A Mad Max superfan has been slapped with a defect notice and fined while driving his replica Pursuit Special Falcon coupe in Queensland.

Movie car collector Rod Coverdale was spotted by Calliope Highway Patrol members while out in his black-on-black XC, and approached Rod while he was parked.

The unit issued Rod a defect notice for the car’s protruding Weiand supercharger, as well as the movie-correct blue light mounted to the dash.

“It also had an exhaust hanging out the side of the vehicle, which again, exhaust pipes get hot,” said Senior Sergeant Shaune English of Calliope HWP to ABC News. “If someone brushes past that’s a risk to people as well.”

Rod was fined for driving a defective vehicle, and directed to get a new roadworthy certificate.

The incident was posted to the myPolice Gladstone Region Facebook page, which is run by Queensland Police.

In the comment section, Rod — who has just moved to Queensland from the Northern Territory — thanked other social media users for their support. “I have been driving this car in the NT for the past 12 years without any issues,” he said. “It’s on club rego and only gets driven on club sanctioned outings or to and from special events.

“I have been pulled over in the NT, but every time it was so the police officer could have a photo. I was even invited to attend police recruit graduations in it.”

He also questioned the Highway Patrol unit’s approach, pointing out the car is rarely used. “Although I fully understand the rules and regulations, given the fact it’s only driven maybe six times a year, a simple warning would have been sufficient rather than a full-on defect.”

Pursuit Special replica authority Gordon Hayes, who supplied the parts for Rod’s build, offered similar sentiment. “Laws and law enforcement treat a car like this like you are driving it every day. And their ‘logic’ is false — the average 4×4 with a bullbar, a winch, and shovel on the bonnet or guard is just as bad, probably worse,” he said of the danger posed by this car.

“As are an endless number of tradie vehicles and thousands of other ‘daily drivers’ wobbling around on the roads. The Mad Max car is visually a magnet — recognized [sic] as safe in almost any other country — except the country of its origin.”

Rod has since taken the Falcon for a roadworthy, passing inspection standards with the blower and light removed.