ACT VW Forum

the spacers need to be welded to the wheels I think.. not entirely sure... we HAVE an engineers certificate for every other modification but unfortunately, (not to our knowledge) the brakes hadnt been done when the car was inspected so this was over looked.... We didnt actually take the car to the RTA (luckily, save ourselves $50 for a rejection) as when we got the engineers cert in the mail we noticed spacers wernt listed and we then found out they arent legal anyway so it needs to be fixed...

My other option is selling the porsche wheels and buying some different ones that are the correct offset... but I do like the ones I have.

ok yeah spacers can be a tricky issue, did you organise an engineer or did the vw shop? if u wish to register in act u will need an act engineers cert, nsw will be no use to you. the fact u have an an engineers cert will require to have the car inspected at dickson motor registery from now on.

If you need to see an engineer in ACT, i recommend Ray Spence in Mitchell. Canberra Motor Works i think. Dickson don't have a problem with his certificates unlike some other engineers in Canb.

As far as the spacers, do you need the car inspected with them on? Possible to swap the wheels over for an inspection then chuck the hot wheels back on to drive normally?

What an anticlimax to a long-running story, the $ spent to still be having issues due to the engineering of the car. I don't know anything about spacers and such but I have heard from many sources that spacers of any type aren't allowed in the ACT. I don't know about the welding side, etc.

It's all good to modify the car for the inspections but if you chop and change like this you are setting yourself up for issues with any roadside inspections. Personally I think it best to have the car inspected and passed in the condition you will drive it in, no problems later that way. Think of all the cars you see on the side of the road with no rego plates, they were defected to the extent that the inspectors and police remove the plates to ensure they aren't driven.

I have had a car through Dickson that was fully engineered and still rejected on a number of occasions. The less that needs 'explaining' to them, the better, because once they find something they look for more. Fingers crossed you can get this sorted quickly and get Basil on the road finally.

Lots of advice being posted here - thankyou. We will NOT be cutting any corners. The car will pass inspection in the running order intended (as Phantom suggested). The engineer is one of the listed RTA authorized signatories. As far as I can determine the ACT requires that the engineer be one of the RTA listed authorised signatories - as this guy is ( see the RTA web site for that list). We would have the same situation if we moved to the ACT from NSW with Basil having been modified there -So we will get through this. It is incredibly annoying and frustrating - but we will NOT be trying to 'get around' this. IF we have to sell the Porsche wheels for others with the right offset - then that is the way we will have to go. We now have found a fuel leak at the carby...WHAT NEXT?

Draw you own conclusions on what the word 'hindsight' means to us at the moment.

I am in Canberra this weekend (even though I now cant take Basil up to Sydney) so at least I get to see my little car. I was just sitting in the driveway with Basil running (so I could hear the engine) when my brother was looking at the engine and said "I dont think thats supposed to be leaking" So now, as dad mentioned, we have an engine issue. And if theres one problem, who knows if theres more. I'm shocked, incredibly shocked, about the engine as that is ONE part of the car that I truly thought would have been fine, considering money and time spent on it.

If anyone has some free time this afternoon, you are welcome to PM me and get our address and come and have a look at Basil, its been a long time since any Canberrans have seen him - I think last time was at the 07 Autofest and he still had hippy flowers on him

Who the hell has had Basil? and is there a reason you haven't identified them? it would help make sure that no-one else goes anywhere near them?! I really feel for you guys...

there are some excellent vw mechanics in canberra maybe u could give them a shot to get your engine up to scratch, on that front it doesnt look like much was done to it apart from cosmetics and putting the wrong dizzy in it (009). as far as engineer goes they should have made aware where the car was goin to be registered and the workshop building the car should have informed the engineer of all MODS to the car prior to them being carried out to check wether they are compliant with which ever state the car will be registered.

Folks - a few people are leaping to the wrong conclusion here. Debate on what you might assume has taken place with Basil, whether RTA engineers were consulted ( for the record they were - and very early in the process) -It was an RTA authorised signatory who inspected the car in Feb this year), whether a 009 dizzy is or is not appropriate - I dont wish to go into a debate over that.

The wheels/spacer issue is being addressed "as we speak".. Yes - a local VW mechanic will be approached to help sort some other issues.

Thanks

Bill

Fingers crossed that the spacer issue can be remedied easily, as well as the fuel leak (I assume the leak will just need some tinkering by a local mech that knows their way over a carby).

Good luck Basil.

sorry no debate from me

When Basil is on the road, I'm sure that this will all be a distant memory (although never forgotten).

Hang in there, it will all be worth it in the end