Licence to print money

I enjoyed reading the article Local Market Report by Jesmond Micallef in the July 2017 issue, and having read pages 52 to 56, Kits and Pieces, about the RS60 build, it got me thinking.

In the RS60 article I spotted the line, “The difficulties of certification”. When you read the hobby-car handbook [ The New Zealand Car Construction Manual], which the LVVTA is involved with, and your car must be built to, I can understand why the home building of hobby vehicles is a sunset industry, and young people are not interested. Pre 1991, you built your car, took it down to a testing station (MOT), and your car received a WOF, or you were sent home to fix items which were not up to WOF standard. Were these pre1991 cars unsafe, or death traps? I don’t think so. The certification process is little more than a licence to print money (under the auspices of safety, of course) for the LVVTA, and sadly a big turn-off to young people. But I don’t think the LVVTA gives a hoot, as long as they can keep clipping the ticket and making money from people’s hobbies. I am curious what Stewart, who built the RS60, paid in certification fees?

I was at a car show earlier this year and saw a car with an aftermarket steering fitted, and you guessed it, ‘the modification’ had to be certified, and an LVVTA plate fitted under the bonnet, $300 please (plus GST?). So I see a project for your excellent writer, Greg Price, ‘Certification by the LVVTA a step forward or money for jam’. Heaven forbid allowing people to construct their own hobby cars, and us not getting a fee.

Best regards Matthew Thomas, Christchurch

It’s certainly been a contentious issue for some time Matthew, and, sadly, it strikes many of our fellow enthusiasts hard in the pocket. AFW