RE: [alfa] Good Clean Power

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> I tend to agree with you wrt the later stuff.  But quite frankly, the
> emissions systems of the late 70's were marginal at best, and certainly
> robbed some HP.
>
> What's really goofy is the laws that prevent you from touching one of those.
> Say you'd like to remove the air pump and other crap from a late 70's Spider
> and replace it with the more modern system (including cat) from a mid 80's
> Spider, it's not allowed..
>
> bs

Well, nearly so.. The modern cat you can put on.. but every other "original" piece of equipment is theoretically required to be there.  This is why I had to pay $15 for a bent piece of sheet steel, and chintzy aluminum hose to restore a simulation of the hot air stove for the intake of our 77 Spider. Of course it hardly gathers any hot air, but not there, no pass..  By the way, the cat I got from Caribou did have me pass with amazingly flying colors after all I heard about 70's Spica cars being hell to get thru..

Also the modern cats do seem to be a world better in flow restriction.. I had a (ahem) test pipe made with a O2 bung for more accurate Spica mixture setting.. I don't notice a huge difference in HP without the cat..  I do notice a lack of a nice deep tone that the cat adds.. my thoughts that it acts as a resonator seem to be correct.  I'm about ready to return to the the cat for the nicer tone it adds.  
On the other hand, I did remove the airpump.. and got the benifit of less noise, lost about 20+ lbs of weight, gained some unknown HP, and I think I might have been able to pass without it!  But, that's another "not there, no pass" item.. so it will have to be there later.

My other desire is to install the early presmog manifold and downpipes, this could be done by converting to a cat instead of the standard first resonator box, and I could be enjoying a larger diameter system AND the cat.. more HP and cleaner air.  But again, another technical foul..

Makes about as much sense as changing your car to non-op like you're supposed to when it's off the road for a while, (during my rebuilding work) letting that go past the limit and having to pay a $358 fine..  (!!!) when you could have just let the registration expire for 8-12 months and only have to pay $20-50 in late fees when you renew it later...  Burecrap!!!

Jon
77 Spider
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