Historic MOT exemption, different body

[rovermorris999]

Take a 1978 chassis car with factory fibreglass body, change the complete body to a non-original different style but retaining unaltered chassis and running gear, does it retain MOT exemption? It keeps tax exemption.
This page suggests it may as the definition of 'significant change 'only mentions chassis and monocoque bodyshell.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-...

However it may count as a 'kit conversion' in Part 2 here
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-...

Any idea what the situation actually is?

[austin]

I've no idea on the legalities but plenty of people doing this in the vintage world.

IE Take an Austin 7 saloon and replace the body with a new sports two seater, (eg Ulster) and I don't know of anyone that has had any issues.

[rovermorris999]

I think you could be ok there anyway as it is something that was done routinely when the cars are current.

[InitialDave]

rovermorris999 said:

Take a 1978 chassis car with factory fibreglass body, change the complete body to a non-original different style but retaining unaltered chassis and running gear, does it retain MOT exemption? It keeps tax exemption.

Should be fine, yes, as you're not hitting any of the metrics for it to change the identity.

[rovermorris999]

Thanks, makes sense.

[Mark Palmer]

I think it will depend on the original car to start with.
Club Lotus spent quite a lot of time and I would imagine expense proving the backbone chassis on Elans, Europas, Elite/Eclats etc was a sub frame and therefore a replaceable item and the vehicles identity was the body shell.... this came about when some cars were allocated Q plates after a chassis replacement.

Edited by Mark Palmer on Saturday 18th April 11:50