Roger wrote:
snip
ISTR that the windscreen washer requirement came in circa 1970. At the
time I was running an old ex commercial 2A Land Rover with just one
wiper (which was apparently still legal) but it lacked a proper washer.

That is about the right date. I was driving a Mayflower at the time,
and had to retro-fit windscreen washers to it. You could buy a hand
operated push-to-pump kit, but it had a wicket return spring and needed
something a bit more substantial than a right-angled switch bracket to
fix it to.

I remember fitting the pump to an old spare windscreen wiper motor which
I mounted somewhere under the bonnet, so that when it was switched on it
squirted water rather than moved the wipers. Very posh - a 1952
Mayflower with electric windscreen washers!

Jim

That's fine. D'you want to actually be helpful and point us all at the
C&U regs that would be applicable to a 1961-registered vehicle?


What you need are the Lighting Regulations
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/uksi_19891796_en_1
However, vehicles that are type aproved in another EU country are also
accepted under UK law.

John

John gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying:

That's fine. D'you want to actually be helpful and point us all at the
C&U regs that would be applicable to a 1961-registered vehicle?

What you need are the Lighting Regulations
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/uksi_19891796_en_1
However, vehicles that are type aproved in another EU country are also
accepted under UK law.

Nope, not that simple.

First off, the 1989 RVLR doesn't tell you what's applicable to 1961
vehicles. There's a clue in the "1989" bit. It only covers new vehicles
from that date forward.

Secondly, it's not as simple as "OK in the EU? OK in the UK", as anybody
who's ever imported and UK registered a car will know. Many EU countries
didn't require foglights, side repeaters and other stuff - seatbelts,
even - at the same times as the UK did, so retro-fitting is often
required. Not to mention, of course, that headlight dip and fog lights
may need to be changed to cope with the fact we drive on the left.

Basically, everything that was fitted as original equipment should be
present and working. If any other electrics have been added it is best to
make sure that they work! (Some testers try to cover themselves by requiring
everything to work)

"Dave Angel" wrote in message
...
Hi there, I have a 1961 VW Beetle and the wiring is a mess. What is
required by law for the MOT in terms of electrics?

- Do I need any fog lights front or rear?
- Do I need a hazard lights?
- Do I need a high beam indicator bulb?
- Does anything have to come on whilst the ignition is off (ie, the
horn, lights etc?)

The car will shortly have the original style rear lights which are
just a single red light which acts as the brake light, driving light
and indicator. I assume that this is also ok for the MOT.

Thanks in advance for any help.

"Dave Angel" wrote in message
...
Hi there, I have a 1961 VW Beetle and the wiring is a mess. What is
required by law for the MOT in terms of electrics?

- Do I need any fog lights front or rear?
- Do I need a hazard lights?
- Do I need a high beam indicator bulb?
- Does anything have to come on whilst the ignition is off (ie, the
horn, lights etc?)

The car will shortly have the original style rear lights which are
just a single red light which acts as the brake light, driving light
and indicator. I assume that this is also ok for the MOT.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Peter Chadbund wrote:
Basically, everything that was fitted as original equipment should be
present and working. If any other electrics have been added it is
best to make sure that they work! (Some testers try to cover
themselves by requiring everything to work)

To answer the other half of your question, I think sidelights have to
work with the ignition off, as do hazard lights if fitted (and there is
no requirement to have them fitted). There is no particular requirement
for whether anything else works without the ignition on, but it can if
wired like that (in the 1950s and 1960s the horn was often wired to work
with ignition off by some manufacturers, and with ignition on by others).

Reversing lights are not part of the MOT test and nor is the interior
light, so if you have them fitted, it will not matter if they work or
not. Assume that everything else if fitted, must work. But if it was
not original equipment, it doesn't have to be fitted now (except
windscreen washers).

Jim

Jim Warren wrote:
"Dave Angel" wrote in message
...
Hi there, I have a 1961 VW Beetle and the wiring is a mess. What is
required by law for the MOT in terms of electrics?

- Do I need any fog lights front or rear?
- Do I need a hazard lights?
- Do I need a high beam indicator bulb?
- Does anything have to come on whilst the ignition is off (ie, the
horn, lights etc?)

The car will shortly have the original style rear lights which are
just a single red light which acts as the brake light, driving light
and indicator. I assume that this is also ok for the MOT.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Peter Chadbund wrote:
Basically, everything that was fitted as original equipment should be
present and working. If any other electrics have been added it is best
to make sure that they work! (Some testers try to cover themselves by
requiring everything to work)

To answer the other half of your question, I think sidelights have to
work with the ignition off, as do hazard lights if fitted (and there is
no requirement to have them fitted). There is no particular requirement
for whether anything else works without the ignition on, but it can if
wired like that (in the 1950s and 1960s the horn was often wired to work
with ignition off by some manufacturers, and with ignition on by others).

Reversing lights are not part of the MOT test and nor is the interior
light, so if you have them fitted, it will not matter if they work or
not. Assume that everything else if fitted, must work. But if it was
not original equipment, it doesn't have to be fitted now (except
windscreen washers).

Front fog lights (if fitted) are not a testable item. I've got them on
my MG ZB and asked the examiner, after observing that they were never
switched on.

Dan Smithers gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

Reversing lights are not part of the MOT test and nor is the interior
light, so if you have them fitted, it will not matter if they work or
not. Assume that everything else if fitted, must work. But if it was
not original equipment, it doesn't have to be fitted now (except
windscreen washers).

Front fog lights (if fitted) are not a testable item.

Seconded. They never worked on my ol' CX.

It's easy to see what is and isn't testable, and what can and can't fail
- www.motuk.co.uk, click on "tester's manual". If it ain't explicitly
listed as a "reason for rejectin", it CAN'T be failed on.