Well, 2002 marks a sad year here in Australia (speaking of hardened
valve seats).
1st January is the official start of the ban on selling leaded fuel at
bowsers - people will be forced to use Lead Replacement Petrol (yuk!) or
unleaded fuel. Which means also, of course, that those few places that
sold AVGAS have had those bowsers shut down too.
All in the name of 'cleaner air'.
In a strange twist, our motorsport body (CAMS) had banned AVGAS from the
track (following those 'clean air' guidelines, too) but reversed this
decision a few months ago. Or rather delayed it until the end of 2002.
Yet that does not hold any sway with the Government's ban on selling the
stuff from bowsers, so getting our hands on this 'nectar of the gods' is
going to be a problem.
At least in Britain they have recognised that this is a silly, knee-jerk
reaction that will disadvantage owners of classic cars needlessly and
have relented to re-introduce leaded (4 star) fuel which will become
available at 'selected' outlets.
Yes, I am upset. It has taken a few years to get my car running really
well and it does this on AVGAS. I strongly believe that the amount of
'enthusiasts' who would pay the extra 30% that it costs to use AVGAS
wouldn' make a blip on the pollution scale and this ban has been simply
a PR exercise - and a discriminatory move that ignores specialist needs.
There.... I have said my bit.
And having said that, I am now asking my boss at work if I can borrow
his aeroplane registration papers so I can buy drums of the fuel from
the airport. They haven't banned it there.
grrrrrrrr
--
Eric
'68MGB MkII
Adelaide, South Australia
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