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Never Stop Driving #140: Leno’s Law
Last week, a proposed California law that would exempt more classic cars from smog checks advanced in the state’s senate. California Senate Bill 712 would excuse from inspections any car that was built before 1990 and is insured as a classic vehicle, versus the current exemption, which applies to cars built before 1976. The bill was passed by the Transportation Committee, the first of many steps before it becomes law.
That sounds like just the sort of thing Hagerty columnist and Californian Jay Leno would support, which he did by supporting the bill with its sponsor, State Senator Shannon Grove. “California’s rich classic car culture, sparked by the postwar hot rod boom and boosted by Hollywood’s love for chrome and horsepower, has made it a paradise for enthusiasts like me,” said Leno to NBC Los Angeles. On April 8, Leno joined supporters for a rally at the state capitol building in Sacramento before the hearing, with the comedian arriving in a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.
Who doesn’t love feel-good stories like that? Here at Hagerty we’ve recently posted other heart-warming tales like this one about a vintage Mercedes restored by Hagerty Drivers Club member Michael Baldwin. The Benz’s previous owner planned to pass the car to his son, but the boy tragically died of leukemia at age 13. The car then sat for five years until the father asked Baldwin to take it. As a father of three, I can only imagine the grief he must have felt when he finally let the car go. Baldwin took ten years to restore the 300SEL 6.3, and when he finished, he put the son’s name on the license plate. Car people take care of each other in whatever ways they can, don’t they?
I was also heartened by this piece that delves into the next Miata. The Mazda roadster played a huge role in my life. I bought one in 1995 as soon as I got my first job out of college. Later, after I’d left engineering for a $5-an-hour gopher gig at Car and Driver, I made the payments with a credit card. I raced Miatas for years and there are currently three examples of the original generation, known as the NA, in the Webster fleet. The Miata’s pure driving experience is down to a consistently tactile feeling from the brakes, steering, and shifter plus a beautifully tuned chassis. Mazda retained this original light and nimble formula through the current fourth-generation model. The scuttlebutt suggests that Mazda’s internal Miata disciples are still at the helm and plan to stay the course. I can’t wait to see what they produce.
This week the Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter takes us to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum near Birmingham, Alabama. The museum is part of a beautifully designed and lushly landscaped complex, also including a racetrack, that was opened in 2003 by collector George Barber to share his passion for cars and motorcycles. Barber’s vision and commitment is obvious in the museum’s structure, a cavernous and compelling building with artfully curated exhibits. The facility includes an in-house design center and restoration shop, which connects the past to the future. Barber’s not just showcasing the collection but paying it forward by reaching out to the next generation. Incredible. A visit is on my bucket list.
Before I wish you a fantastic weekend, check out this rare Pontiac Solstice GXP on Hagerty Marketplace.
Have a great weekend!
Larry
P.S.: Your feedback and comments are welcome.
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For the current CA laws, you say “built” before 1976. But, I think, you mean “registered” before 1976?
How can we show Jay our support to get this bill, SB712, passed!
We have this provision in Nevada, for cars over 25 years old, but it’s a pain. My 1986 Porsche passes smog, but I thought I’d register it as a Classic Vehicle, because it would be easier NOT to have to bring it in for a yearly test. I was wrong… once they made “classic car insurance” the qualifier (to stop all the rusted-out, smoke-belching 1999 minivans from being registered with that exemption, comically sporting Classic Vehicle plates) it became necessary to present my Hagerty Policy Document every year IN PERSON at the DMV to renew my plates. Make an appointment weeks in advance, go to the DMV, sit in a plastic chair for over an hour, just to show them the paper. You would THINK they could put a note on the registration, maybe discern the “special” insurance in their system somehow…? Nope.
In California, insurance companies are required to electronically report auto insurance information to the DMV. This means that if you have insurance, your insurance company will automatically notify the DMV. But if the DMV did not get the electronic paper work, you will need to provide the insurance card to the DMV.
We’ve have the same thing here in Utah now for 3 years. Hasn’t been too bad, but they have changed it again this year. The DMV the last 2 years has just required a simple affidavit form (TC-745) filled out by the vehicle owner that declared you had collector car insurance on the vehicle.
This year it has changed to include info such as the Insurance Carrier, Contact, Policy Number and Policy Period. My experience in the last 2 years when handing the affidavit form to the DMV employee was a blank stare and I had to explain to them what it was for. Hopefully, it doesn’t become any more difficult, but it is the DMV, so not holding my breath.
I love the story of the Mercedes 300SEL. Keep up the good work.
This warms my heart to see that there is a glimmer of common sense left in the state of California! Many, many “thanks” to Jay and the bill supporters.
We need to support this in all states. Ohio is working with the EPA to remove the random county emission here. Only a few counties are required and funny how the largest city and capital of Ohio is exempt.
This has been a scam as the testing is now free being paid by the cigarette lawsuit the state won. But the company doing the testing was invested by the Politian’s that put it in place.
Here is the mess we have. The county west of me and mine have emissions testing but the one east has none event though their air comes from out counties with a prevailing west wind?
Anyways Im glad the people in office now are answering the call of the people here.