Practically Classics Forum

@fatrichie wrote:
See full story here:

http://www.fbhvc.co.uk/about-us/news/_a ... s-testing/

Note that the Historic exemption applies to:

•it was manufactured or registered for the first time at least 30 years ago
•its specific type, as defined in national or EU law, is no longer in
production
•it is historically preserved and maintained in its original state and has
not sustained substantial changes in the technical characteristics of its main components. “

The third line is a concern. While it is up to individual member states to implement all of this, the guidelines exclude Historic vehicles that are modified from standard, but currently compliant within the DVLA 8 point scheme.

The obvious route (but note I have only scan-read the article) is for the UK Historic movement to embrace the 8-point scheme and push for Historics falling outside the EU definition scope, but within the UK 8 point scope to have an MoT category.

Any of our organisations that are members of the FBHVC take note. Now is the time to act while you can.

Discussion thread on Rods n Sods....

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/newrep ... y&t=167913
Rods n Sods Discussion

Please note you need to be logged in to rods n sods to look at their thread!

WTF?

This is the latest development in a saga that's been rumbling on for some time. The EU wants to impose an EU-wide testing regime but allows member states to exempt historic vehicles and specify their own tests for these. The debate is all about what constitutes a historic vehicle. It is the last clause that is the problem because it is open to interpretation of the phrase "substantial changes in the technical characteristics of its main components" The DfT is generally sympathetic towards classic enthusiasts, so people who have carried out minor modifications, or substituted components no longer in production probably have nothing to worry about, but if you've dropped a Rover V8 into your Minor you may be in trouble, as may be the owners of those Jaguar-engine Ford Pops.

Right enough, but it doesn't answer the question, which concerns a split new car that is as unmodified as the least modified thing ever but less so. Forum true to form then, excellent!

There is no problem with your vehicle until, heaven forbid, you have an accident and have to claim. The Insurance company will find a loop hole to avoid paying. If the Police were involved they will have your coller for driving with no insurance. Just because you have a policy that is classed as a legal document means nothing.

I believe that exemptions for vehicles manufactured before 1960 for MOT testing may not apply if modifications to the brakes have been made. Fitting a servo to a vehicle that didn't have one as original may have improved the brakes but is classed as a modification from the manufacturers original specification and could render it liable for an MOT test. If you don't declare it you may make your insurance void. I know the DfT were looking into it but I haven't seen anything more about it.

It's about time the prats in Belgium realised we are not like them and do not require their rules to tell us what to do. I would have thought the fact we drive on the other side of the road might have given these 'knob eds' a clue!

All well and good, but the car in question carries legitimate insurance (that expires in July 2016), has no modifications whatsoever and every other vehicle on the same key policy is listed by make and model when looked up. If, or when, the police happen to check, then their information comes from the MID which is where the confusing description appears so there's no problem if I should have a claim made against me, I simply don't know how the wording is that way.

Personally I'd just phone them and ask!

Good idea, but do you happen to know the number for the MID? I don't.

01908 830 001......on their 'contact us' page. http://stayinsured.askmid.com/contact_us.html worth a try!

Bugger! How did I miss that? (Answer not really needed there).

Thank you for that, Mr Rusty. I shall give them a bell tomorrow, or on Monday, a day or three here and there won't hurt.
Thanks again.