If it is a 1979 car, it will not be a Personal Import, it will be a Pre-1989 import. https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/import_options/index.aspx

It needs to comply with the rules that applied to a 1979 car delivered new in Australia. A list that is kinda useful, though also fairly crap with regard to detail, is here: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP10D_LO-2_Second_Ed_ADR_Checklist_V2.0_01Jan2011.pdf

But... did you apply to import it and get an import approval from the Dept for Infrastructure and Regional Development before shipping it here? Or did it just go in the box and arrive here? If you don't have an import approval, it might cause a few issues come rego time.

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Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean.

I have the import approval. Wow after that article I'm worried, what a crock of sh##! Instruments need to be in front of the driver? Mine are centre. Reverse lights?! This is going to cost me a bomb, and ruin the look of the car, it looks crap with reverse lights, and now with stupid seat belts in the back too. wow I hope it's not as bad as I think.

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

The instruments are in front of the driver... well, they are not behind the driver are they?

Seriously, I'm sure that it is not going to be as bad as you are thinking. A reverse light can be a small one hanging under the rear bumper, the rear set belts are not too difficult and a lot of what you want could probably be found on a late Clubman.

The usual ones that are probably the 'must haves' are things like head rests on the front seats, ADR seat belts, side intrusion bars, child restraint anchors in the back, etc. I would expect most people could probably do most of it themselves apart from the intrusion bars.

That check list is possibly the one that the guy checking it will use. VSB 14 is supposed to be the national document for modifications.

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Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean.

What a crock, how many Aussie cars had side intrusion bars fitted in 1979...and retro-fitting bars to a car never designed to use them can never be elegant or even SAFE engineering....red tape gone mad

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"Show me the Mini!"

Does anyone have photos of side intrusion bars in a door?

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

If we are talking passenger cars... all of them. ADR 29 - Side Door Strength applied to all passenger cars sold in Australia that were manufactured on or after 1 Jan 1977. https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/design/pdf/29.pdf

Actually, they may not necessarily have 'bars' fitted inside the doors as the side door strength requirement may have been achieved by the door 'as is'. Generally the bar links the hinges with the latch, and in some cases these are the weak points. If the hinges and latch are strong enough to hold the door in tension in the hole it may pass the side door strength requirement.


It is certainly safe, or the car is in a side impact anyway, if it is done correctly. That is why it needs to be signed off by a suitably qualified and experienced engineer that is familiar with the ADRs. Granted it is probably difficult to actually 'do' in some doors, particularly doors that are small or that there was never a complying version of, or that have weak hinges or latches or mount points on the body... and unless you can retrofit doors with factory bars easily is probably one of the more difficult compliance hurdles, but in most cases you would not even know they were in there unless you went looking for them.

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Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean.

You need to look inside a 1977 or later Leyland mini door. Many doors (of various makes and models) have little more than a 6" wide corrugated sheet metal panel running the length of the door against the inside of the skin tying the front and rear box sections together.
The engineer will have to work out what is needed for a particular door, but in your case I would expect he will just pretty much replicate what was done in the 1977 and later Australian Mini doors.
I assume the 1979 UK models had the same burst-proof locks the Aussie late cars had, and the UK internal hinges are likely stronger than the earlier external hinges used on the Aussie cars.

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Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean.

Hmmmmm I'm having trouble following your conflicting statements and he "Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean"....I think we should maybe agree to disagree Timmy

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"Show me the Mini!"

Here is the NSW info sheet:
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/roa ... hicles.pdf


Above is an extract from the info sheet. If it was me, I'd just book it in for a "blue slip" and see how you go. It's not too expensive ($60.50) , and at least you'll have an idea of what they are going to check for.

The main points that might need changing on your car:
AS approved glass
Kph marked speedo
Head restraints
Seat belts and child seat points

Edit: as far as I can tell, a personal import is always considered a personal import, regardless of the year of the car. Follow this link through:
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/quiz/

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79... does that make it a Mk III??? And did not the latest (last??) Minis have side impact door beams?? So the worst case may be having to get a pair of late model doors....

Although, usually you only need to comply with current (as in what was needed when the car was built) regulations.

And don't forget that many ADRs actually quote the relevant BS (British Standards ;^) as being compliant.

Cheers, Ian

1979 borderline mk4?

Reversing lights can be done fairly easily. Switch in place of reverse detent plunger on gearbox for remote change cars and in the gear extension for rod change, twin filament globe holder in place of single for the existing rear turn indicators and some wire in between.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

I like the reverse light option, but would the reverse light not be Orange then? Does it not need to be clear lense?

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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
1979 998cc Leyland Roundnose Irish Mini

All Minis here with reversing lights used the orange blinkers. No clear lenses sold here.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

For passenger cars built on or after:
1 Jan 1972, the reverse lamps can be amber or white.
Here is 2nd edition ADR 1 - Reverse Lamps: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/motor/design/pdf/01.pdf

I think it was 1 Oct 1991 where it changed to white only.

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Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean.