The Manner and Place of Attachment for Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINS) Allocated in New Zealand Pursuant to regulation 90v (a) and (b) of the Traffic Regulations 1976, I, Alan Eric Wilcox, Director of Land Transport Safety, hereby declare the following to be the standard to be met when affixing vehicle identification numbers in New Zealand, and the place or places where such numbers are to be affixed for specific classes of motor vehicles. (1) VIN location Where vehicles are manufactured or assembled in New Zealand and marked by the manufacturer in accord with ISO 3779, ISO 4030, FMVSS 115, or ADR 43/01, they shall be deemed to comply with this notice. In all other cases the VIN must be located on a non removable structural part of the vehicle and in such a position that it may be easily read. The VIN shall be located in the position specified for that type of vehicle as detailed below. In this notice references to the right hand side refer to the side of the vehicle to the right of a person sitting in the drivers seat. Where VINs are stamped into the structure of a vehicle, or a plate with the VIN stamped on it is attached to a vehicle, such stamping or attachment shall not cover, obliterate or change any existing characters. (a) Motorcars (by Vehicle Class Reference, as per the Transport (Vehicle Standards) Regulations 1990) MA and MC (when not a forward controlled configuration) either: (i) In the engine compartment on the right hand side of the firewall; or (ii) In the engine compartment on the right hand side adjacent to the mounting point of the front suspension; or (iii) In a location inside the engine compartment approved by the Director of Land Transport Safety for a specific vehicle or vehicle model. For all vehicles in the categories above, where a rear window is fitted, the VIN must be engraved into the left hand lower corner of that window. (b) Forward Control Vehicles (MB, MC (when a forward controlled configuration)) either: (i) In the passenger compartment, on the top of the right hand side wheel arch, adjacent to the seat cushion; or (ii) In the passenger compartment, on the inner panel of the right hand ``A'' pillar, adjacent to where the floor meets the ``A'' pillar; or (iii) In a location approved by the Director of Land Transport Safety for a specific vehicle or vehicle model. For all vehicles in the categories above, where a rear window is fitted, the VIN must be engraved into the left hand lower corner of that window. (c) Goods and passenger vehicles other than those listed under (a) and (b) above (NA, NB, NC, TA, TB, TC, TD, MD and ME); either: (i) On vehicles with a separate chassis, the VIN must be on the outside of the chassis, adjacent to the right hand front wheel arch; or (ii) On vehicles without a separate chassis the VIN must be located as specified for a Forward Control Passenger Vehicle. (d) Motorcycles: On the frame under the rider's seat. 2. VIN attachment (a) When the VIN is directly marked on to the frame or chassis of a vehicle as for: - Motorcycles. - Trucks and buses with a separate chassis. - Heavy trailers. The requirements are as follows: (i) VIN shall be marked in sans serif capitals, using hand held stamps. The height of the characters shall be: For motorcycles, at least 4 mm. For trucks, buses and heavy trailers, at least 7 mm. (ii) After marking the VIN on the designated place on the vehicle, the stamped surface must be adequately protected against corrosion. (iii) In the case of VIN's applied under clause 2A the VIN shall be preceded and followed by a unique stamp that clearly delineates the VIN, and identifies the agency which has applied it. (b) When a VIN is marked on a separate plate which in turn is permanently affixed to the vehicles as for: - Motorcars. - Forward control vehicles. - Vehicles without a separate chassis. - Vehicles with a frame/chassis that cannot be stamped. The requirements are as follows: (i) The VIN shall be embossed on to an aluminium plate. The aluminium plate will be 0.3mm thick, 1150 grade, H14 temper, anodised and adhesive backed. The adhesive backing must be resistant to under bonnet temperatures and any common automotive solvents or chemicals. The specified adhesive is 3M Scotch brand 468MP Laminating Adhesive. The plate stock shall have printed on it either the logo of the vehicle manufacturer, where the plate is being attached by the manufacturer, or the logo of the Land Transport Safety Authority and the words VIN PLATE. The lettering of the words ``VIN PLATE'' shall be 2.5mm high. The plate shall have 3 ``V'' notches, located as per the attached diagram, cut into it. The plate shall be dye anodised and when completed must be resistant to under bonnet temperatures and any common automotive solvents or chemicals. The printing process shall be as follows: 1. Anodise the aluminium (leaving anodic film open). Film depth to be no less than 12 microns. 2. Print the required image and dry (printing by silk screen using a 120T polyester mono filament mesh and air dry. 3. Steam seal the anodic film. The plates shall be supplied cut to size with the rivet holes prepunched. The plate is required to have a design life at least equivalent to that of the vehicle. (ii) The VIN plates are to be embossed by the use of either CIM 1700/A or 85/85E embossing machines or equivalent approved equipment. The characters must be upstamped and be a height of 5mm. (iii) The VIN plate will be placed on the vehicle using the adhesive backing and two aluminium rivets. The surface to which the plate is to be fixed must be suitably prepared (clean with Prepsol or equivalent solvent), to ensure a secure bond for the adhesive. The type of rivets to be used shall be 4mm diameter aluminium Cherry Blind Rivets or equivalent. The length of rivet shall be determined by the thickness of the material that the VIN plate is being riveted on to. The drill size required for these rivets is 4.1mm. (iv) When positioning the VIN plate, theinstaller must ensure that the rivet holes when drilled do not cause any damage to vehicle components. Note: VIN plate may be trimmed to suit the requirements of a vehicle if the standard size plate is too large. (c) Engraving of the VIN: The VIN shall be engraved into the rear window when the vehicle has a rear window. Engraving shall be carried out either by using sandblasting equipment which blasts Aluminium Oxide powder through stencils, or by the use of other mechanical or chemical etching processes approved from time to time by the Director of Land Transport Safety. The height of the characters shall be at least 4mm. Dated at Wellington this 22nd day of December 1993. A. E. WILCOX, Director of Land Transport Safety. Schedule [qs] TAKE IN DIAGRAM