ATL 13 counties emissions. $%@&%*@

[svobud]

I just attempted to get my FFR registered in Cobb Co in the straight up - "legal" way. Needless to say .. I'm walking away from the whole ordeal by articulating some of my most choice swear words. I'm posting this story here for 2 reasons .. I needed to vent and to warn others who might be thinking about purchasing a Cobra that will be required to pass emissions.

History: Bought the car as a completed/running Cobra from the 2nd owner. He lived in Helen, GA .. which is now where near a county that requires emissions. Super nice guy is all aspects - so this is in now way meant disrepectful to hm. He bought the car from the original owner/builder in FL - it was titled as a 1999 Kit Car (year of completion) originally in Florida.

I figured .. no problem. Slap some cats on it and have at it. WRONG. First off, it being titled as a 99 makes it fall within the OBD-II required emissions standards. NO WAY is a 87-93 EEC-IV going to pass that test. Finally talked to "the man" for the Georgia Clean Air Force after getting the run-a-round for a week or so. He was nice and cordial. I explained to him what the car is and so forth. He said, it will still have to pass sniffer portion of the emissions requirements. Once I get to the emission testing place of my chosing .. have the operator call him on his direct office line.

I'm thinking .. this is going to be a breeze. I order a set of cats from FFR (not cheap). It takes 2 weeks before I get them. Finally get time off of work on a day where my buddies shop (and lift) are available. Drive over to his place in Alabama and start installing the cats. As with anything .. if you think it should only take 2 hours .. figure it will end up taking you 8 hrs.

Getting the car on a lift is a magic act in it's own right. Then I notice the cats came with NO new gaskets bewteen the J-pipes and the sidepipes. After driving to 3 autoparts supply stores in BFE Alabama .. found some felpros that fit. Go back to work on the car. Removing the J-pipes... broke 3 bolts of the six that connect from both J-pipes to the sidepipes (3 per side). Trip the hardware store for new bolts and locking nuts. Got everything installed and made it home around 10pm last night (insert: angry woman at home).

Call "the man" this morning, informing him that I'm ready to have my Cobra tested for emissions. Take the trip up the emission testing garage after getting 100 miles of warm up cycle through the cats ... get everything hooked up... the Car FAILS like no other I've seen before. The testing operator tells me it obviously needs a tune up. The entire car has less than 8k miles on it. I give him a look like he's a typical asshat that doesn't know his butt from a hole in the ground... and leave.

So - on my next day off, I'm heading up Stephens County, using the Mother-n-Law's address, and registering the Cobra...which is where I should have gone in the first place.

Moral of the story? Heck if I know .. other than, 'avoid the headache and waste of money/time on trying to register a Cobra in the 13 counties of metro Atlanta if emissions is required because of how your Cobra was titled. If you're building one yourself .. make sure you get it titled as being exempt.'

If I had to do it all over again ... I would have bought a Cobra that was titled correctly (for my needs). Don't get me wrong .. the Cobra sitting in my garage is one of the sweetest I've seen as far as attention to detail - etc. I don't think there's many out there that can touch this one for the quality and money, but the problems caused by it being titled as a 1999 make me disappointed "today" in the car I bought.

Thanks for listening ...

[427 S/O]

Don't know your engine but, if you have a PVC valve, pull it from the intake, you may need to up your idle to keep it running. lot's of oxygen going in the engine and a very good CO2 reading, do this to my jeep every year.

[Excaliber]

You can't title "kit" cars here on the Island of Oahu, period. So for quite some time the issue of an "exemption" kind of thing have been brewing at the legislative level. The "Bill" was sponsored, made it though all the hurdles and landed on the Governor Lynda Lingles desk a few days ago.

......she vetoed it! It will be at least another year before the issue can be reviewed.

We don't have any "smog" regulations here, the nightmare is licensing the car at all.

Ernie

[svobud]

It's a 5.0 EFI on a stock A9L computer. Yes, I could lean out the Fuel Pressure and knock the timing down to the point it'll barely idle .. but I've reached my breaking point. Not another dime or minute will be spent trying to get this car to pass emissions.

I'm tired of doing the dance for a car that should be exempt. I can tell myself "I tried" .. and go register it in a county that will end up costing me MUCH less all across the board. To be completely legal about it ... I'll even jointly title it in my name and the Mother-n-law's (she's cool - nothin to worry about) and not give it another thought.

[Excaliber]

,,,,,and you won't need no stinking converters either!

Ernie

[svobud]

They're not that bad. They took alot of the straightpipe 'truck' sound out of the exhaust note. I can actually hear the tires breaking loose in 3rd

[ToyCollector]

I have heard this story many a time, and I know and RESPECT your position. It can be done. There is an SPF owner who HAD to title his car as a 200X for financial reasons. I just find it a damn shame that I can go buy a F250 along with a few thousand other Atlantans, and spew more soot than a Cobra that is driven occasionaly would ever do. Heck, there are only about 40-60 of us in metro Atlanta...who maybe drive 100 miles each week on average in these glorious tin cans (it's probably less). What's wrong with this picture??? Write your legislature. They hear from me regularly.

[Joe Brett]

I may be wrong but,
If your car fails they will only make you spend $800 trying to fix it and then they will pass you with a failure. Don't really know the specifics but have you friend in AL give you a reciept.

[svobud]

Yeah ... there's a repair wavier in Ga and it states, if it costs more than $658.00 in repairs to your emissions - you may be given an exemption. You must show a receipt and you must show SOME kind of improvement from your original testing. If you do, they'll consider granting you a registration for the current year. My interpretaion of this wavier, it has to be done EVERY YEAR .. and you have to show you've spent the $$$ each time as well. Here's a direct link for the info concerning the wavier http://www.cleanairforce.com/repairinfo.htm

As it now .. if I want to retest, I must show a receipt of repairs at the time of the re-test. I just can't walk back in there after retuning the car and retest.

Plain and simple ... horsehockey.

I was talking with some of my co-workers today explaining the status of my car vs. emissions requirements. All are fellow motorheads who also happen to wear a badge. ... they couldn't believe that I actually had to meet emissions due to fact that my car is HOME BUILT. One of my Lieutenants even volunteered to research Ga Code to see if there's a loophole for "home builds" v. emissions. We were all agreed, safety standards is one thing .. but emissions? What if I had an exact antique replica sportin a Carbed FE in it? Then what? I told to him to 'have at it' - but I would think if one does exist, someone would have found it by now and it should be common fact in and around the kit car world.

Who knows ... he just may find something, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Alex Donghi]

Try '1965 Cobra' that works

[svobud]

Originally posted by Alex Donghi


Try '1965 Cobra' that works

not sure what you're trying to say ... maybe you didn't read that the car was REGISTERED/TITLED by the original owner/builder as a 1999 (year of completion)? Done. Game Over. A request was submitted to the State for it to be changed to a '65 Cobra and request was denied.

Problem solved though .. and the car is now registered in my name .. in Georgia. Just not in one of the 13 counties.

[ToyCollector]

Probably the best way to do it for you. Good move.

[excelguru]

Excelguru's Emissions Translation Guide

Term: Emissions test
Translation: The county wants your money

Term: Failed emissions test
Translation: The county wants more of your money

Term: Emissions sticker
Translation: The county has decided that you've paid enough money... this year

Term: Emissions waiver
Translation: You're dreaming

Term: Emissions testing facility
Translation: Perpetual income

[ToyCollector]

Right on Keith!!!! If you, me, SFCJ, GS, and CJ get in the same room--we would agree violently on everything political is my guess.

[John Owen]

The state of Georgia has put yet another ugly Joker in the registration deck. As some of you know, I registered my roadster in Savannah - Chatham Cty- no emission requirements, I own a home there and live there part time, the rest in Cobb Cty. Received my tax statements for cars today, and all were from Chatham Cty, even though everything but the roadster was registered in Cobb last year. Based on DL number of the owner, GA now requires all vehicles to be registered at a single address. OK says I, just leave all of them down there - one more catch - address must be where you claim Homestead Exemption for your house taxes. If not the state notifies the county to cancel your exemption. Recent changes in GA law prevent home taxes from rising with valuation growth - Move the Exemption to Chatham where my home has doubled in value and taxes during the last two years - no benefit, but lose Cobb benefit and house taxes quadruple. Same rules apply to my wife, and law says we must claim the same primary residence.
For now, I have two years in Cobb before the first inspection - may mean a new roadster at that time - A 1965 -

[Cracker]

Then you'll be just like me but with a prettier paint job and a lot more horsies!

[southernfriedcj]

Guys, this is just FYI... a buddy of mine registered his car at his parent's house in Blairsville(to lower the advolorem tax) and he lost the Homestead Exemption on his house in Dekalb County.
This was back in the late '80's, so I don't know if this would affect anything now. I haven't spoken to him in a few years, so I can't get the details. Again, just FYI.

[southernfriedcj]

Originally posted by ToyCollector


I just find it a damn shame that I can go buy a F250 along with a few thousand other Atlantans, and spew more soot than a Cobra that is driven occasionaly would ever do.

Mike, the emission exemption alone makes the 5k price of addmission to the Powerstroke club worthwhile.

[ToyCollector]

I've got a 5K worth story for you when we next meet. FTF is all I can say and then did--plus the poor unsuspecting Roswellites or whatever the heck we are, who were their customers. It's a bit of a beauty. Most fun I have ever had in my truck so far

[southernfriedcj]

Did it invole a puddle? A poodle? FTF and their dogs!