Help requested

["TJ Noto" <tj@domain.elided>]

If you're a concerned classic car owner residing in California, or, if
you just want to help those of us that are, I'd love to hear some ideas
on how to respond to Senator Lopez's proposed bill which repeals the
existing exemption for cars 30 years and older.  If the bill passes,
only cars which are 45 years old (or older) would be exempt from a
biennial smog inspection.

Responding to this bill requires more than "you silly Democrat why are
you introducing stupid Bills which punish owners of old cars". As much
as I might think that, I know it's no way to challenge the proposed
legislation. The irony of this situation is that the Honorable Mr.
Florez hails from a district with a lower vehicle to population ratio
than other areas where classic cars are likely to be found.  I don't
think I'm resorting to generalities when I postulate that there are
fewer classic cars in Fresno, Kings, Kern and Tulare counties which Mr.
Florez represents.  There may be more farm equipment than passenger cars
and I can't recall the last time I saw anything more than an EGR valve
on a John Deere tractor.

So far the arguments I can come up with (although I can't come up with
empirical proof of some of them) are:

-the number of cars currently on the road older than 30 years from date
of manufacturer is statistically small.  

-those that are on the road tend to be "well-kept", restored "pleasure"
cars that are kept in excellent mechanical order and are not driven
frequently.  They are not "daily-drivers".

-most cars built prior to 1974 had little in the way of smog-equipment
when they were manufactured.  There is no economically feasible manner
in which to reduce the emissions of a car for which low emissions
(relative to modern standards) were not a design objective.  

I welcome any and all input regarding this issue.  I have no idea as to
the probability of this Bill getting passed, but I do know that
California recently passed a new set of smog standards that affect all
cars currently requiring smog tests.  These new tests are going to cost
everyone involved more money.  California is also in the midst of a
terrible budget crisis and politicians may be looking for ways to
increase revenues in order to cope with it.  Hard to imagine how
changing smog laws could help, but who knows what evil lurks in the
minds of men (and women sometime too).

Regards,
TJ


TJ Noto		AFM #134  	Cowpoke Racing-"Friends in Slow Places"
http://www.cowpokeracing.com
95 Ducati 916 Strada
96 Ducati Monster 900 (Chela's)
61 Ducati Falcone 80			
70 Norton Commando Fastback	
73 BMW 3.0 CS ("deviated from museum reliquary standard"-Perez)
97 BMW Z3 (Chela's)
77 Mercedes 280C (Mimosa)
67 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce	
00 Ford F150 Supercab		
87 Suzuki RG250 (For Sale!)
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided