Is it legal to remove the windscreen and surround?
Discussion
Hi
We all love our little car mods, whether its a bodykit, new exhaust or even something simple like some new alloys. But... if you do something major, is it legal (ie will it pass an MOT) and will it need to be passed off my some official (like with a kit car)
The plan is to do something outlandish to a BMW Z3...
- Totally remove the windscreen and its surrounding frame
- Remove the hood/roof
- Widen its stance by about 4-6 icnhes at each wheel with either spacers or different offset wheels
- Change the lights all round
- New exhaust system
- and the biggie, a new fiberglass bodyshell built ontop of the existing panels.
Anything in that list gonna give me problems?
Now this may sound totally crazy, but its pretty much the same as an MR2 to F355 conversion, but with the addition of lopping off the windscreen surround.
Thanks
We all love our little car mods, whether its a bodykit, new exhaust or even something simple like some new alloys. But... if you do something major, is it legal (ie will it pass an MOT) and will it need to be passed off my some official (like with a kit car)
The plan is to do something outlandish to a BMW Z3...
- Totally remove the windscreen and its surrounding frame
- Remove the hood/roof
- Widen its stance by about 4-6 icnhes at each wheel with either spacers or different offset wheels
- Change the lights all round
- New exhaust system
- and the biggie, a new fiberglass bodyshell built ontop of the existing panels.
Anything in that list gonna give me problems?
Now this may sound totally crazy, but its pretty much the same as an MR2 to F355 conversion, but with the addition of lopping off the windscreen surround.
Thanks
Meathead316 said:
Hi
We all love our little car mods, whether its a bodykit, new exhaust or even something simple like some new alloys. But... if you do something major, is it legal (ie will it pass an MOT) and will it need to be passed off my some official (like with a kit car)
The plan is to do something outlandish to a BMW Z3...
- Totally remove the windscreen and its surrounding frame
- Remove the hood/roof
- Widen its stance by about 4-6 icnhes at each wheel with either spacers or different offset wheels
- Change the lights all round
- New exhaust system
- and the biggie, a new fiberglass bodyshell built ontop of the existing panels.
Anything in that list gonna give me problems?
Now this may sound totally crazy, but its pretty much the same as an MR2 to F355 conversion, but with the addition of lopping off the windscreen surround.
Thanks
Sorry, but there's an obvious question that needs answering first. For fecks sake WHY?We all love our little car mods, whether its a bodykit, new exhaust or even something simple like some new alloys. But... if you do something major, is it legal (ie will it pass an MOT) and will it need to be passed off my some official (like with a kit car)
The plan is to do something outlandish to a BMW Z3...
- Totally remove the windscreen and its surrounding frame
- Remove the hood/roof
- Widen its stance by about 4-6 icnhes at each wheel with either spacers or different offset wheels
- Change the lights all round
- New exhaust system
- and the biggie, a new fiberglass bodyshell built ontop of the existing panels.
Anything in that list gonna give me problems?
Now this may sound totally crazy, but its pretty much the same as an MR2 to F355 conversion, but with the addition of lopping off the windscreen surround.
Thanks
akirk said:
why would you put a fibreglass body shell on top of current panels? they all unbolt - it is an easy car to mod the bodywork...
A PHer, Anthony will supply you with one http://www.bertinigt25.com/His profile http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?h=0...
Putting any spacers (especially massive ones) will ruin the car's handling. This is a z3 too, which is notoriously wobbly anyway.
If you mod the suspension pickups and unibody you need to look at the points system which decides whether your car needs retesting as a kit car:
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-...
But as others have said, it's a distinctly stupid idea.
If you mod the suspension pickups and unibody you need to look at the points system which decides whether your car needs retesting as a kit car:
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-...
But as others have said, it's a distinctly stupid idea.
I think its not massively different to lots of rebody kit cars, e.g.:
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
However they usually keep the screen and surround to reduce complexity.
If it comes down to it you might need to SVA it (would mean Q plate), but plenty of cars without windscreens get SVA'd OK (seven type cars). You;d have to read the SVA manual to see if roll over protection is required,
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
However they usually keep the screen and surround to reduce complexity.
If it comes down to it you might need to SVA it (would mean Q plate), but plenty of cars without windscreens get SVA'd OK (seven type cars). You;d have to read the SVA manual to see if roll over protection is required,
When I SVAd my Tiger Super Six (many years ago)it passed fine without a windscreen. As for rollover protection, well it has a roll bar that's bolted to the chassis, but there's no rear or cross bracing to it so I reckon if it flipped it'd either fold or shear the bolts. It's always passed its MOT like that.
Meathead316 said:
- Totally remove the windscreen and its surrounding frame
- Remove the hood/roof
No problem, so long as you retain all the necessary mirrors. Be aware that you may well be decreasing torsional rigidity, so increasing scuttle shake - and you will definitely be compromising roll-over protection.- Remove the hood/roof
Meathead316 said:
- Widen its stance by about 4-6 icnhes at each wheel with either spacers or different offset wheels
4-6" total, or per wheel? Even 2-3" will seriously compromise the suspension geometry, and will eat wheel bearings in short order. 6" per wheel is likely to be undriveable. You may well also find that you start to have problems with width restrictions.Meathead316 said:
- Change the lights all round
So long as you've got, to paraphrase Eric Morecombe, all the right lights in all the right places, no problem.Meathead316 said:
- New exhaust system
So long as it's not excessively loud, no problem.Meathead316 said:
- and the biggie, a new fiberglass bodyshell built ontop of the existing panels.
No problem.Meathead316 said:
Anything in that list gonna give me problems?
Oh, just that I'd lay odds on it never actually being finished...Meathead316 said:
its pretty much the same as an MR2 to F355 conversion
That's a pity. I'm no great fan of BMWs, but it does seem a shame to waste a decent Z3.Ok so a roll over bar would be a good idea and definitely something to add.
Mirrors would be relocated.
ideally 4-6inches per wheel wider. I understand that it will totally screw the bearings. But so I would like to take it to the limit!
It would be finished, but only if I ever start it!
I dont plan on ruining a perfectly good Z3, probs get one thats had a knock, or has other cosmetic damage like peeling paint or something.
This will by no means be a daily driver, it will be used less than once per week...
So if I did all of the aforementioned mods, would I need to do anything with regards to car checks and stuff?
Mirrors would be relocated.
ideally 4-6inches per wheel wider. I understand that it will totally screw the bearings. But so I would like to take it to the limit!
It would be finished, but only if I ever start it!
I dont plan on ruining a perfectly good Z3, probs get one thats had a knock, or has other cosmetic damage like peeling paint or something.
This will by no means be a daily driver, it will be used less than once per week...
So if I did all of the aforementioned mods, would I need to do anything with regards to car checks and stuff?
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