chassis swap
- Thread starter peter2000
- Start date
Rumblin_Ron
New Member
There are rules as to how many (and which) bits of the original car are needed for the DVLA to recognise it as the original. Best visit the DVLA website.
webmaster
New Member
I don't think you can legally use a previously registered chassis on a different vehicle, you would need to keep the reg of the new shell. As Ron says there are situations where you can do it but I think you usually end up with a Q plate (urgh).
The only other option is to cut the chassis number from the old shell and weld it into the new one, but thats illegal !
Richard
The only other option is to cut the chassis number from the old shell and weld it into the new one, but thats illegal !
Richard
jonnydurex
New Member
the dvla allow points for certain bits of the car,engine gearbox even steering rack have different points awarded,if they add up to a certain number then that id stays with the car that supplied those components-there`s loads of reshelled mk1 escorts fliyng round forests in mk2 shells (you can enter classic rallies and get free car tax!) and if you own an old Triumph Herald a chassis swap is compulsary!!
hope this helps
jonny
hope this helps
jonny
webmaster
New Member
Here you go, link to the DVLA website with full details CLICK HERE
What interests me about this information is that they state "REGISTERING rebuilt, radically altered vehicle and kit cars", but what if the car is already registered ?
This is again a very very grey area, as, say you rebuild the car with a new engine, and hence can keep the reg, no problems, but then you have to replace the gearbox, steering rack and rear axle due to wear, does that mean you need to re-register it ? I very much doubt it.
It does also state in that page that
"If less than eight points are scored or a second-hand or modified chassis or altered monocoque bodyshell is used an ESVA/SVA/MSVA certificate will be required to register the vehicle and a 'Q' prefix registration number will be allocated"
This means that you can't use another chassis from a different car regardless of what else you transfer over, without getting the Q plate.
Richard
What interests me about this information is that they state "REGISTERING rebuilt, radically altered vehicle and kit cars", but what if the car is already registered ?
This is again a very very grey area, as, say you rebuild the car with a new engine, and hence can keep the reg, no problems, but then you have to replace the gearbox, steering rack and rear axle due to wear, does that mean you need to re-register it ? I very much doubt it.
It does also state in that page that
"If less than eight points are scored or a second-hand or modified chassis or altered monocoque bodyshell is used an ESVA/SVA/MSVA certificate will be required to register the vehicle and a 'Q' prefix registration number will be allocated"
This means that you can't use another chassis from a different car regardless of what else you transfer over, without getting the Q plate.
Richard
Rumblin_Ron
New Member
Well done Richard for digging the page off the Web, I admit I was too lazy to spend the time looking. How do you find time to do this AND build convertables !?
Next question is when are British Heritage (is that the right name ?) going to produce NEW base units (as they do MG shells) so we can stay non Q ? Does anybody know of any plans to do this or produce any other body part (ie wings) ?
Next question is when are British Heritage (is that the right name ?) going to produce NEW base units (as they do MG shells) so we can stay non Q ? Does anybody know of any plans to do this or produce any other body part (ie wings) ?
As I see it, you could do a chassis swap without ending up with a Q plate. However, you would have to do it in stages and the resultant vehicle would end up with the registration number of the donor chassis.
In order to do this you would need a donor car that was reasonably sound. You could then gradually, over a period of years, move your good components onto the chassis.
In order to do this you would need a donor car that was reasonably sound. You could then gradually, over a period of years, move your good components onto the chassis.
webmaster
New Member
I think in this case Peter wanted to move all the components onto the donor chassis and keep the reg of the original car rather than the donor, which appears to be "impossible" according to the dvla.
Many may or may not know but the early base units only had one "VIN" plate which was spot welded to the passenger side inner wing. Later cars have the vin stamped into the shell in several places. I am "aware" of a number of people who have transfered shells by simply removing the vin plate from one shell and fitting to another, assuming they transfered all the original running gear trim etc as well, its virtually impossible to spot the difference.
This doesn't really happen with the later shells due to the difficulty in effectively removing the stamped vin number.
*** Obviously such activity is extremely illegal, and not condoned in any way ***
Richard
Many may or may not know but the early base units only had one "VIN" plate which was spot welded to the passenger side inner wing. Later cars have the vin stamped into the shell in several places. I am "aware" of a number of people who have transfered shells by simply removing the vin plate from one shell and fitting to another, assuming they transfered all the original running gear trim etc as well, its virtually impossible to spot the difference.
This doesn't really happen with the later shells due to the difficulty in effectively removing the stamped vin number.
*** Obviously such activity is extremely illegal, and not condoned in any way ***
Richard
arthuy
Well-Known Member
Like richard says it is illegal and is no different than ringing a new car.
The was a long thread on this when someone bought a mint v8 shell on a P reg or similar.
I would say that the only reason for putting the old bits in the new shell would be to save the road tax or at a push a cherished registration which you need the car to be mot'd.
sounds like a lot of hard work to save £3 a week....
I also don't believe that a car rebuilt on a heritage shell should get the original registration number as it will never be the same car.
Colin
The was a long thread on this when someone bought a mint v8 shell on a P reg or similar.
I would say that the only reason for putting the old bits in the new shell would be to save the road tax or at a push a cherished registration which you need the car to be mot'd.
sounds like a lot of hard work to save £3 a week....
I also don't believe that a car rebuilt on a heritage shell should get the original registration number as it will never be the same car.
Colin
webmaster
New Member
Don't forget you can transfer any registration onto any vehicle, as long as the reg isn't newer than the vehicle, as per "private plates" they're not special registrations, just the result of the number plate generator series.
So you wouldn't need to "ring" a car just to transfer the reg.
According to the rules, if you bought a "new" shell, and fitted "new" components, you could get a brand new 2005 reg number !
Richard
So you wouldn't need to "ring" a car just to transfer the reg.
According to the rules, if you bought a "new" shell, and fitted "new" components, you could get a brand new 2005 reg number !
Richard
arthuy
Well-Known Member
Richard,
You can't just transfer any number about as the rules are pretty tight.
If you had a car with a reg you like but had been off the road for years then that car would need to be returned to a condition where it could be taxed, i.e mot'd and insured. Obviously the cost could run into thousands which is why is why people ring older cars.
I have heard of a particular chap (who I don't know) he has p4's and strips p4 for parts etc, when he gets one with a nice transferable plate he unscrews the vin plate switches reg plates gets it tested and hey presto.
I copied this wee bit from the DVLA site.
"vehicles must be currently licensed, subject to annual testing and available for inspection. However, applications involving unlicensed donor vehicles will still be considered if:
* the licence expired no more than six months prior to the date of the application; or if
* the donor vehicle is not old enough to be tested, i.e. less than 3 years old for cars, motorcycles, etc or less than 1 year old in the case of HGVs.
In both the above circumstances, all other requirements of the number retention facility must be met in order for applications to be considered.
PLEASE NOTE: Receiving vehicles must be currently licensed in order to participate in the number retention arrangements."
You can't just transfer any number about as the rules are pretty tight.
If you had a car with a reg you like but had been off the road for years then that car would need to be returned to a condition where it could be taxed, i.e mot'd and insured. Obviously the cost could run into thousands which is why is why people ring older cars.
I have heard of a particular chap (who I don't know) he has p4's and strips p4 for parts etc, when he gets one with a nice transferable plate he unscrews the vin plate switches reg plates gets it tested and hey presto.
I copied this wee bit from the DVLA site.
"vehicles must be currently licensed, subject to annual testing and available for inspection. However, applications involving unlicensed donor vehicles will still be considered if:
* the licence expired no more than six months prior to the date of the application; or if
* the donor vehicle is not old enough to be tested, i.e. less than 3 years old for cars, motorcycles, etc or less than 1 year old in the case of HGVs.
In both the above circumstances, all other requirements of the number retention facility must be met in order for applications to be considered.
PLEASE NOTE: Receiving vehicles must be currently licensed in order to participate in the number retention arrangements."