LGL is Road Legal!

Yesterday was the retest at the MFK in Zürich. British Classic Cars weren’t able to take it on my behalf as it was a local bank holiday in Zug. They kindly leant me some trade plates to drive to the test centre.

With nerves building all day, I set off with sweaty palms… and arrived with a sweat back. The elephant hide seats don’t breath at all.

I’ve not driven the Landy more than a few kilometer and those on quiet flat roads…. would it get over the Albis, would it keep up with the traffic? I had no issues, aside from an irate woman in an Audi as we climbed over the Albis who took umbrage at an old car in front of her. Presumably driving dangerously close makes the vehicle in front go faster. Idiot.

“Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule”

I digress…

In Switzerland, you are sent a letter with the date, time and which lane to wait in at the inspection centre.

All the paperwork was ready and off we went at exactly the stated time… 12.56!

The retest was to check if I’d fixed the 4 defects identified in May. Leaf Springs, sun shield, LED head lamps and the defective Speedo that died a death whilst at the test centre last time.

He was happy I’d fixed everything so I thought that was his job done… it wasn’t… the examiner then carried a total full inspection.

To be fair to the guy, he knew what he was looking at and even knew to double clutch betweeen 1st and 2nd!

He let me come down into the inspection pit  and take some photos as he examined things with a light and a mirror. He was certainly thorough!

A quick wiz round the test track to check the steering and brakes and I was on my way 🙂

Next stop was the office upstairs to collect my new vehicle license.  I took the trade plates off and put my plates on in the car park… tension ebbing away.

 

 

 

 

After this LGL was driven into a dark room to check the alignments of lights.  All good. The doors opened and we took a “blast” round the test track.

Paper work was rubber stamped and then into the next department to collect the freshly minted fahrzeugausweis (vehicle license document) but only after a protracted conversation with the insurance company which I won’t bore you with it.

Number plates were swapped over and I had a nice trundle home… to an afternoon of Skype meetings!

It’s great to be driving a Series Landy again. LGL needs a good shake down trip before any larger adventures and there’s a couple of things that need to be done this winter, namely dropping the gearbox to replace the leaking release bearing seal.

I’m also on the lookout for a period capstan winch.

But for the time being, a personal major objective has been met… a ground up Series Land Rover rebuild 🙂

Job Done ✅