Mustang Club of Maryland

Hi folks. My family and I are relocating from CT to MD. In fact, I'm already working down here, driving back and forth every weekend until we close on a house, prob in Carroll County. As my user name suggests, my toy is a '90 5.0, which I've had since 1999. The car runs well, and it is good physical shape. I'm a little unnerved by some of the requirements for registering a car down here, and I'm hoping someone could give me some real-life insight. Here are some of the mods I have that I think will be relevant:
Equal-length shorty headers
Off-road h-pipe (I have the factory pipes, as well, so I could swap them in if needed to get through a test)
Flowmasters
Eibach Sportlines with Tokico HPs and BBK c/c plates
2.5" cowl hood
Cold-air intake and 70mm TB
Engine itself has never been opened (yet :))

Can someone clarify - when I go to register this car in MD in a month or 2, am I going to have to go through inspection and/or emissions? If so, would your experience tell you this car would pass, assuming I get the cats back on? For what its worth, I've gone through the CT sniffers every other year, and always passed. The car is 24 y/o - will I have ONGOING inspections/emissions tests, or will I be exempt after the initial test(s)? Anything else worth noting? Anything unique about Carroll County?

Thanks for the intel! Look forward to checking out your shows once we're settled in...

http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Air ... index.aspx

Since it says catalytic check I would assume you have to put them back on. I don't have the experience with an older car lately to tell you much more. Maybe someone else will chime in.

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'07 Torch Red Convertible GT

'06 Torch Red Convertible V6(traded in)
1979 Indy Pace car I4T(retired to pasture in OK)

Maryland safety inspection is very thorough and if the car came with cats you will need them in order to pass the safety inspection.

Since your car is pre-1995 the emission testing would be done the old way with the sniffer vs obdII plug in testing. Also a visual inspection of the exhaust.

That said, if you get historic tags there is no need for either safety or emissions testing, but are more restricted (legally) how often you are supposed to drive the car.

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James Heller
MCOM President

1967 Fastback 289, C4, Magnum 500 wheels, Long Tubes

1989 LX Notchback 5.0 supercharged SSP too much to list

2011 GT some basic bolt on goodies

Great White - thanks for the insight. I've put 22k on the car in 15 years, so I don't think the I'll have issues with usage limitations. :)

So at 20 y/o, MD allows you to get historic plates. If your car is registered with historic plates, there is no need for either inspections or emmissions testing, either at the time of registration, or ongoing after that. Sounds about right?

I had also read somewhere that MD has laws about installing 'mufflers that cause the vehicle to make more noise that it was designed to from the factory'. While this sounds like the type of law that is only illegal if you get caught ( ), would historic plates exempt you from that as well?

Thanks, all!

If the car only has slight modifications then go historic tags, if the car is highly modified then you will have to get street rod tags. You're probably fine with historic tags though

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James Heller
MCOM President

1967 Fastback 289, C4, Magnum 500 wheels, Long Tubes

1989 LX Notchback 5.0 supercharged SSP too much to list

2011 GT some basic bolt on goodies

I have historic tags and use "agreed value" coverage through Grundy. so far so good. welcome to the People's Republic of Maryland...lol. breathing will be taxed here shortly.

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2000 Laser Red GT Vert 4.6/Auto
-Flowmaster Amer. Thund. c/b, C&L 80mm CAK, FRPP alum d/s, March UDP
1989 Bright Regatta Blue LX 5.0/5 Spd
-Flowmaster 817574, Summit alum d/s & rear CA's, 3.73s, BBK2506, K&N 33-2015, Steeda STB, SMR 2 pt brace

I got my Historic Tags so no emissions or inspections on my 90 GT!

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1990 Ford Mustang GT
5.0L 302Cu. In. V8 GAS OHV (Manual) Naturally Aspirated

good move!

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2000 Laser Red GT Vert 4.6/Auto
-Flowmaster Amer. Thund. c/b, C&L 80mm CAK, FRPP alum d/s, March UDP
1989 Bright Regatta Blue LX 5.0/5 Spd
-Flowmaster 817574, Summit alum d/s & rear CA's, 3.73s, BBK2506, K&N 33-2015, Steeda STB, SMR 2 pt brace

I've got a 90 GT vert with historic tags as it is not a daily driver. Maryland is going to start cracking on all those idiots who have daily drivers on historic tags.

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“Aerodynamics is for those who cannot manufacture good engines”
- Enzo Ferrari

As well they (MD police departments) should.