Leno’s Law was supposed to allow smog-era cars some relief from emissions inspections. As someone with a carbureted 1985 Jeep J10 that will never pass SMOG and that I now have little choice but to sell, I am feeling the effects of California’s overly-strict SMOG rules, and I should be upset having to give up my beloved truck. But I’m just not. California car culture rules.
Back in May, I wrote this article about my Jeep J10: California’s Smog Rules Are Pushing Me To Sell My Beloved 1985 Jeep J10, And The Improbable ‘Leno’s Law’ Is My Only Hope. Since then, Leno’s Law has died, and my only options to keep my J10 on the road are to 1. Try to scrounge together all the annoying emissions equipment so my engine can run more poorly or 2. Do an engine swap on my 78,000 mile motor.
I have no time or interest in doing either, and so I am going to sell my J10 after 10 years of ownership. This sucks, but I also knew it was going to happen. As I said in my previous story:
Right now, cars before the catalytic converter era are legal to drive in California without any SMOG checks. The idea that California will say “your car actually came with emissions equipment but we no longer care if it works” seems tough to me. But I’m still a proponent of the bill, because I think car culture matters. And also, come on: Who wouldn’t want to see this truck out on the road? Joy, folks — it’s the only emission that matters:
Over the past few months, I’ve come to terms with the fact that my J10 fits into that unfortunate gap between 1975 and fuel injection, and that this ultimately dooms it. But here’s the thing: That doesn’t mean I can’t own another awesome 1980s-era truck! When I went to have my Throttle Body-injected 1989 Chevy K1500 emissions tested, it passed with flying colors.
Ditto with my 1991 Jeep Wrangler YJ:
I’ve never had any issue getting any of my fuel injected cars through emissions, and if I do, I’ll swap some O2 sensors and throw in a new catalytic converter. There are far fewer dials to turn (so to speak) than an older carbureted car. So my pre-1975 cars (my 1966 Mustang, 1958 Willy CJ-3B that’s now sold) and my 1980s and 1990s cars (K1500, Wrangler YJ) have had no issues; it’s just the in-between period just before fuel injection that gets boned.
That’s not to downplay how many great cars there are that fit in that era! There are, and I wish they could catch a break; my J10 would love one. But there are also great updated versions of those very cars/alternatives that came a little later with fuel injection, and between all those and the pre-1975 vehicles, as well as the option that many take to register cars in Montana, the car culture in this state remains excellent. I write this because of headlines like “Jay Leno Tried to Save Car Culture – California Shut Him Down.” I don’t think he tried to “save” car culture, but he definitely tried to help it. Still, even with late 70s and early 80s vehicles on the proverbial sidelines, California Car Culture doesn’t need saving; it’s Arguably the best in the world — right up there with Detroit’s.
I shit you not. When I lived in the Sunset in San Francisco about 12 years ago, there were some amazing street parked cars that were actually used as primary vehicles.
Old air cooled VWs, 70s era Hondas, older british stuff.
But the one that always sticks in my mind was someone had a street parked, driven somewhat regularly, late 1940s Hudson Commodore. Wasn’t restored, wasn’t in amazing shape… but that was it for this person, that was their only car.
This was 2013-2017 era… amazing.
Some of us who joined from the old site remember Murilee Martins DOTS articles from that time showing the full variety of street parked cars in Bayside San Francisco.
Oh yeah I think I forgot about that!
I think he photographed from the Alameda? district. so many odd and weird cars of the time. Reminded me of the areas of innercity Melbourne where I lived at the time.