A recent Road & Track article suggested that it has become a little
easier to import non-conforming vehicles. My interpretation of it implies
that to legally import an MGF, you would have to purchase 2 vehicles for
crash testing and one for emissions certification, besides the one you
intended to keep, and that one would need to be modified to meet
emissions standards (based on the testing results). It is also required
to have OBD II onboard engine diagnostics, which would be extremely
difficult to retrofit if not originally equipped.
There is one loophole, however: as of 1999 there is a "Show & Display"
category, under which the crash test requirement is waived. This category
limits you to 2500 miles/year. Emissions compliance is still required.
Those are my interpretation of the facts. My *guess* would be that the
MGF would not have too much difficulty meeting US emissions, since it
already has to meet EU standards. The big headache would be the OBD II
requirement, since (I think) the engine was MG(Rover)-developed and is
not widely used (no US-legal cars use the same basic engine). One would
also have to decide if it was worth paying well over double the nominal
purchase price to have an MGF that you can only drive part-time (two cars
plus modifications plus fees plus shipping). Of course, if you could
convince Bill Gates that he *has* to have one, maybe the testing aspect
will be taken care of. In that case you would only have to pay for the
modifications on your vehicle.
Disclaimer: this is my interpretation based on one article (R&T May 2000,
p.122). I am sure lawyers and "experts" would enter into any actual such
endeavours!
Rick Brown had this to say:
>I wonder exactly what one would have to do to make the car meet US federal
>regulations? I know back in the 60's it required a lot of work to make it
>meet the standards...
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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