PLT DEPARTED VFR FROM ARPT IN HIGH TFC DENSITY ENVIRONMENT AND EXPERIENCED NMAC WHILE NAVING. ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO TERMINAL CHART.

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NEAR PERFECT VFR. TO 'SAVE TIME' DEPARTED LGB VFR HDG ABOUT 030 DEGS AND 2000 FT UNTIL E OF LAX 20 DME. WAS SOMEWHERE ABOVE 2300 FT CLBING TO 3500 FT AT TIME OF INCIDENT; HDG STILL ABOUT 030 DEGS; ADF NEEDLE DEFLECTED ABOUT 45 DEGS TOWARD EMT. WAS AIMED AT A HILL AREA WITH POINT SHOWN AS 1388 FT E OF SAN GABRIEL RIVER; SE OF SHEPHERD AND SE OF MAJOR FREEWAY INTXN. I GLANCED DOWN ON THE COPLT'S SEAT AT LAX TERMINAL; VFR CHART (EXPIRATION 1/4/96) TO CONFIRM SPOT; THEN LOOKED UP AHEAD; AT THE BOTTOM OF A YELLOWISH BEECH 18; HEADED E TO W IN STEEP R TURN; CLBING SLIGHTLY AND JUST BELOW MY LEVEL. TURNING TO EVADE ME? HE HAD JUST PASSED L OF MY NOSE; WHEN I SAW HIM. I ROLLED L TO LOOK AT HIM. HE TURNED SW THEN; 1 OR 2 MI W AND TURNED N AND APPEARED TO DSND. APCH TO EMT? MY ADF NEEDLE NOW POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD. I CROSSED EMT ON A HDG OF ABOUT 320 DEGS CLBING TO 6500 FT NW THENCE N TOWARD MOJAVE. SUMMARY: I DON'T THINK A NON-LCL PLT CAN SAFELY SLIP THROUGH THE LOS ANGELES BASIN; VFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE WITHOUT AT LEAST AN EXPERIENCED OBSERVER ON BOARD. NORMALLY I'M IFR BOTH IN AND OUT. IN ADDITION EMT TWR IS ON THE CHART AT 121.2 BUT I NEITHER HIGHLIGHTED IT NOR 'WROTE' IT ON A RADIO PRIOR TO LGB DEP ON A VFR TFC FILLED SAT MORNING.