On 23/3/98 2:17 pm Christopher Delling said
>Actually, leaded fuel continued to be available in the U.S. until the
>early 1980's - don't remember the year of actual phase out. Beginning in
>1975, all cars sold in the U.S. were to be made unleaded fuel only, but
>leaded fuel was still available.
>
>Many here in the States went to extremes to avoid using unleaded,
>primarily due to it's higher cost when first introduced. To prevent one
>from adding leaded fuel to a car requiring leaded fuel, the filler neck
>for the fuel tank had a reduced diameter opening - too small for leaded
>fuel pump handles. Many either crudely cut larger openings into the
>filler neck, or used any variety of funnel type devices to adapt the
>larger leaded fuel spout to fit into the unleaded filler neck. This was a
>very common "modification" as well as the fitting of a catalytic converter
>"test pipe". This was a section of straight pipe, shaped to mimmick the
>inlet/outlet arrangement of standard catalytic converters. These were
>sold under the premise that they would be "temporarily" mounted in place
>of the cat, to verify whether the cat was causing too much back pressure
>due to clogging.
>
>Interestingly enough, the higher cost of unleaded fuel was simply
>marketing. Since lead is actually a fuel additive, the actual cost to
>produce unleaded is less. As more and more of the petrol suppliers
>stopped carrying leaded fuel, the few remaining companies that continued
>to offer it could command a premium price for it.
Over here, no one went to such trouble for the simple reason unleaded has
always been substancially cheaper than leaded, with the exception of 98
octane Super unleaded which has a price premium. The reason for making it
cheaper was to encourage people to use it. And it worked! You can still
buy leaded petrol in the UK, but it will disappear in the year 2000.
Although some classic car people are making a fuss, it's not a big deal.
Germans may have more to worry about, though: there's talk of ALL German
cars having to be retrofitted with cats. Of course, this just would not
be viable with a carburettered MG. The good news for the rest of Europe
is that the rumoured, combined with the weak Mark, are making secondhand
cars in Germany VERY cheap. People in the UK are popping over to Germany
to pick up Porsches at rockbottom prices. OK, they're lhd but so what?
Anyone for a 911 Targa for 9000UKP??
Philip Raby
Editor, MG World
PO Box 163, Bicester OX6 3YS, UK
Tel: 01869 340061 Fax: 01869 340063 Mobile 0467 767361
www.chp.ltd.uk
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