Should modified cars be banned

[obi_waynne]

With the bad press boy racers give the car modification community and enthusiasts can you see a time when modified cars will be banned or restricted?

Is it already hard to modify a car legally where you are?

Should certain mods or types of work be banned or perhaps quality tests introduced when they are done to make sure the car is roadworthy.

 

[davalav]

The amount of cars I see these days with so much damage and rust etc, I wonder how it passes the MOT!! Modified or not, stricter tests should come in and stop people driving death traps.

 

[old-git]

I would be prepared to have my car checked, perhaps a version of the IVA test, in order to confirm that any mods have been made safely and don't compromise the safety and stability of the car when compared to a standard version.

Or, thinking about it, a two tier MOT test. One for standard cars and one for modified cars. All modifications to be submitted for testing and detailed on the pass/fail certificate.

 

[T9 man]

I would be prepared to have my car checked, perhaps a version of the IVA test, in order to confirm that any mods have been made safely and don't compromise the safety and stability of the car when compared to a standard version.

I have no problem with that if something like this should ever materialise.

Or, thinking about it, a two tier MOT test. One for standard cars and one for modified cars. All modifications to be submitted for testing and detailed on the pass/fail certificate.

Have you any idea how long that list of modifications would be on my car yet alone yours?

 

[old-git]

Yes, but I have an updated list

Sierra Cosworth 2000cc 4 cylinder modified engine:
Approx 520bhp on pump fuel
Ford Motorsport 200 block
Long studded (6)
Balanced knife-edged lightweight WRC crank
8.2:1 compression ratio
High pressure oil pump
Big winged WRC sump
Steel windage tray
Group A rods
Mahle pistons with R4 pockets
Group A ported and gas flowed 2WD head
Hydraulic lifters
WRC phase sensor
Escort WRC inlet manifold
Piper BD14 inlet and exhaust cams
Piper vernier cam pulleys
Piper valve springs
WRC steel head gasket
4WD exhaust manifold plasma coated
Custom made 3” exhaust system (Primary Designs) plasma coated by Zircotec
T4 RS500 turbo with 60 trim compressor housing and 360 degree bearing
.31 Actuator
8x Siemens injectors
Distributorless ignition system (camshaft pickup)
Wasted spark coil pack (Motorcraft) and high performance plug leads.
4WD steel flywheel
Solid engine mounts
Aluminium gearbox mount
Twin plate cerametallic Alcon clutch assembly
3 bar MAP
Life full race F88 ECU and custom made lightweight wiring looms
Anti-lag system
Launch control
Traction control
ABS wheel sensors for above on all wheels plus one for speedo
Full throttle pneumatic gear change system with flappy paddles
Custom made alloy radiator and intercooler.
Hi-Spec 4 pot alloy front calipers and larger diameter lightened grooved and drilled discs
Hi-Spec 2 pot alloy rear calipers and drilled and lightened discs
Elite il300 6 speed sequential gearbox fitted with pneumatic gear change system
Lightened propshaft
Sierra Cosworth 7.5” 3.85:1 rear diff fitted with Quaife ATB
Custom made gun barrel drilled driveshafts.
Lightened CV joints
Uprated and lightened chassis to beyond 26R specification (by Graham Hatherway Racing) to cope with up to 650bhp
Uprated and adjustable Lotus Elan rear bottom wishbones
Custom made (GH Racing) rear top wishbones (“Rose Jointed”) and hub carriers
Custom made adjustable in-situ (camber and caster) aluminium front top wishbones.
Spyder bottom front wishbones.
Alloy (Pace Products) front wheel hubs
Bespoke vertical link with ball joint replacing trunnion
Standard bushes in all suspension parts that haven’t been “Rose Jointed”.
Droop limiters all round in lieu of anti-roll bars
Fully bespoke B.A.D dampers and Eibach springs with tender springs on rear.
Damper spring seats lightened
Rear dampers now inboard.
Standard steering rack but reconditioned and secured with solid mounts
Floor mounted brake-bias pedal box assembly.
Hydraulic clutch assembly
No ICE
Carbon fibre seats (pair)
Carbon fibre dash
Carbon fibre boot
Carbon fibre bonnet with rearward facing vent in low pressure area
Standard doors but lightened and with Lexan windows
Wheel arch vents to reduce high pressures
Custom quick release steering wheel with inbuilt switches and containing digital dash
Roll hoop
Lap and diagonal seat belts for everyday use and full harness for track day and drag racing use.
2 gallon foam filled alloy fuel tank.
Holley blue top lifter pump.
1.5l collector tank
Pair of Bosch 044 MotorSports high pressure fuel pumps (205l/min @5bar)
High flow filter.
600 series Aeroquip dash 8 fuel pipes plus dash 8 aluminium fuel supply and return lines.
Mallory high pressure fuel regulator
Hydraulic handbrake
Custom rear light clusters
Bodywork modified to accommodate 3-piece 15x7” alloys with 225/50/15 tyres and 3-piece 15x10.5” alloys with 285/40/15 tyres
Front splitter
Rear diffuser
Front and back bumpers moulded into bodywork
Underside smoothed
Red top lightweight 70ah dry cell racing battery.
Custom lightweight headlamps
Lightweight 80amp alternator.
Lenham hardtop bonded to DHC body
Component positions optimised to help in balancing car weight
Brackets for wheelie bar
All suspension and chassis bolts replaced with titanium equivalents.
Non structural nuts and bolts replaced with aluminium
Lightweight carpet (well, you need some luxury )

 

[T9 man]

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Steve my head is still spinning after reading your list of mods

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Over here we have a code /rules for mods .Some do not require approval but most require a transport dept approved mod engineer/inspectors approval and a "blue plate" noting the mods and codes permanently fixed in the engine bay .
The details are sent to the transport dept and I carry a copy in the glovebox in case I am ever pulled over by the police and asked to "pop the bonnet "
I do have a BOV is not recirculating and is frowned on but I would argue that the car does not have an air flow meter so the BOV can't affect the fueling as my car has MAP sensored fuel control the BOV is only releasing clean air that has been thru the air cleaner so it has to be cleaner than the air I/we are breathing officer.
I try to drive in traffic so the BOV does not work..

 

[old-git]

What is the engneer's brief re mods?

 

[Teo]

With the bad press boy racers give the car modification community and enthusiasts can you see a time when modified cars will be banned or restricted?

Is it already hard to modify a car legally where you are?

Should certain mods or types of work be banned or perhaps quality tests introduced when they are done to make sure the car is roadworthy.

High Powered/Low Powered Vehicles, Guns, Knifes, Forks, Spoons, Candle Holders, Pitch Forks and On and On and On-by themselves Don't KILL or Even Injure People!!! People KILL and or Injure People!!! Get rid of ALL the People and problem solved! Who will be the first to volunteer?


No! It is NOT hard to modify any ride here with-in MV5 rules. But!-Printed rules versus actual enforcement, is a whole different story! It is just How many $$$$$$$ do you wish to spend before Law Enforcement catches on?


Yes!! Certain UNSAFE mods should be BANNED! If you don't know "WHAT YOU ARE DOING"? ASK someone who does!!


Thanks for allowing my RANT!!!

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

What is the engneer's brief re mods?

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Ve...odifications/Light-vehicle-modifications.aspx

 

[Aerial Andy944]

We'll if they charged per mod to check, OG's gonna have to fork out £1000s each year ::

 

[old-git]

Thanks

 

[old-git]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Ve...odifications/Light-vehicle-modifications.aspx

Makes interesting reading. If the UK decides to go down this route they wouldn't go too wrong by basing the rules on these. However, knowing how UK regulation design is done, there is little chance of not reinventing the wheel and a very good chance of ending up with a mess.

 

[MADRod]

Don't really see why a modded car needs to have a different mot to a standard car. Having loads of Power or mods don't make a car less road worthy. What are you trying to achieve, safer roads if you are most accidents are caused by the under 25's so maybe a place to start. Unsafe mods should be banned , I agree with that but if you start with unsafe drivers being banned this would make more sense.
Problem is who decides whats safe. If the Minister of Transport came for a ride in mine ALL cars would be banned within 10 minutes of his recovery .

 

[obi_waynne]

A fitters competency certificate might be a better way to go. With Gas fit and Electricians qualifications being legally required now they could do the same for cars! Not great but it will stop a lot of the bodging that goes on.

Do you reckon this would work?

 

[T9 man]

^^ The problem there is that with the fitting being left only to professionally qualified people, what are the members on here going to do?

 

[old-git]

Defining safe modifications will be difficult.

One example I will have to overcome/circumvent:

CV joints are usually secured by 6 bolts. On race cars it is usual, in order to reduce weight, to use 3 bolts and 3 short dowels. The reasoning is that the forces exerted on the bolts are shear not stretch, so the bolts are only required to keep the CV in place. This is what I am doing. However, this may well fail an MOT due to the obvious missing bolts.

Any MOT trained inspector promoted to dealing with modified cars would probably consider missing bolts a safety issue.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Over here 6 point cages and 4,5or 6 point harnesses are banned in a road registered car but ok in a rally car.
The cage due to the difficulty of getting in & out and the harness due to the adjustment required for other people drive .
That is why I still have the stock lap sash as well as a 4 point harness fitted.