ALL McLaren F1s eligible for Show & Display

[tvrfreak]

From the NHTSA website:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...Dlist0706.html

It looks like they approved 1996, 1997, and 1998 cars as well? I thought these were not eligible because they did not have OBDII?

If it's true, it's great news!

[drewwtms]

I thought that site always had the 1996-98 F1 listed although I could be wrong. But does OBD-II specifications apply to NHTSA or is it EPA? My understanding - AND I AM NOT AN EXPERT - is that the OBD-II systems were installed to better monitor and control emissions and smog. BMWs at least doubled the number of oxygen sensors on the exhaust to 4 (2 in front and 2 after the catalytic converter). I just assumed the F1 had trouble because it lacked the OBD-II electronics and development to meet the regulations.

[tvrfreak]

I thought OBD-II was a mandatory emissions control device on 1996 and newer cars. Since Show and Display only exempted cars from the FMVSS requirements, not the EPA requirements, cars that are 1996 or newer were required to have OBD-II.

The factory had told me that it would be too expensive to develop an OBD-II system for the small number of cars it would be required for. Maybe someone else developed it? Maybe NHTSA relaxed the requirement? Whatever the reason, maybe I will see an F1 GTR on the road one day!

I know the page I linked to read 1995 as the last year for McLarens that were eligible for importation under the Show and Display exemption. I don't know when they changed it or for what reason, but it's fantastic that they did.

The whole reasoning behind Show and Display is that the number of cars brought in is such a miniscule percentage of all the cars out there that it would not affect public safety to have these very rare cars on the road. I feel the same reasoning should apply to their emissions. One race weekend produces more fumes than these cars put together could produce in a year. And there's non-conforming cars at just about each track almost every day.

Anyways, I am very glad that any and all McLarens can be imported into the US.

[Peloton25]

Yeah, I believe the story is that all years are eligible for Show&Display exemption status, however the later years will get kicked back during the EPA certification process which is a seperate nightmare, due to the lack of an OBD-II compliant monitoring system.

It's kind of sad, because I'm certain that the TagTronic engine management can monitor and log all the things that OBD-II includes, there's just no way to extract the data in the OBD-II format. I'm sure there is a software developer who could - with the right amount of $$$ - create a software/hardware based convertor, but I doubt that would be an easy task. It seems a shame that McLaren themselves don't undertake this endeavor now that the cars have a legal route into this country.

>8^)
ER

[drewwtms]

Originally posted by tvrfreak
One race weekend produces more fumes than these cars put together could produce in a year. And there's non-conforming cars at just about each track almost every day.

Anyways, I am very glad that any and all McLarens can be imported into the US.

There was a study done during the 1973 oil crisis that determined that an NFL team traveling from one coast of the US to the oppostite coast used more fuel in the airplane than an entire 500 mile NASCAR race! At the time they were trying to ban auto racing and this was racing's argument against it. It worked. I still can't believe that with all of gas guzzlers and pollutants on the road and on the track that the government would be so restrictive to a vehicle model with less than 100 vehicles on the planet and less than a quarter of those actually in the country. Mind-boggling!

[kfoote]

Ah, the Fuel argument...

The fuel burned by a single F16 in 1/2 hour is more than most street cars burn in their lifetimes. There are other ways to cut the overall total emissions that are far more effective than banning a select few cars from a country.

Any time the racing fuel argument is brought up, I like to bring up CART and IRL, where Methanol is the fuel used. The exhaust is almost entirely water vapor, and though more is burned, the emissions are much cleaner than an average street car.

[gerd]

S&D is for make and model, not necessarily year. EPA and DOT don't communicate (look at CAFE) and any car built after December 31, 1995 must have OBDII, no exceptions. this is why Fritz called all "his" McLarens 1995s, including Lenos which is a 1994.
But now S&D has started to be abused. Ron Tonkin's Lambo DIablo GT is an example, and with an EPA exemption no less.
But the biggest abuse comes from Mr. Seinfeld. He gained approval for his 1998 911 as it is the last 911 built. His thing is owning the first and last of everything. But his 1996 911 RS has no significance under S&D requirements. The VIN is in the middle of production and the RS America was a US approved version. So Seinfeld's RS should come in VCP or VSP, not S&D. It is my understanding that he is being given EPA exemption on this car.
What this means is that, based on the approval under S&D for Seinfeld's RS, ANY Porsche 911, 993, or 996 built for any ROW market is elegible.
Start buyin' and importn' folks.
The post 1995 McLaren's here have been OBDII's by a fellow who use to work for JK. Don't know how JK has done Selldorf's 068 and LM on their own. I don't beleive it can be done. OBDII requires specific paramters, therfore specific sensors and the like. Mclaren once quoted 1 million USD just to look into doing it.