Category: New Auto

The MOT test was set up to improve road safety. The logic being that if a car handles well and stops when it should, the risk of accidents and serious injuries is reduced. Some countries have been slow to set up their own vehicle testing system, but those that have a properly enforced system benefit from lower accident rates than those that do not have a testing system.

The MOT test was introduced in the UK in 1960. It was a simple test that only checked the brakes, steering and lights. Only cars over the age of 10 years were required to take the test. In 1967 the age limit was changed so that cars of 3 years old or more also had to be tested.

Commercial vehicles like buses and lorries were added to the list of vehicles that had to be tested in 1962. In 1983, any passenger vehicle with 8 seats or more had to be tested once they were more than 1 year old. Tyre quality and tyre depth tests were introduced in 1968. Prior to this, many car owners let their tyres go bald before replacing them. This contributed to accidents, because cars could not stop in time on bald tyres.

In 1978, test on the condition of the windscreens, wiper blades, windscreen washer systems, indicators, spotlights, the horn, body structure and exhaust systems were all added.

Most classic cars do not come with anti-theft devices already fitted, so can be vulnerable to being stolen. The good news is that your average classic car is not considered a good target by most car thieves. Generally, car thieves want a car that can be easily broken down into parts or sold on. The market for classic cars and their parts is relatively limited, making them less attractive to thieves. However, you should still protect your vehicle.

If you want to show your car you must be careful not to change the outward appearance of the car when you fit anti theft devices. As a result this usually rules out the options of etching your windows or putting alarm system warning stickers on your windows,
and a few other anti-theft devices.

Fitting removable anti-theft devices will not spoil the outward appearance of your vehicle, meaning that you can still enter it into car shows. The best removable devices are steering locks or brake pedal locks. There are so many different types on the market, that finding one that will work in your car is relatively easy. They are also quite cheap and very convenient to use.

Which car to buy for restoration is a very big decision. There are many things you must consider, but the first question to ask yourself is how much can I afford to spend restoring a car. If you have a bottomless pit of money then just buy the car you like best. If like most people you have only a limited amount of money, then you need a car that needs minimal work, or for which parts are cheap and readily available.

Another important factor in deciding what car you can afford is how much of the work needed you can do yourself. Doing the majority of the work yourself can keep the costs down, so you may be able to afford to buy a more challenging restoration project than an unskilled person can afford.

Check that you can source both the labour and the parts that you need to restore the car you like in your area. If you are going to use professionals get some idea of how much the restoration will cost from them. They can also give you a rough idea of how long the restoration will take. Be as through as you can be at this stage, 30% of all restoration projects fail when the new owner runs out of money.