Registering in California - need example photos

[TTait]

I'm purchasing a car from out of state, a 75 Monza with a 4.3 liter.

In order to register/title the car in California I need to go through a DMV inspection where they will verify the dash Vin plate as well as safety compliance stickers, the emissions compliance stickers, and of course the Vin tags. I'm concerned about the safety and emissions stickers. Can anyone provide more information as to exactly where each is located, and potentially post a few pictures?

I'm aware I may be able to purchase reproductions, but I'd need to get the data onto the blanks correctly (perfectly?) and get them positioned correctly. Any help appreciated.

This is what the inspectors are looking for:

CA inspection.jpg (163.06 KiB) Viewed 213 times

Any help with photos from your cars, tales of similar experiences, or sources for reproduction stickers if needed?

Thanks all.

Tom

[cjbiagi]

The VIN tag is on the LH corner of the dash visible through the windshield. The emission sticker was on the radiator support, I believe on the LH side. The trim tag (not that it will matter) is on the cowl under the hood. There was also another body sticker on the driver's door. That is about all I can remember off-hand. Unfortunately the emission sticker for a 75 Monza is not reproduced I don't believe, these are very specific stickers and while you may find another one close, it may not suffice for California, I don't know. The engine code is on the RH side in front of the head. There is a small flat machined surface where the numbers are stamped. I doubt that it is visible with all the accessories installed, depends upon your configuration.

[HI WINDING MONZA]

Hidden Vin Location

Doug in P.R.

[TTait]

The 1975 350cid sticker is readily available. I wonder if that would pass at a quick glance.

Do we know the exact placement?

[BloFish]

You will be dealing with the CHP, not DMV.

[TTait]

AAA will also do the inspection. If they can't pass it then it goes to CHP if there is a problem.

Could someone let me know if the sticker for emissions is on the radiator/fan shroud or the underside of the hood?

[hammerdown7]

I don't think '75 models need to pass emissions tests, do you need the sticker?

Dick

[BloFish]

1975 is smog exempt. But any vehicle coming from out of state will need to be verified by the CHP.

[TTait]

Generally any car coming into the state needs to be inspected by CHP to ensure that (A) the title matches the Vin, (B) that it was manufactured to federal safety standards, and (C) that it met the federal emissions standards of its year.

As a AAA member I will get the inspection done at their offices instead. If the inspection is simple, they can sign off. If they find issues they have less authority to make judgement calls, so they defer to a secondary CHP inspection. I think that's likely their way of avoiding drama, send the owner to settle it with the police if something isn't up to par.

The rules aren't entirely clear. If the sticker is missing is isn't an automatic fail, they do write this in the official website. So long as the documentation is readily available so that a smog inspector can do a test, then the inspector can pass it at his or her discretion - but a 1975 car will never get smogged in CA, so it may be a non issue. I can have the tuning data sheet in the glove box and that could count as having the information readily available as well. It depends on the inspector.

The process is also about checking Vins and ensuring that the car met federal safety standards. It's a broad process then meant to cover all years of cars which may or may not get smogged, as well as limited production and imported cars which would be less likely to have the certifications to show they met federal safety and emission standards. One might presume that for a Chevrolet built for the US market that missing or defaced safety or emissions stickers aren't technically an issue and its just a matter of having a proper VIN, but the rules don't properly clarify that.

Its may be a question of the experience and mood of the person doing the inspection. Clearly Chevrolet was building cars that met federal safety and emissions standards. Perhaps it was a 49 state car not California compliant, but that doesn't matter anymore to California on a 1975 model. Hopefully the sticker is there anyway - I'm just not sure if its supposed to be on the Radiator shroud or the underside of the hood, or ???

[cjbiagi]

I think that safety sticker was on the drivers door.

[TTait]

SafetyStickerLR.jpg (31.43 KiB) Viewed 74 times

emissionsstickerLR.jpg (49.88 KiB) Viewed 74 times

Yep. Thank you. The blue safety sticker is ion the drivers door and the emissions sticker is under the hood. AAA inspector verified they will be looking at those two items and the vin plate on the dash, and comparing these to the title, and that's all they will need to see. No emissions testing, safety inspection, or visual inspections of smog pumps etc. I showed them the pictures and they said that I should be good to go, no problems, no trip to CHP. Fingers crossed.