Mustang Tech

Have a 66 c dode vert on teh way to Perth. Apart from headlights, seatbelts and making sure I have 2 mirrors, what have people had to change to get a car licensed in WA. Have done a search and have read the licensing stuff, but wonder if anyone has practical experience of this. SOme report having to change rear lenses, some don;t .

thnaks

Matt
Garagemahal

Welcome to the forum Matt. Pre 1970 you should only have to worry about headlights other than normal roadworthy things of course. You don't need two mirrors. The important thing is that the car is the way it came from the factory for the essential things, and you will be fine. Don't do any mods to it before licensing. Ring the tech section at licensing to make sure, but that has been my experience. A 66 car should be very straight forward unless the rules have changed recently.

You wont need seat belts, I got mine licensed without, just make sure you've got no leaks also

Hey Matt good to see you got on over here

Wont you need to reallign the headlights to suit left hand drive roads?

Dynamic wrote:Hey Matt good to see you got on over here

Wont you need to reallign the headlights to suit left hand drive roads?

You have to fit Australian complianced headlights, they dip to the left whereas yank ones dip to the right. Easiest thing you'll do, they're readily available and you just swap them over.

Chad, just front lap sash needed? Im goign to weld in all my anchors for front sash and rear lap, then install after rego...

Rick can you explain the headlight thing a little? Can you just leave in existing headlight and adjust beam or do you need to swap out the whole headlight? I already have new tri bar ones installed.

Shane I'd run the tribars past the vehicle examiners first, I'm not sure. Were they from the States or local? If they're Aussie you might be OK but because they have built in turn signals (is that the ones?) it might be an issue, I really don't know - do they meet ADRs?. Standard 7" sealed beams (or semi sealed) are all that is needed to comply. The American headlight beams are angled right because they drive on the right side of the road, ours angle left. This is not an adjustment, this is built in to the light so you just swap the U.S. ones for Aus. ones.

In my opinion, don't do ANY modifications or upgrades to the car before it is licensed. The cars are licensed as 1966 or whatever cars and they are supposed to be as they were when they were manufactured, or at least as they were required to be in Australia at the time to meet our design regulations. Keep it simple, make safety upgrades and changes later. We all know they're a good idea but dealing to the letter of the law is what examiners and engineers have to do and presenting a car with upgrades and modifications only brings problems and complicates things. You might be OK but you might not. I'd be ringing them if you want the lights left in.

Cool. Thanks guys.

With seatbelts, it already has US seatbelts in the front. Do you think I should take these out for licensing, on the basis that if theyre not required, I don't have to worry about the Aussie complianced ones?

Am intending to put aussie complianced ones in as soon as, along with a child seat anchorage point in the back. Would like lap sash, but being a convertible, I know this will be practically impossible, I think the rear seatbelt anchorage points started being put in in 66, but not sure what month (even if they weren't used.)

shane427 wrote:Chad, just front lap sash needed? Im goign to weld in all my anchors for front sash and rear lap, then install after rego...

Rick can you explain the headlight thing a little? Can you just leave in existing headlight and adjust beam or do you need to swap out the whole headlight? I already have new tri bar ones installed.

Didn't need any, go to repco and get some seal halogens about $15ea and all done

Garagemahal wrote:Cool. Thanks guys.

With seatbelts, it already has US seatbelts in the front. Do you think I should take these out for licensing, on the basis that if theyre not required, I don't have to worry about the Aussie complianced ones?

Am intending to put aussie complianced ones in as soon as, along with a child seat anchorage point in the back. Would like lap sash, but being a convertible, I know this will be practically impossible, I think the rear seatbelt anchorage points started being put in in 66, but not sure what month (even if they weren't used.)

Take them out, my originals were left in and they failed it because of the position the bucket clipped in, took them out and passed.

Cheers for the info guys.

Do you reccomend not welding in the anchors yet as a visual inspection may spot them and they may query it re engineers cert.

Just want to avoid tearing out the interior to do it later. The top anchors for the fronts will be fine as the quarter trim will cover it. Can then just drill hole through and install.

Matt, what Chadd says about the seatbelts sums it up perfectly - rip 'em out. U.S. belts aren't compliant anyway.

Shane - as for the anchor point, that's a tough one, personal call. Wouldn't they be covered by carpet ?

weld the bolts in ready and then just cut the roof lining later
as for back belts, mine is a Jan 66 and has correct locations so you may be in luck. if not couldn't see drilling some holes etc as being to hard

Mine is a 66 and has lap belts in front and rear.

My 67 passed with lap belts front and rear.
All that was required was all lights working, (headlights dipping to left) and general road worthiness...
Front end play was checked, so if bearings/bushes are worn.. get it sorted.
As Rick states, dont do any mods before rego... get it on the road first.