Uncertain ancestry
Discussion
The driver of an AC Cobra seemed to me to be sitting too high. And the AC badge on the back seemed a bit big. There were several things that said replica. Back at home, the DVLA website said: Ford / Registered 1995 / 3500cc. There's a story there.
The owner of a street legal, fully documented, Mot'd and insured hot rod, told me that the secret was to alert the DVLA of the changes to a car slowly and methodically. This painstaking procedure had allowed his standard 1950s Ford Pop to become a 1930s Model B glass fibre replica with a V8 engine and the Pop's registration. Some serious rule bending there, I shouldn't wonder.
And a Caterham I was invited to inspect with a view to buying, wasn't a Caterham. In fact, I'm not sure what it was, but it had probably been a Lotus 7-esque Ford special at one time and had suffered at the hands of dreamers, butchers and mis-representers all its life. Its V5 claimed it was a Lotus with a 2,174cc engine but the poor old thing had a motorcycle engine when I looked at it. Whatever it was, I suspect it was never going to pass another MoT, but could its identity go on to grace another bitsa at some time in the future?
There must be so many cars with unusual, odd or suspect identities. Is everything okay right up until it isn't, and an accident claim brings down the whole house of cards?
The owner of a street legal, fully documented, Mot'd and insured hot rod, told me that the secret was to alert the DVLA of the changes to a car slowly and methodically. This painstaking procedure had allowed his standard 1950s Ford Pop to become a 1930s Model B glass fibre replica with a V8 engine and the Pop's registration. Some serious rule bending there, I shouldn't wonder.
And a Caterham I was invited to inspect with a view to buying, wasn't a Caterham. In fact, I'm not sure what it was, but it had probably been a Lotus 7-esque Ford special at one time and had suffered at the hands of dreamers, butchers and mis-representers all its life. Its V5 claimed it was a Lotus with a 2,174cc engine but the poor old thing had a motorcycle engine when I looked at it. Whatever it was, I suspect it was never going to pass another MoT, but could its identity go on to grace another bitsa at some time in the future?
There must be so many cars with unusual, odd or suspect identities. Is everything okay right up until it isn't, and an accident claim brings down the whole house of cards?
Was a regular topic on the Land Rover websites.
Usually ads copied off ebay etc & probably the only part of the original vehicle likely to be the identity plates so the thing they had been put on could claim tax & MOT free status.
Several reported to DVSA who didn't give a toss.
My old Scimitar had similar treatment. It was a 1970 SE5 which I always regretted selling & would have bought back if it ever came up for sale.
Eventually a Scimitar came up on one of the auction house websites & the photos showed it displaying the reg of mine.
Which it clearly wasn't as it was a much later Scimitar.
That was verified to the unfortunate purchaser by the RSSOC - I was involved as I still had photos & details of it - & the last I heard it was still in their possession whilst the purchaser sorted out getting his money back.
I can only presume mine had been scrapped.
Usually ads copied off ebay etc & probably the only part of the original vehicle likely to be the identity plates so the thing they had been put on could claim tax & MOT free status.
Several reported to DVSA who didn't give a toss.
My old Scimitar had similar treatment. It was a 1970 SE5 which I always regretted selling & would have bought back if it ever came up for sale.
Eventually a Scimitar came up on one of the auction house websites & the photos showed it displaying the reg of mine.
Which it clearly wasn't as it was a much later Scimitar.
That was verified to the unfortunate purchaser by the RSSOC - I was involved as I still had photos & details of it - & the last I heard it was still in their possession whilst the purchaser sorted out getting his money back.
I can only presume mine had been scrapped.
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