Peter, hoping edicts are not enforceable retrospectively..?
My old 85/6 +8 does not have the benefit of the more usual four silencer set-up, having been cut down to the two under the running boards, and none of that cat kit, it has to date fortunately caused no issues even while touring Southern European countries....
The old thing can purr like a pussy cat on light throttle or roar a bit if and when awakened.... I suspect that the lack of back pressure may cause a drop off in max performance, the latter I personally have experience of, and I too tend to make a lot of noise of rudely awakened while purring away in my armchair..
I guess in time it may be expected that in areas where one might be tempted to put the boot in, that noise detectors will be linked to the cameras etc.etc.etc.. Sigh..!
No, nothing retrospective: your car should meet the noise level shown on the V5. Tarka does, at Castle Combe it measured at exactly 86db, as on the V5.
It has only single, under running board silencers, nothing between there and the end of the tail pipe. Even so it just murmurs whilst being driven sensibly, but the noise level is as much dependent on amount of right foot applied as revs delivered. A full stab to the metal and the exhaust and inlet noise are way above the stated level!
I suspect the N Yorks Police are more interested in noisy bikes than cars. If they measure a noisy car what can they do, if it appears to have a normal exhaust system? They could demand a MOT re-test, but the sound level isn't part of the MOT. Their meters are not evidential devices. So all they can do is use the noise as a means to conduct a full vehicle safety check. On a Morgan they wouldn't have any idea what is "normal", and I suspect nor would their VOSA Henchmen! Indeed Morgan Motor Company doesn't know what was "normal" when a car was built!
