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Getting a home made car on the road?

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  • 03-01-2012 11:53pm
    #1
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭


    Hi guys, I have a question that needs answering and thought this would be the best place for it!

    I've been constructing a car for a little while, with the hopes of one day getting it on the road! I started with a chassis from a 1971 VW Beetle (which was falling to pieces) and kinda did my own thing. . I'll put a link to a portfolio with all of the pictures. The mechanical workings of the car are all original Beetle. . all that I've really done is body work!

    Anyways, what I really want to find out is, whats the story with getting the car on the road. . what test will it have to go through and what is tested?

    Here's the link: http://www.behance.net/gallery/69-VW-Beetle/2693557

    and here's a picture just so you dont have to bother looking through the portfolio!

    5cdd76204697521218a8e4fc9d44c541.JPG


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    #2
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    The doors are next on the agenda and should be more or less done in a couple of days. . then the boot, bonnet, a bit of fillers and bodywork is pretty much complete!


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    #3
    aujopimur
    Registered Users Posts: 3,953 ✭✭✭aujopimur


    Great fabrication work, as it's NCT exept I don't see a problem with roadworthiness, however when your insurer asks about modification you may have a bit of difficulty.


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    #4
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    aujopimur wrote: »
    Great fabrication work, as it's NCT exept I don't see a problem with roadworthiness, however when your insurer asks about modification you may have a bit of difficulty.

    So you think that it wont have to go through any tests? I dont know if it is technically a Beetle anymore, I was thinking it might be counted as a kit car. . then again I know nothing about it!


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    #5
    aujopimur
    Registered Users Posts: 3,953 ✭✭✭aujopimur


    All you'll need to tax it is the log book, but if you're up front about it with your insurer you will at least need a motor engineers report, as it's strictly speaking not a kit car and does'nt conform to any safety standard you are unlikely to get insured.
    This is only an ametuer but a common sense opinion.


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    #6
    Antomus Prime
    Registered Users Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭Antomus Prime


    I havent a clue about how you would go about making it road legal, all I wanted to see is after looking through the blog I think it's awesome!!!! Fair play to ya, cant wait to see the finished result!!


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    #7
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    aujopimur wrote: »
    All you'll need to tax it is the log book

    I dont actually have the log book. I got the Beetle for free off of a lady my father did some work for! She said it had been sitting outside her house for 15 years. .

    I do know the old number plate though. . best bet to go into the county council and try get a replacement log book?


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    #8
    aujopimur
    Registered Users Posts: 3,953 ✭✭✭aujopimur


    The easiest way to get a replacement log book is for that lady to sign the form for you, other than that you may have to get a declaration witnessed by a comm for oathes (this usually free of charge unless you use a greedy one).


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    #9
    Daved_XB
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭Daved_XB


    Whilst I too admire your work & envy your skills... it looks great...

    I can't see you getting that on the road legally.. from what I can see in your blog there is no real crash safety structures front, rear or side.. I'd be shocked if an engineer passed that as safe.. I reckon a crash at 120kph would have the occupants well & truly squished


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    #10
    freestyla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭freestyla


    aujopimur wrote: »
    All you'll need to tax it is the log book, but if you're up front about it with your insurer you will at least need a motor engineers report, as it's strictly speaking not a kit car and does'nt conform to any safety standard you are unlikely to get insured.
    This is only an ametuer but a common sense opinion.

    +1 and you need motor engineer who could really sit down with you look thru portfolio and ask you some numbers and figures, then accept it or reject it.

    It looks you might have some more weight moved toward rear of the car since structure looks heavier than Beetle's original, and seats are moved backwards. Maybe need some ballast at the front.

    Also that fuel tank looks a bit awkward position, a bit too high behind drivers head..hmm.. not an expert here just some thoughts.

    Great work btw! How the car is called? :)


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    #11
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    Daved_XB wrote: »
    Whilst I too admire your work & envy your skills... it looks great...

    I can't see you getting that on the road legally.. from what I can see in your blog there is no real crash safety structures front, rear or side.. I'd be shocked if an engineer passed that as safe.. I reckon a crash at 120kph would have the occupants well & truly squished

    I'm not trying to get it on the road today. . wait until its finished ;) You would be shocked by the strength in it actually. . I've crashed into the trees at the bottom of my field enough times to know :D

    I dont think I'll be going 120 in it at any stage haha! and a crash on a motorbike at 60 would probably kill you, but people still use them :P

    I dont know if I'll ever get it on the road, but its something to work towards :)


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    #12
    heate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 499 ✭✭✭heate


    Perhaps go to the UK and have an SVA performed. Only thing I can summon!


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    #13
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    freestyla wrote: »
    +1 and you need motor engineer who could really sit down with you look thru portfolio and ask you some numbers and figures, then accept it or reject it.

    It looks you might have some more weight moved toward rear of the car since structure looks heavier than Beetle's original, and seats are moved backwards. Maybe need some ballast at the front.

    Also that fuel tank looks a bit awkward position, a bit too high behind drivers head..hmm.. not an expert here just some thoughts.

    Great work btw! How the car is called? :)

    I dont know if it is any heavier than the Beetle was, at least not yet :P still alot to do on it of course but dont think its gonna weigh outrageous. . There's three less seats in the back of it too so I dont think its any more tail heavy than it ever was :)

    I had the fuel tank bolted there for a short while just because it was easier than replacing the fuel line that runs up the center chassis (completely rusted out of it), but I eventually got around to replacing that! Now I have to make a new tank to go in the front of the car in the same spot as in the original (which will also balance out the weight a little)


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    #14
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    heate wrote: »
    Perhaps go to the UK and have an SVA performed. Only thing I can summon!

    That was the type of thing I was thinking, but didint know what the test was called! My uncle suggested it to me before. . could be a good road trip :D Is there an Irish equivalent?


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    #15
    freestyla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,047 ✭✭✭freestyla


    What about ask around if some college, university or ESB likes etc.. would team up and take it to next level with possibly hybrid or electric components? even with solar panels roof or bonnet.
    or you are pure petrol head?


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    #16
    deckersd
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭deckersd


    Petrol head? haha, not at all! I barely know anything about cars! Dunno how I got myself into doing this really :) Funny you should mention that though. . I'm actually in college studying Energy :P

    I cant really see making the car into some sort of hybrid working. . at this stage it probably does weigh almost as much as the Beetle body, and I'd imagine for any sort of hybrid system you would want to have a light enough car. I dunno how easy it would be to retrofit a Beetle posing as a muscle car with hybrid tech either :)

    Not just shooting the idea down though, I've asked that to myself and thought about it alot before. . realistically I just couldn't afford to try and do it. I'm ridiculously broke! At the minute I've spent less than €280 on the car (spark plugs, new exhaust, two pairs of seats and the steel used to make it). . its just taken hours of my own work :)


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