What if you've bought a dodgy Min?
Discussion
Ive been have a good look through ebay and all the classifieds, dreaming about buying a 2nd mini as one just isnt enough.
Ive noticed some vehicles claiming to be of tax free vintage having undergone a reshell. But my conclusion is that nothing more than a number plate swap has taken place, unless someone really has gone to great lengths to extensively replicate the details of a 90s car and nothing of the alledged donor car!
Ive no intention of owning such a car but have thought it could be a fun project stripping it down and making it more retro.
But i am curious to know what the score is with the unlucky soul who buys it and doesnt spot its not what its presented to be. I suppose they'll never know unless the MOT station know there stuff on an ethusiast points it out. Supposing it got legal and the car is as i guess, an old plate on a newer car, who would carry the can, the seller or the new owner?
Ive noticed some vehicles claiming to be of tax free vintage having undergone a reshell. But my conclusion is that nothing more than a number plate swap has taken place, unless someone really has gone to great lengths to extensively replicate the details of a 90s car and nothing of the alledged donor car!
Ive no intention of owning such a car but have thought it could be a fun project stripping it down and making it more retro.
But i am curious to know what the score is with the unlucky soul who buys it and doesnt spot its not what its presented to be. I suppose they'll never know unless the MOT station know there stuff on an ethusiast points it out. Supposing it got legal and the car is as i guess, an old plate on a newer car, who would carry the can, the seller or the new owner?
Edited by haynes on Tuesday 8th May 22:19
These are pretty easy to spot really, as a mini which would be tax free these days and classed as "classic" would have a different shell to the later ones. You can tell this by the roof guttering seam and the top front subframe mounts if its 1976 onwards.
I guess technically a "reshell" means just that. Someone has bought a new shell and gone to the lengthly job of swapping all the bits over, so the new shell should be identical to the old one, whether its mk1, 2, 3, 4 or what have you.
Like you say, in reality, its more likely someone has just stuck an old plate & VIN plate on a newer mini in order to make it look older and be "worth" more. With regards to MOT`s I dont think they really care. They`d go from the date the car was first apparently registered and do an MOT suitable for that year of car.
I guess technically a "reshell" means just that. Someone has bought a new shell and gone to the lengthly job of swapping all the bits over, so the new shell should be identical to the old one, whether its mk1, 2, 3, 4 or what have you.
Like you say, in reality, its more likely someone has just stuck an old plate & VIN plate on a newer mini in order to make it look older and be "worth" more. With regards to MOT`s I dont think they really care. They`d go from the date the car was first apparently registered and do an MOT suitable for that year of car.
f a car first registered after 1973 is turned into an earlier tax-exempt car by re-shelling with a 2nd hand shell, or, as has been known, simply changing the VIN plate and the number plate, the DVLA could take it and crush it with no come-back. Ignorance is no excuse either in terms of tax evasion.
Caveat emptor!
Caveat emptor!
The ad i was thinking of, they were more south west, much closer to me. It may well be genuine, the car may well have been 'modernised' before or after receiving a later shell.
So as cooperman says, if you ended up buying a 60s reg number plate swap 80s car, then it no good saying 'like that when i bought in govenor, you aint pinning it on me..' It'll be on the way to the crusher at the current owner's loss.
So as cooperman says, if you ended up buying a 60s reg number plate swap 80s car, then it no good saying 'like that when i bought in govenor, you aint pinning it on me..' It'll be on the way to the crusher at the current owner's loss.
Seems rather drastic saying DVLA would crush it, surely they'd put it on a q plate since its of questionable origin. This happens with most ringers if they are found out.
Edited to add that there must be loads of mk2 escort RS2000 a likes out there that are ringers as well as land rovers too whose mechano kit build makes them very prone to just this sort of rebuild. You'd have to be very unlucky to get caught out by anyone.
Edited to add that there must be loads of mk2 escort RS2000 a likes out there that are ringers as well as land rovers too whose mechano kit build makes them very prone to just this sort of rebuild. You'd have to be very unlucky to get caught out by anyone.
Edited by 
boy on Monday 21st May 22:20
boy on Monday 21st May 22:20Gassing Station | Classic Minis | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff