<VV> Emission Regs [non Corvair]

[WillSmithIndoorPS]

Concerning govt. regs here are two items I found "unbelieveable" while I was 
teaching GM dealer mechanics in the 70s:

    1. At the GM Proving Grounds 100% of the fuel had to pass thru chemical 
analysis before it was placed in a car which was being driven to accumulate 
its 50,000 miles so it could be tested to see if it would meet the emissions 
requirements mandated before the car model could be offered for sale. The 
reason for the analysis - if a car failed an interim test, at say 49,000 
miles, there would not be enough time left before new model intro to start 
over and log the necessary 50K miles. At the time I visited the Grounds in 
'74, I was 'blown away' by the size of the chem lab needed to keep the GM 
fleet "fueled" while all the various models were undergoing their 50,000 
mile accumulation...only 5 cars were accumulating their 50K on an automatic 
dyno...the rest of the fleet was being driven 24/7 on the Grounds to 
accumulate "real life" wear and tear...a Super Serious safety program was in 
place to prevent collisions because if a car was in a wreck [part of the 
test was to sit on the side of the road and idle a while before re-entering 
traffic] and any of its emmission systems had to be replaced during 
collision repair, the 50K miles accumulation had to be started over. The 
amount of money being spent to satisfy the emission stds at that time was 
visible and awesome! I was dumbfounded about the chem analysis because our 
pump gas was certainly not exposed to chem analysis. [Side Observation - 
prior to my visit I thought being a proving ground driver would be a 'cool' 
job; then I pictured driving to and from work each day, driving a simulated 
traffic program for 8 hours at work, and then when I got home having the 
wife say, "Let's go see my mother tonight" who just happened to be a 1.5 hr 
round trip drive from our house...WOW, sign me UP!]

    2. In '73 when the catalytic converter was added to GM cars we 
instructors were told that the primary source of the platinum [catalyst] was 
Russia. We were in the Cold War and here our nation was dependent on the 
Russians to get our cars to meet the govt mandated emission stds. I can't 
believe Russia didn't shut us off from their platinum if for no other reason 
than just to haze us. Can you imagine the trauma such a shut-off would have 
caused?

Have a GREAT American Day!
Will Smith, The Fresh Prince of Corvair"
http://IndoorPS.com

Wanted - nice, rust-free '66 Monza vert, pg, 110 for parade duty and giving 
kids a ride in something they have probably never seen.; plan to buy 4Q06