Consider registering in South Dakota. It's $35/year and there's no smog
check. At least get out from under that pressure.
I have a similar problem with my 82 westy/subaru 2.2. CA DMV now demands
that I pass smog every year (gross polluter) and I keep the van as my east
coast vehicle. There's no way I'm going to drive back and forth across
north america every year so I was preparing myself to sell the van. Then a
friend mentioned the South Dakota thing.

(BTW keep that under your lid - sweet loopholes like this are being closed
all the time)

On Sun, Jun 1, 2014 at 10:45 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> So this person spent $1,450 before being told that she may need engine
> work.
> This is so sad and I see it all the time.
> A few weeks ago I had someone come in with all sorts of issues including no
> power. While out west they had someone install a used engine for them and
> supposedly it never ran right. Exhaust is a mess, no cat, muffler held up
> with wire etc. The real kicker was that the spark plug wires for cylinders
> 1
> and 3 were swapped. And this poor couple drove it almost 4,000 miles this
> way. What really sucks is that this new catalyst is probably being
> destroyed
> from the original problem not being corrected. The real shame is this
> person
> is now being driven to give up something that she wants and enjoys.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Jim Arnott
> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2014 12:29 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Fwd: [Adventurewagen] Need to sell my van : (
>
> Vee's A'wagen is a good one..
>
> Huntington Beach, CA.
>
> Jim
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> > From: "Veronica Fraga veronicafraga@yahoo.com
> > Subject: [Adventurewagen] Need to sell my van : (
> > Date: May 31, 2014 at 10:23:29 AM PDT
> > To: "adventurewagen@yahoogroups.com" <adventurewagen@yahoogroups.com>
> > Reply-To: Adventurewagen@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Hey everybody.  Very sad to say that I need to sell my van. This is the
> one I bought in 2009, low original miles, with the black interior panels.
> Rebuilt the engine and cooling system shortly after that.  Rebuilt
> transmission about a year and a half ago. Took it across country twice and
> lived in it those summers. It's a good van.  Ran really well, but doesn't
> look worth stealing.
> >
> > Something has gone wrong with the new engine recently, that I don't have
> money to finish fixing. It didn't pass CA smog, so I put about $600 in
> adjustments, then it failed again for different emissions readings after
> adjusting. This week, I spent $850 on a new catalytic converter and more
> adjustments, but only 3 out of 4 readings are right. Mechanic says there's
> one "unseated valve," and to fix it right means digging in and rebuilding
> both at the same time. About $2,000 for the shop to do it.
> >
> > I went from starving grad student for the past few years, to starving
> military social worker now that I'm finally working again.   Tapped out
> financially.  Can't give my "Shayna"  what she needs to get strong again.
> >
> > Hoping one of you here, who lives outside CA and can do this work
> yourself, may be interesting in buying her.  If so, please give me a call.
> Best offer.  As is, where is.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Vee
> > cell: 714-926-8845
>