Outer Limits 4x4 Board

So I've just bought a 1944 Ford GPW (old army jeep) and the plan was to get some new tyres, fix the brakes and get it registered (in Victoria) as a bit of a toy until do a full restoration on it.

Only problem is, I've spoken to a couple of mechanics and as of 12 months ago they treat body rust as structural and it won't pass.

Obviously this thing is 63 years old, it's got some rust (chassis is perfect) and there's a few small holes here and there - has anyone had first hand experience getting a RWC on an older car? Is surface rust okay?

If its as strict as they're saying, 3/4 of the cars on the road in Victoria are unroadworthy!

I have had the same thing when I first tried to get my project celica on the road. Rust right through a panel and it needed to be repaired to be in RWC.

I am a licensed roadworthy tester in victoria. My inturpretation of the ruling is:

if a structural member is rusted right through or to a point where the integrity of the member is comprised,
A NON structural member is rusted to a point where during an accident occupant injury is likely to be increased due to lack of structure or pedestrian injury is likely to be increased
Then i fail it.
Surface rust is ok
Rust in a non structural panel in a non intrusive area is ok. EG rear lower section of front gaurds is ok as long as the panel remains secure. Rust in the front of the bonnet needs to be fixed cos if you hit a pedestrian you'll tear them open.
It's a common sense thing. If it has the potential to be unsafe it fails.

Nah, my first car was a Pajero which had rust holes which were massive! Some were the size of the base of a coke can!

The situation was that I bought the car for my own private use (the same as you) and that I was going to fix it and not use the road worthy to palm it off to someone else.

I slapped some bog over the holes then some primer and all was well. I didn't even have to sand the excess off. As long as there were no visible holes through the body panels etc, it was fine.

You'll be right mate. Just talk to a couple of different machanics and I'm sure you'll find someone.

Cheers,

Anthony.

You shouldnt get failed for surface rust, however its not going to look good to the inspector, its a sure sign that the car hasnt been maintained very well and if he doesnt like visits from the authorities he will go looking for more advanced rust.

According to the DOTARS document on rust there are 3 stages.

Surface Rust: Excactly that, just the powdery oxidisation of the metals surface. Not a reason for defect but it does look bad and should be fixed before it turns to.......

Advanced Rust: This is the grey area. Advanced rust is rust that is starting to penetrate into the metal. Defectable only if its in a structural area such as sub-frame or chassis rails, suspension mountings, door pillars, sills and seat mountings. Its up to the inspectors discretion really.

Extensive Rust: Holes or fully penetrated rust, doesnt matter where it is, its a fail and should be fixed with metal, not bog.

dieseldude wrote:Nah, my first car was a Pajero which had rust holes which were massive! Some were the size of the base of a coke can!

The situation was that I bought the car for my own private use (the same as you) and that I was going to fix it and not use the road worthy to palm it off to someone else.

I slapped some bog over the holes then some primer and all was well. I didn't even have to sand the excess off. As long as there were no visible holes through the body panels etc, it was fine.

You'll be right mate. Just talk to a couple of different machanics and I'm sure you'll find someone.

Cheers,

Anthony.

i have done this to get past RWC before
if you put the bog on before the first RWC check then the tester is none the wiser as to how bad the rust ever was , for all he knows the bog could be covering a dent.

out of sight out of mind (same theory has passed cracked windscreens just by putting stickers in the right spots)

dieseldude wrote:I slapped some bog over the holes then some primer and all was well. I didn't even have to sand the excess off. As long as there were no visible holes through the body panels etc, it was fine.

This is a great example of a dodgy mechanic giving a dodgy roadworthy. This sort of activity is slowly but shorely be stamped out of the industry. It is an abuse of power and inexcusable.

from i gather its visible signs of rust will make the vehicle fail. So as stated above in regards to a windscreen, stickers that cover the rust make it not visible and allow it to pass as long as everything else is ok of course

Tried to find it again and can't, but a few months ago I came across a pdf on the RTA's website, that was a newsletter or similar to the mechanics that are authorized inspectors, anyway, in short it said that they should fail to pass any rust

But anyway, what they don't see they cant fail you on so slap some pressure pack can paint over it and your sweet

Just checked the Vicroad's website - their current roadworthy PDF is dated from 2001 - doesn't mention any new rules on rust that the mechanics mentioned have come in within the last 12 months??

BASSYK wrote:

dieseldude wrote:Nah, my first car was a Pajero which had rust holes which were massive! Some were the size of the base of a coke can!

The situation was that I bought the car for my own private use (the same as you) and that I was going to fix it and not use the road worthy to palm it off to someone else.

I slapped some bog over the holes then some primer and all was well. I didn't even have to sand the excess off. As long as there were no visible holes through the body panels etc, it was fine.

You'll be right mate. Just talk to a couple of different machanics and I'm sure you'll find someone.

Cheers,

Anthony.

out of sight out of mind (same theory has passed cracked windscreens just by putting stickers in the right spots)

Qld Transport grab a screwdriver and dig holes in your bog if they think its rust lol

Shadow wrote: Qld Transport grab a screwdriver and dig holes in your bog if they think its rust lol

Surely they arent allowed to Destroy your car with a screwdriver if they "think" theres rust under there

whats next they take to it with the 9"

RockyF70 wrote:Tried to find it again and can't, but a few months ago I came across a pdf on the RTA's website, that was a newsletter or similar to the mechanics that are authorized inspectors, anyway, in short it said that they should fail to pass any rust

But anyway, what they don't see they cant fail you on so slap some pressure pack can paint over it and your sweet

Ive got the very bulleiten at work that explains it all,

Surface rust = not a fail (every car in the northen beaches of sydney would fail otherwise)
Advanced rust = fail in structural members
Extensive rust = fail.

I could scan it and post it up here if you want me to.

Well it's arrived, and there's really only two panels that I think will need replacing (but I knew about those) the rest is surface rust...so I think I'll do a very basic restoro on it, strip it back, patch it up, wack a coat of green drab on it, get some new tyres, fix the hand brake and see how we go.

Then down the track I'll do the full body off restoration.