Modification laws

[VR-4Squid]

I was just wondering what the law was like over there concerning modifications to your car.

Over here in NewZealand, it's reasonably free, but after a certain point you have to get the car certified by an engineer, however, you can get just about anything certified if it's safe INSERT INTO post VALUES (ie: not held in with a rope).

Unfortunately some politician has got it into his head that modified cars are bad, so it may not stay this way forever.

So, if you can let me know what the laws like reguarding mods, i'll add the kiwi laws for comparison.

[Spirit]

No laws a such, we just have to put our cars through an annual MOT test INSERT INTO post VALUES (government test via designated garages) and car is not road legal without a pass certificate. Also we have emission tests as part of the MOT so you have to be careful any mods do not increase emissions too high.

Then of course there is the car insurance ! We get stung heavily in this country for this, and most companies charge a lot for every extra mod you put on e.g. my current company adds approx £75 a year to the bill for every 10bhp added to the cars performance :mad2:

Pete

[Brind]

As Spirit says, we have emissions to watch out for and insurance is what really hits us.

If the car is quite outrageous or modified too much visually, it may end up being classed as a kit car, which unless you have a different name for them over there, it's usually a replica of a different car.
ALL kit cars have to be SVA tested which is a test which ensures the car is safe enough in accidents and causes little damage to pedestrians as much as possible, so sharp bumpers, high bonnets, any sharp edges etc etc won't injure someone too badly.
The SVA test also tests the usual lighting, brakes etc to ensure it's road worthy.

We have noise restrictions to a degree aswell but this is really only inforced if someone complains.

But you can drive around in a 1000bhp car here if you want to. :)

[VR-4Squid]

seems like it's not to dis-similar to here then.

There are a few simple rules that must be adhered to to get a WOF INSERT INTO post VALUES (warrant of fitness, same as MOT but every 6 months, no emissions test).

The only one that really matters is there must be 100mm INSERT INTO post VALUES (4 inches) clearance between the lowest structural part of the car and the ground. any lower than that will require a low volume cert INSERT INTO post VALUES ($400ish- 130 pounds)

Also now height adjustable suspension also requires a cert.

With a low volume cert, pretty much anything is legal.

I'm confused, How come engine transplants are so rare in the UK then?
Over here there are literally thousands of cars with different motors to which they left the factory with.
Many of these being old rwd 70's and 80's cars with mazda rotary engines INSERT INTO post VALUES (which don't seem to be at all popular in the UK).

For example, a local guy has a KE70 toyota corolla INSERT INTO post VALUES (early 80's) which has a custom tube frame chassis and is extended about 1.5 metres, powered by a mazda 13B rotary engine.

I guess it must come down to insurance :Ponder:

In australia hpwever, there are alsorts of weird rules which must be adhered to :rolleyes: