Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet (the Federation of Swedish Historic Vehicles Clubs) represents the historic vehicles movement in Sweden and monitors political issues, manages contacts with public bodies and organizations, as well as providing advice and information. MHRF has over 100,000 committed members in 200 clubs whose goal is to cultivate, preserve and develop the cultural heritage of our historic vehicles.
One of the benefits of membership is the market’s leading insurance for historic vehicles.
About our federation – MHRF
Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet campaigns politically to promote legislation that supports the preservation and use of historic vehicles and the opportunity to develop our cultural heritage. MHRF also collaborates with others bodies, when it gives us a better opportunity of getting our message across. We provide advice and support to other associations and their members.
One of the benefits of membership in our member clubs is the market’s leading insurance for historic vehicles is our insurance: MHRF-försäkringen.
100,000 members in 200 clubs
Currently, MHRF has over 100,000 members in 200 clubs. That is a lot of people, but not everyone. The more people we represent, the better the chances are that yesterday’s vehicles have a place on tomorrow’s roads.
About our global network – FIVA
Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet is a member of the international movement for historic vehicles, Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens. Today FIVA is active in more than 80 countries, representing millions of historic vehicle enthusiasts around the globe.
Through active participation in both FIVA’s Legislation and Utalitarian Commission, MHRF monitors new legislation, mainly in the EU, that may affect our historical vehicles. With the stated aim of influencing future legislation, we also provide information to politicians in the European parliament and various officials at the EU level about the cultural heritage on our roads.
About our challenge – to keep preserving, maintaining and using
Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet participates in Almedalsveckan (politicians week) in Visby. We display our historic vehicles, meet politicians and officials, organisations and an interested public. As a result of our work, the parliamentary historic vehicle network enables the parliamentary committee and its offices to study developments within the historic vehicle movement.
We are a consultative body for proposed legislation, statutes and regulations and engage in continuous dialogue with the authorities. Every week, new challenges emerge that MHRF must tackle, so that all of us who own a historic vehicle can continue to preserve, maintain and use it. Some of the more significant challenges we have dealt with are exemption from vehicle tax and the specific frequency of vehicle testing or MOT for historic vehicles, those that are 30 years old and older.
Bureaucratic obstacles
In dialogue, and through consultation responses, MHRF had a major impact on the Swedish Transport Agency’s work with amendments to the regulations regarding the registration of vehicles and new regulations on technical identification. In February 2022, these regulations were published after more than ten years of underlying work. The regulations mean that more historic vehicles can be registered in Sweden as many of the bureaucratic obstacles have been removed.
In the same way our work went on for more than ten years, with the Swedish Environmental Agency and the County Administrative Boards, to get good Swedish guidance on the cross-border transport of historic vehicles that could be considered waste by the authorities! In the autumn of 2021, this led to simple and transparent guidance that facilitates the authorities’ assessment of the vehicles.
ELV
Recently, a very extensive work was initiated on the European Commission’s proposal for a new ELV (end-of-life vehicle) regulation in connection with its referral by the Government Offices in the summer of 2023. MHRF is in active dialogue with the relevant ministries, the Swedish Road Agency and the Swedish Environmental Agency, where we have received a good response to our views. MHRF expects the regulation to be published in 2025 after preparation in the Council working group and negotiations with the Parliament and the Council.
Also celebrated on Facebook!
About our cultural heritage
Historic vehicles are so much more than a nostalgic feature on our roads, they are above all an impressive mobile museum that is operated without any state or municipal contributions. Within the historic vehicle movement, there is technical expertise and skills that are important to maintain for the future, as well as knowledge about the history of the vehicles and how they contributed to the development of society.
It is private individuals who, through their own effort and time, roll out this museum so that it can be viewed by the general public. Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet’s over 100,000 members in 200 clubs, are committed to safeguarding and spreading our cultural heritage across the entire country. It is their vehicles that provide living history – and smiles – on our roads, often in connection with one of the thousands of events that take place each year. Among them is Motorhistoriska dagen (Historic Vehicle Day), which is held on June 6 every year when we celebrate our cultural heritage together – all over Sweden.
About our history – SMA
One example of how Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet helps to preserve the cultural heritage of our historic vehicles, is Svenskt Motorhistoriskt Arkiv (the Swedish Historic Vehicle Archives) which opened in 2014. The aim is to inventory, collect, preserve and present historical source material on wheeled vehicles in Sweden. All the material should be accessible for the donor, research and historic vehicle publishing. The archives, which are growing rapidly and include among others Stig Nyberg’s and Gustaf Nordberg’s collections, are located at the Centrum för Näringslivshistoria (Centre for Business History) in Bromma. One of the later contributions are the films of the famous Gothenburg character Gosta Fraenckel. The films have been digitized by Regionarkivet (the Region Archives) in collaboration with Svensk Flyghistorisk Förening (the Swedish Aviation Historical Society), Bilsportarvet (the Motor Sport Heritage) and Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet and can be seen on our YouTube channel.
As of March 19, 2024, thousands of photos are available to the public thanks to MHRF’s automotive history image database Motorkulturbild, a perfect medium to convey the valuable historical vehicle images! The database has been created with the support of cultural heritage grants from Riksantikvarieämbetet, the Swedish National Heritage Board.
About our responsibility – providing guidance
Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet strives to have as low an environmental impact as possible when using and renovating our historic vehicles. A contribution to the environment is that the vehicle is well maintained and that it is not driven too often.
There are, of course, more things to be aware of when it comes to historic vehicles. MHRF has therefore developed a series of owner’s guides. In addition to environmental impact, we provide guidance on trade, use, storage, security and events.
Knowledge! Cultural heritage! Hospitality industry!
About our moving cultural heritage – preserve us well!
Transporthistoriskt Nätverk, The Transport History Network, was formed in 2012 when the organisations representing the moving cultural heritage found that they had similar challenges. The goal is to jointly raise issues and drive pressure that affect the preservation and use of the moving cultural heritage. This is done, for example, through politicians’ courtship and dialogue with authorities.
In contrast to traditional terrestrial cultural heritage, the mobile cultural heritage – older means of transport by land, sea and air – lacks legal protection. Since its inception, the main issue of the Transport History Network has been to work for this.
About our insurance – MHRF-försäkringen
Since 1975, Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet, in cooperation with the insurance company Folksam, has provided Sweden’s oldest – and leading – insurance for collectors of motor vehicles: MHRF-försäkringen (the MHRF Insurance). The insurance is a benefit for those who are members of an MHRF affiliated club.
We welcome vehicles that are 20 years old and older. Regardless of their condition and style. The better the condition, the lower the premium! And yes, we are talking about fully comprehensive insurance. The small print? Free mileage, but not one metre of daily driving. Obviously you can – and should – show off your prized possession to your work colleagues occasionally, but the vehicle should otherwise only be used for recreational purposes. In your spare time.
Benefits the historic vehicle movement
Not only is our insurance good for your wallet, but it also benefits your club, as well as the historic vehicle movement, thanks to the work of MHRF. Work that can be encapsulated thus: For yesterday’s vehicles on tomorrow’s roads.
About our day-to-day activities
Since 1969, Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet has been providing services to the clubs and their members. The office provides support for verification of origin and in conjunction with registration inspections, as well as assistance in individual cases on grounds of principle for the entire historic vehicle movement.
We engage in dialogue with the clubs and regularly send out information and organise conferences on current issues and events, for the benefit of club members. In addition, the central office distributes, PåVäg, Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet’s Newsletter, including a digital version for which a subscription can be taken out free of charge.
Collaborations to strengthen or benefit the rolling cultural heritage
We also have a number of collaborations that in one way or another strengthen or benefit the rolling cultural heritage. If you have something to offer, such as membership benefits, as a complement to our clubs’ existing benefits, or anything else that can boost the automotive history movement, you are welcome to contact us!
Spinning for the cultural heritage!
About our future – today’s youth, yesterday’s vehicles and tomorrow’s roads
About our interactions – both IRL and in social media
Besides meeting our clubs, politicians and authorities Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet tries to participate in as many events as possible. Usually there are about 20 per year across the country. Some of these we are co-organizers of, such as Sweden’s largest classic event Tjolöholm Classic Motor and the classic’s hall at the Custom Motor Show, Northern Europe’s largest motor show! Not forgetting Motorhistoriska dagen (Historic Vehicle Day), which is celebrated across the country on June 6.
Follow – and like – MHRF!
MHRF is also active on social media, mainly on Facebook. Welcome to follow us and get the latest news from Sweden’s historic vehicles movement. And don’t forget to like us!
