Hi all,
Here's a little information on options and what's going on.
Firstly, I have had first hand experience with the EPA ( recently).
Some background on where this has started.
The State of Victoria (Government Ministers) have been getting a lot of flack over the behaviour of a large group of drivers in Melbourne streets, who have been doing burnouts, drifting and drag racing.
We have all seen this on television and the responses of the Government and Police. The recent seizure of the WRX STI and ban on driving for the owner were well publicised on ACA and news. This was the guy who was photographed by Police doing 150+ three times in the street a 60 zone. Drag racing.
A direct result (knee jerk) of this is the EPA task force. Set up as a random travelling show/workshop. Tools, jacks, dBA equipment etc.etc.
Over the last few months they have hit most major events in Victoria. These include the Southern '80' boats, Ballarat Swap etc.
You get no warning on their location (unless you have a channel 40 CB for trucks). They combine a Breath Testing Station, Drug Dog Search, Road Worthy checks, Warrants search and EPA. You are directed into one or a number of lanes.
Additionally, (Ballarat as an example) they have random Police patrols intercepting vehicles and taking them back to the Police Station where the EPA test sites are set. Here you have a noise check and check of running parts of the vehicle.
Over four hundred cars were checked during one three day raid/check in a town (see EPA press releases)
Non EPA compliant vehicles are issued with a notice to remove engines, parts etc.
Vehicle full details are recorded and non compliant parts are photographed in the vehicle and recorded on the computer in the event that you the car is/are stopped again. Pictures are recorded.
Fines are $600 for noise and up to $3500 for EPA tampering and they have been issued to some motorists.
To the extreme and they are extreme - notices are and have been issued for - air cleaner pods, PVC valves etc. that are not fitted or incorrectly fitted or blocked off.
OK here's an example: the air filter is not original and that therefore is non compliant and saw an EPA notice. A recent notice was issued to a modified vehicle for not having a carbon cannister in the fuel system.
A VK Holden driver was cited for noise at 96dBA. Fined and engine and car photographed as he had an after market air pod in the front of the engine.
WRX STI off the road for after market big bore exhaust and after market alloy fittings.
Holden six cylinder off the road for a blow off valve and lowering kit.
They are taking 'no prisoners' I feel they are doing a pretty good job in getting the idiots off the roads. I'm sure I speak for every Cobra owner when I say we are not about doing burnouts in shopping carparks, streets or racing through streets.
However, the net that they are casting out is picking the genuine vehicle enthusiast up in a Cobra or Street Rod and invariably the EPA will find something that is not right...
The Deputy Commissioner of Police Bob Hasting has been recorded as saying he wants every idiot in modified vehicles off the road. There is no place for these type of hoons and their modified vehicles, he has been recorded as saying. I agree with his comments here.
I must say I do agree with most of his comments but question why we are being caught up with idiots.
I recently had a brief meeting with Ash Ward the Transports SA representative on modified vehicles. His advice was clear.
Every Cobra manufacturer and parts supplier in Australia must get together and come up with a set of guidelines that are relevant to their cars and parts. This has successfully been done by the Australian Street Rod Federation.
You now see Street Rods being registered with carby motors etc.
Ash Wards' advice was clear that we cannot sit back and shoot from the hip. We must get together and do something.
Guidelines could follow the Street Rod Federations'.
I guess the Shelby weekend at Easter will possibly provide a good starting position for discussion. And no doubt you guys will hear first hand what is going on.
Just be warned that this is the biggest threat to the existance of kit cars in Australia (Victoria particularly). This will not go away.
To date five Victorian Cobras have been served with notices.
Three others are on notice. One has even been told to take the engine out and replace it with an engine from the year of registration.
Sorry about the negative feel of this "Post" guys, but we are really in trouble if we keep getting caught up with idiots and hoons when the Police and EPA cast their net.
Where to from here?
Bernie
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