I moved to the Midwest to play hockey several years ago, expected to eventually go back home. But then you find out you can live at a high level for a tiny fraction of what it costs in the Boston area, without the hassles of daily life, pay less for insurance on a couple Corvettes than my Dad paid for a ‘79 Olds, and not being surrounded by liberals... it was impossible to go back home.

So I go home to go to a Sox or a Bruins game a couple times a year and deal with it.

 

I think most state's attitudes are that there are so few 25 year and older cars on the road, and the ones that are do very few miles. So they are not bothering with emissions inspections. Any car 75 and newer MUST have a cat. But cops USUALLY go with the state's point of view that it is a collector item not 1k miles a month transportation. BUT you are running a slight risk of getting cited for emissions removal with side pipes on a 75 or newer car.

 

Been in NY my whole life and annual inspections have always been required. As invasive and literally taxing as it can be to live and work here when it comes to these old cars I have to admit a once a year look-see by a mechanic isn't a bad idea. I am careful with my vehicles but not everyone is.

 

A legitimate yearly inspection is not a problem with anyone . It 's when it gets political or personal that it turns to **** . A 25 year old or older car comes under totally different requirements today than when they were built and driven .


Not saying anything goes now but the state has to understand these antique cars and the world they reside in . I was a teenager when I had a 400 HP Mopar with tires that had no place on that car or street at that time . We are not those stupid teenagers anymore and wont be driving like that anymore . They can meet us a little ways down the street as long as they/we keep it safe...

 

Finally got an answer hope this helps...

Thank you for contacting the Massachusetts Vehicle Check Program.

Here is the regulation the Inspector will use to determine the Pass/Fail of the side-pipes:

All motor vehicle exhaust systems shall discharge the exhaust beyond operator, passenger, and/or trunk compartment.

 

Sounds good to me. Nice work da breeze !🇺🇸

 

That reg might be an issue for 78 and later but not for the earlier cars. The rounded rear glass goes pretty close to the back of the car.

 

If the exhaust has to discharge beyond the trunk compartment (rear of the body) and the side pipes discharge just behind the door aperture, then it looks like pretty bad news for any Vette that didn't come with the pipes stock. doesn't it?

 

Key words here...and/or...MA is covering it's *** . If the pipes are legal on a 69 and the basic body hasn't changed , then wouldn't it make sense you could make the case that later years and basically the same body fall under the same rules ? Just thinking out loud .

 

Am I understanding this to suggest that someone with an original 1969 side pipe car (and original C2 SP cars as well) have to take them off to get a sticker?

 

Not at all....MA is famous for using ' discretion ' in it's rulings...just look at our gun laws , all states have one list of approved guns , we have 2 . Our AG has her own list that no one can make sense of .
I'm understanding the state is giving the inspector the ' discretion ' to decide the outcome of the inspection...so Massachusetts . So , do you know the inspector ? Nuff said...

 

Just had my Corvette inspected, in Massachusetts last Saturday. My 73 is only subject to safety, yet under the new system the inspector must take 5 pictures of the vehicle, all 4 views, front, back, left, right, and VIN and up load pictures to the state. New equipment has been put in place to stop fraud per my inspector. I can say from what I experienced in the new process I don't think there is too much to worry about. I had to show the inspector where the VIN was for the picture, that being said I doubt an inspector would know if side pipes were an option or not. As far as I know the VIN would not decode side pipes as an option, most Corvette owners would love to have their build sheet, the state of Massachusetts doesn't have them. So, if your year Vette had a side pipe option I suspect you're safe with side pipes even if the car was not side pipe OEM. I've been working with the same station for inspections for 20 plus years, started with the present owners father and now his son operates the station. We always talk extensively and are friendly. I don't think I'll have any issues from the inspection station stand point. In talking with him, the new equipment was expensive, the pictures take additional time, all to stop a fairly low level problem, inspection fraud. The safety portion of the inspection done properly would require better than an hour to perform, add in the pictures and emissions when required for newer cars and inspection is a money loser at $35. Now if the state trains DOT inspectors / enforcers that may be a problem. I doubt local or state cops will be trained in spotting altered classic cars. Per my inspector, the businesses are not happy about having to buy new expensive equipment, again, and having to take pictures. To make matters worse the systems were supposed to be coupled with video cameras but as of now are only using a still camera. I would suspect if the video cameras become part of the inspection process the cost of a real inspection would skyrocket since the inspection process and inspector would now be fully recorded doing the inspection. Couple the video resolution and data requirements with the process and a station might only be capable of a few inspections per day meaning the state might just get into the inspection business. And we all know who wins when government takes over business types of operations.

 

Where does “option” or “original or “altered” come in?

If that rule is correct, it says “all vehicles.”

 

I agree with your logic, but do you have the time and money to fight the Government?

 

The worst part here if you don’t understand exactly what the law is, even if the general attitude is to not enforce things like sidepipes, you could think you are all set until you run into a Trooper who had a fight with his wife that morning and all of a sudden your car is on a flatbed.

People out here ignore the laws on things like license plate covers or not running a front plate, but they leave themselves wide open for surprises.

I wouldn’t do it. If the Mass DMV is telling you “all vehicles” they just might mean it.

 

" . . . do you have the time and money to fight the Government?"

What I don't have is the time and money to pay for the side pipes and have them installed then risk that an inspector or state cop is going to make me remove them at some point down the line. As much as I severely want them on the '74, I can't afford taking that kind of hit if things go South.

Too bad, what a damned state to live in ! ! ! If I could convince my wife to move, I'd be gone by Spring. If I could convince my wife to just divorce me I'd be gone by Christmas . . .

 

I left Mass in 69 and don't miss it. Over here side pipes are no problem.