Triumph Repair: emissions control in 1978 Spitfire, emissions control, emissions standards

Question
Mr. FItzcharles,

I've been seeking a Spitfire to purchase, have found one in Tucson - 1978 model, but no catalytic converter.  I live in California, which of course has more strict emissions standards.  Is this a waste of my time?  Is it possible to get the necessary work done to make this car meet CA standards without breaking the bank?  I look forward to your reply.

Answer
Hi Mark,

It is difficult to judge the condition of a car unless you are an expert on the brand and model of the car you are thinking about buying. In the older British cars there were "Federal" standard cars and there were "Calif" cars so the first thing you need to do is contact the DMV in CA to see if you can bring in a "Federal" car of that year model. Then find out if the car you want is a "Federal" car or a "CA" car. Even then you should take a Spitfire specialist to inspect the car to see if there are any other problems then the missing CAT. If you are getting it dirt cheap, it may not matter as you could afford to dump money into it. There are many parts houses now for Spitfire parts but keep in mind you are thinking about buying a 33 year old car.

I tell everyone that you need to not look at an old British car as a car. It is not! It is a hobby. If you look at it as that, you will be much happier. They use to be my profession and they are now my hobby and I still love them with all their short comings.

Howard