Registration help please!

[CorsaTurboKid]

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Good morning!

First off, let me say I am 19, and I have been in the Coast Guard for two years stationed in NJ. I am originally from Arkansas where you do not have to do this vehicle inspection stuff so when I bought my car I didn't even think twice about that. I still currently have my Arkansas drivers license. Also I will note that I will be going to an engineering school in Yorktown VA for three months February 2nd and I am wanting to drive my car there but this whole registration inspection thing is killing me.

So about a week ago, I bought this 65 corvair Corsa 180 turbo. Never seen a Corsa before and I really thought that model looked amazing. It is matte black with a gold/tan pin stripe on each side. It has IROC Z rims and fairly fresh tires. The interior is completely gutted out and the car is quite rusty but I wanted a nice project. Still has the the original seats but the back was in bad condition so I remove it and ordered new bucket seats for the front. It is a 4 speed manual. The only engine problems I am having at the moment is an oil leak, it's dropping from the valve cover gasket very tiny drops. I already ordered new balance covers & gaskets for her. It is burnin some of the oil though so it smokes kind of (I am mentioning this to see if anyone knows how this might affect an inspection if I go that route). The other problem I have is the plug wire closest to the turbo jacked up an will not snap on the plug. I have already ordered a new ignitor kit, just replaced the battery, new plug wires are on their way and alternator, ordered some of the good belts from Clark's as well to have as a backup.

So I bought the car, got insurance at the persons house, they faxed my info over, went the DMV and got plates the same day, drove the car all the way from upstate New Jersey about 130 miles back down to cape may. They told me I had 14 days to get an inspection done, or I could go the historic plate route (but I want to make this car my daily). Does anyone know how I could re register this car in Arkansas without actually going there since I still have a Drivers License from there? I don't think my car will pass an emissions test, which is why I am worried. I really need some advice it's really stressing me out that I might not be able to drive my car here soon. I have really been enjoying it and so has everyone else, it's like driving a piece of history around that not many people get to see anymore. Thanks everyone who has helped me so far on this forum, this is a great community, if a moderator knows a better section to place this question please move this, I apologize for the wrong section placement in advance.
I just typed all of that on my phone I don't think I can upload pics of my car on it but I will once I get to my computer.

[Bobby65]

The only thing i would maybe worry about is the rust, but i don't believe you have to pass emissions because the car is pre 1974, but i would take it to the inspection place and see what they say, it might not be a big deal at all, i don't know, i live in Michigan where we don't have emissions or inspection

[bbodie52]

I have attached a New Jersey Vehicle Inspection FAQS letter for you to review. It sounds like safety inspections are not required, but emissions inspections are required every two years if the vehicle is five years old or older. These gasoline powered cars are exempt...

• Collector Vehicles (Odometer and credential verification at Centralized
Inspection Facility).
• Historic Plates (QQ)

Historic vehicles
General inspections are not required for historic or collector vehicles. To be classified as a "historic vehicle" it must be:
At least 25 years old
Specially registered and display QQ plates

Collector vehicles
To be classified as a "collector vehicle" you need to apply when you register and make sure that the vehicle:
Is not registered as a "historic vehicle" or a "street rod"
Is not driven more than 3,000 miles per year
Is insured as a limited use "collector vehicle"
To qualify for an exemption:
Visit an MVC Agency to purchase a voucher for a special decal to mark the vehicle exempt from safety and emission inspection; fee is $25 for an initial voucher and $10 to renew
Take the collector vehicle to a State Inspection Station where the inspector will verify the odometer reading
You must provide approval letter from the MVC I/M Support. Vehicle must be prequalified as a collector vehicle.

It does not sound like your daily driver Corvair will qualify as a historic or collector vehicle. Have you discussed your Corvair with a representative of a NJ emissions inspection station to see what rules are applicable? The inspection items applicable to a 1960s turbocharged Corvair may not be as strict as those applied to a newer design. An intact positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system may be the only thing that is applicable to your car. They may also require a tail pipe emissions test of some type, but usually only if emissions standards for that engine and model year have been developed. You need to find out specifically what emissions standards are applicable to your stock, unmodified, air cooled turbocharged Corvair. Let's be optimistic — it might be easier than you think. For example, it appears that only cars that are model year 2009 and newer are required to meet California emissions test standards.

Understanding inspections and the emissions test
http://www.nj.gov/mvc/Inspections/Understanding.htm

If you find out that the rules for your Corvair are too strict and you believe your car won't pass, you may opt to register your Corvair in your home state. I spent 24 years in the Air Force and I always had the option of maintaining my California driver's license and of registering my vehicles in my home state or in my current state of military duty assignment. I believe the limitation was that I could not cover three or more states, such as having a driver's license from one state, having a car registered in another state, and living in a third state.

Arkansas has established special rules for dealing with driver's licenses and vehicle registration for Arkansas residents who serve in the military and who reside outside the state. I would suggest you look over the following webpage and perhaps call the Arkansas DMV to see if you can re-register your Corvair in Arkansas since you are a resident of that state and are serving in the military and are stationed in New Jersey.

Drivers in the Military in Arkansas
http://www.dmv.org/ar-arkansas/military-drivers/

Motor Vehicle Office http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/mot ... fault.aspx
Phone: 501-682-4692

You are new in the military and are facing some legal issues that you have no prior experience in dealing with. In my experience I found that I could usually find the answers by making some calls, doing some research, and perhaps by checking with the base legal office for advice. You may find that your 49 year old Corvair can easily pass New Jersey emissions testing, because few rules are applicable to that car. They usually do not try to force 21st century emissions standards and compliance on 1960s vehicles that were engineered when no such emissions standards existed. Most states also have special rules and exemptions to accommodate military members. You just have to ask the right people to find out what rules apply to you as a military member and non-resident of New Jersey and to your classic Corvair.

[Blue hen]

You'll get it through. Just lean the fuel mix. Old car are easy. In De. they never even looked at the emissons.

[CorsaTurboKid]

I'm going to call the Arkansas DMV tomorrow to see if I can re register the car there.

[bbodie52]

As I suggested, I believe you should make two calls. You should call the Arkansas DMV to find out abou doing an initial registration of your car from outside of Arkansas. The references I saw only addressed RENEWAL of an existing Arkansas registration, but did not address NEW registration and title of a car purchased outside of Arkansas and never titled in Arkansas. You need to know how to do that from your current location.

The other question should be put to a certified NJ emissions inspector. Tell them that you just bought your 49 year old turbocharged classic Corvair and you want to know what New Jersey will expect from your car, so that you can properly prepare your car ahead of time to meet NJ law so that your car will pass their evaluation.

Once you know everything about both possibilities, you can make an educated decision on how best to proceed.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

[CorsaTurboKid]

Sorry for not replying sooner, but I put a new ignition in my car.. and now it doesnt want to start up, but I did get in contact with the AR DMV. You can switch the registration on your vehicle if you active duty and can show proof you are paying taxes and blah blah blah. You just have to mail them a bunch of crap. Thanks everyone for the help. Once my car is running (even though the time I had to get my car inspected is expired) I will still take it to a shop to see what they say. I've been so busy packing and dealing with trying to get my car running I pushed this topic to the side.