Hi all,
I've asked a couple of times on this forum and have also contacted VOSA and the DVLA, both haven't really given me a proper answer.
As you may know, I've dropped an old Rover Metro 1275cc A-series into my Smart car and is nearly completed. So I've cut out a larger hole
for the engine to poke through, added a clutch pedal and hooked up the existing electrics and systems to run this aging engine. The rest of the car is
standard, with no modifications to the brakes, suspension, bodywork or interior, just a larger engine with manual gearbox. As most of the car (say
90%) is the same, does it require a full SVA or just an MOT? I remember years ago, I put a 2.1L Pinto into a MK1 Escort from being a 1.3L cross flow,
just an MOT was fine.
Anybody know the right answer or have done this before?
Thanks guys.
Personally I'd go with just an MOT. Just MHI though
Grey area I'm afraid. The engine swap and clutch changes don't affect anything except the points scoring.
The hole cut for the engine could be, as if it's considered a significant modification to the monocoque structure (undefined by the DVLA afaik)
then SVA is required.
I doubt you'll get a sensible, or even consistant, answer from the DVLA regarding this.
It can't just be any hole, as otherwise drilling a hole to feed a wire through a bulkhead would require SVA. Further on putting an aftermarket
sunroof in a Mini doesn't require SVA. Finally cutting out all the suspension at the back of a mini and replacing it with a spaceframe and bike
engine has been ruled to be significant enough IIRC.
As you haven't changed the suspension I think you fall closer to the the sunroof example. Still it's rather grey 
Even further complicated by the way IIRC the Smart is some kind of hybrid rollcage spaceframe/moncoque construction.
Sorry no help, but I personally think you could get away with it. I'd still get a new MOT though.
Official rules here. All comes down to whether the chassis is considered the same for the 5 points. You only get 6 otherwise.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/DG_10014199
If you've got the engine in the same place as the original, same suspension and haven't cut huge holes in the original structure, I would just get it MOTd and report the engine change to DVLA
Emissions ?
Apparently this didn't need an SVA
http://www.flatmobile.co.uk/index.htm
thanks for your points of view on this, I'll probably try my luck and get an MOT done. It's only a show car for 3,000 miles a year, so
it's not gonna be on the road much. the engine is in the same position. As for emmisions, yes, the older engine is running leaded fuel with no
CAT, but it's from 1989 and the emmisions are based on the engine age, not the cars age.
Cheers people.
There will be a video on Youtube soon.
quote:
As for emmisions, yes, the older engine is running leaded fuel with no CAT, but it's from 1989 and the emmisions are based on the engine age, not the cars age.
Yeah, a pre '95 engine just get's round the CAT issue and the emmisions are supposed to reflect the engines age. Once you add say twin carbs
and high lift cam, the emmisions will change anyway.
You can run an old engine on throttle bodies but you need a lambda sensor and CAT. (I think that's right?).
I think the MOT tester will want it to pass the same emissions test as the Smart as he won't have anything to tell him otherwise.
I guess you could get round it by SVA ing it.
Stu
Stu
cat test im afraid unless you have a letter from the manufacturer saying it wont pass cat emissions.
MOT emissions are tested to the older of the car or the engine. Though you may need to prove the age of the engine to the tester.
Ref http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_730.htm
[Edited on 13/5/08 by iank]