DeLorean annual safety check results (Europe)

[Tomcio]

Hello,

Just a quick info for anyone wondering if a DeLorean can pass today's emissions standards.
Just had my DeLorean vin 6149 smog tested and my results were so good that they thought the machine actually broke. So they asked me to wait around so they could run some tests on the testing machine The testing machine was confirmed good and accurate and the results were absolutely 100% correct!
Here's a printout of the test:

exhaust.jpg

The important values are CO% and HC ppm.
Passing values are:
CO up to 0.50%
HC up to 100 ppm
As you can see from the printout my correctly maintained DeLorean (no engine mods) got 0.00% CO and 0001 ppm HC.
My lambda is 1.025 (lambda 1 means perfect air-fuel mixture)
The test was done at idle with outside temperature around 0°C / 32°F
As you can guess I got a perfect PASS
Other parts of the car were tested as well - shocks, brakes, tires, lights, suspension components, etc. My car was actually called "amazingly PERFECT"
I am proud!

Rolling resistance - metric values (approximate imperial values):
Front: Left 0.07 kN, Right 0.03 kN (Left 15 lbf Right 7 lbf)
Rear: Left 0.14 kN, Right 0.10 kN (Left 31 lbf Right 22 lbf)

Breaking force:
Front: Left 1.61 kN, Right 1.47 kN (Left 362 lbf Right 330 lbf)
left-right difference 9%
Rear: Left 2.54 kN, Right 2.52 kN (Left 571 lbf Right 566 lbf)
left-right difference 1%

Allowable left-right difference: <30%

Combined breaking force: 8.14 kN (1830 lbf)
Maximum gross weight allowed: 1600 kg (3527 lbs) based on breaking performance

Suspension (shock performance) - traction:
Front left: 57%
Front right: 72%
left-right difference: 15%

Rear left: 82%
Rear right: 81%
left-right difference: 1%

Total weight (with driver): 1122 kg (2474 lbs)

All those tests were done with a 120 kg (265 lbs) guy behind the wheel. His weight caused the difference between left and right values.
My car seems to weight pretty much exactly 1000 kg (2200 lbs)! wow!

Thank you for your attention

[Bill6298]

Hi Tom, thanks for posting this. I had no idea the inspection process was so detailed in Europe.

[mr_maxime]

Total weight (with driver): 1122 kg (2474 lbs)

All those tests were done with a 120 kg (265 lbs) guy behind the wheel. His weight caused the difference between left and right values.
My car seems to weight pretty much exactly 1000 kg (2200 lbs)! wow!

How is this possible? That's about 500lbs lighter than it should be

[Tomcio]

Hi Tom, thanks for posting this. I had no idea the inspection process was so detailed in Europe.

Hi Bill!
You have no idea, really.
The process looks like this:

There are three stations that the car has to go through. They are as follow:
Station 1 - Brakes and suspension
First the car is rolled onto rollers where the rolling resistance and brakes are checked. Next it rolls onto little platforms that vibrate like crazy and this is how they check the shocks and determine the traction and weight of the car.

Station 2 - Steering and everything underneath the car
They roll the car onto metal platforms (one under each wheel) mounted in the floor and head under the car. The platforms then move in, out, they twist fore and aft all while a technician is under the car looking at the suspension components looking for anything abnormal, any play, or movement that shouldn't be there. Next they do an inspection of everything they can see from below the car. They look for rust, loose bolts, leaks and anything else that is out of the ordinary. Once that part is done the car is rolled forward to the last station

Station 3 - Smog, lights and accessories
First they do the smog check. Next they check that all lights are operational including turn signals, reverse lights, fog lights (rear fog lights are required in Europe), licence plate lights. They also check the alignment of the headlights and adjust them if necessary (I set my headlights by myself and never let them get near my car with a screwdriver ) They also check the horn, wipers and windshield washers - they usually skip one because.. c'mon

At this point they confirm that the VIN on your registration is correct and write down the odometer.

If everything checks out ok you get a stamp and you're good for another year.
Brand new cars have their first check after three years, then two years and every year after that.

I really like that the process is so detailed. That way I know that I haven't missed anything and that my car is safe.

PS. Bill, how is 6298 doing?

[Tomcio]

How is this possible? That's about 500lbs lighter than it should be

Part of it is the fact that some of my interior is still not done. I have no carpet, no center console and no rear wall. That's probably a good 100 lbs. I once had my car on a scale when it was all stock with full interior and the weight with 3/4 of a tank of gas was 1130 kg or 2490 lbs. I'll check the weight again once the interior is all complete. Still, the car is way under 2800 lbs I kept hearing about and maybe that's why my car can constantly run 0-60 mph in exactly 8.00 seconds and not the 10.something I kept hearing about

I did not do anything to make the car lighter. To the contrary, I've probably made it heavier. Once the epoxy was stripped from the frame I had the entire frame dipped in molten zinc which added some 12 kg or 26 lbs to it. Then it was powder coated - one layer of primer and one layer of top coat. I don't know how much weight the powder coat added.

We'll see once the car is fully assembled.

[Ron]

I am proud!

[Riley88]

amazing , I personally know mine wouldnt pass but luckily in the state I live, they dont do anything for that, and there isnt even an inspection if its registered as a classic.

[Tomcio]

amazing , I personally know mine wouldnt pass but luckily in the state I live, they dont do anything for that, and there isnt even an inspection if its registered as a classic.

Riley,

If I were to register my car as a classic over here I would only need to have it inspected once. During that one inspection they check the VIN and confirm that the paperwork is correct and they do a basic inspection to make sure the car is safe to drive on public roads. The registration is then issued with no expiration date and no further inspections are required. A classic car doesn't have to conform to local regulations but it has to be safe. This means that it can have red blinkers, no rear fog light, US style horrible sealed beam headlights and so on, but it has to have a safe suspension, steering and braking system. No smog check is done on classic cars.
The problem with that is that once the car is registered as a classic there are some rules that you have to follow - limited number of miles driven in a year, can't drive it to work, can't do any modifications to the car, can't cross any borders unless you get a permit. Not for me, I use my car as a car and I do make some improvements. So, I'd rather have my car inspected every year to be sure that it is running correctly and that it is safe.

If you know that your car wouldn't pass, why don't you make it right? I wouldn't feel right driving a car that I know isn't right. They made those rules to make sure that we are all safe out there on the road and not to make our lives more difficult.

This is what my car currently looks like:
01.jpg
02.jpg
03.jpg
04.jpg
05.jpg

It was meant to pass... I made sure it does... with my own hands

[David T]

Here in the USA we complain about an inspection system that is much weaker and getting worse every year. For instance, in New Jersey they no longer do ANY safety inspection. They only check emissions and paperwork. It used to be one of the more stringent inspection States, no longer. I also understand the UK has a very stringent inspection called the MOT. Because the Delorean has fuel injection and was a pretty advanced system, especially for it's time, the PRV can run very efficiently. You are right, an owner should try to make the car as safe and reliable as he can. Even a "classic" is no good if it can't take you out for a ride and not get you back home safely.

[Riley88]

Riley,

If I were to register my car as a classic over here I would only need to have it inspected once. During that one inspection they check the VIN and confirm that the paperwork is correct and they do a basic inspection to make sure the car is safe to drive on public roads. The registration is then issued with no expiration date and no further inspections are required. A classic car doesn't have to conform to local regulations but it has to be safe. This means that it can have red blinkers, no rear fog light, US style horrible sealed beam headlights and so on, but it has to have a safe suspension, steering and braking system. No smog check is done on classic cars.
The problem with that is that once the car is registered as a classic there are some rules that you have to follow - limited number of miles driven in a year, can't drive it to work, can't do any modifications to the car, can't cross any borders unless you get a permit. Not for me, I use my car as a car and I do make some improvements. So, I'd rather have my car inspected every year to be sure that it is running correctly and that it is safe.

If you know that your car wouldn't pass, why don't you make it right? I wouldn't feel right driving a car that I know isn't right. They made those rules to make sure that we are all safe out there on the road and not to make our lives more difficult.

This is what my car currently looks like:
01.jpg
02.jpg
03.jpg
04.jpg
05.jpg

It was meant to pass... I made sure it does... with my own hands

My car would not pass the smog section due to no catalytic converter, thats it.