Vic club rego rule changes

[EBII Fairmont]

I was chatting with my good friend yesterday who has his vehicle on club reg. He was informed of the new laws which VicRoads have introduced. Personally for myself I am now second guessing if I should get an old x-series to hot up. Putting it on club reg was a huge perk. Now that seems totally shattered. I am all for getting a proper roadworthy and making the vehicle safe, but to be required to supply a roadworthy cert, engineers report and VASS report for a modified car is beyond a joke.

This is part of the letter with the major details.

Club plated cars will now fall into 3 categories;
1. pre-1949
2. 1949 to 1969
3. 1969 to 25 year old vehicles.

Different rules apply to each category. In the first category, pre-1949, they have a wide range of permissible modifications before a car is required to be engineered. They also retain the ability to have club inspectors examine the vehicles.

In the second category, 1949 to 1969, almost all the same wide sweeping modifications are permissable without the need for an engineers certificate, although a full Victorian roadworthy certificate will be required for all vehicles coming onto the scheme.

In the third category, and the one most relevant to TCCA, we will no longer be able to self inspect, rather a full Victorian roadworthy certificate will be required. Also the list of permissible modifications does not extend to our cars. That means that if you have any modifications to your vehicle that does not meet the requirements set out in the VicRoads document VSI-8, then your car will require an engineers certificate to be placed on the Club Permit Scheme. VSI-8 can be downloaded by clicking here. Also, if a police officer stops you, and believes that your vehicle may not meet the requirements set out in VSI-8, then he car order you to get a VASS inspection to keep your car on the Club Plate Scheme.
Further to all this, cars that are modified and have certification by a VASS inspector will be issued with a new plate with a letter M designation, eg 12345-M. This means modified club plated cars will be easily identified whilst on the road. (For what purpose, i don't know!)
All of this will start in the third quarter of 2014, so it could be in as little as 6 weeks time. These changes that were pushed by the AOMC will also be retrospective, meaning modified cars that are currently on the scheme will have to get a VASS inspection to retain their club plates.

[last fairlane]

Not sure about the engineering rules
but here in Queensland to have club rego
the car has to be at least 30 years old
and must have a full RWC and be signed off by the club official
to register it then you can only use it on club runs
and to go to car shows
plus the run just to test your car
we dont get X amount of days per year we can cruise
John

[SSVPom]

Well at least it might go some way towards getting off the road the cheating bludgers who 'club reg' their daily drivers... I've seen a tatty '89 Camry and more recently a late '80's Hilux with ladders/tools with Vic club plates.

[mr smith]

^^ yup! knew this wouldn't last. Clowns have stuffed it up.

[EBII Fairmont]

Unfortunately they are targeting modified cars and not the un-roadworthy ones. I wonder how far they are taking it? For instance if you lower your car will that be considered as a modification and require all this paperwork to be done?

[Morexbs]

Originally Posted by mr smith

^^ yup! knew this wouldn't last. Clowns have stuffed it up.

The only people who stuffed it up were Vicroads.Any idiot could have seen that allowing a car club official with (in most cases) no mechanical qualifications to certify a car as being safe for road use was asking for trouble.
If the scheme only allowed cars with a current RWC to be put on a permit it would never have come to this.An unroadworthy car shouldn't be on the road full stop.
People only did what the scheme allowed them to do.
Under the new regs the previously mentioned "tatty" Camry and Hilux would still be OK if the owners got RWCs (which they may have actually done in the first place).
My Mustang is what some would call "tatty" because it is not shiny like most and it has a few battle scars but I got a legitimate RWC when I put it on a club permit even though the club president didn't want to see it.A car doesn't have to be Miss World to be roadworthy.

[SSVPom]

My reference to the Camrys on club reg is more directed to the cheapskate owners who are cheating the system and dodging paying rego, whilst using their bangers every day. Why should they not pay the $700 per year rego for their daily driver like I do ?

[Morexbs]

Because the system has allowed them to.

[EBII Fairmont]

What is required to register a car with vic roads that has been modified? A rwc and possibly an engineers report depending on the mods? My point is, to register any vehicle, the process should be the same regardless if it is under club reg or full vic reg. Morexbs, I totally agree with you. It seems they are going from one extreme to the other.

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by SSVPom

My reference to the Camrys on club reg is more directed to the cheapskate owners who are cheating the system and dodging paying rego, whilst using their bangers every day. Why should they not pay the $700 per year rego for their daily driver like I do ?

Because life's not fair. I hate seeing it too. But dont worry, I've got 2 cars with club plates and I have been pulled up twice out of the last 3 times I've been cruising for a log book check. Lucky I always fill it out (couldnt use all 45 days if I tried) but these daily drivers I'm sure wouldnt be filling it out every day. They will get caught.

[Jack91]

Then again, maybe its a special edition super-homo-special 1980 camry with a club devoted to its heritage?

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by EBII Fairmont

What is required to register a car with vic roads that has been modified? A rwc and possibly an engineers report depending on the mods? My point is, to register any vehicle, the process should be the same regardless if it is under club reg or full vic reg. Morexbs, I totally agree with you. It seems they are going from one extreme to the other.

Sounds good, but it wouldnt work.
You cant subject a brand new corolla and an original model t to the same test and expect it to work.
The club signing off the car is a great idea, No smart club president is going to put his own *** on the line to pass a really knackered car. The ones that do and have should be shut down. Expecting certain old cars (even my merc) to pass a full rwc AND engineer check without a body off restoration is ridiculous. It should just be an honesty system with old cars, and it was, but as said, certain morons took advantage of it and killed it.

[Franco Cozzo]

Just have it on full rego and problem solved, I had 4 cars on full rego at one stage.

[Bearman]

It had to happen considering what has been going on. Some of the krudboxes I've seen wearing club permit plates just made me think these changes were inevitable.

I don't like the retrospective aspect of the application of category 3 cars, it could lead to a world of hurt for the owners of a lot of these cars and could potentially see some good cars falling into a limbo due to too many mods.

I'm glad to see the club scrutineer "sign off" option gone, that was being rorted big time. Besides, that was leaving the individual scrutineer so open to all kinds of potential liability issues if anything went wrong. Legit clubs I know always insisted on a full RWC to access club permit plates.

I left my coupe on full rego, looks like I'll keep it that way. The club plated cars have been getting plenty of attention from the constabulary in the last 12-18 months or so. On full rego they don't even give me a second glance, which is the way I prefer it.

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by Bearman

It had to happen considering what has been going on. Some of the krudboxes I've seen wearing club permit plates just made me think these changes were inevitable.

I don't like the retrospective aspect of the application of category 3 cars, it could lead to a world of hurt for the owners of a lot of these cars and could potentially see some good cars falling into a limbo due to too many mods.

I'm glad to see the club scrutineer "sign off" option gone, that was being rorted big time. Besides, that was leaving the individual scrutineer so open to all kinds of potential liability issues if anything went wrong. Legit clubs I know always insisted on a full RWC to access club permit plates.

I left my coupe on full rego, looks like I'll keep it that way. The club plated cars have been getting plenty of attention from the constabulary in the last 12-18 months or so. On full rego they don't even give me a second glance, which is the way I prefer it.

How would VicRoads know that a car is heavily modified enough to fall into that category to apply the new rules to them?

[simon varley]

do you have a source for this information? I can't find anything on the VicRoads web site, and they've not yet sent anything out to permit holders as far as I know.

[EBII Fairmont]

Originally Posted by Jack91

Sounds good, but it wouldnt work.
You cant subject a brand new corolla and an original model t to the same test and expect it to work.
The club signing off the car is a great idea, No smart club president is going to put his own *** on the line to pass a really knackered car. The ones that do and have should be shut down. Expecting certain old cars (even my merc) to pass a full rwc AND engineer check without a body off restoration is ridiculous. It should just be an honesty system with old cars, and it was, but as said, certain morons took advantage of it and killed it.

I agree with you in regards to a model T and the like which were made in a totally different era. But then there are a lot of cars that should be able to. My cousin passed his 65 mustang last year when he brought it over. There are enough signs there pointing to the car having never been restored. So why can't any car in this case from 69 onwards pass a full roadworthy? In the end the car needs to be up to the standards of the year it was built in to pass a roadworthy anyway. Sorry, but rwc should be left to mechanics to hand out. Not just rock up to a club and be told here are your plates.

[Bearman]

Originally Posted by Jack91

How would VicRoads know that a car is heavily modified enough to fall into that category to apply the new rules to them?

They probably wouldn't necessarily know the actual technicalities but all it takes is for some random cop to form a belief that a car is, or may be far enough removed from stock to defect it.

All of a sudden that not too outrageous looking car has to try to get the necessary checks done and passed to fit the category 3 requirements to maintain their club permit plates. That same not too outrageous looking car with a killer stroker engine, different gearbox, late model brakes etc that may actually be too heavily modified to fit the criteria for category 3.

Who knows, it's uncharted territory and not an argument I'm willing to have with the various authorities. I'm just guessing really and probably being overly doom and gloom. That's just purely my interpretation of the situation, others will probably see it differently.

[buickman]

Originally Posted by mr smith

^^ yup! knew this wouldn't last. Clowns have stuffed it up.

Could not agree more.
Club plates can be issued even if the car has been recently imported and under construction without a roadworthy by an unqualified person. Old 1980’s Nissan campervan and one tonner Holden used as camping and work horses and someone informed me club plates can be used on the toll roads without paying because of abuse like this the AOMC with other clubs have pushed for changes.

[EBII Fairmont]

Originally Posted by simon varley

do you have a source for this information? I can't find anything on the VicRoads web site, and they've not yet sent anything out to permit holders as far as I know.

This was from the letter that was passed on to me. The meeting was on Saturday. Probably have to give it a bit before they change all the rules. I am reluctant to put the entire letter on as it has peoples personal details(name and no's). Someone on here who is part of a car club could verify it.

[SPArKy_Dave]

Originally Posted by Bearman

It had to happen considering what has been going on. Some of the krudboxes I've seen wearing club permit plates just made me think these changes were inevitable.

Originally Posted by Morexbs

Under the new regs the previously mentioned "tatty" Camry and Hilux would still be OK if the owners got RWCs.

Originally Posted by SSVPom

My reference to the Camrys on club reg is more directed to the cheapskate owners who are cheating the system and dodging paying rego, whilst using their bangers every day.

And the sad thing IS, that these changes, are not going to prevent Ma and Pa Camry or old mate Hilux, from getting Club Permits and driving round in the middle of the week.
The above vehicles can still be 100% roadworthy, whilst not looking very special at all.

What people are REALLY saying, is they want the vehicles on the CPS, to be something special..... something iconic, chrome bumpers, classic vehicles, not 'everyday' buzz box commuter vehicles.

These changes are NOT going to fix the above problem. They will only penalise those with nice vehicles, who push the modification envelope.
Personally, I don't think the mods present a big issue, since those vehicles on the CPS, have such limited use.

Pushing the modification boundaries, is no more risky or dangerous, than using a Model T Ford in modern day traffic, with rear wheel only cable brakes, no seat belts, virtually no lighting, 100yr old metal/timber construction, etc etc.

It will be sad times in the club world, when/if these changes come in.

[buickman]

Originally Posted by EBII Fairmont

This was from the letter that was passed on to me. The meeting was on Saturday. Probably have to give it a bit before they change all the rules. I am reluctant to put the entire letter on as it has peoples personal details(name and no's). Someone on here who is part of a car club could verify it.

I was at a club meeting last month and talk was on this matter.

[Charliewool]

But what about the cars that club rego was originally designed for?
The heavily modded earlys driven on special Sundays..
56 Cusso with a 460 and tilt front?
32 coupe with a blown big block and 15" wide rears?
67 Mustang with a blower 2 foot through the bonnet?
HUGE struggle getting any through Vicroads?
Gorgeous cars meticulously looked after and driven with love!
These are the ones that it'll kill.. And THAT'S WRONG!!
Show me the stats on the dangers these guys present road toll wise?
No MORE Sunday runs.. Hotrods trailered to every show..
This is bullshit AND another example of bloody nannying us!

[Morexbs]

Originally Posted by buickman

someone informed me club plates can be used on the toll roads without paying .

How?
Either the car has an etag or it doesn't.If it doesn't have an etag,it gets photographed and the owner gets a bill regardless of whether it is on a club permit or normal rego.
Toll gantries only read etags,not number plates.

[EBII Fairmont]

Originally Posted by Morexbs

How?
Either the car has an etag or it doesn't.If it doesn't have an etag,it gets photographed and the owner gets a bill regardless of whether it is on a club permit or normal rego.
Toll gantries only read etags,not number plates.

From what i have been told in the past, Vicroads doesn't have info of any club cars. They have info of each club they allow to hand out plates. So if you drive through, they don't have the info of your car to send you a bill. I'm not giving the heads up either to go passed a speed camera and see if you get a fine or not either.

[MDS69]

Originally Posted by EBII Fairmont

This was from the letter that was passed on to me. The meeting was on Saturday. Probably have to give it a bit before they change all the rules. I am reluctant to put the entire letter on as it has peoples personal details(name and no's). Someone on here who is part of a car club could verify it.

I am in a club in NSW that has club rego of which my car is on. Our club has a Vic chapter which is actual head office so to speak and offer the Vic club rego scheme. Our prez or vice prez can't remember sorry, was facebooking at the meeting on Saturday and basically communicated everything you have mentioned.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

But what about the cars that club rego was originally designed for?
The heavily modded earlys driven on special Sundays..
56 Cusso with a 460 and tilt front?
32 coupe with a blown big block and 15" wide rears?
67 Mustang with a blower 2 foot through the bonnet?
HUGE struggle getting any through Vicroads?
Gorgeous cars meticulously looked after and driven with love!
These are the ones that it'll kill.. And THAT'S WRONG!!
Show me the stats on the dangers these guys present road toll wise?
No MORE Sunday runs.. Hotrods trailered to every show..
This is bullshit AND another example of bloody nannying us!

That is correct. The ones affected the most are those above. They will be the ones a little bit squeamish at the moment.

There will be 2 categories:

"H" Historic. Standard RWC required for most cars basically to cover cars very mildly modified. The main point?

Power output to be LESS than 20% of original. They will carry a 'H' plate.

"M" Modified. Standard RWC required for most cars but cover cars that have higher level of modifications. The main point?

Power output can be more than 20% of original BUT needs to be engineered and everything to do with the car needs to be certified and passed by and engineer. In other words ..... IF you can get a blower sticking out of the bonnet certified, or a Turbo, or bigger wheels etc, it can then be used. If no engineer report ..... defected.

NOW ...... If you are driving a car on "H" plates and you are pulled over and the officer believes that power is more than acceptable, they can ask the car to be inspected. If it has a blower, turbo .... what ever .... it will be sent in for inspection. If it doesn't pass as within "H" rules ..... defected.

This also applies for tyres 35mm or wider than original. Coupes running 295's? Nope ...... unless you get it passed by an engineer.

If you think that having a "H" plate on a modified car is OK? Nope ..... If you have NORMAL rego on your car? Nope ..... you will still fall under the modified laws.

Finer details of course will be coming through later in the year but the i's are being dotted at the moment.

If you have just started a 'Car Club' for the purpose of issuing club plates ..... and have joined a club because of this reason and now have club plates .... Some clubs will be removed from the scheme and those in these clubs will have to find another club when the issue has run its course.

Other things of course but that will do for now ......

[Jack91]

Auslandau- You seem to be pretty well informed about it.

Is this going to affect cars already in a club and on club plates, so long as they dont have huge blowers/police magnets to push them into the modified category? As in, my 2 "historic" cars only need their rego renewed now because they are already registered, they dont need to be roadworthied because of the new rules?

[hrforever]

Changes to the system is unfortunate and perhaps the imports and 'special' clubs have not helped the cause but I thought Victoria had got it right. These new rules, if correct, are a big step backwards.

It will be interesting to see how the clubs handle the change over to the new system. My vehicle was modified and VASS engineer approved, and run on full rego until its use was reduced to monthly outings and put on club reg. I wonder if they'll be calling for new RWC and engineer re-approval before next rego renewal?

If another engineers report is required, and the last one was $1100, it will make the $69 rego a lot more expensive that normal full rego!!!!

[OwnTheRoad]

The Nanny state at it again.....
Ive seen plenty of cars on club reg that made me wonder how long this would last . As for retrospective issues and engineers reports , well that's just revenue raising again.