technical inspection

[speedwell]

today i go to the technical inspection center to have my paper for my new plate everthing is ok on the car now , i will go to the insurance and the D.I.V (to receive my oldtimer plate )
now I am not any more an out law 
more photo will come, when i will have the oldtimer plate ,speedwell will be drive the small belgian road for nice pictures 

[Zach Gomulka]

So let me get this straight... in Belgium you can modify your car however you like (assuming it is safe) as long as you have it registered as an "Oldtimer" ?

[wolfswest]

So let me get this straight... in Belgium you can modify your car however you like (assuming it is safe) as long as you have it registered as an "Oldtimer" ?

Not exactly...
If you have an oldtimer plate you may only use it to go to meetings.  You can make test-drives within a circle of 20 miles and it is not allowed to drive it when it's dark.  If you go to or come from a meeting it's allowed to drive in the dark.  It's also not allowed to use it to go to work.  an oldtimer license plate is easy recognisable because it starts with an "O", mine is OCA 129 for example...

for the modifications:  the rules are more loose...  Normally they check your brakes, your suspension and your lights, that's about it.  So basicly it's possible to MOT it with an IDA engine but there are different MOT stations in Belgium and they don't apply all the same rules if you know what I mean...  If you have a pain in the ass inspector or a rice lover or so he could nail you...  It's his word against yours, and he will win...  I experienced it myself... 

Once you have an O-plate you don't have to MOT your car every year...

[Wünderwolff]

Weeeeeelll,... not exactly. But there's some room to bend the rules. For now.

Recently an Oldtimer can only be a completely original car. And especially in the Flanders the Technical Inspection is getting really tough.

What a lot of people do is get the car inspected in OG state, and modify afterwards. You only have to get the car inspected once, so unless you get busted by the cops, no problemo. And the cops will be after you since you get a special number plate for oldtimers, with which you can only drive to meetings, nothing else.

The thing is that except for the tires, Speedwells car could pretty much get through the normal everyday-use inspection. With a lot of hassle, true, but afterwards he could drive the car anytime, anywhere. You can get almost all mods on the papers, especially since the car is old enough not to need official allowance for every specific part like steering wheel and such. Even a hot engine is do-able, if you're persuasive, as for such an old car you don't need the constructors aproval to modify in the engine bay.

Belgium is a tough country to get your car on the road, but as I said it is possible, as is everything in Belgium

Ciao,
Tim

[Zach Gomulka]

Wow. What a pain in the ass!

[Fastbrit]

Move to the UK.... It's pretty much all legal apart from slicks etc.

[Lee.C]

Move to the UK.... It's pretty much all legal apart from slicks etc.

Dam right dude - it still amazes me what you can get away with if you know the "Right" MOT station 

[John Rayburn]

If you happen to get a "bad" inspector, can you dispute it, or go to a different station so you can get a different inspector?

[javabug]

Some of all that sounds like Pennsylvania! 

[Bruce]

Wow. What a pain in the ass!

Ya, but Zach, they don't have to deal with smog inspections.  Same PITA, different flavour.

[nicolas]

If you happen to get a "bad" inspector, can you dispute it, or go to a different station so you can get a different inspector?

yep. that is what i did. my squarback didn't pass inspection in my hometown so i went to a different one with the fastback (which is more modified, for the better off course) and passed but with the same size tires allround.

the square was redcarded because the bolts that hold the spindels on the trailing arms were not secured enough for the inspector. the bolts were all original and bolted in and locked with the normal metal ring with the tab on it. "not good" the guy told, he wanted to see bolts that were passing the arms with nuts on them. so i thought no biggy and went back home. took me 2 days to have it done. so now i have non-original parts because they said so.
this is not all. so i went back and the plastic line for the brakelines is always bend. this time it bends to the bottom of the car, but not even under the rotors or close to the ground. redcarded again. not safe, that should face up. so i go out drive home take the brake off and twist it around and bolt it back. go back one hour later and i finally pass.

out off every time i went i can tell stories about something that isn't right or things that are too funny.

what i want to see is an inspection that REALY checks safety for roadcars.

not to diss anyone, but i have seen people buy an oldtimer, get the brakes and lights working rightaway. have it passed MOT, have there O plates and then start changing stuff. just not to get the hassle. i would do it myself, but your car is not inspected afterwards, you don't need to go. and saftey might not be the prime issue of the builder and he can drive it non the less.

btw who has a job for me and my wife in england, we are moving over 

[j-f]

My car is with normal plate. I should pass the tech inspection since last month, but I don't dare since my brakes are in Porsche pattern.
I should put the original brakes, original wheels, exhaust and hope they don't notice that I use disc brakes with drop spindles.
That's a pity.
I'm wondering if I  should  register it in Oldtimer plate.
And I let you imagine when I go with our heavy trucks in ADR class (Dangerous product) 

[roland]

It's a bit of a gamble in belgium. I passed my cab as it sits now (kind of ratty... ) and the guy was in a good mood, told me "woah, there's work to be done on your car buddy", then saw the new brakes, front end, rear end, was impressed and it was ok...

As for the 68, it's been registered for 10 years and even if it's in resto for more than 2 years i keep paying my taxes so i don't have to pass technical inspection after the resto, you never know how they react to 48idas, 4 disc brakes, big gearbox, etc etc...

[TOM / EINHEIT 11]

are U talking about problems for getting your cars legal on the street? hahahaha. In this case U all have to move to switzerland.

HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PROBLEMS. It goes to far to explain all the details.......but let me tell U......it costs U a fortune and all your nerves

cheers Tom

[speedwell]

ithey just check the brakes , the body number , and the  front suspension that's all , and i put original rims with 4 good tires ,  to be on not having problems
the controller has just  criticized for my bucket seats ,because it found that one was not well to install and I said to him that it was my choice and that me I did not discuss on his car whereas it respects my choice, that it makes his job and that it is keep silent 

[Zach Gomulka]

Wow. What a pain in the ass!

Ya, but Zach, they don't have to deal with smog inspections.  Same PITA, different flavour.

Not where I live

[John Rayburn]

So, if you make changes after your inspection, and a policeman stops you, does he ask to see your inspection card , or whatever they give you, to see if there changes.... Or would he even know if you've changed anything? Can they do anything to make you go back for another inspection? And has anybody here had that happen? Here, we get what we call "fix it" tickets.  Headlights too low, modified exhaust, etc.

[Donny B.]

...and if the car is old enough like '66 and earlier then there is no smog check at all and I live south of Zach in Phoenix.  If you have collector car insurance you can get off without smog check as well.

[Rennsurfer]

California changed their smog laws awhile back... thankfully, it's currently 1974 and older cars are smog exempt. Some parts of the world are easier going about modified and older cars, and others, not-so-much.

[John Rayburn]

They're always didling with the smog laws here, and I get nervous every time it comes up that someone is going to get the bright idea of smogging ALL cars.

[Donny B.]

I think we need to smog check all politicians!

[speedwell]

So, if you make changes after your inspection, and a policeman stops you, does he ask to see your inspection card , or whatever they give you, to see if there changes.... Or would he even know if you've changed anything? Can they do anything to make you go back for another inspection? And has anybody here had that happen? Here, we get what we call "fix it" tickets.  Headlights too low, modified exhaust, etc.

no john , here in belgium  you go the inspection  with original car and after if you want to change something , there's nothing on the inspection card who said that the car was  like this or that , here the cops do not control the height of headlights etc...  

[nicolas]

So, if you make changes after your inspection, and a policeman stops you, does he ask to see your inspection card , or whatever they give you, to see if there changes.... Or would he even know if you've changed anything? Can they do anything to make you go back for another inspection? And has anybody here had that happen? Here, we get what we call "fix it" tickets.  Headlights too low, modified exhaust, etc.

yep what fabs said, no fix it tickets, just remarks, but that is up to the officer. not according to the inspection document. it is a bit weird. but there is always backdoors, otherwise it wouldn't be belgium.

good one fabs, so now your car is all streetlegal? cool

[speedwell]

So, if you make changes after your inspection, and a policeman stops you, does he ask to see your inspection card , or whatever they give you, to see if there changes.... Or would he even know if you've changed anything? Can they do anything to make you go back for another inspection? And has anybody here had that happen? Here, we get what we call "fix it" tickets.  Headlights too low, modified exhaust, etc.

yep what fabs said, no fix it tickets, just remarks, but that is up to the officer. not according to the inspection document. it is a bit weird. but there is always backdoors, otherwise it wouldn't be belgium.

good one fabs, so now your car is all streetlegal? cool

tomorrow i will go the RMU (royal motor union) , to  subscribe an insurance  ,  I would have a rebate of 30€ on my oldtimer  insurance while passing by this automobile club which more east works with my insurance and after that I will seek my number plates 

[nicolas]

very cool. hope i have an engine soon to come cruising 'la wallonie'

[j-f]

very cool. hope i have an engine soon to come cruising 'la wallonie'

That's a good idea. 
There is so much nice place around here. 

[speedwell]

very cool. hope i have an engine soon to come cruising 'la wallonie'

that's a good idea nicolas 

[yvre]

very cool. hope i have an engine soon to come cruising 'la wallonie'

We call it Wallifornia...

[Diederick/DVK]

i'll be in wallifornia the weekend of 6-9 june.
we will rent a house in les ardennes slightly north of bastogne (nadrin). but my point is i'll be driving down there with my buddy in my '67 and the rest of the group (8 people) are gonna rent a van
should be a pretty cool drive if the weather is nice! maastricht-liege and further south along the e25 (a26), is this a nice route?

sorry for hijacking your thread fabs

[speedwell]

nadrin or nandrin , because if it's nandrin it's just a side of my town