Jump to content

Can register in California - YAY!


TomSalter

Recommended Posts

No.  I’ve never heard of an SB100 engine needing to meet any federal standard when the car in question  is listed as a replica of (in this case) a Lotus Seven, because when Lotus Sevens were made there were no federal emission standards.  The whole point of SB100 is that you are registering a replica of a vehicle from before there was significant smog control, as you should have stated in your application and hopefully on the MSO.   For example,  If you state (as I and my MSO did) “replica of 1966 Ford GT40” then your engine needs to meet only the CA standards in effect in 1966 (which was having a PCV system).  There are no engine stickers involved.

 

The fundamental question is: how exactly has your car been described in your application and on your MSO?  It should say  “replica of <year> <make> <model>“.  So please tell us what it says for those three fields.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

KnifeySpooney -- 

 

Is yours registered under SB100 in California?  If so where exactly (in which field) on the MSO does it say that?  In particular, what does it say in the "year" field, the "make" field, and the "model" field?

Edited by awatkins
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I think they're following the letter of the law of this:

 

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P100AKFO.pdf

 

Which yeah, doesn't sound great for the engine if you don't have an emissions label.

 

However, specific to kit cars: https://www.epa.gov/importing-vehicles-and-engines/kit-car-policy

 

Point 4 there should see me through, as I read this. The sub-bullet there is absolutely appropriate for the EPA/local DMV to have concerns on this, if some importers are importing complete vehicles and mis-representing it. But for the majority of our cases where they are privately built, they should be fine. 

 

-Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, awatkins said:

KnifeySpooney -- 

 

Is yours registered under SB100 in California?  If so where exactly (in which field) on the MSO does it say that?  In particular, what does it say in the "year" field, the "make" field, and the "model" field?

I am only just beginning the SB100 process. 

 

It says:

 

Make: Caterham

Model: Seven

Model year: 2019

 

Which is interesting as I rec'd the kit in 2021.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KnifeySpoony said:

I am only just beginning the SB100 process. 

 

It says:

 

Make: Caterham

Model: Seven

Model year: 2019

 

Which is interesting as I rec'd the kit in 2021.

 

KnifeySpoony.

 

Good luck with your SB100. It's not been good for Caterhams in California post Covid. It seems to go fine until you get to the Referee Station visit. 

 

We're all puling for you. Please update us on your experiences.

Edited by BMW RACER
Add verbiage
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom --  

 

Really important question:  did the BAR people point you to those documents?  If not, why do you think they are related to your situation?

 

KnifeySpooney —

 

Please read this text from the ARB web site at (https://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/spmv_test.htm):

 

SB 100 allows up to 500 specially constructed vehicles per year to be assembled and registered for on-road use, the individual builder/owner is given the option to choose the vehicle’s make and model year based on the representation of how the vehicle looks or its engine configuration. These vehicles are exempt from the state’s smog check requirements” [underlining mine]

“How the vehicle looks” should have been written as “what year car it replicates”.

 

Given the above, the fact your MSO does not describe your car as a replica of a pre-70s Lotus or Caterham dumps you out of SB100.  You should go back to Caterham or your dealer and get a correct MSO before proceeding.

 

 

Edited by awatkins
correction
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alan, verbally the ARB told me that it’s the next step. Otherwise my car is recognized as a specially constructed vehicle, but they wanted the car itself to have the EPA sticker, which it does not. That EPA page states the special situations where the Clean Air Act does not apply to these vehicles, hopefully allowing the car through. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"The production, sale and importation of vehicle parts (engines, transmissions, chassis, vehicle bodies, etc.) are not regulated by EPA because parts are not considered motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. However if the parts constitute a disassembled vehicle or an approximate disassembled vehicle, the combination is considered a motor vehicle under the Clean Air Act. Any attempt to use this policy to circumvent the Clean Air Act or the Imports regulations will be considered a violation of the Clean Air Act and will be strictly enforced. An example of such circumvention is:

  • A kit car maker who also provides the engine and transmission before or after production/importation of the body/chassis."

Referring to the part starting with "However":  they are saying that a collection of parts that could be assembled into a vehicle is a vehicle under the CAA.  A Caterham kit is just such a collection of parts. 

 

The first sentence means "if you import an engine alone  that is a part, not a car." "if you import a transmission alone, that is a part, not a car".... etc.

The next sentence means "If you import a box containing an engine and transmission and chassis and body and all the other stuff you need in order to make a car, it's a car."

 

This is what they meant in the text in your first post: "They [Caterham] are bypassing customs, EPA, and CARB regulations by shipping the vehicle in parts"

 

 

Edited by awatkins
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, that’s what my interpretation of that EPA Kit Car Policy is.

 

But for all of these, you have to point to the specific line item in the CA DMV/ARB/BAR regulations… waiting to hear back from the ARB now on my case, as they said it needs the EPA sticker.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, awatkins said:

I thought buying the drivetrain from a different company on a different invoice helps to circumvent that issue?”

 

Which issue are you referring to?

 

The next sentence means "If you import a box containing an engine and transmission and chassis and body and all the other stuff you need in order to make a car, it's a car."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are two different sets of laws in this discussion:

  1. California SB100 which says you can register a self-built replica of something originally made before around '68 but you have to buy the engine from a different business than the one that sold you the chassis (or kit), and if you do that it needs to comply only with pre-72 emission laws, which require nothing but a PCV.
  2. Federal Clean Air act.  It says among other things that you can't play games by pretending an engine in one box and a chassis or kit in another is not really a whole car.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The EPA docs came from you.  The others are scattered and I don’t know any particular links off hand.  Most of my SB100 knowledge is in my head from doing it years ago.  Just Google kit car, replica, SB100, Special construction, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...