headache with vic check after rebuild

headache with vic check after rebuild

Author
Discussion

nickson

Original Poster:

219 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
i bought a 2007 caterham 7 with a cat c write off due to a small front end impact

i am currently collecting parts to rebuild the car

the chassis needs repairing with a long front from caterham, or i have been offered a 2nd hand but very good complete metric chassis which i would rather do than repairing mine.

my understanding is that u can replace the chassis with a like for like which it would be? but as its not brand new does this make a difference. its from a caterham race team. the chassis has no chassis number so i would like to attach my vin number and stamp onto it if thats legit??


next problem is i have got rid of the old engine, and bought a new 1.8k series with around 210bhp to put into the caterham.
again is this going to cause any issues along with the chassis change. i dont want to have to register as a q plate or hav an sva test!!
also the vic check is based on vin and engine numbers so if the engine number is different to what is registered with the car then will this cause issues, and how can i go about sorting this out.

i have also got a 6 speed gearbox to fit, and an lsd!! im worried by changing all these items it could be a problem. although not quite sure why as when modifying a car that hasnt had a write off there is no problem??

if its going to be a complete headache to get a car registered on the road and legit, then maybe i should think about building it into a race car instead so i dont have to worry about these things lol.

anyway, any help would be great, im suddenly getting a bit worried after reading info on the net.

many thanks
nick


Some Gump

12,864 posts

193 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Nick,

If you can take a cat C car, replace the chassis, engine and gearbox - then reregister it with no issues then it must be very, very easy to ring a car! Good luck either way, but tbh if it's not difficult, then the governemet are doing it wrong =)

nickson

Original Poster:

219 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
thats my issue lol. i suddenly realised i wasnt just rebuilding the car but changing most of the components as well as the chassis.

i thought a few caterham guys must have been through something similar as people are always changing engines in these cars, and some people must have replaced chassis.

i know if u buy a new chassis from caterham then its not a problem and u can just transfer your old chassis number.
but not to sure about second hand chassis??

may be a case of just building the car into a track car to enjoy and then possibly sell on as a track day/race car. avoiding all this hassle with registration etc

Shaun_E

748 posts

267 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
The engine number on a K series is ground off (due to the installation) when fitted to a Caterham so just stamp the old number on your new engine! Slightly different situation but when I upgraded my engine I made up my own number!

nickson

Original Poster:

219 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
can any1 point me in the direction of different caterham race series so i can look into building into a possible race car.

i know of the magnificent 7 series, and the caterha run series. but are there any more out there ?

many thanks

Honda Rush

122 posts

214 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Either way a Cat C will need a full VOSA check after rebuild to get a registration for it, So it will need to be built to SVA standards to achieve this, No problem as long as you have all the items from existing car. But that went through SVA in 2007 and we now have IVA which will be slightly different and harder to achieve, but not impossible.

Steffan

10,362 posts

235 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
The IVA is essentially a bureaucratic process. VOSA LOVE FORMS. Bound to really.

The more paperwork detail you have the better your chances.

Photographs of the original engine in the car, details of all the changes and above all receipts for all the replacement components will pay real dividends.

The classic car restorers on here may be able to help many have got old registrations back with the right detail shown to VOSA/DVLA.

Hence the value of Chassis's alone on classic cars.

But paperwork and a photographic montage is essential otherwise you could be struggling.

Honda Rush

122 posts

214 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
Facts are it is a Cat C on DVLA data base/registration documents so will need VOSA inspection to SVA/IVA standard to have a fresh poss age related number plate issued to new/repaired chassis. That is if you want to have it as a road car.
The different engine number can be got around, but the car will need to be presented pretty much like it was pre accident colour spec etc.
And as stated a full documentry file of photos receipts of correct repairs required etc to be submitted with VOSA inspection will help.
Good luck

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

268 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
IMHO, get Arch to repair the existing chassis, get it an MOT, done

A different chassis number will mean it's a different car, you can't put the same number on a different chassis. Build the metric chassis into a track car

I don't know what HondaRush is on about with the vosa inspection, I assume this is to get it off the insurance database or have it recorded as "properly repaired"

Aeroscreens

457 posts

233 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
nickson said:
i thought a few caterham guys must have been through something similar as people are always changing engines in these cars
Simple enough, when I upgraded from a x/flow to a Zetec I just got a Certificate of Newness from the engine builder and sent this off to DVLA with the V5 and 2 weeks later I received a new V5 with all the correct details.

Don't forget to tell your insurance company of any mods too....

mickrick

3,705 posts

180 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
If it's a 2007 car, are you sure it's a Metric chassis? This was the changeover year from Imperial to metric.
If it's an imperial chassis, most of your parts won't fit the metric chassis.

Look at the lower horizontal chassis rails in the rear wheelarch, (The one the rear ARB is bolted to)
Is it round for the whole length, or square section halfway through?
If it's all round, it's imperial, if it has square section for half it's length, it's metric.
As incorrigable says, get it to Arch, and it'll go on the jig it was built on (if it's imperial)and come back as new.
They'll re-skin it too.

nickson

Original Poster:

219 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
right after doing some research today with vic office and dvla its pretty simple really.

for starters no vosa check or sva is needed, its literally just a vic check which is just a check of the chassis and engine numbers! he even said color wasnt really an issue.

all they said i had to do was send dvla a letter with proof of the engine number thats going in the car and they will change the vehicle details on the logbook before the vic check

i have also decided not to go for the replacement chassis as this is where the problems arise and sva tests are needed if original parts have been changed.
i was told that the chassis repair causes no issues and even me changing the engine and gearbox wont cause any issues with me keeping the reg number and logbook.

so its literally a case of repair the chassis, put it together, mot it, change the engine number on the log book. then vic check.

its for sure a metric chassis. its mig welded for a start, and the harness tube that runs across the back is the wider rectangular shape rather than smaller box section.
i will just get long front and repair the front end and this keeps the same chassis number!!

result!

nickson

Original Poster:

219 posts

167 months

Tuesday 4th October 2011
quotequote all
after reading a few storys on the net im still unsure as to what is right and wrong.
dpr motorsport today told me that the long front repair wont cause and issues and wont warrant an sva etc.
then i read somewhere else that if the chassis has been cut then it may need an sva.

i think i will speak to caterham in the morn to see there views. i really need to get a straight up answer so i can plan the build correctly. i dont want to build a car to then be told it wont be able to go on the road.


Incorrigible

13,668 posts

268 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all
Ring Bruce at Arch 01480 459661

nickson

Original Poster:

219 posts

167 months

Wednesday 5th October 2011
quotequote all
spoke to caterha today and they said they do long front repairs left right and centre and have never heard of it needing new sva/iva test.

only thing they recommended is vic check it with the original 1.6 engine and gearbox, then just do the engine swap after its back on the road.

on a side note, i bought a 6 speed box for this car, only i realised today it as no speedo output or any wires for reverse etc. why is this and how do i get reverse and speedo working ???

cheers