Two cars modified to create one, which registration?

[DonnyMac]

Please read point 3 (page 6) of this PDF -

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_...

If you took the drive train, chassis, engine etc from one car and welded the body of another on to this chassis what registration would the resulting car have for insurance purposes?

[kambites]

I think the answer is "neither". It wouldn't have enough bits of either car so you'd have to register it on a Q-plate.

ETA: Although actually, it depends on how you define "chassis". If the vehicle actually have a separate chassis and you're simply changing a body (rare in modern cars) you'd keep the old chassis/engine/whatever registration.

[DonnyMac]

It does say at the bottom of point 3 that any vehicle made of two cars welded together would need an SVA and given a 'Q' plate but the way it is worded it seems if the vehicle doesn't first gain it's 8 points from the list -

5 for the chassis
2 for suspension
1 for engine
2 axels
2 transmission
2 steering assembly

Etc.

The vehicle in question gets 12 points, only missing the suspension which is modified - essentially a complete car with another body welded on top.

[kambites]

What car are you considering which has a separate body from the chassis? Most cars all you could change would be the doors, wings, bonnet and boot. I suspect any modification to the monocoque of a modern car would be considered changing the chassis.

[DonnyMac]

Agreed, highly modified car, monocoque of the body was cut to bits and welded on top of a complete chassis of another car.

I'd like to get a few more responses to form a consensus either way and then I'll reveal the car for final confirmation and subsequent thoughts on insurance.

[Rickyy]

Whilst were on a vaguely related subject, why was it years ago there seemed to be a lot of Q-Plate Ford Transit Tippers about?

[kambites]

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-...

Government said:

Your vehicle must have 8 or more points from the table below. 5 of these points must come from having the original or new and unmodified chassis, monocoque bodyshell or frame.

So any modification to the monocoque will be on a Q-plate.

[DonnyMac]

The chassis from the original car would be thought to be original no, so it gets 5 points from the rolling chassis that the cut body is welded on to? It ticks all the other points options except the suspension as that's modified between the existing rolling chassis and body shell welded on (I think), but certainly 12 points if not more.

Either way I think we can agree that the car is either registered to the rolling chassis or SVA'd and put on a 'Q' Plate, certainly not registered to the body-work that is welded on?

[DonnyMac]

Here you go, body work of one car being welded onto the rolling chassis of another (the original engine is replaced into the rolling chassis); what registration/VIN does it take the rolling chassis with engine and transmission, the (newer) body work welded on or a 'Q' Plate?

[sjx]

DonnyMac said:

Here you go, body work of one car being welded onto the rolling chassis of another (the original engine is replaced into the rolling chassis); what registration/VIN does it take the rolling chassis with engine and transmission, the (newer) body work welded on or a 'Q' Plate?

I knew it would be "that" car!

[Tyberious]

Well, as I kicked this off on another forum, I don't think it's been registered correctly, I think the builders registered the body donor and then modified it with the chassis of the second donor vehicle. Therefore I doubt it's been properly inspected and tested and is still simply registered as the body donor vehicle. A quick check on the registration confirms it's still registered as the body donor vehicle.

[DonnyMac]

sjx said:

DonnyMac said:

Here you go, body work of one car being welded onto the rolling chassis of another (the original engine is replaced into the rolling chassis); what registration/VIN does it take the rolling chassis with engine and transmission, the (newer) body work welded on or a 'Q' Plate?

I knew it would be "that" car!

Would you be surprised that it is insured as a new Qashqai even though it's only the body of one?

What about the £250,000 rumoured price tag!

What would happen if the new owner crashed it, and it wasn't registered properly after they'd shelled out £1/4m?

[sjx]

DonnyMac said:

Would you be surprised that it is insured as a new Qashqai even though it's only the body of one?

What about the £250,000 rumoured price tag!

What would happen if the new owner crashed it, and it wasn't registered properly after they'd shelled out £1/4m?

I've been on the forum in question long enough to keep my head down sometimes. Let's just say that I disagree with the opinion of the builder of that particular car and didn't find his rhetorical 'appeal to authority' particularly convincing...

[M4cruiser]

I think Top Gear take a few liberties with this .. make any kind of odd vehicle and keep the original reg number, tax and MoT for the purposes of the experiment.

[DonnyMac]

sjx said:

I've been on the forum in question long enough to keep my head down sometimes. Let's just say that I disagree with the opinion of the builder of that particular car and didn't find his rhetorical 'appeal to authority' particularly convincing...

It's sad though, a huge talent was utilised in creating this vehicle, but no credibility on its legal status which could bite a prospective owner to the tune of £275,000 I've just been told.

WTF, for the sake of a year on the registration plate!

[DonnyMac]

Tyberious said:

A quick check on the registration confirms it's still registered as the body donor vehicle.

Who'd have thought there was a £275,000 'floor' to the plan?

[TA14]

DonnyMac said:

Here you go, body work of one car being welded onto the rolling chassis of another

That's your problem. Your photo is of the lower half of a monocoque - it's neither a chassis nor a rolling chassis. Very few cars these days have chassis - TVR did, most Lotus cars, all/(most?) Morgans. A better description would be the floor pan of a monocoque shell.

As mentioned above, two halves of a monocoque is a cut and shut and thus a Q plate.

[Tyberious]

It's all fine though as all the appropriate structural calculations were completed and signed off by an independent engineering inspection for insurance purposes. Oh no wait, that was the question that got the thread deleted as they didn't want to discuss it in an open forum and give away their 'trade secrets' which is a shame.

[V8RX7]

In the real world - do whatever you want.

No one cares.

No one checks in most cases and if they do they generally haven't got a clue what they're looking at.

Insurance - as long as the numbers match - call it whatever the hell you want.

I've 30+ yrs playing with modified cars.

[DonnyMac]

TA14 said:

As mentioned above, two halves of a monocoque is a cut and shut and thus a Q plate.

That's the issue, it's insured as a Qashqai, on the original number plate! No SVA, inspection, nada.

Oh, but a very real £275,000 price tag.