Getting a 1968 Ford Mustang 'dated' for the DVLA

[jimxms]

I'm seriously banging my head against the wall here guys so I'd really appreciate any advice you can give.

I purchased a 1968 Mustang Fastback from Italy in Sept last year. The seller was a reputable dealership over there and sent me all of the paperwork aside from the original Italian registration document (i got a scanned copy). I didn't realise I had a scanned copy until now (it was in colour, on some really thin government-like paper) so the DVLA have kept throwing my application out and not telling me that was the reason until today, when for the 4th time in applying I sent a cover note requesting they email me exactly why they keep rejecting it.

Now it seems I have two options:

1) Get the car 'dated' by a car club.
I tried to go this route with a Ford owners club that was on the DVLA's website as accredited. However when I contacted them, they requested that I send them scans of my driving licence and utility bill. I don't see how that has any bearing on my request to get my vehicle dated and there's no way I'm sending these confidential documents via email to some random dude.

2) Get a letter from Ford.
I did this, Ford replied with a break-down of my vin number and year of manufacture. The DVLA rejected it because it had a digital signature and wasn't hand signed!! Yes DVLA you dumb f*ks, the CEO of Ford is going to hand sign my letter. ffs.

Help

[Southerner]

What a f*ckup the DVLA are these days.

Any other owners' clubs available, or does it have to be the one listed on their website?

Perhaps contact Swansea and ask who is a hand signature acceptable from - the local Ford dealer is a representative of the company after all

Would the same Ford club be willing to produce a letter based on the letter that you have from Ford, without requiring proof of your life story?

[aeropilot]

Southerner said:

What a f*ckup the DVLA are these days.

Biggest jobs-worth, not fit for purpose, waste-of-space organisation in the UK.

In fairness to the owners club, they want to know that you are who you say you are, given you are not a member of said club, I believe this is pretty much common practice for such requests, as its not the first time I've heard of it.

You could join said club, and then, they probably wouldn't be asked for that info, as you would have to give most of your info anyway upon joining...
It doesn't help though, that there really is no Mustang specific DVLA accredited club, which won't make things easy. Only option on the list, and its a thin one at that, is American Auto Club (UK)? Pre-50 AAC might be an option, as they do cater for post 1950 stuff, up to late 60's, but Mustang Owners Club GB would be the best bet, but they are not on the list.

You did well to get any response from Ford, as I thought they just directed such requests to Marti Auto Works now for that sort of stuff?

Edited by aeropilot on Wednesday 11th January 10:18

[jeremyc]

Have you tried the Mustang Owners Club of Great Britain?

[emperorburger]

DVLA will retain the previous registration document, hence why they have knocked you back when presenting them with a copy.

Have you contacted the trader who sold you the car and asked why you were only given a photocopy?

[aeropilot]

jeremyc said:

Have you tried the Mustang Owners Club of Great Britain?

Problem might be, as I mentioned above, is they are not a DVLA accredited club.

[Chucklehead]

With it being a 1968 and not 65/66, you should be able to get a Marti Report, though I have fought with the DVLA on a similar issue before, and they explicitly stated that MOCGB is not a DVLA recognised authority and they suggested they wouldn't be interested in a Marti report either..

"General dating evidence from any vehicle enthusiast club or specialist vehicle dating service will not be acceptable in these specific circumstances".

However, i have seen others on MOCGB stating that they ahve been able to help them with their cases. Worth a try.

FYI, the DVLA told me they would consider:

"An extract from the manufacturer/factory record or confirmation from the manufacturer on headed paper - these documents should provide the chassis number of the vehicle plus the month and year of production"

[Chucklehead]

In your situation i would get the Marti Report, get whatever i can from Ford (hardcopy not email) and keep pushing them - don't settle for their objections. I tend to find you just get lumped with someone that doesn't want to make a decision and eventually you get someone that will.

[aeropilot]

Chucklehead said:

With it being a 1968 and not 65/66, you should be able to get a Marti Report, though I have fought with the DVLA on a similar issue before, and they explicitly stated that MOCGB is not a DVLA recognised authority and they suggested they wouldn't be interested in a Marti report either..

Says it all about DVLA really.............utterly feckin clueless.

[Chucklehead]

The VIN confirms the year of manufacture (first digit denotes MY). I can't get a Marti report, but my V5C already states the year of manufacture.. Will they give me an age related plate? Will they fk.

[Chucklehead]

Chucklehead said:

In your situation i would get the Marti Report, get whatever i can from Ford (hardcopy not email) and keep pushing them - don't settle for their objections. I tend to find you just get lumped with someone that doesn't want to make a decision and eventually you get someone that will.

Going back on my own advice, but why don't you go back to the dealer/Italian authority and get the documentation you actually need?

[andrewcliffe]

There are other owners clubs who are DVLA recognised - several American Car Clubs etc., If you showed them the letter from Ford, they would probably oblige.

[smokey mow]

jimxms said:

1) Get the car 'dated' by a car club.
I tried to go this route with a Ford owners club that was on the DVLA's website as accredited. However when I contacted them, they requested that I send them scans of my driving licence and utility bill. I don't see how that has any bearing on my request to get my vehicle dated and there's no way I'm sending these confidential documents via email to some random dude.


Help

The identity documents as you would know having applied 4 times now are required by the DVLA when registering the car.

Almost every owners club I’ve dealt with for dating have requested copies of these as they will make the application to the dvla on your behalf and so need copies of those documents to compete the application. If they don’t send them to the dvla with their dating letter and your application then the dvla will return it again for a 5th time.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/new-regist...