FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Hi all its been a while, just wondering if anyone can help me? i have purchased a 350 chev and was thinking of putting it in my fc sedan, just wondering if there is a conversion kit out there and how hard it is to do or exspensive?  Thanks Muzzie

what state you in not legal in,vic or.nsw

Spewin! Im in vic, oh well looks like i have to buy another project car. :)

you can do in vic, there are 3 way

1. you can do it on street rod reg.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/street_rod.aspx

2. have a pay extra at engineers and have it done as an ICV (individual constructed vehicle).
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP10_Section_LO_ADRs_ICVs_1Jan2011_v2.pdf

3. if the vehicle is reg. as commercial the laws dont apply.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP3_Section_LA_Engine_01jan2011_v3.pdf

also with the new laws came a few bonuses, club and rod reg get a book that allows the car to driven 90 days a years unrestricted,
 

So living in Victoria is looking pretty sweet right now  :P

were therea will theres a way :D

But if you get it passed in SA then you can re register it on the SA engineers sign off in Vic and dont need any inspections other than the usual roadworthy.

Not only that,we have the best BEER in Australia! ;D

tassie has the best beer

Doesn't it say somewhere in the regs that if the commercial vehicle is derived from a passenger car then it's the same regs as for passenger car. So much in the regs to read i might be wrong but i think i remember reading it somewhere.

     Regards  Chris.

Thats correct Chris, doesnt matter what the weight of the utility fc or fe is, they go by they sedan.

So do they have a maximum cubic inch that you can register an fe/fc in SA. Or is it as long as it passes all the other regs it's ok?

Yeah no minimum mate in SA, the preferred method is they send you a build form, you submit it and then build it to what specs they say, in terms of equipment etc, then the engineer ticks off the structural side. brake test done etc... These days probably cheaper to move to SA (for me anyway being near the border) and engineer your car there and then move back to vic, because I have no VASS approved people for 2 hours plus and they charge like wounded bull to come here and inspect anything. If the government are going to privatise processes like this, then I would prefer that they make it accessible to ALL VICTORIANS and ensure that there are sufficient VASS Engineers available to everyone. This is not an attack on anyone, but is a fact. I'd hate to think that people cut corners and don't get cars inspected properly for safety as I have to drive on the roads with these death traps.

Just get an IVC done and you REG with anything you like in Vic. I thing the report is around the 3500 mark,

Or if it's not going to be an everydayer car hotrod REG it
Your aloud up to 460ci, and can drive 90 days a year+ club events, that nilly twice a week(saterday and Sunday)

There are positives with new law, no many but some.

If it's done on icv reg then does it have to comply with current Australian design rules. air bags,emissions,etc,etc,etc.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP10_Section_LO_ADRs_ICVs_1Jan2011_v2.pdf

here's the doc, haven't read it all, but id does get classed at a car of the year first reg after mods, so if you finish and reg in 2013 then its a 2013 holden _____,

but best to check with the engineer,
i dont thing it need airbags, as not all new car have airbags,
emissions i no for a fact is yes, you must run cat's, stay under 88db and run ulp
abs, youll have to check, but i have seen it fitted on many early mdl cars, when the donor vehicle had it fitted.

again best to ring around and find engineers that do it, and ask them, as they be the one signing it off.

here's a link to hotrod reg as well if interested
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/street_rod.aspx
it well worth looking into if you dont intend to drive it everyday

So how many trips to SA does that mean you would have to make? Which engineer is the closest to the Vic boarder? Do you have to live in SA to have it engineered in SA?

The car must be first Reg. After engineers to a SA lienced person living in SA
If my memory servies me right it must stay in that person name for so many weeks before it will be excepted in Vic.
And ive also been told there closing up that loop hole and making it stay in that persons name for a longer time period of time before it can be transferred

I have a friend of a friend who lives in SA so could i change my licence to SA licence and use his address then wait till the time period has expired then change to vic reg?

If the car was Reg in your name then transferred to Vic there'd be no problem

Ive considered this as I have many ralos in Sa so no issue there, but have since found out it's cheaper to get an iva done or change out rails with hq, as freight and time to SA every time in need an inspection put it out of the question + the mucking around of Reg ad transfers adds up as well

Unless you live close to the border like dean I don't think it's a practical or feasible option,

How ofteren do you plane on driving it? As hotrod REG may be the way to go
Cheap Reg and insurance also come along with it,

ive herd some talk of people looking into getting hotrod Reg then transferring it to full Reg
May not be that easy but worth a look

If I were you idd contact you local vicroads approved engineer and speak to them, thell be able to give you better prices/ and requirements for an iva or hotrod reg

There is a truck place in bordertown that has the regency park guys go there every fortnight or month to do the vehicle testing. This is still a separate process I believe to the actual engineering side of it. There are no engineers between ballarat and Murray bridge that i know of. But bolting on an approved chassis kit is not seen as a big deal in sa. Repairing floors and subframe to original spec does not require engineers approval. It's all the other mods such as he front, modfed brakes, steering column conversion and wipers etc require certification. I have been told by numerous sa rta people that you can have the garaging address in sa wherever you like and live in vic. I don't bekeive this to be true. You would need proof that you moved to sa in form of a utility bill I would think and then you could change license. Or if you have family there you have to be able to trust the person to put it in their name then buy it back ....if ya know what I mean. You shouldn't need to go back and forth too much for inspections. As long as you do it to what they say on the form they send you it will be ok. My situation is different, I live near border have all ny family there and once its a roller its no hastle for me as I go there regularly anyway unlike the other direction. Mine is also mire likely to be part of the sa club and used in birdwood rally and will be garaged there for real a lot of the time. I'm sort of over it atm. It's too hard to do it all anyway with no vass guys close. So I'm still investigating having it registered in sa if it is garages there by some legitimate means through my family. Doesn't matter with the other car cos it will be stock and just have gearbox mod.

I had a quick lot at the street rod reg document and it seems to say that it has to have a full chassis and must not rely on the body for strength. Is this correct or did i miss something.


    Regards Chris.

I had a quick look at the street rod reg document and it seems to say that it has to have a full chassis and must not rely on the body for strength. Is this correct or did i miss something.


    Regards Chris.

I think you may be missing a very important point.  The National Street Rod Guidelines are for cars that are/look like they are pre 1949.  Unless you can prove your FC was a very "early" build date of 1949 they don"t apply.

John

Have you considered carbying a 1uzfe 4 litre v8 like the speedway classes in new Zealand. I am considering this instead of the 350 which US heavier and twice as weak as a stock 4 litre bottom end for less money for same strength. They sound better and better auto box combination and lower weight and are legal.

idd check it out as i dont think you can,
as what ever engine you fit you must comply to epa laws of the year on that motor,
i had the issue with an injected v8 in a '82' hilux and had to keep the injection, or go straight gas to comply to epa

The point i was getting at is that fe/fc's dont have a full chassis and can't be reg with a big v8 up to 460 cu under street rod reg.

   Regards Chris.

I was referring to what john253a said about being able to register fe/fc's under streeet rod reg.

    Thanks again Chris.

blown 350ci on club reg with monster tubs in rear (no back seats)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brycering/5208478308/

This is what i cant understand. whats the big deal about these new national laws about only being able to fit up to 4.4l engines in fe/fc's if you can get club reg and fit blown sbc or 460cu big blocks with tubs and drive them 90 days a year. does that fc have a full chassis?  if not i don't know how it passes an engineers cert for club reg. Don't get me wrong i will be so happy if i can put a 454 or a blown sbc in my fc and drive it 90 days a year.

  Regards. Chris.

unless your just after the looks of a blown sbc, you can quite easily get that power out of naturally aspirated sb,
im just under 500hp on my ls3 (with only miner mods) and there only 10g for a new crate with warranty,

My question is how do you get something like that registered? Is it reg as a street rod?

  Chris

full vig reg requires an ivc to be done or fit a chassis to it, from a heaver car and re reg it as a rebody,(so it will nolonger be an 195x fe/fc)
club reg and hotrod reg have different restrictions and best bet is to speak to an engineer about it, as they still have to sign off on it