If your building a cobra in nsw - read this.

[Baz]

It's been a while. My car has been in the paint shop for 10 weeks and should be finished in a couple more. To say I'm pissed off would be polite. Insurance jobs certainly take precedence over the individual. At any rate, Friday week is the promised date. Then it's into the workshop for a few days to have the bling re-attached then it's Trimmer No. 1 where the cockpit interior and boot will be finished. Then it's off to Engineering and Rego. Trimmer No. 2 will receive it later down the track to make and install the consul, soft top and tonneau. Then it's receiving the 3M film to prevent stone chips over all the vunerable parts.

In the meantime, I have been received a reply from the NSW Minister for Roads regarding the 160kph Brake Test for ICV's. His letter was a two page response and the first page consisted of telling me what an ICV was. The final answer as to who was responsible for death. injury or damage caused during this test was; if you said "ME", your totally correct. This took 7 months to receive back from State Parliament. What a joke.

I also emailed the Roads and Traffic Authority concerning problems I had with technicalities on the Unregistered Vehicle Permit Application and the response I received will be of interest to everone building an ICV in NSW.

I attended my local Motor Registery and asked for information concerning an 'Unregistered Vehicle Permit'. They supplied me the necessary form which included a question requesting the Chassis or VIN No. of the car I was building. "Der." You receive your VIN No. after you have been through Engineering, received your Blue Slip and had all the papers processed through the RTA.

As my new RMC body and chassis didn't have a Chassis No., I decided to email the Registration and Vehicle Manager of the RTA, a Charles Kwu, and requested from him, a direction on how to proceed. His response is worth noting and keeping in your glove box as a reference to this email which was dated 27 March, 2009 at 12.08pm..

I will quote his response verbatem;

Thank you for your email in regards to an application for an Unregistered Vehicle Permit (UVP).

To issue a UVP for any vehicle it must have an identifier. A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Chassis or serial number is required.

However, unregistered vehicles can be driven for the purpose of obtaining registration by the most direct or convenient route:

*to the nearest convenient motor registry, or
*to the nearest convenient vehicle inspection station or authorised inspection station to determine whether the vehicle complies with the applicable standards, or
*in the course of inspecting or testing the vehicle to determine if it complies with the applicable vehicle standards, or
*to the nearest practicable weighbridge to determine the weight of the vehicle, or
*from a motor registry or inspection station or authorised inspection station where registration of the vehicle has been refused for any purpose, to the nearest convenient place where necessary repairs and adjustments to the vehicle can be made or where the vehicle can be garaged,
*unless a direction has been issued that the vehicle must not be driven before necessary repairs have been made, or
*to the nearest convenient office of a licensed insurer for the purpose of obtaining Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance, or
*to the nearest convenient location for any other purpose directly associated with the registration process.

Regards

Charlie Kim (Registration & Vehicle Management ) RTA (end email).

I appreciate that I will need an UVP for my trip to Trimmer No. 1, or have the car taken there on a trailer of Tilt Tray, but according to this email, I can lawfully drive it unregistered to to the Engineering, Sniff and Blue Slip Tests.

The last paragraph of the email is really broad and covers a hell of a lot. E.G. You require windscreen wipers to have the car passed for rego. Technically, you could drive your unregistered car to the local Spare Parts shop to purchase a set of wipers as your driving it " to the nearest convenient location for any other purpose (purchase windscreen wipers which is a process) directly associated with the registration process." On the other hand, I don't need trim to have the car registered, so I couln't drive it to the trimmers unregistered.

I hope this information is of assistance to someone. If anyone needs a copy of the original, send me a PM and I will get it off to you.

Baz

[Tenrocca]

Interestig reading Baz - thanks for the info. So its basically saying you DONT need a UVP if you are driving the vehicle for any of those purposes? Wonder where my nearest weigh bridge is.....

[Beejay]

Baz,

I was aware that permits were not required, but used them during registration anyway.

Before driving an unregistered car I would check what cover you have for accident insurance and third party cover.

Cheers,

Ben

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Beejay

Baz,

I was aware that permits were not required, but used them during registration anyway.

Before driving an unregistered car I would check what cover you have for accident insurance and third party cover.

Cheers,

Ben

Already done Ben. A box Trailer doesn't need a Green Slip as it is covered by what's known as the 'Nominal Defendant.' Exactly the same procedure applies when your driving an unregistered vehicle in accordance with the exemptions mentioned in my thread.

Baz

[richardferguson]

Baz
having had 3M film on the cobra and my ute, I would not recommend it. Soon becomes cut, scratched and does not keep a good shine. Especially the case if you're going to track it or use it in the country. Chipped paint looks a lot better than cut and scratched 3M film in my opinion and a decent rock will damage your paint and your film at the same time.
Richard

[Merv and Sharon]

Interesting Baz. In QLD we have to get the VIN and surrogate engine number (latter if needed) BEFORE engineering. There is a view that we can then be given a day or short term permit for direct movement to bring the car to Queensland Transport ( = RTA) and the registration place (usually the same place). There may also be a possibility of some initial road use to set up the speedo and test the colling system but I am not really clear on that allowance either. Others may be. Third Party insurance would an issue that would trouble me.

I have not tested either view yet and have used a car trailer for all purposes so far. However, for the initial inspection the QLD police offered to come to my house to save me the hassle of a trailer. There was a robbery in the middle of that of course but they came back and finished the job!

Merv

[Beejay]

Good to know about the Green slip situation Baz.

What about accident insurance if you run into a Porsche on the way?

Ben

[WKB]

Merv,
I enquired about a permit last week. First you need 3rd party insurance which $100 for 2 weeks, then a permit from Qld Transport which is $20 a day. For registration, once you have your 3rd party insurance you can drive the car direct to the inspection station.

Warren

[tabey25]

I live in Victoria, all ready have my VIN number after only 5mths of building my sc 540 and i have a 28day permit from vic roads to drive it any were to get it worked on only cost $63.00 Glad i dont live in NSW

Michael

[Merv and Sharon]

Thanks Warren. Then I can drive to registration - having obtained 3rd party insurance!

Merv

[WKB]

[quote=Merv and Sharon;951951] Then I can drive to registration - having obtained 3rd party insurance!

/QUOTE]

Merv,
That is what Qld Transport told me and that is what I did.

Warren

[macloft]

Merv I did the same as WKB
Drove around the place for 2 weeks with Warricks number plates. Even went to the Transport department twice and they where OK.
Bruce

[Baz]

Originally Posted by richardferguson

Baz
having had 3M film on the cobra and my ute, I would not recommend it. Soon becomes cut, scratched and does not keep a good shine. Especially the case if you're going to track it or use it in the country. Chipped paint looks a lot better than cut and scratched 3M film in my opinion and a decent rock will damage your paint and your film at the same time.
Richard

Thanks Doc,

This is where the Forum is invaluable. Besides that, you just saved me a grand. I must admit that Medical Practitioners usually cost me a grand, not the other way around. Thanks for the advise.

Have you sold your SP Cobra yet?

Baz.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Beejay

Good to know about the Green slip situation Baz.

What about accident insurance if you run into a Porsche on the way?

Ben

Ben,

That's where Shannons come in handy. My car has been covered by Comprehensive Insurance with them since I started the build in 2007.

Baz.

[richardferguson]

Originally Posted by Baz

Thanks Doc,

This is where the Forum is invaluable. Besides that, you just saved me a grand. I must admit that Medical Practitioners usually cost me a grand, not the other way around. Thanks for the advise.

Have you sold your SP Cobra yet?

Baz.

You can owe me Baz
I thought you'd get plenty of contrary opinions to mine as it's a popular product. Anyway that was my experience.
Cobra went to a nice home on the northern beaches a few months back.
No decision yet on a replacement.
Richard

[Beejay]

Baz,

Are you sure Shannons will cover you if the car is unregistered and therefore may not be road worthy?

i had cover with Shannons, and they suggested that the car was not covered without a permit.....

Cheers,

Ben

[Rob. Smith]

Back to the original post. The permit to drive unregistered is a load of bureaucratic 'fluff'
I rang the police and they told me to write a "letter of intent" stating that I was taking the vehicle from point A to point B by the shortest route for the purpose of what ever and then returning by the same route. The letter was to be signed and dated by me and put in a sealed envelope. If I was questioned by a police officer I was to hand this to him and explian the process. I have at least six of these sealed envelopes. I saw a cop (and he saw me) almost every time I took the car out to do a job. These 'Jobs' consisted of a noise check..90 klm. A speedo test on a marked freeway..80 klm. Another drive-by noise check..20 klm. A technical inspection by engineer..40 klm. A rolling brake test..80 lkm and a LPG gas tank installation test..15 klm. A total of 325 klms, no paint, no plates and two trips without the windscreen. I forgot about the blue slip inspection. That was at least 40 klms. I doubt a trip to get the trim done would be acceptable. As far as the RTA (spellcheck corrects it to RAT) they handled the rego with complete novice perfection. I went to the local office to organise the VIN and they gave me number plates ! I told them the process, so they took back the plates and found a form for me to fill out. I had already sent that form in. All I wanted was for the blue slip to be processed. I then waited ten weeks for a response ( a blue slip only lasts a month so I had to do that check a few times.) My engineer was an old hand at dealing with the RTA and knew a few down in head office. He went down there to do other business and while he was there he enquired about my VIN request. It turned out that it had been circulating between two desks, in box / out boxes for ten weeks. The car was finally registered. I've got lots of stories about the RTA. You are not alone! ha ha ha.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Rob. Smith

Back to the original post. The permit to drive unregistered is a load of bureaucratic 'fluff'
I rang the police and they told me to write a "letter of intent" stating that I was taking the vehicle from point A to point B by the shortest route for the purpose of what ever and then returning by the same route. The letter was to be signed and dated by me and put in a sealed envelope. If I was questioned by a police officer I was to hand this to him and explian the process. I have at least six of these sealed envelopes. I saw a cop (and he saw me) almost every time I took the car out to do a job. These 'Jobs' consisted of a noise check..90 klm. A speedo test on a marked freeway..80 klm. Another drive-by noise check..20 klm. A technical inspection by engineer..40 klm. A rolling brake test..80 lkm and a LPG gas tank installation test..15 klm. A total of 325 klms, no paint, no plates and two trips without the windscreen. I forgot about the blue slip inspection. That was at least 40 klms. I doubt a trip to get the trim done would be acceptable. As far as the RTA (spellcheck corrects it to RAT) they handled the rego with complete novice perfection. I went to the local office to organise the VIN and they gave me number plates ! I told them the process, so they took back the plates and found a form for me to fill out. I had already sent that form in. All I wanted was for the blue slip to be processed. I then waited ten weeks for a response ( a blue slip only lasts a month so I had to do that check a few times.) My engineer was an old hand at dealing with the RTA and knew a few down in head office. He went down there to do other business and while he was there he enquired about my VIN request. It turned out that it had been circulating between two desks, in box / out boxes for ten weeks. The car was finally registered. I've got lots of stories about the RTA. You are not alone! ha ha ha.

Thanks Rob,

You have said it all. I rest my case.

Baz

[Tenrocca]

Rob - how long ago did you go through the rego\engineering process?

Cheers

[Rob. Smith]

Just looked at the rego book...2003 was the year for approval. 2001 was the start of the process. It seems I'm becoming a patient person. ( sometimes I could easily kill someone) My car is still NOT on the road. (registered though) Progress is getting better and rego is due again soon.