Spring is the time when my cars get their MoT's. As you know, our cars don't have to pass the emissions tests, so I suspect that not many of you know just how dirty or how clean your car's exhaust is.

Well, when the MoT was done on my Flying 12, I asked the tester if he wouldn't mind running the emissions tester on the car, just to find out. After all, with the test now costing over £50, I might as well take maximum advantage of it.

Well, a little surprisingly maybe, the car passed the pre 1991 ( pre- catalyser ) tests with "flying" colours. Now, I won't claim to have done any special tuning or preparation for the test so it is pleasing to know just how clean a pre-war car can be. So, the next time anyone should tell me that old polluting cars should be driven off the road, I will show them my printed test results!

Can I suggest that the next time you go for a MoT, that you ask to find out how green YOUR car is - knowing that it won't make a scrap of difference if it fails, of course.

No doubt flushed with my previous success, I repeated the request for the 1934 Standard 10. Well unfortunately, I was well in the proverbial do-does with this one. Too many Hydocarbons in the exhaust , implying the car was running too rich, said the tester. So that's something for me to fiddle with this year. As I have a new spare carburettor on the shelf, maybe now is the time to fit it and see what difference it makes.

Now, what about the 1919 SLS?

Phil Homer

Below, the disgustingly dirty Standard 10 ( don't worry, you're still a pretty car!)