no I was just going to some things about 4WD

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

Why would it have to be engineered if its not a structural modification?
(example) Thats like saying you need to get a HQ engineered if someone fits a HZ statesman front on it . . . its only a sheet metal change,

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMkVq1jRGU

I think that too many people are hitting their keyboards without having any idea what they are talking about.

watching.... the owner of the car in question should seek their own advice from relevant authorities

I started this thread so Id like to know your ideas also

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

+1.

If it is to be registered in NSW, here's a link

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index ... dback.form

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Ha ha cheers gafmo this thread is actually about my van and I did have a thread similar(ish) to this one.

Ok so my car was a dodgy chop job from a Aussie built 77 Clubman to a round nose front, I knew it was dodgy when I bought it but as I wanted to fit a flip front I didn't care.

Later came a small prang into the back of a retird Police officer driving a car he was test driving, I claim I'm not insured because I hadn't got my coils certified and I didn't want real Police checking over my car.

I knocked the car back into shape but then found out I couldn't get it engineered because of the front end swap, no vehicle post 73 is allowed to be structurally modified in a way that it may effect the way the steering column collapses. I know neither car had a collapsible column but the law came in then and all cars were treated equally, so I'm screwed.

After all this I broke my collarbone and couldn't get the car registered as my local garage workers look like they are from the movie Deliverance and knew sweet FA about Minis.

So basically if I want to do it legally I'd have to put a whole new Clubby front end on including inner guards, I hate the look of Clubmans so that will never happen. It will just sit and rust away.

Hi Nutjob, just to let you know, your car does have a collapsible column. If the compliance plate says ADR10B it has a collapsible column.

The column does not in fact collapse, the mounts do.

Yeah that's what the engineer said, he said Minis never had a problem with drivers getting speared by the column as the mounts as you said give way, but I didn't think they changed anything, but you are saying they changed the mounts?

Yes, they changed the mounts on the pedal box (new pedal box) and changed the whole dash structure. It was a major job.

I really think you need a new engineer.

I have to disagree with your example.
Those panels BOLT on and off, once their off their is still a structural frame work underneath that supports the chassis rails and suspension towers. Swapping panels on a car designed like that is simple and non-structural.
But in the case of the mini the front panels do support the front of the subframe (chassis and suspension). Why on earth would the flip front guys add in bracing bars to support the front of the subframe
And in the case of safety I would imagine those four major panels (inner and outer wings) do provide a crumple zone (of sorts) and the same goes for the bonnet hinge mounts.

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

But that's all in the fire-wall not in the front panels, so replacing them has no affect on the steering column. The engineer that told you that dosn't know minis and proably didn't even look at the car or else he would have realised.
Yes I think changing the panels is a big job and should be done to a very high standard, it probably should also be engineered.
But I don't see how it could make you car un-registrable and you probably could get away without a mod plate just like the dozens and dozens of other minis that have had this conversion.
Like Morris 1100 said talk to another engineer or get the first one to inspect the car so he can understand that the front panels on a mini do not affect the steering column.
Then if you do go the flip front route none of what we've been saying matters because that mod will need to be engineered and it may not pass.

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

[quote="KennominiThen if you do go the flip front route none of what we've been saying matters because that mod will need to be engineered and it may not pass.[/quote]

That's the thing, I'm not going to all the effort of putting a steel front on the car as it won't let me run a front rad and electric water pump(easily). I bought it knowing the front would have to be replaced and a flipfront was the only thing considered, I will scrap it if I can't put a flip front on.

Also it has had pretty much the entire firewall cut out to fit a split Weber setup, not sure if this would cause any problems with the post 73 steering column law either.

That's the thing, I'm not going to all the effort of putting a steel front on the car as it won't let me run a front rad and electric water pump(easily). I bought it knowing the front would have to be replaced and a flipfront was the only thing considered, I will scrap it if I can't put a flip front on.

Also it has had pretty much the entire firewall cut out to fit a split Weber setup, not sure if this would cause any problems with the post 73 steering column law either.[/quote]
Talk to an engineer about the flip front, it will most probably need to be a steel one. The firewall mods should pass engineering and that will be covered at the same time the flip front mods will be engineered. Basically talk to a couple of engineers until you find one that will approve what you want to do and seems good to deal with. You should also talk to the transport department to get approval in writing that you can actually do these mods.

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

My last mini had the firewall box and I never got that engineered, but I should have. Engineer was happy with a CF flipfront but said it would need brace bars however another engineer said I didn't even need brace bars, that was the last time I talked to him!

I have talked to three engineers and have got pretty much the same answer, even from the guy that said I wouldn't need brace bars. My only option without going the illegal rebirth route is to get it engineered under a personally constructed vehicle title or find another a pre 73 van and sell my shell.

It really sucks as the car is rusting away while it sits on Avo coils, has Sparco seats/wheel and fully rebuilt Cooper S brakes with bias valve. Money just going to waste!