I was interested in another thread about regulations for German buses. This is not my camper , but I believe it was one of a batch imported at the same time as mine from Germany. One of the first things I did was get rid of the spare wheel on the front. To me it's a real carbuncle. It involved replacing the crumple zone and throwing away that box over the bumper. I'm interested whether this would be legal back in Germany without registering the modification @rsbadura ? I have driven it to Germany several times since so had I come to the attention of the law would they be interested in this?
Hello everyone, before anyone asks about the thing in the red circle: This is a required metal box for venting the above storage space with 2x 5kg gas bottles, so that no residual gas collects under the car and can be ignited by e.g. any nearby Truma heating installation. Back to the main topic: the spare wheel holder. On German Westfalias, spare wheels used to be on the inside. In the USA, some are already at the front. However, this was not a good solution from a pedestrian protection perspective in the tight German traffic and was not always accepted at the time. So Westfalia build a box around without sharp edges and frames to pull the bumper forward since around 1976 and the Westfalia "Berlin" SO 76/1. Today, around 50% of the old buses in Germany are re-imports from the USA and many with a spare wheel on the front - which is hardly ever criticized today - also because of the SUVs with bull catchers. Nevertheless, a spare wheel in front is of course more dangerous and rubbish at an accident - take care. Simply removing the box leaves a protruding bumper, which also makes pedestrian protection difficult. Everything can be dismantled - then all we have to do is shorten the length in the papers. regards,
Thanks for a great insight. Gosh , the box was a monstrosity….( don’t like the wheel on the front either ) but , hey ho my solution is even worse, but it works
I would doubt it, for a UK-registered bus. Likely different if you wanted to register it in Germany. From memory, they're fairly obsessive about what you can attach/mod on vehicles, or were. Remember having an argument with a German tyre fitter about speed rating tyres he could put on my Cavalier Sportshatch (basically an Opel Manta CC). He refused to fit the same type that came from the factory, as he'd looked it up in his book, and they were not correct. If it wasn't on your Fahrzeugbrief, you couldn't have it. I pointed out I didn't have a bloody Fahrzeugbrief, but gave up in the end. Ordnung muss sein!
Keep in mind: - the tight German traffic - German Autobahn with unlimited speed, a hobbyist's breakdown becomes problematic if you drive towards him at 250km/h
I imported a UK bus into Switzerland. That was fun. No modifications from original 1973 specification allowed, without documented approval. Ours now has a 1776 engine and twin carbs. We had to buy a document (DTC-Gutachten) from a company who had taken the trouble to show that our particular twin carbs and expanded engine were not a hazard, or increased noise. We have a stainless steel exhaust, that we had to demonstrate didn't increase noise either. We had to have the engine de-tuned such that it remained within 10% of the original spec of 50 hp. Which amazingly it did, I have all the charts from the rolling road test bed, in reality, it didn't need much de-tuning. As we have the modifications, we can't claim oldtimer status, so are taxed like a modern vehicle. But, for the MoT equivalent, we just need to meet the criteria from 1973. Spare wheel on the front wasn't an issue. The tow bar was, so I removed the ball and left everything else in place.
God, the Swiss sound worse than the Germans. I remember mooching round Kronemarkt in Munich, eyeing up a rather nice Manta front spoiler they sold. It came with an approval certificate giving you official permission to attach it to your vehicle.
Wow, so even a slight increase in capacity - even on the original engine - and a set of twin carbs, classes as modification enough to mean you can't be 'historic'? That's quite tight, isn't it! Interesting.
Although I’ve never travelled through Germany and Switzerland I travel regularly through France and Spain. Apart from forgetting v5 one year ( 2 years ago ) and having been pulled over at the ports 3 times in last three years , they ( the port guys and gals ) are more concerned with stowaways….As if , the bus is full of wine , cheese and fab stuff you can’t get here. Also I’m regularly questioned about my “ rocket launchers “ on the roof…… ( fishing rod tubes ) .
I met a guy who had fitted a small solar panel to the roof his bus, which wasn't visible most of the time, and had fitted a hand made fridge/sink unit (same dimensions as the original, but different material- due to a small fire...) and together these prevented him claiming historic status. Rules are rules. When I lived in Bath many years ago, my landlady wanted to fit a gate across the parking space at the end of her garden. The Widcombe society influenced the planning authorities, who said she could, as long as it was a Georgian gate. She replied that if the could provide a Georgian gate maker, she would. Otherwise, be definition, any new gate would be Elizabethan.
In the UK there is a scoring system which is somewhat arbitrary, but basically any modification commonly first done within 10 years of last year of production is OK, and then ten differences beyond that.. But the reality is that unless you turn up for an inspection with very basic safety issues with the vehicle, modifications generally do not seem to be noticed. Or you can simply say "historic, MOT exempt" and drive it until somebody can kick your vehicle to rusty pieces. Or fit air ride and slam it to the ground..
