not to buy everything from one place and take some pictures of the car when it arrives as unpainted with much of the parts in boxes. Just remember the value of the car will be a total of the receipts you submit to the DMV.

It is my understanding that if the car is assembled by the person who you bought it all from you will have issues with that. Some of the Super performance cobra guys that had the power-train put in a completed roller by the guy would sold the car had hoops to jump through. They (DMV) will tend to view this as a complete car built by a car manufacture and purchased by you complete. That will not fly.

The DMV wants you to show them that you constructed the car yourself from parts you sourced or made yourself from several places. Especially the engine and/or transmission being different from the rest of the kit. A series of dated recites for various parts over a couple of years will be good. I had a box full of summit receipts along with several pictures of the car in pieces and many of the parts in boxes.

I would talk to a smog ref about the "It ain't like anything else" before you rely on getting a 1966 default year of manufacture.

Again a running SBC from craigs list for $250 is all you need. It will only need to run for about a 1/2 hour at 2500 rpms of so for the smog ref. But it just needs to be a old one. 65 or 66 will do just fine. The smog ref will be able to correctly date the motor so make sure you do.

You ARE going to want to be the FIRST person in line at your local DMV on the appointed day. And I mean the FIRST! I was in the parking lot at 5am with a cup of coffee in hand. The second guy got there at 5:15am and Farad got there third at about 5:30. By sunrise there were at least a dozen SB100 people lined up at the front door. Once you are in front make sure everyone knows it, including the DMV guy who opens the door at 8am. Tell him you are here for a SB100 and you were the first guy here and are 1st in line. I'm not kidding about this. Check out your local office and find out how they are going to handle the SB100 day. If no one seams to have a clue at your local DMV in reguard to SB100 then find one that knows the drill and go there. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT! You will never get one early enough. Its the first appointment of the day no later than opening time or nothing. You can try if you want to 30 days in advance of the day online but the computer will be all jammed up strarting about an hour before midnight the night before. I got through about 12:15AM and my local DMV was booked up for the whole day already.

EXPECT all 500 to be issued by 10am and it could be earlier. If you miss it you will need to wait another year. Go over your paperwork repeatedly with the DMV prior to January and make sure you have everything all ready to present at the window when you walk up to it. The first words out of your mouth should be "I'm here to get a SB100 number, and I was first in line"

This whole thing is like having your first child. Very stressful.

Oh..... and you will be drinking a cold one before 11am... trust me.