A Century in Germany

[philosophicker]

Hello,

Anthony Gerundini invited me to the Club and here I am. As I´m form Germany please apologize the several mistakes in my writting I´m surely going to make.

I bought a Toyota Century from 1991 this year in the UK and I am absolutly fascinated by the car.
To get the Century registrated there are a lot of problems in Germany. But I solved all of them except of one: they do not accept the lights (reflectors) because there is no europen classification mark on them. Well, how could it be there? Do you have any idea where I can get new lights with this mark on it? Where can I get some parts for the car?

Kindly Regards

Gerhard Hofweber

[tony]

as its over 10 years old does this reduce any restrictions.

or just try taking it to a different garage for the 'MOT'/registration, and they probably won't notice.

or just glue on some small E parked reflectors, then take them off after?

[sidta23]

Its Germany dude they have very strict type approval, something Mag fought to stop happening to bikes in the Uk in the 80s 90s.

[philosophicker]

Germany has very, very strict instructions. It´s hard to get the car registrated.
Since there is only the problem with the reflectors left I surely will get it done.
One option is to fix additional reflectors but that will look terrible. The other option is to find some reflectors which will be accepted and match with the car. That´s what I´m trying to do. But which reflectors will fit in the car?

By the way: the car ran in the UK before without problems.

[christopher]

..and one more Century coming to Germany now..

Any help and any suggestions would be highly appreciated :-)

Thanks
No.1959

[tony]

Christopher, welocme to the TEC club forum. Do you have any pics or info on your car?

[christopher]

Thanks,

so far no pics as the car is currently swimming around the world. Actually I hope some fellow Century lovers could give me a hand - the car has all jap signs inside and I am frigging afraid pushing the shoot through the roff-button.

However - any suggestions. I will most likely face the same registration probs soon.

Best from Hamburg
Christopher

[alfazer]

I think in UK we just add extra E-marked reflectors and fog lamps, the type designed for trailers and the like. But maybe these don't pass the regulations in Germany? Is it possible to take one of these reflectors, cut it into a particular shape that "looks" like it belongs on the car and stick it on top of the original. If your skills are up to it and the original reflector is flat, you could cut it out with a drill and a fret saw, trace around it onto the E-marked one, cut, file, and stick in place with liquid acrylic cement. Very tricky to get perfect but possible. But please check this would work before you go sacrificing a lens that cannot be replaced!
Better to try searching the web for German sites that deal with modified cars, imported cars, kit cars and so on. Maybe someone there has some ideas? If they are fussy about reflectors, surely left-dipping headlights will be a problem too?
AL

[sidta23]

Hi Alistair, just thinking back on my biking days when i lived in London & did some work in Germany from time to time, their laws & type approval on any extra you would put on a bike like exhaust body fairings carriers & driving lights were very very strict, so as a member of motor cycle action group we stopped those silly laws creeping their way to the UK, they tried to do it but were stopped, lets hope that never happens classic cars.