MOT requirements for a 1958 car?
Discussion
Nope, but as Elderly says, if you or a previous owner has fitted them then they'll have to work.
Legislation isn't retrospective, so as long as the car is standard OEM then it'll be ok. At that age I guess you wouldn't even need seat belts as I've a feeling they only came along in the 60s.
My '68 car has never had hazards or fog lights and there's never been an MoT problem. (with them anyway - the handbrake is another tale !)
Legislation isn't retrospective, so as long as the car is standard OEM then it'll be ok. At that age I guess you wouldn't even need seat belts as I've a feeling they only came along in the 60s.
My '68 car has never had hazards or fog lights and there's never been an MoT problem. (with them anyway - the handbrake is another tale !)
Passed my MOT in my 1958 Plymouth in June.
Tested were...
Brakes, Tyres, Windscreen wipers, Headlights, Indicators, Brake lights, Rear lights, Horn, Steering, suspension componants, visual smoke check.
There is a bit of a gray area over windscreen washers as it's not entirely clear on the wording of if they need to be retrospectively fitted. But I have done anyway and they were tested.
No Fogs, no hazards, no seatbelts, no reversing light etc.
But as one of the posters correctly pointed out, if you or a previous owner has fitted such things in the past, they have to work.
Also as mine is american and of the age stated I can pass with only one rear light on either side that does the job of lights, brake lights and indicators
Tested were...
Brakes, Tyres, Windscreen wipers, Headlights, Indicators, Brake lights, Rear lights, Horn, Steering, suspension componants, visual smoke check.
There is a bit of a gray area over windscreen washers as it's not entirely clear on the wording of if they need to be retrospectively fitted. But I have done anyway and they were tested.
No Fogs, no hazards, no seatbelts, no reversing light etc.
But as one of the posters correctly pointed out, if you or a previous owner has fitted such things in the past, they have to work.
Also as mine is american and of the age stated I can pass with only one rear light on either side that does the job of lights, brake lights and indicators
Some legislation is retrospective - windscreen washers need to be fitted to everything back to about 1933 unless you have an opening windscreen or aero screens and seatbelts were backdated to about 1963. I think these are the only things that have been retrospective as you can still have a single brake light and no front brakes if you go back far enough!
Apart from that, IIRC, you need everything that a modern needs except rear fogs, seat belts, indicators, hazards and the 'no significant smoke' emission test.
I put indicators on my 1951 car for safety and wired them to work as hazards as I don't like the idea of being on the back of a queue on a motorway or broken down somewhere and having some tw@t running into the back of me 'cos he didn't realise I'd stopped!
I would try and find a garage that understands the concept of classics and then always go there for the test - some garages may fail it on stuff they shouldn't be testing as they have never seen anything over 15 years old!
Apart from that, IIRC, you need everything that a modern needs except rear fogs, seat belts, indicators, hazards and the 'no significant smoke' emission test.
I put indicators on my 1951 car for safety and wired them to work as hazards as I don't like the idea of being on the back of a queue on a motorway or broken down somewhere and having some tw@t running into the back of me 'cos he didn't realise I'd stopped!
I would try and find a garage that understands the concept of classics and then always go there for the test - some garages may fail it on stuff they shouldn't be testing as they have never seen anything over 15 years old!
As the poster above says find a classic orientated MOT tester. This is not to try and get a hooky MOT but to get someone who understands that your windscreen washer works from a rubber button and finger power not an electric motor so will not put water over the top of the car when it is operated.
garethj said:
lowdrag said:
I had a problem every year with the headlights. They are Lucas Le Mans and dip straight ahead, not to the side. Now he doesn't actually look which is just as well perhaps.
As long as they don't flicker that's better than most old Lucas headlights 
a8hex said:
garethj said:
lowdrag said:
I had a problem every year with the headlights. They are Lucas Le Mans and dip straight ahead, not to the side. Now he doesn't actually look which is just as well perhaps.
As long as they don't flicker that's better than most old Lucas headlights lowdrag said:
Same with seat belts. If fitted, they must be up to snuff. If not fitted as per original, less to worry about. My "new" C type hasn't got belts since the original didn't.
What's your new C type registered as and as what year?Edited by lowdrag on Saturday 11th July 07:50
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