Reply to "Any GT5-S owners in California?"

I found a performance shop fairly close to my house that works on hot rods and muscle cars. This is a very busy shop with lots of early and late model cars in their garage being worked on. A fair amount of these cars are post 1975. Most of these cars have absolutely no smog or cat converters, yet I noticed these cars all have Ca. plates and current registration. I was thinking to myself, "How can that be?" So I asked to speak to the manager. I told the manager about my worries of getting my '88 GT5-S smogged. The manager says he has connections and that he will get me a smog certificate no problem. His performance shop has a sort of symbiotic relationship with a smog shop where he sends all of his customers. The manager says he has sent literally hundreds and possibly thousands of cars to this "special" smog shop and for $300 they will produce me with a smog certificate. He said it benefits his performance shop to take care of his customers and get their cars on the road. And it benefits the smog shop by obtaining lots of business.

Some people who live by the letter of the law might find this all very disgusting. As for me, I believe daily commuter cars should have proper smog equipment. We all want clean air. But for the car enthusiast who wants to own a hot rod or muscle car or rare breed of car for the occasional weekend drive that doesn't intend to use the car as a daily commuter car, there should be a provision in the law to allow the car enhusiast to enjoy his car. What this performance shop is doing is what I call poetic justice.

But anyway, I want to try to register my car out of state first. That way I won't have to worry about having to smog my car every two years. I'll know by next week if I am successful.

As for the performance shop, I can't mention which one it is. The manager asked me not to mention their nefarious ways or I could blow it for everyone.

So it appears I should be able to get my '88 GT5-S registered and on the road here in Ca.

David