Silly season has spread to Fiat 500's

[Bob Purton]

Thanks for the info Dave. So if one comes up with documentation there should be no problem then?

[marcus]

For Cinquecento fans: Bromley pageant of Motoring 2009

[barchetta]

Bob,
 no problems with registering a car of that age, mine was probably the 'worst case' no docs, no import papers,etc , obviously if you have documentation then an age related number will be gained rather than a Q ,( unless you have the special offer £250 secret handshake with the DVLA !!! ) These cars look 60's but are made much later than you think.

However have you heard this or is it an Urban myth ?,,,, a man tried to import 5 trabbies into the UK,DVLA turned them down because of the smokey nature of the two stroke engine   . more likely they weren't 'personal imports'     

[Bob Purton]

Hi Dave. Thanks . I may look out for one, I didn't know the story of the trabbies. Tell us more. Talking of smokey things I saw you ex Puch yesterday, Steve can be a bit of a Neanderthal at times, he had jet washed it without protecting the electrics and now wonders why it doesn't start! Still, so long as it drys out in time for the Daffodil dash we will be ok.

[marcus]

At NMCR 2008 I enjoyed Jim Jamieson's fiery Trabbi display!

[Big Al]

It is alledged that DVLA refuse to register Trabbies as they fail to comply with emissions regulations. No idea if this is true or if it is date related as the rules change for older cars. I would think a P50 would be OK but I could see probs with a very late stroker. It was this story that began the worry of strokers being banned on masse. So maybe it is mainly a scare story. Anyone know for sure?

The Jolly link is one I have come across and the trail seems to have gone dry about 4 years ago. I will try again. Likewise I will try Fiat again before attempting Ghia. I see there is a reasonable Autobainchi Cabriolet for sale in Belgium, nice little car and perhaps the most useful poser mouse derivative even without an Abarth mod. Some time away from sorting the Jolly as other projects to do first but I think it is complete and not rusty.

[cuscus47]

........ because of the smokey nature of the two stroke engine   .....     

I have used a 50:1 synthetic oil mix in my Trabbie for over five years now.  When first started after sitting winter, even after stirring the petroil, it smokes for three minutes until warmish, then absolutely no smoke.  After sitting a few days, for the first minute or so, smoke, then none.  Occassionally when lugging up a hill, before changing down gear, a puff of smoke.  Four others I know, also do not smoke apart from one, but he uses regular oil and 30:1 and it even sprays oil out of the tail-pipe, but he keeps it as is, for as he claims "authenticity".   Just don't follow too close!       Ian

[marcus]

I am probably wrong but my guess is that excessive smokiness is already covered in MOT test legislation for the type and age of car/engine* so it is probable that no other legislation would have been superimposed, government law officers hate extra work. Certainly when I registered my Velorex and paid the import duty etc about 6 years ago, the question of emissions did not arise at all, nor a DVLA test, but a Trabbi's 4th wheel might prompt a test even though they are relatively well known; exotic 3 wheelers by pass a lot of laws!

[Big Al]

MOT test does not really test two stroke emissions on classics. I have not heard of anyone failing for being smokey. I have gain MOTs on cars with duff oil seals. I have not tried a 'modern' stroker through the system. I think it more likely you would get pulled by the police for smoke than the MOT man but what law they might be able to apply I am not sure. Test case would be to drive round central London I think.

Trabbies and fuel - East German fuel was pretty low octane stuff - 87 rings a bell - and probably with minimal additives. The two stroke would have been pretty similar to the '50's stuff so had to be in a reasonably high ratio. Hey presto the smokey Trabbies as filmed in Berlin traffic after the wall fell. The performance on this mix was poor with many cars struggling to achieve 55MPH. Once fed on British fuel and modern two strokes for a bit the fuel system and engine deposits were cleared out and with carbon cleared out of the exhaust and ports the same car would do a none smokey 70 plus MPH. It was in this form I used to sell them and got good money over sluggardly stuff not sorted out. Cannot comment on best mix for Trabbies now, I stuck to the book values. It would be interesting to have a clean, modern fueled Trabbie in tune tested for emissions. My feeling is it would not be as bad as people might think but the presentation of ill prepared cars spoiled the game for all it seems.

So we are left with Marcus' observation that the Velorex was passed without comment despite them being later construction than they look whereas people have had probs with their Trabbies. Don't no.

[marcus]

Actually I put an asterisk in my previous post, but forgot to add the asterisked phrase, being that the law is pretty lax for two strokes, saying that it must not produce smoke which the MOT tester considers to be noticeably excessive for the type of vehicle/engine.
Therefore if your KR, Trabbie, Velorex or Royal Oilfield produces roughly the same amount of smoke as any other with around 25 to 1 (normal when the law was passed) then it passes. If it makes a choking black cloud of oily smoke it will be a visually obvious failure, everything else is (or certainly used to be) down to how strict or relaxed the tester is.