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Re: Emmissions and Inspection in MA

To: cusack@gumby.msd.ray.com
Subject: Re: Emmissions and Inspection in MA
From: phile@stpaul.gov (Philip J Ethier)
Date: Fri, 10 Jun 1994 12:59:13 -0500 (CDT)
cusack writes >

> The commonwealth of Massachusetts is turning against us and
> will be testing all post '68 cars for emmissions NEXT year!  As you

I bet you mean '68 cars are included too.  The Federal law applies to cars
made after January 1, 1968.  If you can prove your '68 was manufactured in
November of '67, you skate.

> folks in state know all cars 15 years and older are currently exempt.
> The testing will subject all cars to the current emmision standards
> that are derated by the age of the car.  What that means is not clear.

Should be.  Standards were set by the Feds at different times. If your car
meets the Federal standards at the time of manufacture and there was no
State law setting standards at that time (sorry, California) you are OK.

> How does that compare with the standards of the production date of
> our LBC's?  Good question, if you find out let me know.
> 
> QUESTION:
> The registry of motor vehicles Director of Inspection told me today
> that if my car originally had a catalytic converter, it must also have
> one for inspection, check with the manufacturer.  Thank you very much.
> Well, my car came from sunny CA and DID originally have one.  Which
> I promptly took off with pleasure during a dual SU carb coversion.  So
> do 1976 (9/75) M.G. B's originally have converters?  

Are you saying your MG was made in September of 1975 as a 76 model?  

> Are cars sent to CA somehow identified by the VIN?

Should not matter.  Question 1:  Did Mass have its own standards for
emission on 9/75?   If no, then all they can enforce is the Federal law
as of 9/75.  Your car must meet the "49-state" Federal law.  Mass has no
authority to enforce California law.

If the 49-state MGs had cats (and I think they did, help me out here, MGB
experts) and Mass requires original emissions equipment, you must get a
cat.  Even in Minnesota, where they don't look under the hood, they do use
a mirror under the car to see the cat-can and stick a go-no-go dowel in the
gas filler.  

My late-77 Subaru had no cat and burned leaded gas.  There were CVCC
Hondas made that late that beat the standards without cats, too.  But I
fear the MG went to cats for the 75 model in all of USA.

> God I hate this stuff!  Let us drive our 6500 miles a year in peace!

Question 2:  Does Mass have special license plates for Collector Cars and
the like?  What are those requirements?  In Minnesota, Collector plates
are a one-time charge, so you never need an inspection slip to get your
plates or tabs because you never go back to get new plates or tabs.


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