Mattia-SS

Tomorrow is D-day for my Olds. First there will be a "origin" inspection. This is where they check the origin of the car and that all the modifications needed has been done to it. After comes the ordinary inspection where they check brakes, tires etc etc. This is done every second year for cars over 30 y of age. The only thing that I know of where they can fail me is that my windshield washer motor doesnīt work but the just might find something else too if they work hard !!

To pass the first inspection I had to change the park light bulbs to white. Amber is only allowed if they donīt work as turnsignals!!

Put reflexes on the rear bumper. Ugly but wont pass without them. You can remove them after.

Change the miles gauge to kilometer. You see from the pic how nicely I did that Not sure if it will pass.

Then I put the VIN in the frame with these special tools. This was in fact not an easy one. I had to start over 2 times. I put some white paint over so it would become more visible. They only check this once so I can cover it for good when the car has passed.

These inspections is like lottery wich I will experience (again) tomorrow. Last time was over 10 years ago. Pics are thumbnails.

I almost forgot!!!!!! For those you who donīt understand a thing of what Iīm writing I should of course say that I bought this car in the US and imported it to Sweden. I bought the car in march so you can see that you have to have patience!

oldcutlass

There are some places here in the states that make you jump thru hoops too! I'm lucky I live in a state that the only requirement is a safety inspection. If I decided to register it as an antique, I wouldn't have to get that done either!

Good luck!

Bill in NC

Good luck!

Dapapadon

X2 on the luck!

Lady72nRob71

Good luck on the inspection. Looks like you are getting all your bases covered.
You Swedes are so easy going I doubt you should have any problems!
Hopefully they will not require the single rear red fog light...

rustyroger

Good luck, in Britain we too have to jump through a lot of hoops to get private imports registered, I suspect sweden may have more rigorous standards than us.
Sweden hosts the Vasteras Power Meet so I'm sure there are plenty of knowledgeable American car fans who understand how your system works.

Roger.

cutlassgal

Hope it goes well!

Mattia-SS

They failed me beacuse of the kilometer tape. They said it had to be visible in the dark. Because of this they never did the "normal" inspection.
Iīm thinking if I got the white background transparent instead it would be ok. Wouldnīt it??

Sept 1 I will give it another try.

455man

I wonder if you could replace the speedo with one from a 77 model or whenever they started using kph.

Mattia-SS

You mean that there are two scales?

455man

At some point they started using a speedo that had the kilo on it. I think it might have been 77.

check this thread.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...5-cutlass.html

jaunty75

I think the likelihood that a speedometer cluster from a '77 would drop in to a '70 is about zero.

This is going to be a tough one. I believe it was about 1975 that speedometers started having both mph and kph scales on them, at least on GM cars. I had a '75 Chevy Nova that had both.

How about an in-dash GPS unit? Tell the authorities that you'll wire it up so that it's always on when the car is running and that you'll set the vehicle speed feature to show kilometers per hour.

Is there a requirement that the original speedometer is the only one you can use, or can a separate speedometer function just as well?

Mattia-SS

There are many ways but it partly depends wich guy who inspects the car. Some of them donīt let anyting trough and some of them doesntīcare or at least have some understanding for the hobby.

My dad actually came up with the gps idea today but I donīt own any gps unit. It might have passed who knows!

I know one guy, he taped up a flashlight beside the speedometer and it passed

I think I will call tomorrow and ask how they want it done and later maybe go with my own ideas.

I bet a new scale can be done with some computer program and a printer but I donīt have the time.

Sometimes I wonder why I canīt be interested in collecting stamps or something instead of US cars

Lady72nRob71

Attach an LED accent light above the speedo and wire it into the fuse block temporarily. After inspection, remove it.
I am sure you can find these there at motorcycle, hotrod or electronics surplus shops...
http://www.bgmicro.com/LED1120.aspx

OR make smaller labels, open up the speedo and tape them carefully inside.

oldsguybry

we dont have any inspection here , and if we did I would tell them to f@ck off anyhow lol . give me one good reason why they do that , besides telling us how to live our lives and any other bs reason

MDchanic

Actually, we DO have inspections, just not for antique vehicles.

I drive a '98 BMW 318ti (called the "Compact" in Europe), which is a 2-door hatchback, good for 30mpg every day of the week. BMW imported these from about '92 to 2000, along with the rest of the E36 series. When they moved on to the E46, they didn't bother to import the ti. If I bought a newer 318ti (or a diesel ti) in Europe and tried to get it legal over here, I'd have to go through hell. In fact, I believe I'd have to provide the Feds with one car for crash testing before they'd accept it, as well as having to change all the lights and install a US / MPH gauge cluster (not as easy as it sounds, as it's all computerized and the parts have to be introduced to one another).

The stuff Mattia is going through is the same sort of nonsense all of our governments make us go through.
Don't worry - it's for our own good.

- Eric

ps: Mattia, I'd recommend opening up the speedo and making a nice round face out of paper for it, slightly smaller in diameter than the gauge, just big enough that it almost touches the numbers that are there already, marking it around the edge in KPH, then attaching it to the gauge face with some benign adhesive. You can remove it later.

cwracer

Can't you change the ratio to the speedo so that is is calibrated for KPH?

Mattia-SS

I called the guy today and asked him how he wanted it to look like. It cost me money every time I got there so I hope this is the last time.
Anyway - he said that it was ok to do like I did but with the tape on the meter itself. Or...number with transparent background on the glass. I think I will try to remove the glass.

Since my Olds with the 455 never was sold new in Sweden like the 350 Olds he needed data of the enginges horsepower! I tried to figure out what kind of option I got but itīs a djungle! I have to bring some kind of printed proof of this.

Does anybody know a good way to check this? I know of course that I got the 455 and I checked the carb. Itīs a 4 barrel.

I looked at this but it make no sence http://silverstone.fortunecity.com/o...pecs.html#L-33
For instance it only mentions the Y79 option but there is no explanation about it??

MDchanic

It is probably the 365hp version, but remember, that is SAE GROSS HORSEPOWER, VERY DIFFERENT from DIN HORSEPOWER, which is probably what they want to know.

Just to show how confusing this can become, here are two links:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45839
Pelican Parts Discussion

- Eric

Mattia-SS

Lady72nRob71

I think that should work! Hope it goes well.
I almost forgot what rain is..........

Mattia-SS

Today the Olds passed both inspections. They guys were impressed by the car. He never tested the windshield washer. When the inspection guy testdrove the car I had to hold on to my door
One light was pointing in the wrong direction but he didnt care much. I asked if I could fix it while I was there. I had already brought a screwdriver.

So..clean paper and now I only have to wait for the swedish plates. I have been driving around with 2 import and one american plate.

On the way home I floored it,for the first time actually and my God it moves

jaunty75

Cool all around! Congratulations.

Lady72nRob71

Great news my friend!
Now go enjoy the drives before your winter sets in!!
What part of Sweden are you in?

Mattia-SS

Yes, Iīm going to take every chance I can! Iīm in the southern part. The northern part already had temp below zero!!

Jaybird

Damn! That's too cold for me. I live in Colchester, ON, Canada. That is as far south you can go in Canada. Yesterdays' temperature reached 32.8C.

If I could move further south in Canada, I would!!!


Jaybird

Mattia-SS

Now this adventure is official over as you can see from the picture. The title and the plates arrived today and the car is fully insured for the amount of 130$/year. No roadtax on these babies and inspection every second year. This makes it very very cheap to own a classic car.

IMG_2439.jpg

w-30dreamin

Congrats on being legal.

Happy motoring to you

Bill in NC

Congrats! Now we need pics of that car in action.

Lady72nRob71

I really liked Orebro, especially drinking apple cider at the bar in the Orebro Slotts dungeon...

Mattia-SS

You have been in Sweden? Why and why not Bermuda instead?

1969w3155

My guess would be that there are more blondes in Sweden, and that's enough to warm any guy up!

MDchanic

I don't know... I've met a couple who made my blood run ice cold.

- Eric

Mattia-SS

Thatīs why I prefer dark hair and brown eyes. Too many blonds!