FTO AUSTRALIA

Some of you will have seen my posting regarding Vic Roads requesting me and my cars presence at there Kew main office, for a vehicle inspection.

The end result is the front indicator lights on the original front bumper are not to Australian Design Rules. So the vehicle does not “complyâ€

well... start with a pic top down of your cars nose then draw out the required arch of the adr rules and then we can work from there

Have you asked Vic Road where we can obtain this "Australia design rules"? & if the FTO isn't comply to this rules, I would take it to the original people who did & issue the compliance, that’s including the correct government department, importers, to whole sellers.

After all we all pay our fair share of money to have our FTO comply with the "Australia design rules", and this could be end up as a "theft by deception" case if our FTO really are non-comply.

So what actually triggered this in the first place. From what I remember of you original post, it was out of the blue. Did you happen to find out ???

I find this disturbing, especially as my FTO has successfully been registered in QLD, VIC and now ACT. I bought mine from VIC earlier this year. The previous owner bought in in QLD. I still have the VIC roadworthy somewhere.

This is nasty to say the least.

Theres no way they are making me change anything on my FTO as its front end shape is what I fell in love with so many years ago.

Cheers

Paul

I very much doubt they will hunt down every FTO in the country to make that change... I think they are just being difficult with you... would be my response!... but having said that - I'd make the change they're after & make it temporary - the second you drive out, change it right back. What a toss... NSW authorities have put me through this rubbish before. Even down to me driving a car for 5 years before they just randomly decided on a routine rego renewal, that they didnt like my carby... So i drove home - wacked the stock one on & drove back down to get the tick off. I then went home & put the big carb back on. Rego'ed it the next year with no issues

I cant see how they can justify it really. Your FTO obviously complied with the standards at the time. If they were to try to apply current standards in retrospect, there would be a LOT of cars that would not comply, not just the FTO. The backlash would be huge.

I have done a drawing of the FTO and inserted a line @ 45 degrees, so you will have an idea of what they (Vic roads) are getting at. I will put the drawing and a couple of photos on the web @ www.larson.150m.com/fto.html

I have found a light that looks like it will be OK. Unfortunately it is off a VL commodore. It is the side indicator light. Cost is about $70.00, for 2 with all the fittings.

I will probably fit this next weekend.

Tarkus (not happy)

sorry I got the web address wrong
www.larson.150m.com then follow the links to “vehiclesâ€

Check out the ADRs for lights from VIC Roads own site: http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/vrpdf/rd ... I%2010.pdf

Pages 25 & 26 shows the position and angle of light distribution (45 degrees inwards) but pages 9 & 10 makes allowances for parts of it being hidden by the car body. It says not to take into account any blockage by the car body that was there when the vehicle was complianced (i.e. doesn't includes things added later that would block it) and also says that even if you can't see the lens as long as the light coming from it is at the right angle its OK.

I think you just got a prick of an inspector

what a bunch of BS man! is everyone there gonna get stung like that now? i mean, ITS FACTORY FFS!!!

hopefully nz doesnt get stupid like that. hard luck dude,

I doubt very much that all our cars will go through this - compliancing is the cars entry to the Aussie roads right? if it passes that, it has been deemed suitable for use...well so i thought...

Tarkus, i had a look at the link you provided, & i was thinking instead of putting those indicator on the bumper bar, which IMO would stuff up the look of the FTO, just put it at the bottom section of the bumper bar.

I put the foglights at that position, and i posted a pic at below (sorry its on an angle, & but the only one i can find in this computer) so you understand what i mean.

Anyway i "borrowed" some of your pictures (hope you don't mind) & link it up here for everyone to see (i know some are just lazy to click on a weblink ), so they have a better idea whats going on & too can express their opinion.

That looks great Kev

Won't look as much like they are an obvious add on

thanks for the advice. BUT the lights have to be at least 350 m/m from the road surface. and the bottom edge of the grill hole is about 350 m/m , I thought about putting them in the outer corners of the grill (I know it will reduce air flow, but I do not think that will be a problem) and they must be mounted so that the outer side of the light is within 400 m/m of the outer edge of the car. The out eedge of the grill is 450 m/m from the outside of the car.

I have been in contact with "GT Autos" in Croydon VIC, they are import compliencers(is that a real word?) and are checking it out for me.



Also "how do you put photos into a posting"?

Tarkus

Man all this BS restriction just gets me real..*&^%$

I just upload them on http://www.imageshack.us/ & then cut & paste the hotlink.

It might takes a few go, as they do give you few options, but you will get the idea in no time.

Why not just move Kev's foglight setup further out to the edge of the car?

Inside that bottom lip on the outside edge?
Like I've drawn up here:

Nice try BuCKeT, but the ADR13 (6.5.4.2.1) states “the height of the light emitting surface of the direction indicator lamps must NOT be: less than 350 m/m from the ground to the lowest point “

Still searching?
Tarkus

Just had a bit of a thought. If the problem is with the indicators only, could you reverse the wiring in the indicator unit (and the face) and put the indicators on the inside. I havent had a close look, but I know that the orange bit of the lens is sometimes detachable. Better still is the lens symmetrical - can it just be turned around. My other thought was to maybe include the indicator inside the main headlight unit. Not sure how well this would work, but probably worth looking into to save putting holes in your bumper.

PS I have an old headlight without the lens (so its no real use to me) to play with if that helps

The light assembly is not symetrical so I cannot just turn it around. and the indicator has to be a certain distance from the main driving lights, cannot find it now but I think it has to be 100 m/m from them.

Also I think I have to leave the original indicators in position because "the inside edge of one of the indicators has to be within 400 m/m of the outside of the car"

who wants to buy a paddock basher? because if this is not fixed it will not be roadworthy.

Cya Tarkus