Hank you are fine. Collector cars are exempt, just like anything over 25 years old. No e-check. That's why they tightened up the standards. People were cheating. To qualify for a collector plate, the car must be noteworthy or unique in some way. Special engine performance mods, custom paint, limited production, etc. Corvettes are easily found on the list of possible collector cars, just because they are Corvettes. My 92 Caravan minivan would raise questions if I tried to get collector plates. It could be done if I had customized it and had it inspected by the state to qualify. (It won't qualify, nothing special).
Historical vehicles are limited to total mileage per year and type of use. The same applies to Collector cars. But no one ask for or checks mileage, so that really does not matter. And you can drive it for anything except work on a regular basis. It is supposed to be for special events, parades, etc. If you drive it to work once in a while you are just showing it to someone. That qualifies. Feel like a weekend cruise? That's a special event. It's not your daily driver. No problem. Even if you used the car for a daily driver an officer would have to see the car in the same place every day and take note of the collector plate. While this is possible, most officers don't care, and won't bother you. You could claim the daily use was while your other car was being repaired, and they would leave it alone. I don't know the requirement for other states. Enjoy!

Ken Styer

|UPDATED|2/25/2004 3:46:49 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Ken,
thanks. it's not a daily driver, but I do drive it in the summer. that's why I bought it. to enjoy.
Hank

Emissions requirements/enforcement is a state-to-state thing. Here in Tennesse in Nashville and Memphis and surrounding counties there is a sniffer test on 75 and up. We have no visual test, except for they look for a convertor under the car and see that the fuel inlet hasn't been enlarged (why I am not sure-leaded fuel hasn't been available since 1988 or so). Other counties have no inspection. In Alabama where I'm from there is no inspection. I have a friend in Georgia and in Atlanta and surrounding counties they have a sniffer and a visual on 75 and newer I think. The EGR system has to work and canister purge must be installed.

Just for sake of comparison, here are the Wisconsin rules. Your C3 will qualify for collector plates if it is older than 20 years. However, if the vehicle was produced 1968 or later it must pass an emission test (for those not familar, this is an evil test designed to ensure that you are not running one molecule too rich) if it is located in one of several counties bordering Lake Michigan. This is thanks to the EPA which has little to no clue as to where pollution comes from.

So, needless to say my '69 has no chance of passing emmissions since it runs a rich mixture of race fuel to avoid burning the valves. And, needless to say, it is not registered in any county that requires emmisions testing!!!

I thought we had it hard with emissions here in England but you guys in the states seem to have it far worse than us. We can't get away with a great deal but at least it is constant throughout the country and not different between county's. Having said that I know I can get away with removing the emissions gear and still passing our tests so I think that will be the way to go. Thank you all for your help.