House cars?
What is the legal status of a camping van conversion? Once upon a time there was a legal registration status called "house car" which exempted RV's and camping van conversions from smog checks, allow...
Forum Discussion
Hi,
Back in 1975 when all "Cars" where required to run unleaded gas and started getting better smog controls, the 'trucks' over 8,600 GVWR still could run leaded gas, and had less restrictions on how much pollution it might produce while driving.
I had a 1975 F-350 supercab with a 460" engine, no smog controls on it, and it produced 750 PPM hydrocarbons when I had it checked for smog test in 1987 when I bought it. I know my Honda Civic did not pass with only 120 ppm, and by warming up the engine and testing again, it then passed with something like 70 ppm, and was within the acceptable range of 20 - 90 ppm.
My current motorhome has a 460" engine too, no catalytic converter (95-97 did not have that, mine is 97) and 17,000 GVWR. It passed smog with a 36 PPM hydrocarbon rating, the limit is only about 80 PPM, and average for this size vehicle is 50 PPM. I must use unleaded fuel (can't find any leaded fuel since I was on a trip, and filled up the 75 Ford in El Paso in October 1992 with leaded fuel). The 460" engine with electronic controls was so clean in 95 that it did not require a cat to meet the air standards of the time. I think that the V10 needed the cat to meet even stricter standards in 1998.
So depending on the GVWR, you might be able to become 'exempt from smog checks' back 10 years ago regardless of it being a house car or not, but today all motor vehicles and even diesel trucks and motorhomes must pass a smog test if you live in a big city or it's adjacent county.
I know that my sister started needing to get smog checks on the 1975 F-350 in 2004, and it did not pass. This was in Vancouver WA. Old carburetor vehicles do not do well on smog checks. Everything has to be set perfect to make it run clean enough during the test. That is so easy with electronic fuel injection, but difficult with a carb.
Good luck!
Fred.
Back in 1975 when all "Cars" where required to run unleaded gas and started getting better smog controls, the 'trucks' over 8,600 GVWR still could run leaded gas, and had less restrictions on how much pollution it might produce while driving.
I had a 1975 F-350 supercab with a 460" engine, no smog controls on it, and it produced 750 PPM hydrocarbons when I had it checked for smog test in 1987 when I bought it. I know my Honda Civic did not pass with only 120 ppm, and by warming up the engine and testing again, it then passed with something like 70 ppm, and was within the acceptable range of 20 - 90 ppm.
My current motorhome has a 460" engine too, no catalytic converter (95-97 did not have that, mine is 97) and 17,000 GVWR. It passed smog with a 36 PPM hydrocarbon rating, the limit is only about 80 PPM, and average for this size vehicle is 50 PPM. I must use unleaded fuel (can't find any leaded fuel since I was on a trip, and filled up the 75 Ford in El Paso in October 1992 with leaded fuel). The 460" engine with electronic controls was so clean in 95 that it did not require a cat to meet the air standards of the time. I think that the V10 needed the cat to meet even stricter standards in 1998.
So depending on the GVWR, you might be able to become 'exempt from smog checks' back 10 years ago regardless of it being a house car or not, but today all motor vehicles and even diesel trucks and motorhomes must pass a smog test if you live in a big city or it's adjacent county.
I know that my sister started needing to get smog checks on the 1975 F-350 in 2004, and it did not pass. This was in Vancouver WA. Old carburetor vehicles do not do well on smog checks. Everything has to be set perfect to make it run clean enough during the test. That is so easy with electronic fuel injection, but difficult with a carb.
Good luck!
Fred.
