Save Our Hobby NOW

[zeitgeist57]

Watching M539 Restorations on YT - and the bullshit this guy has to go through to get his old BMW’s to pass TUF inspection in Germany - we’re lucky in 2021 to be able to get away with the car stuff we can.

 

Not giving up any rights we have, but perspective is helpful in a global economy.

[10phone2]

the root of the discussion is should anyone need gov permission. i agree we are fortunate. Edited March 22, 2021 by 10phone2

[Geeto67]

the root of the discussion is should anyone need gov permission.

 

No I don't think that's it. This isn't an exemption so it's not about government permission. Environmental impact from Emissions, like safety, is something that affects the whole of the population so it's squarely within the government's rights to regulate including interpretation.

 

The current flap from the perspective of SEMA/Manufacturers is that the EPA is trying to interpret more narrowly the existing laws than they have previously. However the aftermarket knew they were facilitating violating EPA laws because of lax emissions testing in the majority of the states and I don't think their argument that "this will cost our industry jobs and money" isn't a compelling argument - that's kind of the point: If you help people break emissions laws the EPA wants you to change your business model or cease operations. Are they being heavy handed? absolutely, but that's kind of the response that has been brewing for years. BTW, it's not like they are trying to kill all of racing, they just want racing to be more environmentally friendly. If you modify your street car to go racing, they want it to still meet street car emissions because they don't trust you to not use it on the street.

 

The argument that I keep hearing that the EPA has no jurisdiction because these are race cars on private property and not street cars is a real loser of an argument. Every level of government regulates pollution on private land - it's why you can't just dispose of hazardous chemicals or nuclear waste in your backyard. Take pouring motor oil in the ground - once an acceptable practice now the government has no problem telling you that you can't do it despite it being your motor oil and your land. Why? because it poisons your neighbors and your rights end where your neighbor's begin. Same with tailpipe emissions.

 

BTW, not everyone in the aftermarket cheated. Plenty of parts exist that are 48-49-50 state legal for use on modern as well as old cars. Even GM has a whole series of emissions compliant 400 and 500+ hp crate engines called "e-rod", and Dodge makes emissions compliant 707-840hp cars and crate engines. Every major exhaust manufacturer has a racing catalytic converter available, some of them as cheap as $95.

 

Don't interpret this as me saying SEMA shouldn't fight this. I think you should challenge everything the government tries to regulate because it keeps them honest. If you are a manufacturer, and you pay into SEMA you should get your money's worth, and for what it is worth it seems to be working for now. What I wish the aftermarket (mfgs and shops) would learn from this is the responsibility of their actions - that them relying on lax enforcement for a long time wasn't a smart business strategy and they should have been working toward cleaner speed and moving the tech forward. How I see this playing out is one of two ways 1) SEMA stalls the EPA long enough that the ICE is phased out of regular production and tailpipe emissions no longer becomes a priority for the EPA; or 2) The EPA keeps pushing forward and eventually they win out but by that time the industry has adjusted to making clean speed parts. This is only if people keep fighting it though.