Friends,
I was afraid when I read the following disturbing letter in the Oct 2001
issue of 'The Automobile', a serious vintage car collectors magazine, here in
England.
If this is indeed the way that the world is going, we had better all start
thinking now, about what 'modern' engine etc we can fit into our respective
motor cars.
The threat of these 'creeping greenies' cannot be overestimated, make no
mistake about it. They and the Auto manufacturers want your old car off the
road.
This letter is a bit long, and I apologise, but it is valid.
It was written by Aart van der Star of Langley, BC, Canada.
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*
My 1936 Alvis Speed 25 ran out of legal road here in Vancouver, Canada, on
July 14, 2001. About 1992, the greater Vancouver area initiated a clean air
programme (Air Care) for all cars, a laudable act. This involves an annual
tail pipe test which concludes that all vehicles built prior to 1974 meet
1974 specs. We are, I believe, one of two places in North America to test 25
year old and older cars. The other is Colorado and the test is run by the
same firm that sold its services to British Columbia.
Coincidentally, a collector plate was established for cars 25 years and
older, conveniently providing very cheap insurance, road tax and Air Care
exemption. This had the desired effect of there being no strong lobby against
Air Care for old cars, and in it went. Those involved in the battle with the
European Union know bureaucracy is inexorable and expansive.
In our case, first guidelines for collector plates tightened on all fronts:
they can only be driven for pleasure, no modifications (ie, one auto parts
store sells collector plate eligible high tension leads for '60s American
Iron). You must also have a modern car plated and insured at all times to
make the collector plate valid on your old car. Therefore, no retired
automobilist or downtown apartment dwellers wanted.
As for the cars themselves, grace and ageing are not allowed in this western
utopia: all cars to be pin-up trailer queens, no blemishes to paint or
chrome, no discolouring or tears to the interior, not a drop of oil to be
seen, etc.
The Automobilist cover car of Dec 1997, the 328 BMW, failed miserably, denied
on a full range of counts too long to list; another victim, the Le Mans
prototype AC Cobra, for being too much like a race car! Nobody said these
people were not observant! Dr Follow's Talbot mentioned in his letter to you
of April 2001, was also denied.
Air Care, you remember where we started, had not been idle either. Like a
turkey shoot, they have bell-curved each year's collected data, then
tightened the acceptable limits. This removes 10-15 per cent of the
stragglers. Pre-1974 levels are now less than 50 per cent of what the
programme started with, plus they have added additional requirements such as
now measuring for NOx as well as HC and CO. The best part is, of course, no
visible emissions. Try that with your sleeve-valve or two-stroke! Ever seen a
classic Ferrari not blow a little blue on one bank?
God help you with a restored diesel! It has to meet 2001 specs and do an ISO
90 test. Ever watch a 50s 404 Unimog try to do 92km/hr (60 mph), in under 20
secs and not smoke or leap off the rollers?
The coup de grace was inevitable. Unannounced last fall, you now have to pass
Air Care to get your collector plate. Your basic Brighton car (Veteran) now
has to be unblemished in every aspect, not smoke, and pass on 1974 emission
levels - all this to have the right to the Queen's highway here in B.C.
In my case, the Alvis is an unmolested car with original paintwork, as I
believe you like them, Brian, (Brian Heath, editor of The Automobilist),
Lacquer and leather do tend to crack in 65 years. I don't imagine any of us
look like kids any more, why should we?
Equipped with her Alvis patented hot spots manifold, and fuelled with modern
petrol loaded with aromatics, her
sit-around-while-you-try-to-find-the-VIN-in-the-windscreen hydrocarbons are
unspeakable!
I must stop, the Air Care subject does nothing for my language emissions.
I am left with no hope of either collector plate or Air Care pass, let alone
both, and therefore my licence and insurance and the right to drive my old
car!
Yours, an enraged pedestrian car collector.
****************************************************************************
Be Warned, and keep an eye out for these Air Care people!
Lion
1963 Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre Convertible (Diva) - and yes some oil does get
past the phosphor-bronze valve guides, which I may just be able to reduce
when I get around to fitting those teflon valve stem oil seals?
1988 Volkswagen 1600GT Scirroco Coupe (Driver)
Wimbledon, London, England.
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