The fitting of a bonnet scoop — forward or rearward facing — to a motor vehicle is only acceptable provided that it is designed, built and fitted in a way that it minimises the risk of bodily injury to a person making contact with the vehicle in a collision with other road users. Hazardous protrusions or projections are prohibited from all vehicles.
Requirements
Bonnet-mounted scoops must comply with these requirements:
- When a 165mm diameter sphere is placed on the bonnet in front of the scoop or bonnet projection, and rolled rearwards until it touches the scoop, no point of contact between the sphere and the scoop shall lie above a horizontal plane passing through the centre of the sphere.
Figure 1. Bonnet scoop point of contact
- There is no maximum height specified for a bonnet scoop. However, it is unacceptable if it restricts the field of view of the driver under normal operating conditions. As a guide when sitting in the driver’s seat with the seat located at its rearmost and lowest position, it shall be possible to see either a line drawn 11 metres ahead of the vehicle, in front of the driver’s eye or the front edge of the original body when looking across the top of the bonnet scoop.
Figure 2. Field of view
- Holes may be cut in the bonnet to allow the protrusion of an air cleaner or carburettor above the bonnet line, but below the bonnet scoop, providing that the bonnet scoop or raised bonnet section is manufactured from equivalent strength material compared with that of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) bonnet. It is not acceptable to cut bonnet-reinforcing braces unless the bonnet structure is modified to retain strength comparable to the original. Any sharp edges created must be suitably treated.
- All edges and corners shall have a radius of not less than 5mm and be designed and constructed to reduce the risk of bodily injury to other road users.
Preferred and not acceptable bonnet scoops
Bonnet scoops that have the potential to increase injuries to other road users in a collision, including the hornet or tunnel ram style are not acceptable.
However, bonnet scoops that are similar in design to the Holden A9X Torana or Walkinshaw Commodore are acceptable.
Example - not acceptable bonnet scoop
Example - preferred bonnet scoop
Forward-facing bonnet scoops may be acceptable provided they meet the requirements on this page, and no engine component may protrude beyond the forward edge of the bonnet scoop.
Vehicle Standards reference: MR804.
