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California Emissions + 1980 MKIV 1500

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Gafirema

Gafirema

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Hello. I have some questions and hope some one here can help me out as I am at a complete loss and unsure of what to do right now.

I was trying to sell my car, a BMW, and came across an add for a classic 1980 triumph spitfire 1500. I fell in love with the little thing and the add said "possibly accepting trades" so I contacted them. Long story short, I traded my old BMW which was in pretty close to perfect condition for the little triumph. It needs a new gasket (which the part was included for) and a new clutch cylinder, aside from that mechanically it's perfect, as far as I know at least...

It's not leaking hardly any oil at all, it's running strong and it doesn't even smoke (that I've seen, maybe some small little puff on start up). But for some reason California does not want this little car on their roads.

The gentlemen who traded it to me is from Texas and had Texas tags on it. The Texas tags are clean and current and he just brought it here and said I should have no trouble smogging and registering it but I've heard otherwise...

It has a webber carburetor which I've been told is illegal in California and that even if it has the stock one (which seems hard to find) I won't be able to pass emissions tests.

I've been told a bunch of different things, from getting a catalytic converter for it to replacing the entire engine. I'm not sure what to do. I don't mind making fixes here and there as I knew when buying a LBC I'd need to do such things, but I don't have an absolute ton of money to spend.

I love the little car to death, it's not a bad car at all it's brilliant! I just want to drive it around legally here in San Diego.

What should I do? Thank you much for any advice.
 
If I remember correctly, the 1980 model year Spitfire was not sold in California due to emissions regulations. I don't know what CA regs are concerning bringing in cars that weren't sold there originally; I suspect that you would at least have to bring the car back up to 1980 Federal specifications?
 
First of all, welcome.

Now for the bad news, you are going to have to both return the Spitfire to it's original CA emissions set up and pass SMOG.

The inspectors will verify the set up again manuals that are available on their system for what your Spitfire originally had, so the Weber isn't going to work.

Putting on an original set up is your best best, and it should pass SMOG if everything is properly installed and healthy.

Anyone telling you to put a catalytic converter on it is, respectfully, out to lunch. An engine swap to a later - read cleaner - engine and emissions system is possible but it will be inspected to insure that it matches the controls that the donor car had and you'll need to pass SMOG to that standard.
 
OK - I may be out to lunch. 1980 Spitfires had a converter Andy?

I read the question as to someone saying that simply putting a cat on it would be enough, which it isn't.

If it had it <span style="text-decoration: underline">originally</span> then it needs to go back on. Thanks Andy!
 
I may be able to help.

I have a 79 Spitfire that still has all of the CA smog goodies. Everything. The CA smog setup was unique to that state. 79 and 80 are identical as far as CA emissions equip goes. I shipped this car from La Mesa to PA a couple of years ago, it was purchased new in San Diego. It was completely original and had a smog cert when I bought it. PA no longer requires smog for classics, so I don't need the emissions equip. I just started stripping the engine bay for rebuild.

Let me know what you need or PM me your email address.

Another thing unique to CA smog cars, the cylinder head (TKC1410) has factory installed hardened valve seats. The "Federal" cars (head TKC1409) do not. Both heads have air injection ports in the exhaust.

Here's a summary of what you'll need; some of this may already be installed on your car:

Intake manifold
Exhaust manifold (w/EGR valve on TOP)
EGR tube linking intake to exhaust
EGR valve
Diverter/bypass valve
Stromberg CD175 carb w/water choke
Air pump
Air manifold w/ check valve
Charcoal canisters (2) w/ anti-run on valve
Oil pressure switch (3-prong, to control valve above)
Catalytic converter
A bunch of misc hoses/fittings/restrictors/brackets
 
In California,the SELLER is responsible for the vehicle passing
the smog inspection,no matter what agreement you may have had with the
seller.
Check the CA DMV website,I believe that it's:

- Doug

www.//cadmv.gov
 
Hey everyone, thank you for the replies and for the help so far.

@ Scott, I will keep you in mind. The guy that sold the car to me said he had some spare parts and may have the original carb so I'm going to try and contact him and see what I can get, however...

I'm learning more and more from some different folks who know there stuff (not that you fine folks don't) about this car. It may, as some one above said, may not even be able to be registered here originally since supposedly it is a "Federal" car and never met California emission standards. Even if I was able to, I've learned there are so many things on this car I would need to replace and re tune that even then it may not pass. The funny thing is, it's a great, clean, well maintained little car that could provide some one any non-stupid-and-backwards-laws state a mountain of joy and years of pleasure. It's funny, because the little car isn't all rigged together or anything, it's in such good condition.

I may just have to try and sell the little guy out of state. Breaks my heart, but I may have no other options.
 
In theory, but not in practice in my experience. I'd rather have a solid car I'd have to get through SMOG than a SMOG'd car that wasn't solid.

There are a couple of us in greater San Diego / SoCal if you get really stuck.
 
Federal spec instead of CA spec is no problem. (There is an age limit, but you are well beyond that. I think it's only 4 years or so.)

And CA law cannot control sellers out of state. If you bought the car from Texas, then it is your responsibility to make it pass a smog check.

I would take Scott up on his offer above; even though you really only need the Federal components. The testers have gotten a lot less picky about things like carburetor model since the advent of the dyno tailpipe test (I suspect most of them simply cannot tell the difference between a ZS and a Weber); but as noted it will be a significant hassle to pass the tailpipe sniffer with the Weber. And you will still need a working EGR to pass.

Installing all that stuff may seem daunting, but it's actually not that bad. And there are lots of Spitty owners around SD that will help you out.

Unfortunately, it sounds as though you've already started the process with the CA DMV. If you already gave them the Texas title then you are basically SOL; they will not give it back. The only way forward is to either sell the car as "parts" or make it pass smog.

DMV web site is at
https://www.dmv.ca.gov
 
tdskip said:
Can he ask for a Non-Op until sorted?
Click to expand...
Doesn't need one, AFAIK, but it would be best to ask the DMV about that point. I believe the requirement is that the fees be paid within just a few weeks of bringing the car into the state; and then the registration is "incomplete" until the smog check (and all the other hoops of red tape, like CHP verification of VIN) are finished.
 
I was thinking that allows him to get the CA title but put off the SMOG until a direction / approach is established.
 
What they told me was that having a valid registration was a pre-requisite to transferring the title. Could be wrong, of course, but that is what I was told. Maybe it only applies when there is some doubt about the title as well?
 
So if I put those parts on Scott was talking about would the car pass both the smog and the inspection? The inspection is the main thing I'm worried about.

Also, so far I haven't sent anything into the DMV, we just made the transaction two days ago.

Also, I don't see why I would have to sell the car as parts. It has a valid, current and up to date registration, tags and title from Texas. If worst comes to worst I'll simply ask the DMV for a non-op registration and try to sell it to some one out of state, telling them the truth, that it's a solid little car I bought and just can't get smogged here in California.

Scott, how much would all those parts you have cost me? Again I'm on a pretty tight budget here. I don't mind installing things, I just start to worry about the $$$

Thanks again for the help and replies everyone.

Ohh, one more thing. Does the car need a Catalytic Converter to pass smog? Does it have one already installed? (Did they come with them for this year and model?)
 
A 1980 vehicle?
Having ALL the Fed and CARB components AND expect it to pass emissions?




Oh, I'm back. Had to get up off the floor.
I was an emissions specialist in my current state in that time frame, and don't count on it passing.
At least not at first.
The issue would be what CARB required for specs......in our state, Brit cars were mandated to meet Fed emissions....UNLESS the vehicle was allowed in by the Feds with a specific reading (higher), and documentation had to be produced for them to accept it.

Hope you can do all the work.
You cannot put a used cat on it...againste Federal law....and there is some question (foggy memory) about even re-installing an original.
If you have to pay someone to put all that stuff on (and I remember inspectors digging out the big book with factory head, manifld, carb and distributor casting numbers) you will be looking at a fairly large bill.

Does California care about emissions on registered vehicles that are 31 years old anymore?
If all this is to just get it in the state, there are ways to do it, but never in print.
 
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