VIC - the winds of change
 

As part of my continuing recon into committing myself to a build, I had a phone conversation this morning with a well known, well liked, well used VASS engineer that has engineered more than a couple of Cobra's on this forum down here in Vic. My questions started around engine choice, and I was blown away by what he had to say.

They have just recently received advice from VicRoads that the rules are about to change......and an ICV will be able to use ANY engine from 1997 onwards (sorry you blokes that rushed your LS1's through, turns out there wasn't any real hurry!). The but, and there is a but, is that whatever engine you use (even if it's a 2010 model 4 cylinder) will need to undergo a cut-down version of the full ADR emissions test. There is currently only one place in Victoria that can do this test, some company in Port Melbourne (not Holden, but I can't remember the name), cost for this test according to the VASS engineer should be about $500-$600. The aim of the emissions test is to ensure compliance with ADR 3701, you could technically use a carby if you wanted to, as long you pass ADR 3701.

I enquired about mandatory ESC, and the feeling is that ICV's will definately be exempt from that, no problem. There is nothing in writing yet from VicRoads, and probably won't be until someone actually tries to register an ICV after the introduction of mandatory ESC.

This is all of course meaningless to all you blokes who are already registered, but the engine point is interesting nonetheless.

Ben

HA it'll never happen in NSW !

I'll do a double guess and say Bernie is talking about the negotiations the Vic manufacturers have been having and which from the last club meeting sounded like being imminently successful.

Bring back the 302!!

Still would not have affected me, always wanted the LS1, just thought it would be a really good foundation for a Cobra build.

But to the guys building in the future and the resale value of Cobra's, this decission will have some affect.

Out of interest, whats the high level differences between 37/01 and ADR 79/01 02 etc? Or are the differences quite complex?

Rgds

Gregg

And when it get a little easier there are now new noise emission cameras being installed as I write in Geelong on the new by pass.

These cameras are triggered when a passing vehicle exceeds the accepted dB level.

Fines will be issued similiar to the speed camera procedures with an added - present your vehicle at..**)

:LOL: - now I can see us standing there setting the cameras off by screaming at the authorities...

Interested in seeing the latest ....%/

Read www.geelongnews.com.au

Page 1 - February 24th edition. The entire front page reads "Cameras to snap drivers for noise"

Bernie, I have a very good friend recently charged with a noise violation and contested the charge.

It never made court.

My friends legal team presented prosecutions with 10 railway crossing sites which were measured to be over the legal noise threshold. The DPP even agreed to paid my friends costs of having the crossings monitored by a recognized authority.

Tis nice to have the money to risk on this type of exercise.

Les, what are they drinking up there? By railway crossings I take it they mean the audible warnings which are necessary safety measures. Not quite the same as a Harley/Cobra exhaust!

Freight trains Sambo olde mate. You know the ones with two engines towing and one at the back pushing and a ****load of rattling freight in between.

Big arse mongrels which ply areas of the Queensland coast.

Ohhh, that's right, you a Victorian and never seen a big train.;):LOL:

Mate, we drink the only ale worth swallowing, XXXX, and Bundy Rum, the liqueur of the gods.:p

Mind you, drinking too much of either will tempt one to drink any-thing once it runs out. Even been known to drink some Victorian sourced stuff after all the good stuff is gone. :o

Only one question I have about that Vic Beer. How do you get the cats to sit on the bottles?. :JEKYLHYDE:D

Les, VB is only good at 1 degree celsius after mowing an acre of grass on a really hot day with one of these... :JEKYLHYDE

http://www.nationalgardencenter.com/...er-16-Inch.jpg

And we do have freight trains down here - shipping tons of VB to all the other states! :LOL:

I'm a Coopers/Squires/Boags drinker for the record. :)

sambo, I bought one of those things for my first wife a long time ago. ;)

She only used it once then wanted one with an engine. Bluddy spoilt woman! :LOL:

That driveby noise fine potential is interesting. I didn't mention it in the first post because I didn't find it all that interesting, but the engineer also confirmed that no drive by test is (or will be) necessary for an ICV, just the stationary 90db test. With no driveby required for rego, I wouldn't hesitate in taking a driveby fine to court! :D

I did the stationary noise test years ago and passed easily....sent in the report and got a reply that I then had to do a drive by test. Passed that as well. The big problem is trying to find a space to perform the test without outside interference noise. I did the test on a WW2 flying boat taxiing pad / launching ramp. An outboard motor disqualified two of the tests. ha ha ha

I'd heard about this too. A consortium of manufacturers got together and made this happen. Fantastic to see.
I've also been told that this will open the door to legal modifications. Want a supercharger, heads cam, a/m ecu etc then just pass the test. You could even use a big block if it passed. It's a static at idle and 1/2 of max hp rpm test i've been told. So what this all means is anything with EFI and cats that is tuned properly should pass. Finally some common sense!!

This noise issue is a concern though. My engineer made me do a drive by noise test which was a waste of time. He wanted me to "floor it" as I went past which of course i did;). When I asked him what it was all he said was it only just passed but he wouldn't answer directly just what the meter did read. All of this was a waste of time b/c it was not a requirement for rego, just something he wanted to do.

There is an answer to this though, a mate of mine has just finished a very neat and compact exhaust bypass valve on his cobra. Works a treat. Runs off engine vaccuum but he also installed a solinoid in the line which is manually operated as well as controlled by the ecu. So depending on load and rpm or if he flicks a rocker switch he can have either a sidepipe sound level or a factory car noise level. Very cool:cool::MECOOL: sometimes we need to get smarter to keep ahead of the revenue collectors. Plus it's no where near as tiring on a longer trip

A good idea - will keep it in mind.

The day the authorities start penalising Harley owners for noise, is the day I will start to give a f##k about the volume emmitted from my cars side pipes!
Honestly, if any of our cars where within 5-10 dba of any Harley with an aftermarket exhuast I would be very surprised.

:MECOOL:

eh....waddidesay?

LB

You guys are crapping on about noise emmissions, while Harley owners roar around with what seems to be no restrictions on noise polution what so ever.
I am saying I will start to care about the noise my car makes when the powers that be start to rein in the Harley owners that are making loads more noise than any of us.

Understand that??

Sorry I retract that Slowy, bit slow on it this morning...