Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association Inc

Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association Inc Welcome to the official page for the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (Inc).

'To promote and retain the right of New Zealanders to use motor vehicles on the public road that have been modified, or constructed in limited volumes, for sporting, recreational, special mobility or business purposes'.

10/09/2026

Heads up for today (Friday 11th), you won't be able to raise us on phone or email, as it's a training day with all staff and almost every certifier (so you probably won't be able to get hold of certifiers today either).

Fire us an email [email protected] and we'll be in touch on Monday.

SEE US AT THE SHOW: Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association Inc The Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA) wi...
09/09/2026

SEE US AT THE SHOW: Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association Inc

The Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA) will be at Chrome Showcase this year, showcasing the work they do to keep modified and scratch-built vehicles safe. LVVTA administers the light vehicle modification certification system on behalf of NZTA, so whether it’s a high-performance custom, a classic-styled hot rod, a highly modified 4WD, or a vehicle adapted for a person with a disability, LVVTA are the people who help get these vehicles road legal.

They’ll have a range of experts on the stand ready to help with any modification-related questions, and several practical demonstrations on technical topics, so drop by and say hi!

🔗 https://www.lvvta.org.nz/

Chrome SHOWCASE is where automotive, lifestyle and entertainment collide - a curated lineup of NZ's best rides, leading brands and one action-packed weekend!

📅 3-4 October 2026
📍 Auckland Showgrounds

For applications, tickets and all event info:
👉 https://linktr.ee/ChromeShowcase

Not that model Zephyr!This is one wild build, a completely customised (or ized, if you’re American) Lincoln Zephyr (but ...
09/09/2026

Not that model Zephyr!

This is one wild build, a completely customised (or ized, if you’re American) Lincoln Zephyr (but not spelled Sephyr if you’re from outside of the USA, because the English language is just fun like that) from 1937. Lincoln was a subdivision of Ford, specialising in luxury models.
Looking at these photos, we’re assuming no panel has been left untouched from factory specs.
The car is now running a Jalopy Engineering IFS, a four link rear, and airbags all around.
Braking is mostly Wilwood, with some Holden and CPP/Chev dropped in there.
Steering is now Nissan rack and pinion.
The engine is a modified narrow angle 4.3 (267 cubic freedom eagle units) V12 sidevalve with alloy heads, and is a heck of a thing to look at in the photos. From factory, they’re a twin water pump and twin coil engine. For something out of the 1930’s, it’s a pretty damn cool looking bit of a bit of engineering.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln-Zephyr_V12_engine if you wanted to have a quick read about the engine.
The interior is custom, and the chassis has had a lot of modification to suit the suspension changes and the tail down stance.
Thanks to the owner, and the certifier (Marty Jones) for letting us share these photos and the information about the car. We’ve been sitting on the release of this cars profile for a little bit, waiting for it to break cover in NZ Rodder.

Poll time:We can't create polls in a business page, so we'll have to use the primitive version of creating a post for yo...
06/09/2026

Poll time:

We can't create polls in a business page, so we'll have to use the primitive version of creating a post for you to reply to, or react to.

Are you most interested in seeing from us on the page:
Cool car builds :)
Information or rule updates :P
Build fails (by which we mean dodgy stuff that has been presented to certifiers) ;)
Something else? :(

If it's the something else :( emjoji, let us know in comments, or fire an email to [email protected]

Admin robot isn't a car journalist, so you're only going to see snippets on cars, rather than in depth articles. This is due to limitations on both time available, and writing talent ;)

Rotisserie meatballs....Or, unexpected chicken cooker.While we do see a decent number of Volvo's come through this place...
20/08/2026

Rotisserie meatballs....

Or, unexpected chicken cooker.

While we do see a decent number of Volvo's come through this place for certification of modifications, this car caused a number of double takes from the tech team.
This car is determined to not be the 1980's movie cliche car, where everyone's "mom" drives a hearing aid beige or another equally vanilla coloured Volvo station wagon. This car is in no way beige in colour, or performance.
It's rocking a 13B turbo (Mazda, not the old Toyota 13B, which would be a whole different and much slower adventure), with an aftermarket turbo and ECU, it seems likely that there's some very non Swedish power output figures. The aftermarket dash display will help them keep an eye on the engine information, although we're not sure you can get a Haltech display at Ikea.
The car is still running factory brakes and diff, but they've built adjustable struts for the front and gone for some 18" wheels.
You can't build adjustable struts from an Ikea kit, but if you look in the Suspension Standard, page #13 onward, the requirements are there to build your own set at home if you can’t buy a compliant direct replacement off the shelf!
https://www.lvvta.org.nz/documents/standards/LVVTA_STD_Suspension_Systems.pdf
They applied for an exemption from the Geneva convention requirement, so that they didn't need to run the mandatory camo door cards that go with a rotary swap.
Thanks to the certifier and vehicle owner for permission to use the photos and tell the story.

Munted Monday!Alternative title could be "Idiocracy was not a documentary". Which was a suggestion from the certifier w...
16/08/2026

Munted Monday!

Alternative title could be "Idiocracy was not a documentary". Which was a suggestion from the certifier who picked up this issue.

Just as a reminder, they're out there on the roads with us.
This was discovered by a certifier during a vehicle inspection.
The modifier's solution to breaking the end of the balljoint off, glue in a split pin.
Not much more that needs to be said really.
Thanks to the certifier for providing the pictures.

This is a good little build, nothing tricky in it, just some Toyota-Lego swapping going on.Looks like it would be a mid ...
11/08/2026

This is a good little build, nothing tricky in it, just some Toyota-Lego swapping going on.
Looks like it would be a mid level sales rep car from the 1990's (but not a good enough sales rep to get the Camry).
Back in the day these shape Coronas were a pretty common sight on the roads, but the tin worm and decades of unpopularity have made them a rare survivor. This one especially so, as it's a four wheel drive variant (as proudly displayed on the door decals). Presumably a model from the snowy north of Japan.
Instead of a 3SFE (usually) wheezing along and getting out of breath when you asked it to venture toward the redline, this is running a turbo 3S. So it should perform more like a Caldina GT-T, or a Celica GT4. Possibly the GT4 may have been inspiration for the white OZ alloys.
The paint is looking a bit weather beaten, not unlike admin-robot. But looks like survivor paint.
Stock brakes are adequate for the job on this car, pulling the car up straight and true for 0-100k-0 tests.
The NZCCM Vehicle Operation chapter, starting page 16 is where the cyclic brake testing requirements can be found.
https://www.lvvta.org.nz/documents/nz-car-construction-manual/NZ-Car-Construction-Manual-CH19-Vehicle-Operation.pdf
Adjustable suspension has gone in, as even if it had been a Kiwi new Corona with Amon tuned suspension, that would have been a bit tired after 32 years.
Apart from gauges, headunit, and shifter k**b, the interior is strictly 1990s.
This is a nice example of having a modified car that's potentially unique in NZ, but without going for a big dollar, or exotic build.

Thanks to the owner and certifier, for their permission to use the photos and tell the story.

This one is a real breath of fresh air, with a subtly but extensively modified Ford Zephyr body, on top of a Nissan 300Z...
05/08/2026

This one is a real breath of fresh air, with a subtly but extensively modified Ford Zephyr body, on top of a Nissan 300ZX "skateboard".
Resculpted classic looks but with 90's Japanese dynamics under it, along with some safety features like ABS, along with a customised interior to suit.
Adjustable Nissan suspension has been added to get the stance looking aggressive.
Because there's so little Ford left in the build and because it has a Nissan floorplan, this one becomes an LVV Replica Ford Zephyr and stops being a Ford. Being scratch-built introduces some more hurdles for compliance, as it is considered a new vehicle, and as such it needs to meet newer requirements. As always, so long as the owner works closely with his certifier, follows the Car Construction Manual, and carries out the mods to a good standard, cert isn't a big deal.
If you've got plenty of time, have a look at this link, as there are just too many variables determining if a car is a scratch-built (as to a modified production) to even start to cover them in a social media post.
https://lvvta.org.nz/documents/infosheets/LVVTA_Info_02-2018_Modified_Production_&_Scratch-built_Low_Volume_Vehicle_Definitions.pdf

If you have technical queries, remember to send them to [email protected] rather than add them as a reply to a Facebook post. With the volume of notifications we get, we may not see your question.

Thank you to the owner, and certifier for permission to share the details and photos.

Let your balls hang freelyA note of caution (but about certification, not medical diagnostics). This one's a high note ...
31/07/2026

Let your balls hang freely

A note of caution (but about certification, not medical diagnostics). This one's a high note too.

If you're lifting your vehicle (as has been known to happen to the occasional vehicle here in NZ...), check your balls. You might have ball joint bind or bottoming out against another suspension component. If it's present, ball joint bind can cause serious issues such as premature wear and can cause damage to the ball joints as well as the suspension arms and ball joint mountings. It is a serious issue for lifted vehicle owners and may need to be treated by a professional.

With the vehicle at its normal ride height, there should be at least 40 mm of suspension droop remaining.

If you’re mechanically inclined, raise the vehicle on a jack or two-post hoist to full suspension extension and confirm that the relevant suspension and steering components still have some articulation remaining, and that 40mm+ droop has been achieved*. Taking your vehicle to the certifier without running through the range of suspension travel could result in additional inspections being needed, adding more to the time, and cost of your certification.

*Also check you don't have other components fouling (upper control arms and sway bars being common trouble spots), and that you're not endangering your brake lines. All are on the list of popular cert fail items, and ways to wreck your vehicle or yourself. Watch also for excessive wear on CVs from a big lift.

Solutions will vary in different scenarios. It might be larger droop stops, a changed suspension arm, less lift etc. We're not going to usefully cover every outcome or scenario in a social media post, but we do recommend that you get in touch with your certifier, or a reputable 4wd specialist.

Photos courtesy of one of our certifiers.

We now await with interest, the series of dreadful dad jokes and puns that will arrive in the comments section, as we know that there are some experts here who can talk nearly as much balls as FB Admin Robot can.
Alternative titles we had for this post: Droopy balls. Check your balls. Balls too tight? No ball clearance?

We saw this tastefully modernised Holden EH wagon come through for a cert.The front end is now a Jalopy Engineering cust...
26/07/2026

We saw this tastefully modernised Holden EH wagon come through for a cert.
The front end is now a Jalopy Engineering custom IFS, with tubular A-arms and a rack and pinion steering system.
Motorvation is from an injected 6.0 LS, and six speed auto. Which is a considerable step up from the old carby straight 6 that would have lived under the bonnet. This has been made possible with some tastefully done (this is a theme with this build) firewall and tunnel modifications.
Slowing things down again are a full set of Wilwood brakes.
The front seat has had a rejig from the original three seat bench, to suit the new shifter configuration (and presumably transmission tunnel changes).
Thanks as always to the owner and certifier for allowing us to share these photos, and the rundown on the mods.

Address

21 Raiha Street
Porirua
5022

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association Inc posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category