Escort Mk 2 re-build

[Liam-6ecyi]

Looking for help / advice!
I was renovating a KM 2 escort as a project with my father in law. He sadly passed away a few years ago so I was determined to get the car finished as it has huge sentimental value.
I’ve got it painted and ready to start putting it back together but have started reading up on the next steps and have hit a major snag.....
The plate and log book are no where to be seen. My mother in law moved house soon after her partners death and it looks like any sort of documentation is gone, so I now have a shell and no paperwork to try and get it registered.
I’ve read up on DVLA and it would seem applying for a Q plate would seem simplest, they inspect it and then register it if it passes the tests.... not ideal as preferably didn’t want a Q plate registration. Has anyone had this issue when restoring a shell, is there any other way of getting it on the road?
Apologies, clueless about all this!
Cheers!

[Liam-6ecyi]

Absolutely nothing, I’ve checked back all photos from the very start but nothing with Reg plates so far. I wish I’d known more about this at the start. Just don’t wanna spend a lot finishing it if I’m gonna struggle to get it roaded.

[Scrump]

Moved to Classic Cars forum as I suspect there will be a few ‘classic’ PHers in here who may be able to help.

[Lily the Pink]

Any chassis or body plate with numbers ?

[aeropilot]

Liam-6ecyi said:

I’ve read up on DVLA and it would seem applying for a Q plate would seem simplest, they inspect it and then register it if it passes the tests.... not ideal as preferably didn’t want a Q plate registration.

With no chassis plate, no log book, no reg number, you've no other option that Q-plate if you want to get it on the road.

I assume, during the shell restoration, the inner wing was replaced, or a strengthening plate was welded over the stamped chassis number on top of the off side inner wing top?

[Liam-6ecyi]

Yeah, inner wings replaced, pretty much a whole new front end with new tarmac arches installed.
Was kinda thinking ‘Q’ plate would be the scenario, I’ve enquired to the DVLA about what is required. Just keen to get this all clarified before finishing it.

[aeropilot]

Liam-6ecyi said:

Yeah, inner wings replaced, pretty much a whole new front end with new tarmac arches installed.
Was kinda thinking ‘Q’ plate would be the scenario, I’ve enquired to the DVLA about what is required. Just keen to get this all clarified before finishing it.

What engine does it have, as for Q-plate you'll be tied into emissions testing for the age of the engine, which you will need to prove evidence of the engine age.

[Turbobanana]

Once on a Q can you then buy a cheap, NI cover plate for it that doesn't allude to date?

[aeropilot]

Turbobanana said:

Once on a Q can you then buy a cheap, NI cover plate for it that doesn't allude to date?

No.
Once on a Q, you can't change to to any other plate type, unless you can prove its identity.
A mate of mine has had a Land-Rover lwt on a Q-plate for years, as this was what was done with the fwd controls and lwt decades abck when they left mil service, but he found the original id number and was able to get a date varification letter from the military vehicle owners club, and able to get DVLA to remove the Q-plate and reissue a 1971 age related plate.

Edited by aeropilot on Wednesday 29th July 11:11

[sixor8]

I'd suggest you avoid the Q plate if at all possible. Many stolen cars with ground off VIN numbers if they are recovered, end up as Q plates, it will taint the car. Many 'bitsa' kit cars end up with Q plates because of the indeterminate age of too many of the components. It will hugely devalue the car, but this may not be a concern in the circumstances.

With very old cars, you can just rivet a new VIN plate on but this may not be possible on a Mk2 Escort. They are a legal requirement on cars made after about 1980 I think. If you could somehow find out its VIN number, it could be re-stamped in the appropriate place. I doubt it has a tag in the windscreen like recent cars.

There's always the option of buying a completely wrecked one just for its identity.......... Could get awkward though.

Edited by sixor8 on Wednesday 29th July 17:28

[aeropilot]

sixor8 said:

There's always the option of buying a completely wrecked one just for its identity.......... Could get awkward though.

Very.

I agree about the Q-plate, but if the OP intends keeping the car for a long time and just enjoying it then it won't matter so much.
If the intention is to retain value, then probably best not to actually get it on the road, and maximum value with no identity is to sell it as a restored bare shell to a guy that has just wrapped his rally car around a tree on a stage and who has an identity to re-shell. Good solid shells are worth 10k almost these days.

[Skyedriver]

aeropilot said:

sixor8 said:

There's always the option of buying a completely wrecked one just for its identity.......... Could get awkward though.

Very.

I agree about the Q-plate, but if the OP intends keeping the car for a long time and just enjoying it then it won't matter so much.
If the intention is to retain value, then probably best not to actually get it on the road, and maximum value with no identity is to sell it as a restored bare shell to a guy that has just wrapped his rally car around a tree on a stage and who has an identity to re-shell. Good solid shells are worth 10k almost these days.

^^THIS^^

[john2443]

Was it ever on the road? Might a friend or relation have a photo from holiday / picnic? Did it ever go to a garage? Would they have any records?

Obviously if if was bought as a wreck and shoved in the garage this doesn't help!

Or, was he a member of a local owners club - would anyone there have seen the car?

[Mark A S]

Buy something like this to get your "identity"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESCORT-MK1-MEXICO-LHD-O...

Bargain

[aeropilot]

Mark A S said:

Buy something like this to get your "identity"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESCORT-MK1-MEXICO-LHD-O...

Bargain

I know they used to allow it......enough of them were done back in the day, but do DVLA under the new rules allow a Mk1 to be reshelled into a Mk.2 shell and keep the ID?

[Skyedriver]

aeropilot said:

Mark A S said:

Buy something like this to get your "identity"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESCORT-MK1-MEXICO-LHD-O...

Bargain

I know they used to allow it......enough of them were done back in the day, but do DVLA under the new rules allow a Mk1 to be reshelled into a Mk.2 shell and keep the ID?

Don't suppose they'd know (or care) TBH but you'd be better off with a Mk2 shell/docs but effectively you are creating a ringer and that's not allowed.
However it has happened a lot in motorsport circles with a crashed car being reshelled

[Mark A S]

Exactly, how the hell could you run a car in motorsports where they need to be road legal without the ability to re shell a car if required, which often happens, after all, the body is just another component ??