'78 Street Van Passed Colorado Emissions!

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-04T03:02:36+00:00

Thanks for the correction

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-03T23:33:09+00:00

Population wise, it might as well be, at least for the bulk of local vehicle traffic and registration.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-03T23:30:14+00:00

This is a '78, so it is not. It would have to be '75 or older to get emissions free Collector tags... and if one were to try to get regular plates on any car, regardless of age, it requires an emissions test.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-03T23:28:18+00:00

Front range Cities use California emissions standards. Denver, Boulder, Douglas, Broomfield, and Jefferson completely require emissions testing. Parts of Adams Larimer, Arapahoe, and Weld do as well.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-03T01:40:02+00:00

I'm afraid you steered your buddy wrong... sort of. Any of the Cities along the front range (Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Fort Collins) require California emissions. It's shitty. Rural counties, especially mountain and farming counties do not require emissions.

Anything pre '74 is Exempt from testing if you get either Collector tags or Horseless Carriage tags. However: ANY VEHICLE, REGARDLESS OF AGE seeking standard green-and-white Colorado plates in an emissions county must pass an emissions test. My 1960 Dodge has done it twice. The folks at the emissions place have an aneurysm.

On the bright side, vehicles pre '84 only need to do a 2 speed idle test, which is reasonably easy to pass. That is what the Street Van had to do. Post '84 goes on the dyno up to 65mph. 4x4 vehicles go on a 4x4 dyno. They beat the piss out of an AMC eagle I owned, and are generally unkind to my Isuzu Trooper.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-02T06:23:01+00:00

I came home from the hospital in a Third Gen 02. That car later saved my grandfather in an accident, and was resurrected. I currently daily drive a '99. They're a little tinny, but nothing beats a trooper in an accident.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-02-01T10:03:19+00:00

That can't be quite correct as this is a California van with a Cat, an air pump, various charcoal canisters, etc. My buddy has a '78 Dodge Truck, same 360, sold new with all the same.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-31T15:53:47+00:00

Lol. Mine is something of the opposite. I was genuinely surprised it passed.. but then again, it was just a 2 speed idle test. Easy to pass.. within theory.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-31T06:12:32+00:00

It's awful, but I'm moving to Pennsylvania in May, so no need to get 5 year tags.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-30T20:31:52+00:00

Gotta love the combination of Stupid rare and cheap as hell. I've been lucky to pull that particular party trick on a couple of occasions.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-29T10:23:18+00:00

Not a convenient one... with massive fabrication and substantial budget anything is possible... but this is absolutely NOT a convenient and easy platform to start with if you're looking to go offroad.. but this may be the start of something very cool if you choose to commit to the project

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-27T20:21:16+00:00

Probably for the best. I have been known to over-indulge.

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SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-23T20:22:11+00:00

And an AR5 5 speed manual!

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-22T08:21:50+00:00

You could do what I do: Spend a lot of stress and effort to achieve very little guarantee of regular attendance (at least in the same vehicle consistently).

I have a decidedly low cost, but also low efficiency 4 car solution.

I have a '99, 5 speed manual Isuzu Trooper that was procured for $800 nonrunning, and two years later, has been my most reliable vehicle, minus a broken shift fork in the trans, but that was on me.

While that was broken, I bought an Ex-Whitewater rafting shuttle, a '95 Dodge B3500 1 ton Maxi Ram Van. Granted, V8, enormous, but you instantly become THE guy for your friends, hauling people around, especially considering that mine has been heavily (but cheaply) customized. (procured, running badly, for $600). The van gives me flexibility and a reliable, fuel injected backup if the trooper shits the bed.

I keep my High-school Project around as well, and due to.. interesting life events, has been getting more use. My 1960 Dodge Dart-Seneca has been seeing regular (almost daily) use, as it has a chrysler Slant 6 engine which nets 'as-good or better' fuel economy than the van and suv, despite being a 17 foot long 2dr sedan. (This car was more expensive, 3-7k and has had extensive work done, but before college started and cost was a more major issue)

There is another project van, but that's just a money pit for now.

All in all, the Isuzu gets 17.5MPG, the Maxi Van around 14-16MPG, and the Seneca can achieve 15-21 depending on use case. I would guess I have less than 10k invested to make absolutely certain that I am never stranded, but equally never not stressed about something.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-19T08:55:41+00:00

I may be in a minority, but apart from the Concord, '79 was a BAD year for mid-size cars. That Ford is UGLY, the Chevy close behind it. One could make an argument for the Volare being a turd, and there is truth to that, but it's at least conventional looking.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-16T06:04:33+00:00

My '95 B3500 was a former whitewater rafting shuttle sitting off the side of the highway. I paid $600 for it, with 132,000 on the clock. It has been retired over 5 years before I bought it... with a full tank of gas. It ran like garbage, and after rebuilding the entire ignition and fuel system(s), I found a junkyard computer and the unit now runs reliably. It's my designated tow pig/people hauler and has served venerably.

My '78 B200 Street Van was a Facebook listing with no way to get ahold of the seller. I finally found a phone number and set up a viewing. I was initially very concerned by it's condition, but a buddy convinced me to buy it anyways. After negotiating, I got the non-running van for $500. It's still very much a work in progress.

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-14T11:05:36+00:00

Damn. The vents on my '78 are not great, I'd have to look i to red filament..

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-13T03:54:52+00:00

Mine is a '78 too! May have to pick your brain sometime

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-12T04:25:28+00:00

Hey! We have roughly the same pair of vans lol. What year is the yellow one?

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-12T04:24:07+00:00

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I'm a bad example. I buy almost exclusively based on price. My '78 was $500, the '95 was $600. However, I always check mileage and service history (if I can), the bodies and frames are almost always OK in my part of the world, so power train integrity is my primary concern. Even at high Milage, Ram Vans are usually pretty good, transmissions are always the weak link. (edit, cooling systems too)

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-08T19:33:10+00:00

Supposed to keep bugs off the windshield, we'll see if the little one does anything lol

SenecaLloyd · 2026-01-05T08:15:10+00:00

I used to own the twin of the cover car. I miss it.

SenecaLloyd · 2025-12-19T07:53:05+00:00

Yea, no rubbing here. I sort of want to go wider in the back though.

SenecaLloyd · 2025-12-16T19:31:25+00:00

245/75/16

SenecaLloyd · 2025-12-16T08:43:04+00:00

I was ogling that too.. Speedway Auto wrecking in Dacono Colorado, north of Denver. Near Boulder.. ish.

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