Historic Certification

Historic vehicles fall into one of three broad types:

Cars with a competition history,
Historic specials, and
Historic production cars without a competition history.

For cars with a competition history, the first item to consider is the period that you wish your car to represent. Many cars competed in more than one historic period, being modified as time went by and competition demanded. You may choose any period in a car’s history and request classification applying to that date. It is important to note that the car in its entirety must be as it was at that one point in time. It is unacceptable to have a mix of specifications, perhaps with a view to maximising performance.

You will also be required to describe any current variations from that period specification. Generally, these are acceptable only in the areas of safety, e.g. seat belts, roll bars, dual circuit braking systems, etc.

It is also essential to establish the chain of ownership. This provides the authentication that the vehicle is the actual car being classified and not a re-creation. Evidence of period competition history is also required, such as original log books, race programs, race reports, etc. Photographs of the car in the historic period and as it is today are also needed.

For historic specials, you need to submit an Approval in Principle application, detailing the specification of the car you would like to build and justify that, in its general concepts, it reflects a car that existed in the period, supporting that with good illustrations and photographs.

The production car groups require you to fill out the technical detail application form to ensure your car complies with the specification sheets for that model of vehicle, and to provide photos to support that written information.

Given the difficulty of adequately describing vehicle specifications, photos are a critical component of your application. Bear in mind your application will be reviewed by eligibility officers who have not seen your car and all they have to rely on is the information you provide, so more information and photos is better than less.

Timing of your application is important. If your car is ready for competition, then all you need do is allow time to have your application processed prior to your intended competition date. The usual allowance in these circumstances is 6-8 weeks.

In the case of Approval in Principle, you will need to submit your application prior to starting work on the vehicle, or even before you consider its purchase, to ensure your intended specifications are approved. The eligibility officer will need to inspect the car once your restoration or rebuild is finished. Once they are satisfied that the car complies with the originally agreed specification, they will sign off on your application.

The application will be circulated to members of the eligibility committee and if the committee members agree with the application, you will receive your logbook and COD. Should the Committee members raise questions about your application, these will be conveyed to you for response, prior to the classification of the car.

It is important to note that the eligibility committees reserve the right to classify any car to a group to which they believe the car conceptually belongs. Cars may be classified in an earlier or later group than might seem obvious at the time of the application. If you have any doubt about the appropriate group for your car, you should contact your local eligibility officer for help.

Whilst the historic certification process may appear cumbersome, it is important to note that classification of a historic car is motor sport’s equivalent of a building being classified by the National Trust. The Australian Historic Motor Sport Commission and CAMS are committed to maintaining a high level of authenticity in historic vehicles.