I'm one of the unfortunate throngs that must deal with the draconian emissions and inspection requirements here in NJ, and I'm quickly coming up on D-day when my car is ready to hit the road full-time. I want to get my car registered as a daily driver, so the lax regulations for the antique tags is not something I can take advantage of this time around. This means that, as far as I can tell, I'll be subject to the same inspection requirements as every other modern car on the road...and I'm pretty damn sure that it'll fail on the emissions. I'm running a stock 283, 4bbl Edelbrock 500cfm carb, straight pipes with Brockman Mellowtones glasspacks. I'm confident I have some blow-by, but I don't have any smoke coming out the rear whatsoever. Any tips or personal experiences dealing with this in NJ??? I guess that I might *have* to register it as an antique, and only drive it on weekends, barring any info from ya'll that might help me get around this. Damn, I gotta move back down South......
NJ emissions on older wheels are very loose...unless you have bad valves, clogged air cleaner, and can't see the car through the smoke you won't have a problem. I assume recentish ignition tune, good air cleaner...change oil before inspection. My own superstition is to unplug the vac advance, and if advance curve is agressive with lots of initial dial it back a bit. I like for insurance engine fully warm in water temp, 180, but not run long so oil is cool. Bottom line, though, is that if you fail the pre-67 or whatever it is you have something wrong with your engine.
Your car just needs to pass the emissions regulations for the year it was built. So basically the brakes, wipers, lights, ect need to work. It can't be smoking, and it probably needs mufflers.
COOL.....to hear the DMV tell it, you're screwed unless you've got a catalytic converter on the durn thing! So does what you're saying apply to getting it registered as a daily driver, or just to the antique plates?
My buds stock '53 Chevy rolled thru with no issue. On the other hand you can take it to a local private inspection center...wink...$ ...wink
Oh SNAP....I forgot about those....been here for 5 years and still completely forgot about them....and how they "roll".....bank roll that is
I would take it to State inspec center...hey its free...see what they say...if you pass..cool! ..if not scrape the failed sticker off and "explain" your dilemma to a private guy. ...you can say flat out you NEED it to pass emissions and if he's a by the book type he may say " I can't ". Lotsa guys use a completely different car for the reading...or so I've heard. I believe you can roll a FAILED state sticker for 45 days legally
Dont forget guys, they changed the rules on Monday. No more mechanical inspection. The only thing they check is emissions now...
Test standards are a multiple of what car was capable of new...very loose, in other words...on older cars, and I think a smaller multiple like 2X on early smog era cars. Rgular registration, not any sort of collector car stuff. I think visual inspection is over with new standards too, so no problem for funny aircleaners and such, though I don't think they ever looked under the hood anyway. You just pass or fail on the tailpipe sniff. Take a camera, just in case you get to photo a new trainee crawling around looking for your computer diagnostic jack!
so can I bring my fenderless ..mufflerless wiperless truck to inspection and PASS????with good sniff?
inspection in a hot rod or old car ? we don't need no stinkin inspection I have never been with my 35 ford ...not once in 36 years...never in my 39 ,,not once in 21 years .....
One other point. Although emissions will be the only thing tested, I don't think you want to be caught with a license plate light out or some other minor infraction, if you get pulled into one of those mobile inspection stations that they set up. They're going to raise revenue somehow. At least that's what I'm hearing. Let's see how this all shakes out.
1935Ron, I had regular plates on my '33 Ford woodie for years, no inspection sticker. Got a "failure to inspect" ticket on the windshield one day while it was parked! I think the fine was $20 back then. I think it's a lot more now! I think if your car is safe and runs clean/okay you should be able to pass. Don't know how it'll be for the fenderless guys. Ignore inspection like in the past?
Only thing is, if you fail at a state inspection your going to have to wait a week or so before a private inspection will pass it. I went through that with the window tint on my daily. If it passes again the same day they'll question how the work was done so fast. Up until a few years ago I was taking my ot '67 stang to the state inspection. One time the guy walked past the pop open cap on the back three times looking for the fuel door on the quarter panel. He never did figure out how to pressure test that cap haha
Mufflerless no, they check emissions. But from the way it sounds, the rest doesnt matter. However, e prepared to eat a few tickets if you get stopped with some stuff that doesnt fit an officers idea of safe.
Im just saying that if ALL they are checking is emissions then the rest (in theory) should not matter. I'm a QQ guy but it's interesting to see how this emission only deal works out. P.S. I got stopped in my daily for a bad sticker..COURT APPEARANCE REQUIRED ...sat all day in court in Weehawken for a 2 minute "how do you plead?" decision and I believe around $150 after fine/ court cost's
i always thought you get really screwed if you take it to the dmv and fail for emissions. i thought the vin went into the system? why not just go for the QQ plates?
Can someone explain the limitations on running the QQ plates? What restrictions are you under, and are they enforced much?
i have had them on one of my cars since 98. 1 time i got stopped for an old inspection, the guy suggested i scrape off my old sticker. one of my cars is a fair weather daily driver it has them too. no issues. your insurance can restrict you if anything.
Dude I was JUST talking to some older hot rodders yesterday and they told me that as of August 1st, the only thing you need to pass is the emissions test now. Check this out!! http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Inspections/index.htm I think it's because of the huge budget cuts in NJ. No longer enough money to pay for the teams of people running the state inspection facilities. Anyway, can't wait to see you and your Chevy at a show!
I grew up in Trenton, and I don't miss the dreaded INSPECTION STATION. Where I live now we have no safety or emissions inspections at all. The closest thing we have is if you buy a vehicle that is titlted from a different state you have to have the VIN verified.
QQ is limited to a certain amount of miles per year..the car is supposed to be used for display/ parades/ shows only. I believe you can use your car as a daily if you behave and operate within the lines of reason. If you do hole shots at every light, have a crazy loud car and you speed past the same cop everyday you are in for a hassle.
Ran QQs starting in 75, as soon as the NJDMV issued "Street Rod" plates I ran those and never had any issues...any place... any state QQ are ok for the most part.. some issues but I think depending on how old the car is...... such as a 1985 vs a 1965 and down ...and where you live ( I hate to say that) You may get hassaled if you use QQs on a daily driver....especially if the car is close or just around the 25 year mark... just based on my past experience's over the last 35 years of hotroddin in the NY metro area.
QQs exempt you from state inspection. You're limited to milage limitations and the like, but most collector insurance carriers give you unlimited miles. If you make a spectacle of yourself, you will be asking for a hard time, especially if you drive your car everyday as a daily. Personally, I'm more concerned with staying within the bounds of my insurance policy than the state registration code. Even still, you're allowed to pleasure drive your car, so when I take my car out for coffee, or to go out to the local watering hole at night, it's all good. QQs on a daily is bending the rules, tread lightly.
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