[doubledave]

Hi all,

I'm doing a '58 Consul nostalgia custom with and I'll be up against the wire to keep my free MOT. Standard plan - be a little naughty and have a load of standard parts that bolt back on for any inspections, then to get it home and bolt back on the radness - but in order to do some of the mods I want to do, I'll need to alter some parts of the body/monocoque combo. Now then - the question is this: Can I get away with 'adding' to the existing chassis as long as no material is removed from stock? I'm talking discrete bolt holes here and there and a few fish plates, so any big and obviously non-stock parts can be removed.

Specifically: reinforcing parts of the chassis and welding some nuts in internally so I can bolt on/off my mods? (eg, some mounting points for GAZ rear shocks that can be removed, and the stock friction shocks replaced at any time down the line. I was also toying with the idea of a bolt on/off rally style subframe to protect the engine and box...)

Also:

* Extra outriggers to make a solid base for a roll cage.
* Adding a roll cage at all..
* How about 'massaging' the firewall? I know I can't cut it or structurally alter it all, but what about a little (but well executed and subtle) tickle with a mallet to squeeze everything in?

I can upload drawings to illustrate the point if it's foggy.. - and thanks in advance for all your help.
-Dave.

 

[nobody]

I dont understand youre post.

If its mot excempt ,it will always be mot excempt unless sometime in the future the government changes the law.this is the one thats recently come in so pre 60 cars are mot free.

Do they reverse laws.

This inspection you are worried about.could you explain what it is.there is no one actively looking to see if you have done mods on youre car.no one cares if youve been naughty.

If you feel you have gone over the eight point system,its up to you wether you write to dvla to tell thrm.

Id guess the majority of the population have never heard of the eight point system unless in there spare time they trawl dvla websites looking for laws so that's why no one tells them.

Best thing is to keep it bog stock.bullet proof then for any future legislation that may or not come in.best air on the side of caution.after all you may only

get twenty years of yoy out off youre modded

motor befor someone from the a government department realises is not stock.thats providing they know what their looking for in the first place.

 

[mygasser]

just read through your post dave and from what i understand all of your proposals are fine. you can add but not take away. the bulkhead can be beaten in no worries too as you're still retaining the stock bulkhead. do you mean gaz coilovers at the rear to replace the leaves and lever arm shocks?
the 8 points are 5 - unaltered monocoque (you can add but not cut away), 2 - front and rear axles, 2 - front and rear suspension, 2 - steering, 2 - gearbox and 1 - engine. you must use the monocoque for the first 5 then any 3 or more from the rest of the list. hope this helps, neil.

 

[doubledave]

Nice one - thanks Neil. Yeah - so the plan is to keep the body/monocoque complete (but with additional mods like a cage and some removable bracing etc), then I can make up the rest with keeping the original steering box and the 'front and back axles' (but a bit stealth - using a stock Zephyr external with uprated LSD and later big Zephyr stub axles so it all looks the same on the outside). The jury's still out on the suspension - plans so far are keeping things fairly stock but swapping the rear friction shocks for the GAZ adjustables (just shocks, not coilovers), getting some GAZ adjustable coilovers made for the front and the whole thing polybushed. Questions here though are to see if I could go more outside the box by either ripping the whole lot out and going full gasser - (using the original steering box with a front I-beam setup and ladder bars at the back), or completely the other way and bagging it.

Nobody: it's a pretty important rule and the topic of a lot of conversations on here. If you get pulled for being/looking like a lunatic or have some kind of smack-up and any inspections take place (it would be bloody hard luck - but not out of the question) - if you have less than eight points your car can be seen as not retaining enough of it's original character and can be Q-plated/re-registered, loosing any classic car privileges. Not only that, but they can also make you take a type approval test. Neither is the end of the world, but all stuff worth avoiding if you can. Of course it depends on who you deal with and how much of a jobs-worth they happen to be - but best to have it in mind from the start and incorporate it in the design if at all possible to avoid ever having to deal with it. You can never replace originality once you've already chopped it up. In short - I think I'm right in saying - taking a grinder the firewall can technically hose any chances of passing a future test should you be unfortunate enough to have to take one.. Feel free to correct me on that

 

[Perfect65]

In my humble opinion, if you need to alter the fire wall, do it nice and tidy so any reasonable person might think it was done at the factory. If its ugly it will draw attention. Neil's comments are spot on.
Of course in a way its long been the case that insurance companies and DVLA ask if there are any modifications to the vehicle and that if you dont tell them you are paying for insurance that will not be valid when the time comes. Maybe some poor soul you crash into wont be able to claim. Only saving grace is that most highly modified cars are not dailys and driven skillfully and occasionally so probably low risk.