New Zealand Datsun Club

TWZTID wrote:Surely you can have a 'shark nose' to an extent? You cant have anything sitting ontop of your bonnet like a scoop or whatever unless its factory or moulded into the bonnet, so no riviets, screws or tape. But if its part of the bonnet surely thats ok? or is it the fact its sticking out past the bumper?

Dattochriswagon wrote:Im sure you could get around it aye.
Shaun is looking for a C110 coupe of which he plans to lower more than his sedan with wider wheels. Big flares and shark nose

cheese910 wrote:Shark noses are no go in NZ
i was hoping there would be a way that they could be snuck in a back door in the law but the official word is here from my inquiries with the LVVTA:

"Unfortunately we don't have any good news on this one. We've looked pretty closely at both the LVV external projections requirements, the 'Land Transport Rules', and have also discussed this with a few different certifiers, and a senior engineer from NZTA. All of the advice and information we have received has pointed to this modification being outside of the legal requirements, and as such, could not be approved under the LVV system. This could possibly be approved however, if the extension could be made from a material that would deflect upon impact, for example the relatively soft foam-type material that some rear boot spoilers are made from.

In a nut-shell, the likelihood is that this modification (with a relatively sharp, protruding edge forward of the bumper) would cause more serious injuries to a pedestrian in the event of an impact than if it wasn't fitted. The lighting equipment would also need to be modified, however in the context of this outcome, that's a less significant issue.

These are the relevant section from the Land Transport Rules;

From external projections rule:


2.2 General safety requirements
2.2(1) An ornamental object or fitting must not protrude from a motor vehicle if the object or fitting is likely to injure a person.

2.2(4) Components of a motor vehicle, including damaged or corroded body panels, must be such that the risk of their hooking a vehicle, or hooking or grazing a person, is minimised.

2.2(5) In assessing whether 2.2(1) to 2.2(4) are complied with, a person specified in section 4 may take into account evidence that the external projections are within the motor vehicle manufacturer's operating limits.


Here is the relevant section from the LVV Standard;

Non-functional items

2.3(2) Protruding external objects or fittings that do not have a functional purpose may not be fitted to low volume vehicles if they are likely to increase the risk of injury to any person, including the following three requirements for non-functional items:

(a) ornamental hood emblems must be designed and attached in
such a way that they will fold back or break off in the event of
contact, without leaving any sharp edges;"