Ferrari Mailing List: Hagerty Classic Car Driving

[Doug & Terri (dnt]

Hagerty Classic Car Driving – in Kalifornia #49

 

Thank you Peter – what a great reference.    hagerty.com - articles - how classic-car friendly is your state?

 

Since Terri and I have lived in Kalifornia for over 70 years we can attest to the condition of our DMV, Emissions Kontrol (comrade), and road conditions.

 

DMV – our astute past governor, Father Jerry Brown, saw fit to give our illegal interlopers an ID card which is delivered by the DMV.  The DMV lines are now just a bit shorter than free admission to Disneyland.

 

Emissions Kontrol – two words: it works.  I can recall in the mid 1950’s running on the school yard playground and my chest hurting from the quality of the air.  We grew up in Inglewood and Redondo Beach respectively.  Inglewood – the center of the A-Bomb ground zero.  The ring of mountains around Los Angeles county?  Only after a rain could you see them and then for only 2 or 3 days. 

 

BUT our previous actor/governor traded the 25 model year rolling smog check exemption with his hot rod buddies for a new law which allows the first 500 “NEW” 1932 Boyd Coddington plastic body, chromoly tubed frames, three window Model A’s and open smog check exempt registration the first day of the New Year.  Kalifornia was and still is the tail that wags the smog dog.  1975 Corvette owners may agree as their overly laden emission engine produces the lowest horsepower in the family.

 

However – two little gizmos, as a result of such stiff emission standards, has allowed engine engineers to build 700 horse power motors from 4 liter engines.  Those little gizmos are the O2 sensor and catalytic convertor.  Some time ago a large Swedish auto firm advertised that “our car’s emission are so clean you can’t commit suicide with one.”  The, uh, ad was pulled.  Apparently just didn’t meet public taste.

 

Kalifornia Road Condition – since it seems that all our infrastructure money has gone to the pockets, I mean cost over-runs, of the Bullet Train to nowhere our road ways,  pounded to hell by the trucks, go unrepaired.  As far as the Bullet Train goes there hasn’t been one inch of rail laid (good term as it relates to the tax payers) and 2,000 right-of-ways yet to be cleared, it doesn’t look good for the near future for a $200 ticket.  PLUS – the pounded to hell roadway conditions are NOT conducive to comfort with our 20 inch rims and rubber band tires.  Although dentists like it because the roads pound the fillings out of our head.  The ride in our 1978 308 GTS with its as delivered 205/70 x 14 tires and wheels gives a much smoother ride.  In fact, Porsche, in 1969, printed the tire inflation sticker which notes one option as “Comfort Ride tires – 185 HR x 14” such and such a pound.  Just giant balloons on 14 inch rims.  Boing boing.

 

SO – I concur with Hagerty.  Yep – 12 months of Kalifornia driving ability but so what.  NO one asks “how far is it to xxxx” we only ask “how long does it take you to get there?”  Twenty miles may mean two hours – or – 15 minutes.  It just depends where you live.  Oh boy and our skin doctors love those convertibles and sun roof cars.

 

Oh well –

DOUG

 

From: Ferrari [mailto:ferrari-bounces+dnt=dock.net [at] ferrarilist.com] On Behalf Of Peter Rychel
Sent: Sunday, August 4, 2019 10:38 PM
To: DOUG <dnt [at] dock.net>
Cc: The FerrariList <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Now GT4s

 

So folks, take a look at this Hagerty article. You’ll be surprised at which state made the top grade (don’t worry Erik, Alabama is up there):

 

hagerty.com - articles - how classic-car friendly is your state?

 

Peter