Custom built car laws?

[Orphan]

Hey guys,

Just wondering what the custom built car laws are in Australia. No idea where to find them and thought someone on here might know.

Main Q is regarding the ability to get a track only chassis and using that as a bassis as a custom built if it has a different engine then came standard in it and has a bit of custom work.

I guess this would be the same thing with hotrods how they often use an old chassis but then have the front end rebuilt with new motor etc.

Any ideas/info?

[iamhappy46]

Do a search with the ACT RTA regarding an 'Individually Constructed Vehicle' and the associated engineering that goes with it.

I have built three so far(one for myself and two for others) and if you plan them out, have a realistic budget and goals then they come together nicely.

What engine/chassis combo are you considering?

[Orphan]

Thanks - I will get in contact with the ACT department.

Well the hope is that it would be possible to use a race only chassis with a new engine etc and get it done as a ICV. I'm after a 91 onwards RX7 FD chassis and in aus they are still 15k+ just for a 91 with no engine :o

Is it even possible to do this? Can get a FD chassis for about 3-4k shipped from japan with all brakes etc just no engine and trans but due to ozzie law only series 8's can be imported for road use.

Can you use any chassis for a ICV or does it have to be a car that is currently allowed to be registered? The car gets new plates etc when you ICV it doesn't it?

Thanks for your time.

Oh the combo I was hoping for was a 91+ RX7 FD with a twin turbo 1UZ-FE (possibly VVTI) V8. Total weight should be around 1300kg and it will push out a good 340kw on 12psi. Already got most of the engine planning and pricing down just working on the ability to mate a Getrag V160 transmission with the motor. A company over in the u.k. apparently sell an adapter plate for this so its a simple case of bolting it up which would be awesome - gotta find out more info on it though.

I just can't think of any other chassis I would rather put this combo in + it has some pretty decent suspension for the time which is more what i'm looking at in a combination with the light weight. Will be happy running 280rwkw out of something like this if it can even be done.

Cya.

[iamhappy46]

I would build a chassis from scratch(even buy a kit), it is a much simpler proposition as the FD RX7 chassis may be a good design on paper but transporting it here without a body would allow the chassis frame to warp/twist, etc which means it is no longer a good starting point. Production chassis designs

I built mine based on a rear engine, RWD design using a FWD engine and gearbox to power the rear wheels similiar to an MR2. Obviously, the 1UZ 4L V8motor is more suited to being up the front so this is probably not for you. However, the most recent one that I built/assisted with used a V6 Maxima motor(VQ35 motor of 350Z fame) and the US spec FWD 6 speed boxes(RS6F51H) in the back of a 600Kg car is an exhilerating ride when they are pumping out close to 200Kw@wheels in N/A form with some bolt ons. Turbocharging of the VQ is also possible if you have a death wish. SR20 motors and a FWD gearbox are also an easy fitment as I have done already in my previous 2 kit cars.

If you pursue the 4L V8 RWD concept, I believe on of the 'Rod' shops in Australia also has an CNC machined adaptor using a modified Hilux bellhousing. There are a few modified chassis designs that could accept the V8, one that comes to mind being the Lotus 7 style chassis but your RTA should have a list of approved designs as well.
Being the LS1 forum, this (http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_1551/article.html) little article should give you a few naughty ideas as well. MAFLESS tune, OTRCAI, extractors and a nice exhaust should make for an exciting ride as well.
Building a car yourself is fun but be prepared for a lack of sleep, fights with loved ones, constant talk about progress, etc.

[Orphan]

Hey iamhappy46, Sorry it took so long for me to check back in.

Ok maybe I said it wrong when I said RX7 chassis I basically meant the whole car with a diff engine so when shipped it might even have the factory engine still in it. (not just the chassis itself) Probably keep the stock body panels or order in a burnout fender kit from the u.s. (full kit fenders + front bar + rear bar + skirts is $1800) I'd love to try my hand at some fibreglassing but I fear if I got started I'd never finish and end up with a pile of crap haha.

I have seen a few kits that look pretty good but I just don't have the time/experience to put one together - I'm guessing with instructions it wouldn't be THAT hard as long as not much custom work had to be done for mounting or reinforcing.

Did the car only weigh 600kg WITH the engine or before? Either way that is a very nice power/weight ratio. As for the chassis choice I have to say I'd like to keep my creature comforts of having a roof etc haha + air con and sound system etc which is one reason the RX7 seemed like a good idea, looks alright, FR layout, big trans tunnel so no need to modify, suspension is pretty good.

Now im aware of people abusing the ICV rules and just modding performance wise of import cars only for race use etc to get a cheap registered car on the road so im wondering if it should be fine getting an ICV using a race only/non complicanced import with a non factory motor + trans etc. What level of modification is required? There is a new rear end kit I can get from the u.s. for a reasonable price which along with the other mods would mean it only would look similar besides the standard double wishbone.

Can't tell im keen on the FD3S shell at all lol. Just wanting to know if its possible + it will take a hell of a lot less time to finish over a kit car.

Can get the car for around 5k landed in aus, sell off the engine and trans for 1-2k for a bit of an offset. 1UZ is around $1,000 from most places i've seen, so from what i've seen it should be around $7,000 in initial parts and ad on another $8,000ish for the turbos + manifolds and ECU etc (should cover everything including forged rods - not sure if its necessary considering the power level). So then its just body work, paint, wheels, brakes, exhaust after that and then engineers report (how much are they for an ICV? last I heard it was around $2000) I know its probably optimistic but I'd like to stick to as close to a $20,000 build price as I can. Currently have $14,000 for this build so still a little ways off. Emissions is something i haven't really considered as you have to pass an EPA test right? Is it that hard? if so can probably just tune it to pass and then have a different tune once its passed?

[iamhappy46]

The problem is, you will not be able to import that car under any legal law and then be able to make it road registerable. To even be able to import a full car, it needs to be for race/rally use(CAMS Licence required as well) and DoTaRs have a lovely habit of checking up on owners of these cars to make sure they are not being re-birthed, etc. One guy imported a R32 GTR after writing of a Aus-Delivered R32(no insurance) and swapped everything over into the donor shell so he could sell it and was eventually caught...

If it is not a race/rally import, the car needs to arrive as a front cut or in the case of a MR2, etc a rear cut. Therefore, it is impossible to ever register a car that was imported into Australia using the race/rally scheme, regardless of engine/chassis modifications.

If you want a cheap RX7 shell, it might be easier to move to Japan for a year and bring back a Series 6 as a private import, sell off the motor and then move on from there with the V8 conversion. Plenty of people who have done LS1 swaps into FD RX7's as well.

Also, for a late model ICV to be legalised, the emissions compliance requires in most cases for the engine to be running a factory type ECU with similiar figures to the engines factory specifications. This can be waived in some circumstances if it meets emissions compliance to a more stringent example. I am not sure of the exact standards required but an engineer can probably tell you more.

Yes, 624Kg with the engine fitted but it needed a bit of ballast to increase the weight for road use ;) It does have a full roof, with integrated roll cage that 'should' satisfy ANDRA and has a basic stereo.