I lurk on another car forum that's heavily populated by Australians, and I saw something interesting in one post: There was also much talk about engineering permits and such. What's the story with engine swaps and hot rodding there? I'm just curious. Thanks t
There is a HUGE hotrodding community here in Australia. Mostly in other states to where i live, but it certainly is a viable hobby for the enthusiast in Australia. Engine swaps can be a little tricky for newer cars, but are really no problem in older models, as well as pre-engineered and approved hot-rod designs. I'm only going off what i hear off my mechanic as he is currently building a "bucket" or something, so if you really want the specifics, i could go out an get them. But generally, i dont think its a problem to 'rod down under. -Mike
huge hot rod show here on the Gold Coast every year and is well patroned by Yanks coming over for a gander. As long as the car has an engineering certificate it is fine.
Thanks everyone. What is an engineering certificate? Here in the States if you can bolt three things together it's acceptable -- 500 inch Caddy in a Chevette, check! If the original chassis still had a title and you had brakes and lights you were legal. The prior post seemed to indicate a limit on engine sizes and such.
well a mate of mine just got his Caterham passed for structural integrity after they whacked it about a lot testing the welds, he then has to get another certificate when the engine goes in. Engineering certificates are hard to come by because of litigation, the engineer gives you a certificate and they are exposing themselves to lawsuits if it turns out they were wrong or slack.
There are ways and means my friends... a client of mine reckons he can build me a McLaren M8 replica, complete with supercharged 502, and fully road legal. He also runs one of the country's highest quality rod chassis shops, so if he says it's possible to get anything registered then I'd say it's possible to get just about anything registered So hot rodding is alive and well if you know how to do it.
But you do have to have an engineers certificate (I'd guess your mate is one of those licensed to do so) so it's not like the States where, as Tillman mentioned, you can just bolt 3 bits together and slap a rego sticker on it. In QLD you may also get registration as a Special Interest Vehicle but then use is restricted to car club events. Things like Jay Leno's "Tank Car" probably would never get to see the bitumen here...Remember you can't even register an F40, 50 or Enzo most places in Australia (and we call ourselves a civilised nation ?!?!?!)
