Well, we thought it wouldn't happen here, but starting a year from now we will have emissions testing for all 1975-and-newer vehicles registered in Hamilton County.  Exemptions are made for "antique" (I assume classified as "antique license plate?") vehicles.  OBD and OBD-II cars get a driving-cycle test and computer check, while older (pre-96) cars get the tailpipe sniffer at idle.  Below is a copy of a recent (7/22) article from chattanoogan.com

County Likely To Get 4 Vehicle Inspection Stations
Annual Inspections Start Next July
posted July 22, 2004

Hamilton County will likely get four vehicle inspection stations when annual checks to help air quality start next year, Bob Colby, executive director of the Air Pollution Control Bureau, said.

Mr. Colby said the stations will be operated by the state contractor, Enviro-Test.

He said the firm will likely set up new sites at locations spaced through the county.

Mr. Colby said vehicles will first be given a visual inspection to make sure the emission controls have not been tampered with.

He said vehicles 1996 model and newer will be checked by computer to test that emission controls are working properly.

He said there will be a tailpipe check on older model vehicles.

The inspection fee will be $10.

Mr. Colby said 25 cents of the fee goes to the county clerk and another portion will go to the state.

Local officials agreed to the inspection program as part of the effort to get the EPA to allow the county to stay under an air compact program. Otherwise, there would have been much more stringent standards on new industry and existing industry expansions.

Put it this way, if we don't submit to this, the EPA will put severe restrictons on moving in new industry and we will lose highway funds.  What do you THINK the county govt. will do?  At least the line is drawn somewhere, although a couple of years too early for me.  I can not find out if this will mean having to go back to FI on the bus if they do a visual check for factory equipment, or get an antique tag and keep it off the road.  Can't wait to see what happens when they try to find the OBD plug on the Beetle! :angry:

Well, This will probley be a big turkey like the UTC project back in late 70`s . Their project failed new and old autos right and left and this left a bad taste with customers and repair shops because the "testers" didn`t know what they were doing. What is going to happen to the nice old 76 Cadillac down the street that had a new upgraded engine , different carb and is no longer using 76 specs ? Specs changed about every year on every car. I would bet that you couldn`t find stuff to make a real 76 Cad. without paying a big price for it. I don`t think the old Dude could afford it.
    If they are going do this,I think they should start with the model year that the program is stated to start and leave the older autos alone. They will rotate themselve out of the loop after awhile.
    I would also make a bet that at least 75% of 15+ year old cars wouldn`t come close to passing any "sniffer" test.
    Its a form of blackmail anyway: No test-- No tag. The Folks of this county could beat this . Nobody go to the "sniffer" shop, nobody buys tags, but drives anyway. I don`t think they could arrest the whole county or state.
    I wonder how all the California street rodders/modifieds  pass the emission test ?
    If we can`t drive them, where are we going to park them seeing how we can`t park in our yards anymore.
    I think it time to move to Costa-Rica. Corkerville is getting to be little hard to deal with. When we got Richards van started yesterday, It sounded like it was saying: Tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax. What do you Children think about all this B.S. ?
     :angry:  :angry:

Other than auto enthusiasts, the group that will be burdened the most is the people who can least afford it.  It is one thing to drive the $500 car you resurrected from a barn, it's another when it's all you can afford!  Drive down Rossville Blvd any day and you'll see just how much abuse an average auto can take and still move!  I imagine it would cost more than many of these cars are worth to make them pass emissions.  
On another subject, what was the first year for catalytic convertors outside of California?

Anthony, You are right on the mark with your comments. I`m not sure when the first converters were used outside Calif. Maybe in the mid 70s. VW was one of last autos to use them. VW just detuned them for a long time. The 74 D.P.1600cc type 1 had 60HP and in 1975 the 1600cc D.P.fuel Inj. gave you 46 net H.P. ( Lower comp. ratios along with smaller valves 40HP size)  Amazing enough the F.I engines almost performed as well as the carb. models( when in good shape that is . which was not often the case)

Agh, I cant believe this..this means I am going to have to put an entirely new exaust on my golf, and on my bug too... :angry:

Yeah, but I dont think older cars will be much of a problem, it says that cars from 1975 up will be tested, also that if its and "antique" then its exempt. How old does a car have to be in Hamilton County to be an antique? My bug is a 78..

I am faced with having to move again and if I should find someplace in Hamilton County I want to make sure I don't have to be troubled with the emissions testing. So - is the information in the above posts still correct? If I have a 1975 VW or older, I won't get checked? Right? And since I'm shopping for a Westy or Bus I'll want to keep that in mind as well. :?

costa rica sounds good to me!!
is this law going to affect those of us who live in Georgia?

No . . . at least not yet.  Keep in mind that some cities and counties in GA already have emmissions testing (I know Atlanta has for years).  Walker County will probably be one of the last counties to in North West GA to worry about it . . . we don't have ANY interstates.  Dade will probably be affected before Walker since I-59 runs through the middle of it.  But then Dade knows how to handle things when they don't like what the State and Federal Government is doing.  Didn't they operate as an independant country from the Civil War until WWI or WWII?