thats great news mate 

Here's hoping you get to take the suicide drive real soon mate! 

Fingers crossed bro! 🤞

What a f@#$%n f@#$around. Car is roadworthy - mechanic issued certificate. He said to take it to Qld Transport, get it registered and I'll attach the plates for you. Easy, right? I toddle off to Qld Transport and the chickibabe is trying to get the computer to accept her inputted info but no cigar. It now transpires that I need a 'modification plate' in order to prove that the car is Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliant. So now I have to find a certified engineer who will inspect the car and hopefully issue the plate, even though the car has not been modified. I walked out of there ready to kill someone. If I had known about this I would have organised it weeks ago. I've had 3 weeks off work but now it's Friday night and I have to fly out bright & early Tuesday morning for 7 days AND I live in the middle of nowhere so good luck finding someone to do the inspection! Trying to find clear concise information on how to register an imported car is impossible. I thought this was the Information Age. It friggin' isn't.

Whatever - I am so fed up with the endless bureaucracy and hoops to jump through, all because some officious cockwobbler in a suit decided that it is necessary to keep f@#$ing about in order to put a car on the road. Stop the planet and let me off.

'Sigh...' Stay tuned for the next episode. Beer? Over here. Don't walk away -  bring me another.

How was your day?

That rant ladies and gentleman was brought to you by: 

BEER!!!!

IT'S NOT JUST FOR BREAKFAST ANYMORE!!!!

I can see the smoke coming out of fitzy ears !!! 🙄

Mate that’s pretty much what I have to do for the 64 

because it was stickered at the boarder for the smash damage , I have to have the repairs checked by a engineer 

then when it passes they can fit a vin plate and register the car for legal use on nz roads 

not too much of a drama as long as I have done everything right . As I bet you have too 

so no stress mate . And good things take time you know 🍻🍻🍻

17 hours ago, Fitzy said:

What a f@#$%n f@#$around. Car is roadworthy - mechanic issued certificate. He said to take it to Qld Transport, get it registered and I'll attach the plates for you. Easy, right? I toddle off to Qld Transport and the chickibabe is trying to get the computer to accept her inputted info but no cigar. It now transpires that I need a 'modification plate' in order to prove that the car is Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliant. So now I have to find a certified engineer who will inspect the car and hopefully issue the plate, even though the car has not been modified. I walked out of there ready to kill someone. If I had known about this I would have organised it weeks ago. I've had 3 weeks off work but now it's Friday night and I have to fly out bright & early Tuesday morning for 7 days AND I live in the middle of nowhere so good luck finding someone to do the inspection! Trying to find clear concise information on how to register an imported car is impossible. I thought this was the Information Age. It friggin' isn't.

Whatever - I am so fed up with the endless bureaucracy and hoops to jump through, all because some officious cockwobbler in a suit decided that it is necessary to keep f@#$ing about in order to put a car on the road. Stop the planet and let me off.

'Sigh...' Stay tuned for the next episode. Beer? Over here. Don't walk away -  bring me another.

How was your day?

But how do you really feel?

Sorry bud that is soooo far beyond sucks, it's in new territory.

Damn man that Justa sucks!!! Can't you find somebody to slip 100 bucks and take care of this BS? At this point I think I'd be looking for that guy. 

Yeah, it was a kick in the guts but I probably should be used to that by now.

Never mind, I'm gonna go and see the guy on Monday and book it in for the week after this one coming. 

You know, if I had KNOWN about this aberration I would have dealt with it - it's when you find out about it at the 11th hour that it sucks hard. No point getting wound about it anymore than I already am - it is what it is. The bright side is that I will allow myself to celebrate even harder when I put those plates on. Hookers and blow? No, just an extra beer. Anyway, thanks for your comments. It really does help when you can share the misery. 😊

The Black Hole of Misinformation keeps opening up like some sort of sinkhole on steroids. I now have the opinions of 5 people, all of which conflict with all the others! The Inspector Guy doesn't believe Chickibabe at Queensland Transport, who herself was so uninformed that she phoned a higher authority. The mechanic is utterly perplexed. The HotRod Guy next door is scratching his head. I contacted the Pontiac Car Club of Queensland and he confirmed the mod plate requirement but that's all. I have phoned & emailed all sorts of people and have dragged everyone into the registration whirlpool. Man, if that thing ever sees the road in a legal capacity, the party is ON!

Why isn't there a single accurate up to date source of information? You know why? Because that's where all the 20 somethings work, and why waste a day at work actually getting shit done and producing a tangible result? No, I'll update my Facebook status instead and chuck some shots on Instagram, and then to unwind I'll have my soul eaten away by looking at TikTok. I'd need less paperwork if I invaded Ukraine.

Old Codger In Da House. I remember a Simpsons episode when Grandpa Simpson is next in line at the Welfare Office and yells  "I'm old - gimme gimme gimme!!!" I can't wait to stride into Centrelink (that's the Aussie version of Welfare) and start demanding all the free stuff that I have financed for others for the last 4 decades.

We'll have an online party when the GP gets it's plates. I'm gonna start now...

Fitzy - we're all rooting for you mate! Listen to the wisdom of Red Green mate! 

 

Short update. I haven't heard a thing from engineer or mechanic. I flew home 5 days early last night - having some chemotherapy done on my face and the burning, dreadful appearance & itchiness are maddening. Anyway, treatment has now finished and the healing process is slowly doing it's thing. Stay out of the sun, people. A tan might look nice, but it will cost you in the end. So now I gotta put a mask on (to avoid frightening people) and see what the hell is going on.

Oh - apparently my car has to be added to some sort of Approved Vehicles Register before I can move forward. This is part of the Dept of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications. Can you believe this? After all this is done, I'm going to write a procedure and post it somewhere to save the next person from falling into the same black hole that I did.

Hope you heal fast, You should be gettin good at jumpin through hoops.  Your in the thoughts buddy.

Speedy recovery bud. 

Thanks guys. I am so sick of being poked and sliced up. This will be the last drama for some time, I hope.

Now you know how our cars feel ol'buddy! 

Ha ha! That's funny. Whenever I see a car that has had some tasteless crap bolted onto it, I think how must it feel. Probably like when you were a kid and your mother would make you wear dorky clothes and you would feel ridiculous being paraded about, like some sort of prize wrapped up in gaudy ribbons & glitter.

Ah yes, glimpses of my childhood are coming back. I remember being fitted with one of those 'harnesses' to stop your kid from running away from it's parents in a shopping mall or something. I was not a bad kid and never intended running anywhere but you know what mothers are like - they never stop mothering. I still have nightmares about having my mouth cleaned by her saliva on a tissue and wiping my mouth with it.

What do you mean, Off Topic???

5 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Short update. I haven't heard a thing from engineer or mechanic. I flew home 5 days early last night - having some chemotherapy done on my face and the burning, dreadful appearance & itchiness are maddening. Anyway, treatment has now finished and the healing process is slowly doing it's thing. Stay out of the sun, people. A tan might look nice, but it will cost you in the end. So now I gotta put a mask on (to avoid frightening people) and see what the hell is going on.

Oh - apparently my car has to be added to some sort of Approved Vehicles Register before I can move forward. This is part of the Dept of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications. Can you believe this? After all this is done, I'm going to write a procedure and post it somewhere to save the next person from falling into the same black hole that I did.

some bloody ozzy rules have been stupid mate!!

5 hours ago, Fitzy said:

I flew home 5 days early last night - having some chemotherapy done on my face and the burning, dreadful appearance & itchiness are maddening.

mate!!! i hope they haven't turned your face into one of those kardashain messes!!! farq! that 

1 hour ago, Fitzy said:

Ha ha! That's funny. Whenever I see a car that has had some tasteless crap bolted onto it, I think how must it feel. Probably like when you were a kid and your mother would make you wear dorky clothes and you would feel ridiculous being paraded about, like some sort of prize wrapped up in gaudy ribbons & glitter.

Ah yes, glimpses of my childhood are coming back. I remember being fitted with one of those 'harnesses' to stop your kid from running away from it's parents in a shopping mall or something. I was not a bad kid and never intended running anywhere but you know what mothers are like - they never stop mothering. I still have nightmares about having my mouth cleaned by her saliva on a tissue and wiping my mouth with it.

What do you mean, Off Topic???

oh you must be having some sort of a drug induced flash back!!! you poor soul!!! 

fitzy !! FITZY !! DO NOT WALK TOWARDS THE LIGHT !!!

 gees mate

In all honesty, I have been feeling even worse since I stopped the treatment. Chemo drugs are nasty and I'm sorta wondering if I'm going through some sort of withdrawal. Anyway, rest assured if I see any bright light, I will NOT go towards it. Oh, and I defo do not look like any Kardashian, especially that bloke who turned into a girl. My bum is regular size and my dangly bits still dangle!

What was the topic again? Oh, that's right: Pontiacs. Sorry Ringo. I'm experiencing technical difficulties right now but will get back on track shortly.

Another short update: yesterday I tried to call mechanic. No answer. I tried to call Inspector. No answer. I called his mobile and his work. I then called Queensland Transport and sat on hold for 30 mins until someone answered. I quizzed them as to the procedure for registering an imported classic car. The dude was lost. He simply came up with the same info that my own research had produced. I then rang the Dept Of Infrastructure. On hold for 10 mins until someone answered. She didn't know either! Then I rang the people who physically produce the appropriate plate to be affixed to the car. She was out of the office for the day. This is hard to believe...

gees you got a love the bureaucrats! 

At this point Fitzy, I would gladly send you my plate if I could buddy (and report it stolen next week). I honestly feel for you man. This justa sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get this: as I swim deeper into the Black Hole Of Misinformation I read something startling. It looks like some time ago, if the car is of a certain age then once it's modern 17 digit VIN is granted there is no need for any compliance - as long as the Safety Certificate has been issued. The Australian Design Rules (ADRs) came into effect on certain dates, so that old cars are effectively divided up into chunks of timeframes. Pre 1969, 1972, 1976, 1985 and so on. As long as your car meets the relevant criteria for it's time period, it should be good to be registered. This must be due to the rising prices of old cars and that high price being largely dependant on it's originality. Once you are forced to add seat belts, amber turn signals, dual master cylinders and start drilling into the firewall in order to affix a plate, you're messing with it's originality.

Of course, this information can't be confirmed but it sounds promising. On Monday, I'm going to get my car back, bring it home and once the new VIN arrives, shall take all the paperwork into the rego office and see what happens. It'll either breeze through or the computer will stall Chickibabe again.

Wow man, justa wow!!! How crazy is it that you have to go through all this B.S justa to own and drive a piece of automotive history!