Lancia Motor Club

A recent thread from an Irish member threw up the fact that Eire has dropped it's MOT equivalent requirements for pre 1980 cars; Isn't 1980 the year deemed by the EU as a cut off for 'classic' cars?
I think a few european countries are removing lots of requirements for cars manufactured pre this date. We should really be starting a campaign amongst car clubs to have this in the UK. The free road tax should also be equalised to this date.

Neil,
Where do I sign ;)

Brian
8227 8)

No flaming use to me...  ::)

Careful what you wish for, limited use springs to mind.

Depends on what that would be, I suspect for most of us 3-5K miles a year would suffice, in fact some years it's considerably less.
Brian
8227 8)

I think what Peter is thinking of/worring about is a German idea that you could only use your classic for a 'reason'; eg attending an official club related event. Hopefully the classic scene in the UK has far too much truck to wear this. The 1980 MOT cut off in Eire doesn't seem to have sparked anything like this, so just that would be a starter for ten.

That certainly wouldn't be good news, I also understand a lot of cars are now banned in German cities and Towns if they don't meet emission requirements?

Brian
8227 8)

Also I know the majority of us look after our precious cars but in the future would you want to buy a 1977 car that hadn't been mot'd for about five years? Just a thought. :-\

I think you would buy after the usual thourgh inspection. The fact is that modern MOT stations are not geared up for older cars anyway. Genuine classic owners want their cars to be fully working and in good order. I think that it would work as a kind of natural selection. Old cars are not really cheap to look after. No-one runs pre 1980 cars as cheap banger transport anymore. When did you last see a T reg Morris Marina?

Does this post refer to abolishing roadworthy testing for pre 80's in Ireland?? If so I wont be going there some time soon!

Tim

Many years ago the IVVCC (Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club) lobbied for a 30 year 'rolling' cut off for classic car status. You'd get a standard rate of road tax (regardless of engine capacity) and insurance reflected on limited use/value etc. It used to be 25 old Irish pounds, at present its 46 Euro. We had to have an 'engineers' report each year (mot to you). This worked very well till the 30 year cut off behan to get a bit too 'modern', and the usual thing happened, people began to store cars till they reached 30, then had them re-registered as 'classics' simply to avail of cheap road tax. Our current NCT (mot) is very strict, and can even put newish cars off the road.
The old engineers report seemed to go by the wayside over time as insurance companys (who used to insist on seeing it), were more interested in revenue, so let it slide. It was never a requirement for road tax.
Its a pity really, 'cos the majority of old cars users really doo look after their cars, it was the few who saw this as a cheap way of taxing a car spoiled it for most.
Quite a few Mercs, hovering around the 30 year mark are popping up for sale as it happens.
I can see the insurance companies shortly insisting on the test being adhered to quite soon, so dont worry about the roadworthiness of classics.
As I race my older cars, they have to pass scrutiny at each event, so thats keeps them in check....emissions...thats a different story.

There seems to be different rules in the various EU countries, but there is no doubt that the EU Commission is working towards introducing the same rules all over. Consequently FIVA is monitoring the development and is trying to get a general 30 years rolling cut off. In this country - Denmark - we have a rather sensible rule saying that cars only have to comply with rules which were in force when the car was first registered. Modern cars have to be MOT'ed every two years, while cars over 35 years old can be registered as historic with the consequence that they only have to be MOT'ed every 8 years. There is a limit to how much you can use a car thus registered; you may not use it as a means of daily transport, but you can use it for leasure as much as you like. No one ever controls this - apart from the insurance companies.
As for restrictions in towns in Europe www.lowemissionzones.eu is very useful. According to that historic vehicles are not barred anywhere - but you may need some sort of proof that your car is historic, in other words more than 30 yeras old. It is easy to imagine that one day authorities may want to see a specific historic licence such as the FIVA Identity Card.

So who would examine the vehicle/ issue a FIVA ID card in the UK ?

The Federation of Historic Vehicle Clubs is the Brtitish FIVA member and issues FIVA ID-cards

If you ever want to raise a specific question with the FBHVC, then as your club rep. I will be happy to write to them on your collective behalf, however I will probably need to let the Committee see it before it goes.

I am actually a trade member of the FBHVC,
joined as a single member years ago then changed
to trade membership. Reminds me I haven't paid for
this year yet.

Didn't know they issued the FIVA ID cards though.

Geoff