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PostPosted: December 6, 2010, 4:41 pm 
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Hello.

Just registered here and interested in starting a build somewhere early next year. I would like to know if anyone is in Nova Scotia and if they ran into problems getting the car registered or road-worthy approved.

I think I saw a post a while back but unfortunately I can't fint it and I also can't directly PM members since I just joined the forums...

Thanks!

Etienne


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PostPosted: December 6, 2010, 5:54 pm 
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Welcome to the board Etienne.

I do not have an answer for you but I will move this to the License and Title section. Someone will be able to get you an answer.

Thanks,

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PostPosted: December 6, 2010, 6:37 pm 
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Etienne,

I have not registered a car yet, but I am building ...

For things like hot rods (and Locosts), the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation uses an automotive engineer based in New Brunswick. He inspects the completed car, and all being well, issues a stamped engineer's letter to the NS DOT declaring the vehicle acceptable for registration.

Unless things have changed recently, the engineer is David Hoare, of Motion Design Ltd ( 506-458-9017 or motiondesignltd@yahoo.com ). I spoke to him a couple of times before starting my build. A word of caution: when I last spoke to him he required use of a 'certified' welder - this is something that bothers the local hot rod community. I don't think that this would preclude tacking a frame together and then having someone else do the final welding. It is one reason that I started with a frame built by someone else, but you may be a welder.

I recommend that you call David Hoare, to get direct information. He travels to NS a couple of times a year to do final inspections, and I recall that his inspection fee was quite reasonable.

Once he approves a vehicle, you then go through the usual registration process with NS DOT.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: December 6, 2010, 7:15 pm 
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Well that was fast.. :P

Thanks for moving this thread in the right section....didn't scroll down far enough.

Using a certified welder won't be a problem for me. Do you know anything else that he likes to be picky on? Do you know if the registrar will accept letters from any certified engineer or just specifically from him?

I'm not even started on the build so I don't think I'll call him just yet... ;) How long do you estimate before you will be finished?


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PostPosted: December 6, 2010, 9:10 pm 
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Etienne,

I have had two long conversations with David Hoare, so I have some idea of his preferences.

First, no, NS DOT requires a letter from this particular engineer, who is under some sort of retainer. You might wish to check with the Registry of Motor vehicles to see if they have added others. It was the Registry that initially refered me to David Hoare.

As to things that the engineer likes ...

1. Fenders: I was first going to build a Speedway Motors 32 Ford Loboy and when I broached the idea of open wheels, I quickly learned that he's insistent about fenders. Cycle fenders will apparently do.
2. According to my hot rod building friends, he insists on wipers and a defroster, which seems entirely reasonable in Nova Scotia.
3. Again according to the hot rodders, he requires a side exhaust to discharge behind the driver, which may be a problem for a seven - but there may be flexibility around what 'behind' means.
4. I asked him about headlight location and he said he wasn't picky about meeting height requirements literally, as long as they were 'sensible.'
5. and of course, welding ....

I got the impression in my discussions that he was actually supportive of hobby builders.

My build progress has been glacial to date, but now that I've retired I'd like to finish within two years.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: December 7, 2010, 11:05 am 
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Thank you very much for all that good info Warren.

Here's a link I found that you might find interesting:

http://www.mycoupe.ca/modules/AMS/artic ... storyid=30

On the same site there's also another article about importing a kit in nova scotia although I think you are past that step.

Etienne


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PostPosted: December 7, 2010, 3:58 pm 
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Etienne,

I bought my starter kit from COLD in BC: this avoided issues with customs, although it doesn't negate TC regs. I note that the contract between COLD and me specifies that he is selling me a 'weldment' without liability, since he has no control over its end use. Otherwise, COLD risks running afoul of TC.

Your FFR link was useful. I will probably do the engineer's inspection before I do paperwork with the Registry of Motor Vehicles, but that is a long way away! I note the comment about IRS - the issue there is that it puts the collection of 'parts' too close to being a rolling chassis kit, which TC will not allow to be imported.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: December 10, 2010, 9:20 am 
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Etienne,

I recently sent my first progress report to David Hoare and his response indicates that my interpretation of his welding requirements is too strict. His response to my submission was as follows:

Quote:
Looks good so far, I was interested in your comment on the "certified welder". As you are aware, the actual welding is the critical item, not the welder. If the host materials are identified and the appropriate filler materials, amperages, and weld type and size are used, we are less concerned with the welder.

We have seen some excellent backyard welding and terrible "professional qualified welder's" workmanship. Although certified shops should be expected to produce proper welds, this isn't always the case, and it becomes critical for dynamically loaded structures such as vehicle frames and cages.


I guess I misconstrued his views in discussions with him. Comments from the local hotrodders must have been a result of refusal of some of their own work.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: December 12, 2010, 10:23 am 
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Interesting. That might change things for me since I have a friend that's a pretty good welder so I'll probably end up having him do the work instead of a actual certified welder. Cheers for saving me some money, I owe you a beer!

Do you have a build thread for your project? I looked around but couldn't seem to find one.

Etienne


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PostPosted: December 12, 2010, 6:28 pm 
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Etienne,

It's pretty thin so far. See 'Warren's Isuzu-based +401 with SR20DE

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601

If you are in the HRM area and wanted to have a look you can find my phone number in the St. Margaret's Bay Section of the book. There's not much to see yet! A friend in Bedford is getting ready to put his engine in a Birkin kit, which is rather spiffy looking.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: November 3, 2011, 7:20 pm 
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Bumpers!!! :cry:

My friend's Birkin is being inspected within the week, but he (the friend) had an opportunity to meet with the engineer who does the inspection on behalf of the province. Upon seeing the photos, the engineer noted that the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicles Act (or the associated regulations?) requires a front bumper ... grrr ... one that goes to the outside of the wheels no less, so a hot-rod nerf bar won't do.

On the plus side, the engineer's own tongue must be in cheek because he said that he wouldn't require calculations to demonstrate that the bumper would meet Canada's 5 kph collision requirement. The engineer/inspector also expressed concern about protecting the fuel tank, but accepted the Birkin's spare tire carrier - with spare tire and wheel - as being adequate for the purpose.

Seems like a bumper wil be in my own build's future, although it might be 'subject to falling off,' to borrow JonW's expression.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: November 15, 2011, 8:51 pm 
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Tony had his Birkin inspected earlier today. I didn't make it in time for the inspection, but was there for the 'debrief'. It went well, barring a few hiccups.

The bumper requirement, for the front at least, is very real and solidly embedded in Nova Scotia regulation. Tony had fabbed up a neat nerf bar for the nose but it wouldn't meet the full width requirement in the regulations. The inspector said that the one time he missed it on a car the Registrar picked it up on the (required) photographs and bounced the inspection.

There were a few minor bits that surfaced: the inspector requires Grade 8 bolts (or metric 8.8 ) on suspension bits and won't allow nylocks there either. Tony has a few switches to label, a clutch pedal start safety switch (in lieu of a neutral switch for an automatic) to install, and has to have the shift pattern shown on the gear lever or nearby :roll: . Regulations again.

It was useful and enjoyable to meet David Hoar. I had corresponded with him, and talked over the phone, but got a better impression of the individual in person. He clearly takes his role as the professional engineer in the process seriously, but is equally a car guy who enjoys interacting with custom and kit car and motorcycle builders. He apparently does these inspections for all three Maritime provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick (where he lives) and Prince Edward Island. He commented that Nova Scotia had the best process for one-offs of the three provinces, and that NS benefitted from having a engineer as the current registrar.

His fee for the inspection and his (PE stamped) letter to the province (Nov 2011) was $204 plus HST (15% in Nova Scvotia). Both Tony and I roll our eyes at this: there is no way that we would charge this little for this much professional service. I am a long way from inspection, but the service includes review and comment on my progress reports during construction.

One of his comments to me, with a smile on his face was "So when do I get to see your car?

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: November 23, 2011, 10:43 pm 
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Warren Nethercote wrote:
There were a few minor bits that surfaced: the inspector requires Grade 8 bolts (or metric 8.8 ) on suspension bits and won't allow nylocks there either. Tony has a few switches to label, a clutch pedal start safety switch (in lieu of a neutral switch for an automatic) to install, and has to have the shift pattern shown on the gear lever or nearby :roll: . Regulations again.


The inspector knows metric 8.8 bolts are equivalent in strength to SAE grade 5 bolts right? :lol:

Are deforming lock nuts acceptable or do they want you to drill and pin everything?

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PostPosted: November 29, 2011, 4:01 pm 
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Probably not: he said grade 8. I said, "What about metric?" We all scratched our heads and someone (Tony?) said 8.8? to which we all said, 'Yaaa'. Actually, I thought that 8.8s were somewhere between Grade 5 and Grade 8, but point taken. It's moot in my case since all my bushings came from Speedway or COLD.

He actually said he wanted deformables - I have forgotten the name that he used for them.

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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PostPosted: April 2, 2012, 9:41 am 
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Update: Remember how Tony's Birkin was inspected in November (a few posts back)? Well he still isn't registered. The Registrar's staff got all contemplative about the 'reconstructed vehicle' category in NS and simply suspended processing. :BH: There are now a dozen homebuilders of various desciptions (Tony's Birkin, some hot rodders, etc) in limbo while staff contemplate what 'category' best describes a 1932 Ford that is neither a Ford nor built in 1932 (for example). Letters to the Minister are next ... (12 guys in limbo is actually a disturbing number in a province with 900,00 populatiion - in fact, one would be, if you were Tony.)

Tony was sanguine while there was snow on the ground, but driving weather is arriving - not to mention that he's got an uninsurable vehicle in his garage, unless insured as a racing car (such coverage disapears the moment you start the engine).

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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