NASSTY,

Thats a great idea. I had thought about that but wasnt sure if it would be good for everyone to send the same letter. But then again it is numbers that matter and not so much content.

1000 letters with the same objective is much better than 1000 names on a partition.

I have a draft letter that i tried to upload but it just say upload failed. Can anyone offer any suggestions as to why? Its only 15kb .doc file.

I know that there are probably a lot of people out there that care but couldnt be bothered to write a letter so hopefully this will help.

Liam

Brent Mills is the Administrator of this site. He is based in the good ole US of A. I will send him a PM and see if he can set up something along the lines that 'Nassty" suggested. Thanks fellas

Baz

Baz I am sure there is a way to put up a letter. If not then type in the text and we can copy and paste.

Merv

I should be able to just click the paper clip and attach as a .doc file but it wont work.

Here is the text:

Obviously the formating is lost, but you get the gist. This is a draft and i welcome comments and edits. I am half the age and experience of a lot of others on here so i am sure it can be improved.

Sent via email

A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au


I wrote this where Liam suggested to "customise this part":

I have finished building my ICV, an AC Cobra replica in 2007 which is now registered. It concerns me that others currently building ICVs or who are contemplating to build an ICV will find it impossible to register their vehicle in their State due to this new ADR. This will not be due to the vehicle being unsafe, but due to the extremely high cost of installing such technology in an individually constructed vehicle. One kit car manufacturer has received an estimate from Bosch Aust for $1.3M to design a system for one vehicle. As no two ICV’s are the same, there is no one size fits all system that can be adopted. Hence a system would need to be specifically designed for every individual car at the cost of $1.3M (currently ICV’s are built for $30k-$100k). It will also add to the complexity of testing the vehicle for VASS engineers as they assertain if the ESC program is suitible for the ICV been tested.

Cheers
Al

The silly part about all this is that the system can manually be turned off?

Boxhead, yes indeed there is an "off" switch but I know on the Golf GTI it doesn't completely switch off. Eg, if you get into trouble you can still feel it working, just less intrusively. But I'm not defending Albanese's view on this matter by any means!

Is it the actual ESC that can be turned off or just the traction control? In my wifes car i think it just turns off the traction control but the brake element remains active (new style Mini Cooper). I havnt tested it fully though.

Letter sent.

Hon. Anthony Albanese MP
Minister for Infrastructure,
Transport, Regional Development
and Local Government
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600


Dear Mr Albanese,


I am writing to express my concern with the introduction of the new ADR 31/02 that requires mandatory Electronic Stability Control to be fitted to all new vehicles from November 2011, and how it will affect the ICV and low volume car industry. I am also writing to request that provision be made to allow exclusion to this new requirement for individually constructed vehicles (ICV) in all states of Australia.

The kit car, hot rod and ICV industry provides hundreds of jobs within Australia for manufacturers, mechanics, suppliers, and associated automotive trades. The introduction of the new ADR requirement of Electronic Stability Control to be fitted to all new vehicles puts the future of this industry in serious jeopardy.

I myself am an enthusiast part way through the build of an ICV, due to me living in Alice Springs I need to comply with regulations set out by the Northern Territory regulators, in the case of the NT (and from my understanding all states and territories excluding NSW), I have had to apply to build the vehicle and seek an "Approval in Principal"
So I there fore have a pre set ADR list that I must comply with. But in the case of NSW, the vehicle must comply with whatever regulations are in place on the day the vehicle is presented for inspection. So it is highly possable that a builder could start a build today, and not be completed for 5 years (I have read somewhere that this is the average build time), then present the vehicle only to be denied due to not meeting current regulations.
And in the case of ADR 31/02 this will make building an ICV totally unaffordable to the vast majority of Australian's.
One kit car manufacturer has received an estimate from Bosch Aust for $1.3M to design a system for one vehicle. As no two ICV’s are the same, there is no one size fits all system that can be adopted. Hence a system would need to be specifically designed for every individual car at the cost of $1.3M (currently ICV’s are built for $30k-$100k).

Whilst I understand that you have a responsibility to improve road safety, I hope that you will consider the impact that this ADR has on the ICV industry as a whole. I am requesting that you make a provision for individually constructed vehicles to be excluded from the requirement of ADR 31/02 as is the case for other selected ADR’s (such as those listed on Vehicle Standards Admin circular 0-2-13).

Thank you for considering this concerning issue, and although this regulation will not affect me in my situation, I can see atleast 2 down sides to this issue.
First one being a large industry (parts suppliers, kit suppliers, workshops etc) all loosing the oportunity to remain employed in there chosen field.
Second issue being it would mean the end of a dream for alot of Australian's who have allways wanted one of the vehicles they are wanting to build

Regards,

David Rawnsley

This is good, lets keep them going.

For the record Baz i sent mine of by email today also (the same as i posted as template). Hopefully after the Nationals excitement dies down there will be more.

Will be interesting to see if there is a reponse!

Liam

I Just sent an email off to the president of the Clubman drivers club of Australia to spread the word. Hopefully we can get some more support there also.

Liam

I have put a link to this thread on a HotRod site in Australia I hang about on.

Advised it may not affect them yet but could do in the future, so here is a chance to say something now to stop it before it happens.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25764D0007B2E8

Read into it what you like, there will be initial exemptions for some vehicle categories.

To quote that article...

"The only exceptions are ... low-volume vehicles listed on the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles (SEVS) register."

Does anyone know whether ICVs fall into that category?

I read that as vehicles will be eligable for exemption in Victoria until the federal mandatory requirements takes effect in November 2011.

Also SEVS register vehicles which the Cobra replica is not on.

There is a good point in there that manufacturers will change what they sell here. Instead of cheap base model options there will only be high end models with ESC. Hence the cost of cars may increase.

Im glad i am not in Victoria, now you Vic blokes have even less time to finish your cars. I wouldnt be relying on claims that some exemption will be granted, its not worth the risk.

Is anyone else going to send off letters?

Sambo, the register is here: http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/

2011 is not that far away if you are starting to build a cobra now.

Good day All.
Just joined your club and have been reading this thread with great interest.
Have just aquired a Cobra replica kit and am in the process of evaluating all aspects for this build.
I have also followed many of you and have sent a letter to our transport minister in the hope that collectively we may receive attention.
Am meeting with manufacturer and engineer shortly and will also raise this concern,
after all without "us" their out of business.
Thank you all for the invaluable info contained in this discussion.
Looking forward to be a part of this action.

Bill A .Melb ( PS . Hope its ok to tell you about our other vehicles)
66 Mustang coupe
63 Compact Fairlane.
Last but not least Cobra replica ( Been on wish list for 28 Years but never had the means till now)

Welcome Bill and I think it's safe to say that we're all car nuts here - nice collection you've got going there! I take it your Cobra isn't Chev powered! Where was the Cobra manufactured?

Welcome SC5166,

Thanks for supporting this cause!

Sound like you have a sweet garage!