Emissions Map

Bringing a car into an emissions test area? Insist on a recent smog check

In most cases, when you’re on the hunt for a new collector car, things like mechanical condition, bodywork and authenticity are top- of- mind. Making sure that original emission control equipment is still present isn’t usually high on the list. But if you live in a state with emission testing for old cars, buying a collector car from out of state with missing or non-functioning emission control equipment can be the start of a long and expensive nightmare.

Air-injection pumps started showing up on cars in 1967. As emission regulations became more stringent, PCV valves, lean carburetion, thermal reactors, fuel injection, catalytic converters and sophisticated engine management systems became part of the emission-control scheme for various manufacturers. In states with no emissions testing, many of these parts promptly went “missing” or were swapped out for the same parts from pre-emission years of the same model. For example, most 1973 Datsun 240Zs have long since had their dreaded Hitachi carburetors switched out from better performing units from earlier cars.

If you buy one of these altered cars and you live in a state where they must pass smog checks, your options may consist of bringing it up to spec by putting the original smog equipment back on it or selling it to an out-of-state buyer.

The problem with the former is cost and availability of parts. Missing catalytic converters can be terribly expensive to replace and missing emission control equipment can be nearly impossible to find. Remember, this was stuff that was hated back in the day. It often made cars run poorly and sapped horsepower. Smog equipment was generally removed and discarded with glee rather than being carefully wrapped and placed on a shelf. Things like air pumps, their brackets and belts are generally no longer supplied by manufacturers. It will generally be a long search on eBay or through wrecking yards to find what you need. And even then, there’s no guarantee that the used part you find will be functional.

The best practice is to insist on a current smog certificate when possible. If you’re dealing with an out of state car (particularly one from a place where there’s no smog requirement), insist on a pre-purchase inspection to determine that the pollution equipment is intact and functioning. Buy a non-smog compliant car at your own risk.