My BMW 507 project

[A12pilot]

Thanks guys! Once I get further along and it’s driveable, I set up an appointment with the DMV who sends a Trooper out to verify things. I show receipts for the engine, transmission, and rear showing they are not stolen. Then I think it goes through a safety inspection and then issued a VIN. That allows me to title it as a 1957 BMW 507…Replica. It’s like the Cobra guys do. They get a clear blue Texas title but it states Replica at the top and it’s because it’s based off of a real manufactured car. So all it has to do is meet safety regulations for that year, not present day so no emissions. I don’t think they have a limit on the number of registrations.

Very happy with it so far!

More to come this week.

Cheers
Dave

[Fargoman]

In Australia that vehicle would be considered a new vehicle that must meet current emissions standards and almost all of the Design Rules applicable to any new vehicle built in 2022.

There are a few Design Rules we don't need to meet such as Frontal Impact testing, Airbag rules and Stability Programmes.

To get your car registered would cost around AU$15,000 in Engineering to certify it. So about US$10-11,000.

Boy am I jealous of your systems and common sense approach.

[Gojeep]

Looking great there Dave! You must be happy with that outcome.

[A12pilot]

Wow. That kind of rules would decimate the kit car industry here. They recently changed the laws regarding them, but them changed them back to my understanding. They were trying to make it harder to register non-replica cars (one offs, custom built, not based on a real one).

The learning curve is more of a straight up vertical line versus a curve in regards to metal shaping. It’s so rewarding to make something from nothing!

I’m amazed at the talent on this site looking at the other projects. Simply incredible skills here.

[Charlie Myres]

Originally Posted by Fargoman

In Australia that vehicle would be considered a new vehicle that must meet current emissions standards and almost all of the Design Rules applicable to any new vehicle built in 2022.

There are a few Design Rules we don't need to meet such as ... and Stability Programmes.

....

A friend of mine started modifying an old Land Rover with a modern engine and brakes etc. in Western Australia. He abandoned the project when he was told by someone who knew, that when driveable, his car had to pass a stability test on a test track. The test is so trying, apparently, that most new cars would fail it.

[cliffrod]

I’ve not been following your build for a while, but am very happy I checked in- it looks great!

For future reference, I will add a couple of things:

1. Any time you think your job looks off center, imbalanced, uneven, whatever - doesn’t matter if it’s the face of an angel on a headstone or the headlights on a replica car - simply reverse a pic of the concerned area on your computer. Individuals tend to prefer left or right, then use it as a point of reference, then prefer the side they are most comfortable creating & looking at- look right, see left. So flip that pic- if that angel goes from beautiful to looking drunk & ugly, you’ve got more work to do…. Even Michelangelo’s Pieta Mary goes from beautiful to looking pretty compromised if you reverse an image of her face.

2. Even if it isn’t perfect, Living in America is great!

[A12pilot]

That’s great advice! I’ve done what you described when I was an making my portfolio for acceptance at SCAD and never applied since Ingot so discouraged about heading in that direction for a career in Art & Design after seeing all the flaws. But that was then, and being young, you tend to not learn like you should. Glad I went the route I did, but it was a good life lesson looking back.



I’ve got it on the rotisseire and seams sealed so I’ll spray epoxy primer on it today.

Cheers
Dave

[Charlie Myres]

Fantastic work Dave!

[rockable]

Awesome work! How do you keep your work area so clean when doing metal work? I wish I could but all the grinding dust, etc. is hard to get up and then you just do it again.

[A12pilot]

Thanks Guys!

I make it a daily end of the day routine; clean the shop, put away all tools. Now, I can’t say I’ve done it every single time, but I am pretty religious about it.

I’m glad the major metal work is coming to an end soon. This has been a very fun project and it’s opened the doors to new friends, which is priceless!