DVLA "reconstructed vehicles"

[ChemicalChaos]

Evening all, I wonder if you can help with this query please before I try banging my head against a wall with the DVLA.

I'm thinking of going to look at a historic car for sale which has been built up from the remains of several vehicles. All the parts are from the same make and model, but I dont believe any of it has any paperwork - by stroke of luck I found an older advert for it in a different country, contacted the original seller and they confirmed it had no "title" when they sold it to the UK.

I checked on the DVLA website and was pleased to find that this situation is recognised and covered:

DVLA said:

The DVLA can only recognise your vehicle as a reconstructed classic vehicle if it meets certain criteria. It must be:

- Built from genuine period components from more than one vehicle, all over 25 years old and of the same specification as the original vehicle
- A true reflection of the marque

The appropriate vehicle owners’ club for the vehicle type (‘marque’) must inspect the vehicle and confirm in writing that it:

- Has been inspected
- Is a true reflection of the marque
- Is comprised of genuine period components all over 25 years old

So far so good then in terms of the componentry, which does have individual ID numbers as far as I can tell.
The sticking point however is when it comes to "same specification". The car has a period, but non standard, 2-seat sports body on it in place of the 4-seat saloon body it would originally have worn (think Bentley Saloon turned Le Mans rep)
I know that for separate chassis cars, the DVLA are generally a bit more liberal when it comes to bodywork alterations on separate-chassis cars (the Q-plate points rules state: "Chassis, monocoque bodyshell (body and chassis as one unit) or frame - original or new and unmodified (direct from manufacturer)".

Can anyone confirm or deny please whether, based on this logic, they would accept a structurally and mechanically standard but rebodied car as a valid reconstruction? I am rather hoping the answer is yes, because I want the car as a sports body, and trying to find or reconstruct an original factory body would be absolutely ruinous!

Thanks in advance,
Matt

[Scrump]

Matt, moved this to the classic car and YH forum as this question has been discussed a lot in here and I think you are more likely to get the responses you require.

[lowdrag]

Being involved in the Jaguar replica world for a number of years we are opening a can of worms here. Jaguar themselves built and sold nine new XKSS, seven lightweight E-types, 25 D-types and are now merrily building an unlimited number of C-types. But they can only be registered in the UK if they pass the IVA examination, cannot under any circumstances be registered in Europe, South Africa or Australia, and are apparently having problems in parts of the USA.

Part of what you have quoted is news to me and I can't really comment on it, but if the body shell, as you quote, has been changed from four to a two-seater then that would require the car to pass the IVA test. There are so many "illegal" cars on the road nowadays, cars that were OK when built (an example would be an Austin 7 hill climb special) if, years ago, it wasn't re-registered when the DVLA gave an amnesty period. I wonder where the four DB4 GT cars made in the 90's would stand, the cars having been built on "chassis found in the yard". I've seen two Lynx replicas have their V5's withdrawn too, and the case of the Suffolk SS100's is well known, th cars having been registered using a scrapped XJ6 V5 as an identity.

Whatever, I would be very careful about this, and please let us know the outcome.

[davepen]

ChemicalChaos said:

DVLA said:

The appropriate vehicle owners’ club for the vehicle type (‘marque’) must inspect the vehicle and confirm in writing that it: ...

I think you've answered you're own question, if it is a Bentley speak to the BDC (or possibly even the RREC if it is a MKVI).

I think the clubs might be more understanding if there is a chassis/frame, but less if a structral monocoque body is involved.
The DVLA appear to have tightened up here, so I'd speak to the club's DLVA link who may be able to help.
If it is a rare make there might not be a suitable club and some clubs are (now) invoking rules to reprevent the destruction of saloons to make tourers.

You're not buiyng the car from the other thread?

KTMsm said:

I have a 1950's car which was rebodied 20 years ago from a saloon to a convertible

[ChemicalChaos]

Thanks all for the information!

The car is not the one quoted, it is in fact pre-war. I would hope that it is does not suffer the same issues as the Aston/Jag recreations as it is not a new build or purporting to be a totally different model to what it is based on. Taking an example I'm familiar with, people quite frequently change Land Rovers from station wagons to pickups or custom "special duty" bodies without altering any of the structural parts. I am surprised at the Austin 7 example because again, it is technically purely a cosmetic alteration? (Especially if no details are held on file about what body type it originally had (ie like new cars being listed as saloon, estate etc)

Having thought about it some more, the body that is with it is not actually fitted in terms of being attached to the car, and is currently merely a loose collection of loose parts - a very sensible suggestion from a friend was to put it through registration with no body as it is genuinely incomplete, especially as the ID is on the chassis. Ergo, everything else on the car would be correct and standard for the year.

There is a very active owners club for the cars in America, I suspect there must be UK branch. It is a reasonably common brand (but not RR/Bentley) and lost its original body many years ago so is not a desecrated survivor. I am going (re)join the VSCC as well, I can think of several examples recently where I've seen members build a roadworthy "special" from the ground up with seemingly few issues.

Thanks for your help and I'll let you know more when I've been to see the car at the weekend

Edited by ChemicalChaos on Friday 10th March 11:44

[larrylamb11]

Given what you've stated, this vehicle doesn't have any form of title or registration from here or any other country, correct?

But it does have a period chassis number? or other unique identifying numbers?

The answers to the above will dictate to some degree how you approach the next part. If it's already been registered in this country before or registered elsewhere it's a matter of re-registering or reclaiming it's original registration in this country. If it doesn't you'll need to apply for a first registration in the UK.

As other posters have alluded, you want to be very sure you have fully understood all the rules and regs on registration, very sure that the collection of parts you are looking to acquire features enough to comply with those rules and seek out the opinion of whatever owners club pertinent to the make is registered with the DVLA as their recognised authority able to make declarations regarding age and authenticity of vehicles submitted for registration.

Only once you are confident that you have all that ticked off, should you approach the DVLA to apply for registration / V5. Do not attempt to engage with the DVLA until you are very confident that what you can present to them will be satisfactory.

Your post suggests the vehicle may have been imported and if that's the case it will need to be registered on the NOVA database prior to contacting DVLA.

It's likely the DVLA will want to have the vehicle inspected by their assessor (a third party contractor normally) to verify what is submitted and if there are any questions over identity and authenticity it's likely the DVLA will refuse the registration request ..... and then you'll be in a pickle.... It's extremely difficult to get them to change their mind once a decision like that has been made.

Luckily for you it sounds like the bits you have could justifiably be a legitimate version of a pre-war car and if you can find a DVLA recognised club prepared to make a declaration of what it is and when it was built, then the process of registration should be fairly straightforward. It also shouldn't matter that it wears an open two seater body now when it was originally a closed saloon - it will simply be registered with the body type it presents with now. You only get one chance to get all this right though, so make sure you are properly prepared before you embark on contacting the DVLA.

Edited by larrylamb11 on Friday 10th March 15:07

[Peter3442]

I made a DVLA check on Noel Gallagher's Jaguar Mk2 convertible. It is listed as year of manufacture 1967, first registered 1998. I don't know if that means Vicarage took it through some approval in 1998 or the original car was imported. Certainly, interpreting DVLA rules in the most severe manner, it and many other updated/modified cars would be in trouble.

[lowdrag]

Could just be a car built in 1967 and exported, then returned to the UK later in its life and then converted by Vicarage in 1998. They did a lot of that back then. It seems they still operate but I had thought they went under at the turn of the century and became CMC. Guess I'm wrong though.

[Stick Legs]

Interesting thread as I am looking at this:

[aeropilot]

ChemicalChaos said:

a very sensible suggestion from a friend was to put it through registration with no body as it is genuinely incomplete, especially as the ID is on the chassis. Ergo, everything else on the car would be correct and standard for the year.

You may have a problem with that idea if as it appears from your OP the car is an import (presume you have the NOVA paperwork etc?) as now, the DVLA will send an inspector out to see the car, and they will no longer issue a V5 to an imported 'project vehicle' that is not complete and roadworthy.