re: Autodelta

[Joe Elliott <jee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:14 PM +0000 7/12/03, alfa-digest wrote:
> 3) Kit cars do need to meet the emissions laws based on the date of
> manufacture of the engine in most states.  Rarely enforced.  Interesting
> note- if you are not an OEM or aftermarket supplier, the US EPA does not
> actually have authority,  the state does.  So kits, personal modifications,
> whatever, are between you and your state.
>
> I don't feel sorry for these guys at all.  They cheated, got caught, and
> now have to pay the price.  I can tell you, what they will pay is a drop in
> the bucket to what us and GM have paid.  Clean air is a priority in this
> country, thankfully.
The kit car laws, even if they aren't enforced, are BS that makes our 
air (marginally) dirtier.  If clean air were really a priority in 
this country, rednecks wouldn't be encouraged to use pushrod V8's 
with single carburetors and no emissions controls rather than modern 
pushrod V8's with EFI, etc.  The same is true for the Alfa community. 
If you're building a TZ replica, you might be tempted by the power 
and low emissions of a Motronic TwinSpark, but if that means being 
held to 1989 USA emissions standards that the Euro-spec TwinSpark 
didn't meet, and having to fit a catalyst into your custom exhaust 
system, you're going to go with a (relatively) filthy Spica 2.0L from 
1972.

If clean air were really a priority in this country, the biggest 
source of air pollution--power generation and other heavy 
industry--would be held to the same standards as passenger cars.

If clean air were really a priority in this country, heavy trucks 
would be held to the same sort of emissions standards that they are 
in Europe.  In the USA, to my knowledge, they're not held to any 
standards at all, and don't have catalysts.

If clean air were really a priority in this country, "light trucks" 
(SUVs, pickups, and minivans) wouldn't be exempted from so many of 
the stringent standards applied to "passenger cars," particularly 
CAFE fuel economy standards.

Even if clean air were a real priority in this country, I'm willing 
to bet that the air wouldn't be measurably dirtier if individuals 
were allowed to import cars for personal use that met the 
similar-but-different European standards.

If Autodelta USA really did lie about Clean Air Act compliance, well 
shame on them, but is prosecuting them worth the tax dollars it will 
cost?  Sure they broke the law, but the air would be dirtier if 
they'd just gone the legal route of installing 1995 164LS engines in 
their cars and calling them kits cars.  Is the government going to 
come after me next, because my headlights and AC refrigerant are 
illegal, despite being safer than the mandated alternatives?  I 
suppose they have every right to.

Joe Elliott
'82 GTV-6
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