I live in Texas and I just bought an out of state 69 350/300hp vette. The person who owned it previously had removed the emissions system. Can anyone tell me if it is required to pass inspection in Texas?

If so, any suggestions where I can find a complete list of needed parts to make it legal? I have been to Ecklers and Zip but they do not offer kits and if I have to buy piece by piece I am certain I will miss something. I would like to buy everything I need at once and get it installed. thx in advance.

 

Living in Tarrant county (between Dallas and Ft Worth) which has some of the strictest requirements in the state and owning a '69 myself, I can tell you that you do not have to have any of the emissions equiptment installed.
All they do is a safety inspection (lights, wipers, horn, etc) on cars over 25 years old.
No emissions inspection.

If you get a real zealous inspector, they may make you put on a full air cleaner assy, if you are running an open element. (if you have just the air cleaner base and lid, with the filter exposed).

Scott

 

Is it a 4sp or auto? Makes a big difference. Where in Tx are you?
Mike

 

It will depend on the county where it's registered. My county doesn't require any emission test, just proof of insurance, does it have brakes, lights, wipers, tires, and an exhaust system. Oh yeah, and do you have $12.50.

 

don't know why I started a new reply, I'll just add it to the one up above.

 

You can go to the Tx DOT and find out what applies to various counties, but only a handfull have an actual sniffer test. But to make this very clear, a visual inspection is part of the safety inspection no matter what county or city in Texas. This rarely happens, but it did to me once where a station inspected all the visible emissions equipment. Busted me for a missing heat stove hose to the air cleaner and I didn't pass. And that's all that was wrong with the car. I live in a county that has no sniffer test.

 

I think you are exempt if your car is over 25 years old.

 

Register it as an Antique Vehicle. Registration is $85 for 5 years & NO inspections ever required. There are limits to your driving, but no one gets stopped. My 79 is registered this way. No one in Comal county even batted an eye when they processed the registration.

 

My '78 passed in Williamson county with just a visual inspection, and $12.50. No sniffer test over 25yrs, just visual. I pushed BBs in all the vacume hoses except the vacume advance. All the visuals are intact.

 

I ran into a "catch 22" when I bought my car in Mississippi. To get the car licensed (and a TX title) the state wanted proof of insurance and it must pass an inspection. The 68' blinker assembly is notorious for breaking and being unfixable and no one had a replacement at the time.
I spent days searching this forum and Vette vendors to no avail.
So, I called my cousin Vinny, who called his cousin Louey, who knew a guy who knew a guy....I jumped that hurdle and now have it registered as an Antique. Changed out the old column to a tilt/tele with good blinkers and walla!

 

 

No emission tests on 1982 and earlier cars in Texas regardless of county. Also, be careful of the Antique registration,..there's limits to where and when you can drive your car,..parades and car shows are about it and unless you can convince the cop you're on the way to a car show or to have your oil changed, you'll get a ticket. Here's more info:

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/services/...nbr=70&type=AC

 

Thanks everyone. I live in Denton County near Lake Lewisville in a tiny town called Oak Point. I think I'll just give it a shot and see what happens.

I agree with catch 22 situation. As I understand it, on the txdot site, you can't get the car titled or registered in Texas until it passes inspection.

 

Oh, and it is an Automatic

 

They only test that has changed in Texas is tailpipe sniffing. Visual emission testing is still valid in all counties back to 1966. Dallas and Tarrant counties were the first to have to enforce tailpipe sniffing. Each year more counties are added.
Counties that didn't check tailpipe emissions still had to do visual emission. But it was never enforced and still isn't in exempt counties. If you live in an exempt county the further you get away from D/fw the better you are. There are still county inspectors that never have seen an EGR valve or a fresh air hose.
I know the state written inspection and emission laws by memory being an inspector for many years until recently. What is written and what is enforced often vary. The state uses the CASS book to tell the inspector what emissions equipment any vehicle should have. This book has a lot of mistakes in it and it will not be in your favor. Sorry for the negativity.
Now the good news. There are many ways around this. I prefer not to post how on an open forum, you never know who is reading but I will answer emails.
GPD, being an automatic they ony thing you will need is a pcv valve in one valve cover and a hose from the other valve cover to the base of the air cleaner. To make life easier I would show up at the inspection station with the vac over ride switched pull for the headlites and wipers.
Here is one other important fact that few people know about. Many vette ownwers are concerned about an inspector driving the vette for the brake test. There are many new young inspectors who cannot drive a standard. You may be a passenger in the car during the brake test or you CAN BE THE DRIVER with the inspector as the passenger. All you have to do is prove the car stopped straight in the required distance. This is written in the Texas state inspection rules and procedures manual which every inspection station must have on site. Just don't make the inspector mad. He will find a reason to fail you out of spite. By law the inspection has begun the moment the inspector sits in the car and cannot be stopped until he writes a rejection slip or installs a new sticker. Once the inspector sits in the car they can charge you the rejection fee. Use your best judgement.
GPD, you will need the out-of-state green sheet to get your TX registration. $1. Look at it closely before you leave. Be sure every number is correct and easily read.
Mike

 

No one gets stopped for this, but if you are worried, then do this. Since club functions are also covered by the law, print up some business cards as Joe Blow's Corvette Club, with yourself listed as president. Then anywhere you go is a 'club' function.

 

Thanks for the great replies and suggestions. Will take and use advice.

 

actually, antiques can also be used for "club activities" as stated in your link. that could include corvette rallies, group drives in the country, friday (sat,sun,mon.....) club get togethers at the drive in, car shows, autocross rallies, etc., etc., etc. also, every car requires a certain amount of driving just to keep it running. gotta get gas, oil change, engine, brake, trans service. test driving after doing your own mechanical work, etc.

 

I have 3 cars a 68 GTO , 62 Tempest, 68 Corvette registered as antiques in Texas. I have never been stopped and drive them all the time. As long as it is not regular transpartation they won't give you any hassle. Also none of my cars have inspection stickers.

 

I had my out of state '68 registered and inspected in Dallas County last year with no smog equipment. I asked about the inspection (first) at the first place I went to and they said that it all had to be present and working even on my '68. I said thanks but no thanks and went down the road. The garage around the corner did a safety inspection only and I was on my way. I guess it depends on who you talk to.