[deutschkar]

Damn the man. Contact your representatives
https://www.sema.org/news/2016/02/08...-into-racecars

[Dandelion]

FYI, here is the proposed rule:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-201...2015-15500.pdf

It appears that the rule prohibits removing emissions controls from engines or swapping in an engine that was not certified for the vehicle, even if used for competition - it does NOT specifically prevent anyone from turning a street vehicle into a competition vehicle (p. 40527) - which is somewhat more subtle [SEMA appears to be selling it slightly differently/more alarmingly.]:

Also, if a motor vehicle is covered by a certificate of conformity at any point, there is no exemption from the tampering and defeat-device prohibitions that would allow for converting the engine or vehicle for competition use. There is no prohibition against actual use of certified motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines for competition purposes; however, it is not permissible to remove a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine from its certified configuration regardless of the purpose for doing so.

However, there appear to be provisions to exclude or exempt engines that will be used solely for competition; it's not clear from a cursory reading whether these can be installed in an existing car that was a street car.

Clearly this is still a potential problem for anyone trying to run a race car that was once a street car, with aftermarket ECU or ECU tune, engine swap, etc.

That said, it's probably never been legal to modify the emissions controls of a car for dual DE/street use - BUT enforcement in this arena has been pretty lax. In other words - the new rule isn't making it illegal to modify the emissions of a DE/street vehicle - that's been illegal already.

All that said, this overall rule is directed at all medium (passenger car) and heavy (tractor trailer, etc.) vehicles. The enthusiast aspect is a pretty small part of it; given the number of true race cars, I wonder why they are worrying about it.

Also, this is a little late in the process - the rule was put up for comment in the summer, and comments closed in October. The final rule has not yet been published, so it's not clear what the final rule will say.

ed

[TomChan]

By state, specifically in MD, it has been illegal for 20-some years. Back in 1995 I was waiting in a long long line at the MD MVA headquarters, where they had an inspection garage(which has long been torn down and converted to an office for taking photographs and vision test for licensing) with a State Trooper who was experienced with sort to thing to legalize any car that had soon-to-be-illegal mod(s) by Ex Post Facto. My 80's IROC-Z Camaro was illegalized with an engine block from the 70's with undisclosed engine displacement...LOL.

[Dandelion]

Originally Posted by TomChan

My 80's IROC-Z Camaro was illegalized with an engine block from the 70's with undisclosed engine displacement...LOL.

Did they make you shave off your mullet at the same time?

ed

[TomChan]

Originally Posted by Varejao17

Did they make you shave off your mullet at the same time?

ed

I had 80's rock band hair...

[TomChan]

Originally Posted by TomChan

My 80's IROC-Z Camaro was illegalized with an engine block from the 70's with undisclosed engine displacement...LOL.

Typo: I meant legalized.

Should have seen the long line of "street legal race cars". The MVA looked like a race track!

[Dandelion]

Originally Posted by TomChan

I had 80's rock band hair...

ed

[N Fotouhi]

I think this is another example of there are 3 sides to every story with the truth being different than claimed by the two debating sides. As a non-lawyer who works in regulatory field (FDA), it takes only a lawyer to interpret regs which means that there is another lawyer who argues against that interpretation. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

As Ed points out, my interpretation also is that the regulation says that you cannot remove the emission components and claim to use the race car exemption which allows "non-certified" (read not meeting emission regs) engine use. What is not clear (I have not read the 600+ pages) is if this holds individual Joe Eschmoo, manufacturer, dealer, or race shops responsible for breaking the law.

[Trak Ratt]

Will this mean I have to put the cats back on the 996 it hasn't been on the track for ~3 years

Don't think VA ever offered an exemption for street driven track cars. Lots think that after XX years you can take off emission controls. Which IIRC isn't the case. You just don't have to have to pass the emission test for silencing.

This seems more a closing of a loop hole than more regs. True race cars aren't registered or silenced anyway.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by Trak Ratt

You just don't have to have to pass the emission test for silencing.

Aren't the emissions tests are for, uhm, emissions? Not noise, although 'loud' is usually a clue the emissions system has been tampered with.