Angusdog wrote:
For the Australians on here, here's a brief run-down on modified vehicles in NZ:
The government wanted to make modified vehicles safer, so rather than let the government regulate the industry, interested groups (motorsport bodies and the hot rod association) formed the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association. They have technical advisers and registered certifying engineers who administer, advise and certify modifications to ensure that modified vehicle are safe. It works well since they want to approve modified vehicles since they're largely car nuts anyway.
They publish guidelines on seat mounts, steering geometry, brakes, suspension etc and assist in getting vehicles roadworthy. They can be quite pedantic or unnecessarily strict though. For example, I fitted hi-los to my estate, which meant the car now needs to meet the braking standard which no drum braked mini can, even though there's no other changes to the car. Doesn't make sense really, and they know it but overall it's a great, self-managed scheme. It also means blokes selling modified vehicles have to get it signed off by an engineer otherwise no-one will buy it. So out go all the chain link steering wheels, dodgy lowered suspension (cut springs etc) and V8s dropped into Anglias without any other upgrades.
Getting this mini through certifying will be a bit of a mission but the certifiers give loads of great advice. I got plans for a flip front on my saloon approved quite easily but haven't got around to starting the work.
I know of a drum braked mini that went through the process, including meeting the braking standard, no problem.
All it requires is two successive stops from 100kph to 0, with the braking time taking less than 4.4 seconds (from memory). The rules are about g force etc, but the timed stop is how it's usually tested. My drums never faded in two stops. 3 or 4 maybe!