ny of you may be baffled by why Rainer would want to fit a catalytic to
his TR4. Rainer lives in Germany where the government has announced a new
tax structure for cars. I am not sure if it is implemented yet, there is
some controversy over it. From what I recall from a piece in Classic &
Sportscar, vehicle with catalytic converters will be taxed at $8.25 per
100 cc and those without cats will be taxed at $24.75 per 100 cc. These
numbers are approx. due to my best guess on conversion rates. So Rainers
2.2 litre TR4 without a cat will cost him approx $545 a year. There is
a classification for historic and collector vehicles but there are rather
strong useage restrictions.
The catalytic converter needs heat to work properly so it should be mounted
as close to the engine as practicable. On my '80 TR7, it is mounted in the
downpipe just before it turns parallel with the ground. The cat also
generates a lot of heat, so insulation and heat shielding will be an issue.
Here in California, the new Smog Check II program has made life very difficult
for people with later non-fuel injected cars. Later TR6s have had to be really
tweaked to get through. I was talking with a fellow I know in the Ferrari
club and he related as to how carbed 308s were having so much trouble passing
that owners were fabricating mufflers with catalytics in them. Under Ca. smog
law, it is illegal to modify the emissions system in any way including ADDING
equipment without the blessing of the government smog agency.
I also recall reading about a pilot program in, I believe, San Diego County
to retrofit older cars owned by low income drivers with a catalyst as a
way of reducing smog from cars whose owners can neither afford a newer car
or pay for the work to bring them within the new standards.
There may be a cat in your future whether you like it or not!
Cheers,
Kurt Oblinger (I'm a dog fancier myself)
Redondo Beach, Ca.
54 TR2, 57 TR3, 62 Sports 6 Convt, 80 TR7 Spider FI,
54 Swallow Doretti, 64 Mini-Cooper 970S,
55 Chevy Bel Air Beauville Wagon
90 BMW M3
95 Manchester Terrier
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