DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

I read in last weeks CCW that there is a new proposed EU Law, banning modifing or changing cars from there original spec ??? Would this be the end of building RS / ST and R replicas ? Or prevent one fitting a larger or modified engine etc ??? Has anyone more information on same ??

Tossers.

Theres a big difference between building a safe car and dangerously modifying a standard car - isn't this what the IVA test is for?

The EU and VOSA need to get the 2 defined clearly and separately.

would an MOT tester visually tell the difference between a 2.7 and a 2.2?

i think there's a law somewhere like malta which bans all aftermarket modification parts, be it a cone air filter or an engine swap. some of those guys do some incredible work modifying cars "under the radar"


i believe this proposed law is aimed more towards things like excessively lowered / "stanced" cars where tyres rub bodywork, or cars with cheap european coil-overs without helper springs which have terrible spring retention.. i don't think its aimed at people who do safe and sensible modifications like putting 3.6l engines into 1960's porsches

I lived in Italy for a while and the rules over there still say you cannot increase the BHP of your engine increase the size of your wheels or change the colour of your car from factory standard!!!

I doubt they will impose a ban modification of cars over here or even bother messing with it. The industry for kit cars and mods here is gigantic!!!!

This proposed law is coming from the EU to " preserve originality of the car as designed " which
I can appreciate , somewhat like a listed building . But as always the devil is in the detail . Tuning and and
tweaking is a where the fun is, optimising and using modern materials to improve the breed is always good.
EG : Hydraulic chain tensioners , turbo tie rods, strut braces, Jenveys, SSI , Dansk exhaust etc . i hope it would not kill the R gruppe guys cars as an example of "genius and class/ style "would not be inhibited or banned ?

356california wrote:I lived in Italy for a while and the rules over there still say you cannot increase the BHP of your engine increase the size of your wheels or change the colour of your car from factory standard!!!

Yes, and in the mean time there's is no annual test (MOT), nobody has to see your car again after you bought it...

Funny country...

Jasper wrote:Hydraulic chain tensioners , turbo tie rods, strut braces, Jenveys, SSI , Dansk exhaust etc

i wouldn't worry too much; im not sure your average MOT tester would notice the above, maybe the jenveys and probably the strutbrace, but otherwise..

my track car baffled the guys at Sytner BMW; they knew something wasn't right (250bhp rather than 190) but couldn't spot any engine mods!

given the passion in the uk for building great custom / kit cars, restoring classics, modifying cars, and the huge industry built up around it, i can't see the government doing anything to kill it off

smallspeed wrote: i can't see the government doing anything to kill it off

The miners and everybody in British manufacturing thought that too

true..

but "ripspeed at halfords" is pretty much our largest automotive manufacturer these days