Vehicle reg from donor car to kit car

Vehicle reg from donor car to kit car

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Premium Por

Original Poster:

14 posts

117 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
Letter back from DVLA . Information book (INF 26) page 7 states 1. A vehicle will keep the registration number of the original vehicle if the original UNALTERED chassis / monocoque bodyshell has been used along with TWO other major components from the original vehicle.
2.If a NEW monocoque bodyshell or chassis from a specialist kit maunfacturer (or an altered chassis or bodyshell from an existing vehicle) is used with two original major components from the donor vehicle, a replacement registration number will be issued based on the age of the donor vehicle. The vehicle must have IVA or MSVA. The date of manufacture for the vehicle will be taken from the IVA or MSVA certificate.
Where insufficient parts from a donor vehicle are used or in cases where the original registration is unknown IVA/MSVA will be required and a 'Q' prefix registration will be allocated.
Is there a Registered list of Specialist Kit car manfacturers (as in 2) or could i have my chassis built by a high class Fabrication company who have all of the qualifications in Welding and Fabrication?

Fastpedeller

3,873 posts

146 months

Monday 4th August 2014
quotequote all
[quote=Premium Por]Letter back from DVLA . Information book (INF 26) page 7 states 1. A vehicle will keep the registration number of the original vehicle if the original UNALTERED chassis / monocoque bodyshell has been used along with TWO other major components from the original vehicle.
2.If a NEW monocoque bodyshell or chassis from a specialist kit maunfacturer (or an altered chassis or bodyshell from an existing vehicle) is used with two original major components from the donor vehicle, a replacement registration number will be issued based on the age of the donor vehicle. The vehicle must have IVA or MSVA. The date of manufacture for the vehicle will be taken from the IVA or MSVA certificate.
Where insufficient parts from a donor vehicle are used or in cases where the original registration is unknown IVA/MSVA will be required and a 'Q' prefix registration will be allocated.
Is there a Registered list of Specialist Kit car manfacturers (as in 2) or could i have my chassis built by a high class Fabrication company who have all of the qualifications in Welding and Fabrication?[/quote

I expect Vindicator cars would be a good choice, as they have been involved in one-off builds in the past.
Not wishing to take anything from kit manufacturers, but there is no reason why a good fabrication co couldn't do a good job if the team had the necessary experience/commitment (but it looks like DVLA won't accept that?)

Premium Por

Original Poster:

14 posts

117 months

Tuesday 5th August 2014
quotequote all
Is there a list of DVLA approved Kit Car Chassis builders?
And how would a Fabtication company get on the list?

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Tuesday 5th August 2014
quotequote all
There is no list of approved chassis manufacturers.

Anybody who builds a one of chassis is treated as a "specialist chassis manufacturer" by DVLA and thats how home built locosts (RonChampion/Haynes Roadster,etc) get registered on age related plates.

Premium Por

Original Poster:

14 posts

117 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
So who checks the chassis for weld quality,structural strength etc?

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
VOSA when you IVA the vehicle.

It's a case of using an experienced eye rather than rigorous destructive testing. That might not sound ideal but the roads aren't littered with collapsed kit cars.

Premium Por

Original Poster:

14 posts

117 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
Just rang DVLA. A new chassis either home built or specialist built combined with mechanical components from donor vehicle would result in a 'Q' plate.
Not a year related plate for the vehicle.

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
You seem to beleive DVLA know what they're talking about. laugh

Ask them the same question on different days and you'll get different answers. They regularly register home built chassis cars on Q's, age related and even new registrations.

Premium Por

Original Poster:

14 posts

117 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
quotequote all
So is it a case of Pot Luck, how they feel on the day?. Is any one testing station better than others?

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Thursday 7th August 2014
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It was always tricky to know how they would be dealt with as it was done by local DVLA offices and personnel dealing with kit registrations constantly changed. Now they're all dealt with by Swansea DVLA it should become more consistent... Information will still be variable though as it just depends who is on the help desk that day.

If you apply with donor vehicle parts used and the relevant docs you'll get an age related plate and if they decide you don't have the right parts/docs it'll fall back to a Q plate.
If you have all new parts with receipts (except one which may be "recon' as new") you can apply for a new reg (slightly different form) and if they decide your bits aren't new, then it falls back again to a Q.
If you just want a Q then you use the donor car form and don't provide any donor docs.
In reality who made the chassis doesn't matter and the dozens of cars being registered as above proves that. The 2 forms are v55/4 and v55/5 though I can't remenber which is which.


Opinions on the various VOSA test stations vary. Largely based on whether people passed easily or not and that depends on the condition they presented the car in; Tell someone that his pride and joy with 6years invested into it is a pile of junk and they'll tend to dislike the station.
I've heard people say avoid Chadderton but they were fine with me. Though my car failed on some mimor points first time around they were helpful in trying to overcome them on the day. Beverley sees more than it's fair share of kits (due to MK and MNR presenting cars there) and so is familiar with them and regularly gets good reports.

PaulKemp

979 posts

145 months

Friday 8th August 2014
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We have put several kit cars through SVA/IVA, DVLA saying home built chassis will get Q is not true by our experience
The chassis is a minor point in the registration process, the amount of points gained from the major parts used from the single donor is the main criteria for age related plate.
It is stated clearly on the paperwork required for the registration from DVLA

I would recommend you post this question on Locostbuilders and get responses from many who have gone through the process.
A particular design & self build of note is the Warner R4
On the Haynes roadster forum where many build the chassis at home as long as 1 donor vehicle is used they get an age related

I rest my case my Lord