Duck

Sometime in Jan or Feb 2009 I'll be moving my ragtop and stuff from Hawaii to SoCal. During the first phase of the move, I'll have my 91 Camaro ragtop and leave my other Camaros in Kingman, AZ.

So I'll need a place to stay and hopefully keep the Camaro off the street. I'm not looking for an expensive place, just something basic and safe. My wife and I are splitting up, so it's just me, no dogs, no bad habits, well, unless you count my passion for Camaros and fast cars, then I'm a very bad boy.

I'm a retired professional photographer, house-broken, quiet, independent income, stable and turn a pretty mean wrench. Any car nuts out there, let me know. If possible, I'd like to relocate in the Huntington Beach or California State University Long Beach area.

Any help would be appreciated.

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

Huntington Beach is a much safer area than Long Beach, as far as I know. Except during the Fourth of July, then HB gets really rowdy.

I found my current place by searching http://www.forrent.com/

Duck

Yep. that's a good URL for rentals, it covered about all the condos in HB, but I was hoping to find a car-guy to move in with for a few months. Well, whichever way it works out will be great, I'm so tired of living on a little island in the middle of nowhere, a beanbag and a car cover will suit me fine.

Craigslist has a bunch of rentals and shares too. I hope I can find a room someplace with a car-nut. That would be cool. Thx for the lead Kevin, it's appreciated.

Mr.84TransAmer

If you move to Torrance you'll have close access to King's hawaiian restaurant for whenever you get a craving for local food. Also that's around where the bi-monthly third gen meeting is held.

Fair warning, there are no Zippy's in california.

injdinjn

Moving in with another car guy could create parking problems, esp in beach cities.
Most older beach city homes are one car gar and first come first park parking.
In North part of HB there are tract homes built in the 60's that have 2 car garages and driveways.

Now if you were interested in moving to the Victorville area..............

Duck

Yeah, but you've got Pollo Loco and Wiernerschnitze chili dogs! I grew up in SoCal, lived in Lawndale, Manhatten Beach, Venice, etc. The only craving I get for local Hawaii food is sushi, and there's more of that in SoCal than over here. Torrance is great, but I've a special friend in HB I'd like to be close to. Believe me, I won't miss Oahu, a little island 30x35-miles small with more than a million people crammed on it.

Duck

If at all possible I'd like to stay out of a condo, 'cause I wouldn't be able to work on my car. The resident managers get all fussy for some reason when something like a minor engine overhaul takes place in the community parking area (grin). For the first several months I'd only have the ragtop in SoCal, the other cars will stay in my house in Kingman, AZ. Eventually they'll be brought in, but by that time I'll be ready to get my own place. So I'm looking for maybe two or four months to rent. I'd just like to keep my Camaro off the street.

Victorville is a nice area, in fact, I like the areas a bit out of the heavily populated areas, which is why I bought a house in Kingman, on Route 66. But I have a personal interest in living close to HB, so that takes priority.

Thanks, I appreciate your comments. And I'm looking forward to going on runs with you guys when they happen.

Russ-So Cal

It is a good time to move to So Cal. Property values are dropping so fast that housing is actually approaching affordable if you can consider $400k afordable. The Los Altos section of Long Beach, is a really nice area, but pricey. Los Alimitos and Seal Beach are also areas for you to consider. the other problem with Long Beach, if you are renting a condo or sharing an apartment is that the nice areas have very limited parking and I think Long Beach's main source of income for the city is parking fines. Good luck in your hunt.

Mr. TurboTA

Hi Ed!
Do you still plan on visiting Kingman every so often?
Come Jan, I'll be out in Daytona Beach again.
I really like it out there.
But it would cost me a house, to move out there, with all the crap I have.

George

Duck

Sure, even if I sell the Kingman house I'll visit my good friends out there on Route 66! Oh, and stop in at the Golden Corral for the steak buffet!

In SoCal I'm about 6 hours away, so sure, I'll be coming by from time to time. Hey, if I sell the house over there, can you and Lisa put me up for a day or two, maybe in your garage if I come by? I'll lug some parts from SoCal... Ed

Duck

Looks like March will be my move date from Hawaii back to SoCal. It's been a while since I lived there, as I noticed during my most recent trip into Long Beach last October, so in many ways I'll be newbie.

I'll keep my eyes on the ThirdGen events calendar and try to attend, although I might have to drive immediately into Arizona for a couple of weeks to take care of the sale of my house. Afterward I'll be in Huntington Beach, I guess in a studio condo with my big dog.

Not sure when I'll be bringing my IROC from AZ, I'll have the 91 Ragtop until I can find someplace with two parking places.

See you all soon! Ed

Fords88Bird

Nice rag, what does it cost to ship vehicles across the ocean. Later.

Duck

Thanks for the comments, good thing you can't see how trashed the interior is! All restoration in good time, I guess.

Shipping by Matson to Long Beach is about $1,200, but as a retired military, I'm eligible to use the US Navy "Opportune Lift" program, whereby vehicles and be shipped on a Navy vessel for $120. However, the shipment goes to San Diego and there is no storage at the dock, it has to be picked up immediately. Due to the intangibles related to my marital disintigration and sale of my house in AZ, I can't plan a tight enough schedule to be here or there "exactly" on time. Sigh, I might have to blow an extra grand. In retrospect, I shouldn't get too upset, since about five years ago I shipped my '92 Z28 to the mainland for my son to use in college and shipped it back to Hawaii two years later, and THEN shipped it back to the mainland again a year later so he could go back to school in S.C. No more of that craziness, all my cars and me, will stay out of Hawaii!

Bullydawg

iTrader: (7)

Can't you have someone pick it up for you? If you had it delivered to Sacramento, I would pick it up for you and you could grab it at my house whenever. Just pay for gas.

Duck

Gosh that's a nice offer! And I have friends up in the Marysville area too, so I could combine a trip up north with picking up my car. But it appears I'll have to drive it straight into Kingman, AZ to take care of business, and Long Beach or San Diego is logistically more efficient for doing so. Still, I appreciate your help and the next time I cruise through Sacramento, let's put the face-in-place. Ed

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

Our next meeting is in April, the first Saturday. We are not sure where yet.

In March will be the Super Chevy Show in Fontana.

Duck

I might be able to make the Fontana show, as I'll be leaving Oahu March 10, depending on long I'm in SoCal before taking care of business in Kingman.

My ragtop will be arriving in LB on March 25. How long do I have before it has to be registered in CA and pass smog? I doubt it will pass as-is, so also need to know if temporary waivers are available, the process to obtain them, plus the duration and cost. I'll be in Huntington Beach, it would be nice if those chores could be done close to home, rather than in LA.

injdinjn

You have 10 days to register, used to be 20 but they need the penality money.
You can get temps, dont know anything about them
DMV offices are almost everywhere. The closest to HB is on Hoover st south of Garden Gjrove blvd in Westminster. Be prepared to deal with welfare to work rejects.
You can make appointments which is MUCH better.
Bring $$$$$$$$$$$
here is the list I just got
CURR RF $31
CURR CHP $22
CURR VLF $19
CURR SAFE $1
CURR FID $1
CURR AUTO/DUI $1
CURR ABN VEH $1
CURR AIR QLT $6
CURR SC AIR $1
ALT FUEL RF $3
TRANSFER $15
and they will probably add a fee for CA plates

Sure you want to move here?
And those fees were before the budget was passed which included
35% license fee and 15% CHP increases
and sales tax is increasing 1% to 8.75 in Orange county
gas tax is increasng 12 cents/gal

KEEP CALIFORNIA GREEN - BRING MONEY

Duck

Thanks for the info about getting the car licensed, I'm not sure how to get it done while I'm up in Kingman, AZ, but it will get done nonetheless.

The license fees are similar to Hawaii.

I'll need a smog waiver until the car is brought into spec, I'm almost sure it won't pass.

Am I sure I want to move to California? Heck, I was born and raised there!

Dyno Don

iTrader: (7)

The temp is available, but now it's $50

Duck

If out-of-state-licensed vehicles can do the smog check, would I first go there, and then to DMV to register, show the failure receipt, or is it the other way around?

Russ-So Cal

I doubt that you can have the smog test done out of state. Even if the other state requires a dyno test, they won't have the visual inspection that suits Calif. Also the state gets a fee for smog tests done in the state. They don't get that fee for out of state tests. Don't tell them when the car came into the state. When you get to the DMV tell them you picked it up on a date that is less than 10 days before. If they demand to look at paper work to see when the car came into the state, tell them you took it off the boat and drove to Arizona with the car to take care of personal business. You don't become a resident of Cali until you actually move into the state, and they can't force you to change the registration on your car until you actually bring it into the state and park it in your garage. Driving it from the dock to Az does not count as moving it into the state..

92purplehaze

iTrader: (8)

Just go to the dmv over here, they never seem to care or ask questions. I guess thats why theres so many unlicensed drivers over here..

Russ-So Cal

It doesn't matter whether they care or ask questions. If Ca. requires a smog test on an out of state vehicle before they will register it, Sacramento will kick it back out if there is no smog cert. from a licensed Ca. facility included with the registration paperwork.

Guest

I had the smog test done first only because I knew they'd want it and I wanted to get it all done down at the DMV. They will want to inspect the car, basically just to check the VIN numbers. It could probably have 4 bald tires and Cali wouldnt care.

If the car wont pass they will not issue a sticker. You'd need a temp to legally drive the car.

92purplehaze

iTrader: (8)

i was talking in regards to how many days its been in state. Im well aware a smog test is required...

Russ-So Cal

Sorry about that, I misunderstood, my bad.

Duck

Ok, the ragtop is on a Matson ship and will arrive in Long Beach on/about March 15. I arrive at LAX on March 10, but don't know if I'll be there long enough to pick up my car, so my nephew who lives in LB will probably pick it up. The Hawaii registration will expire on April 30, so technically the car is driveable in CA or anywhere else until it expires. Hawaii does not smog test or even look under the hood. All they do is check the lights, horn and wipers. I've seen guys drive up in honest-to-goodness 8-second pro-street cars with a parachute packed on the back and be stickered. When Oahu used to have a drag strip, the winner of the "Fastest Street Car" category always came in low 8's.

Getting registered in CA won't be a problem, I'll just go to a smog station and say "test me" and see what happens. I might have to bounce around between DMV and SMOG a couple times to sort things out, but that's OK, I'm patient and will work through it.

My '91 305 TBI emissions stuff will probably have to all be replaced, so I need recommendations of a couple of good, reliable Camaro shops to work on my car. I'd prefer to wrench it myself but won't have facilities until later on in the year. So what are the best two or three Third Gen shops in SoCal? I know Dyno Don is right up there as an enthusiast/expert, but I'd like to get some idea of additional resources where TLC is evident.

Russ-So Cal

The only other person I know of in So Cal who really knows our cars is Paul, f1ls1 on this board. He does work out of his home. That doesn't mean there isn't another shop out there, I just don't know of one.

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

He meant the car is from out-of-state, but that he'll need a CA smog check once the car gets here.

I think you can get a smog check done at any time, for any reason, and its good for 90 days afterwards, so do that first. Then go to the DMV with the test paperwork and bring cash. Or you can try calling your local DMV office, but they're always less than helpful.