lhd kitcar registration?
Discussion
i have recently bought a well constructed 1930's style roadster with no UK identity.
this car apparently came through a UK auction house but still on a '91 california plate,but with no US paperwork whatsoever.
the question i need answering is what is the best procedure to register the beast.
it is LHD and is based on an early mustang chassis and mechanics and part mg midget body ,but i have no documentary proof that it has actually been used in the states.
as far as i know the standard sva only applies if i can prove previous use...(the california licencing authority couldn't be bothered to reply).
will i need a full sva and get a q plate?
anybody got the answer?
john
this car apparently came through a UK auction house but still on a '91 california plate,but with no US paperwork whatsoever.
the question i need answering is what is the best procedure to register the beast.
it is LHD and is based on an early mustang chassis and mechanics and part mg midget body ,but i have no documentary proof that it has actually been used in the states.
as far as i know the standard sva only applies if i can prove previous use...(the california licencing authority couldn't be bothered to reply).
will i need a full sva and get a q plate?
anybody got the answer?
john
What do you mean by "standard" SVA? There's the "Enhanced" SVA scheme and the "ordinary" SVA scheme. A Left Hand Drive would be eligible for the "ordinary" scheme. As has already been said though, if it REALLY doesn't have any official documentation on which its age or date of first use can be found, it will end up on a "Q" plate and will have to undergo the non-enhanced SVA test in which CURRENT emissions requirements will have to be met. If you can prove its over 10 years old, no SVA will be required but you might still get a "Q" plate.
Hi,
I am living outside UK and building (nearing completion) a LHD Ginetta G27 S2. I have to register the car in UK before reimporting it to my country for registration.
You say (Avocet) a car over 10 years old do not need to pass the sva?! Do you mean "a car that has been on the road for more than 10 years" or registered for the first time more than 10 years ago? Or am I right understanding a kit car with a 10 years+ chassis with 10 years+ engine/box/... do not need to pass the sva? If I am right, how can I prove the age of the car or parts? Chassis and engine numbers and manufacturers "certificates"?
Thanks
I am living outside UK and building (nearing completion) a LHD Ginetta G27 S2. I have to register the car in UK before reimporting it to my country for registration.
You say (Avocet) a car over 10 years old do not need to pass the sva?! Do you mean "a car that has been on the road for more than 10 years" or registered for the first time more than 10 years ago? Or am I right understanding a kit car with a 10 years+ chassis with 10 years+ engine/box/... do not need to pass the sva? If I am right, how can I prove the age of the car or parts? Chassis and engine numbers and manufacturers "certificates"?
Thanks
I'm a bit out of my depth here! I haven't come across this precise situation before but in general terms, a car coming into the UK that was "first registered" for road use in some other country more than 10 years ago would not need to do SVA. You would have to provide the UK authorities with acceptable evidence of the date of first registration of the complete car. This would usually be a copy of the original regsitration document if that showed the date of first registration on it.
In the case of a kit (If I understand you correctly), the car will (most likely) get a CURRENT date of "first registration" because it will be the first time that the particular body and the particular chassis / engine etc that you are using would have been registered for use on the road as a complete car - even though each of them might have come from cars that were registered more than 10 years ago!
In the UK, the authorities recognise three types of kit car:
1. Kits made entirely from new parts (new chassis, body, engine, transmission etc)
2. Kits made from a mixture of old and new parts (e.g. a new body and chassis but an old engine / transmission etc)
3. Kits that retain the "original and unmodified" chassis or monocoque bodyshell (plus a mixture of old and / or new parts from other vehicles.
The first type, (as one might expect) get a "new" registration and a current date of first registration. If you are an amateur builder they do allow ONE old component (e.g. the engine) as long as it has been reconditioned to an "as-new" standard. These cars are treated just like any other "new" car and they have to meet current emissions limits - (unless you chose to have an old (but reconditioned) engine).
The second type will either get a "Q" plate (if you can't prove the age and identity of any of the components) OR it will get an "age-related" plate. This is where you have to prove that you have used at least TWO "major components" from a previously registered donor vehicle (let's say the engine and transmission as an example). If you do this, you will get a number plate that denotes the same "age" as the car from which the two major components came but the car will still have a CURRENT date of first registration. It will, however, only need to meet emissions standards appropriate to the age of its engine.
The third type is the only type where you do not have to do an SVA test and your registration document will show the date of first registration as being the same as that of the donor car. In reality, it is pretty difficult to keep the "original and unmodified" chassis or monocoque because few cars have a true "chassis" these days and if you use a monocoque, it's quite hard to make it look very different without modifying it. Notable exceptions to this are the Toyota MR2 body kits that are becoming popular. There is also a chance (depending on how honest you are(?!)) of simply telling the authorities that you haven't modified the chassis. Most of the time you will get away with it if the changes are not extremely obvious!
As far as proof of age goes, this is a bit difficult if the cars whose parts you are using were not registered in the UK! Normally, with (say) an engine, you would be able to show the authorities the regsitration document for the car from which the engine came and the engine number on it too. For parts other than the engine, there is little way of proving it and the authorities generally just take your word for it! Also, for emissions purposes, you can sometimes get a letter from the engine manufacturer (Say Ford or one of the big car companies) on their own letterhead stating that engine number "XXXYYYNNN" was manufactured between two specific dates. (they can't usually give an exact date!) The authorities then generally take the latest date quoted. I don't know what they would accept for a non-UK registered car though. It's up to the indicidual officer concerned!
In the case of a kit (If I understand you correctly), the car will (most likely) get a CURRENT date of "first registration" because it will be the first time that the particular body and the particular chassis / engine etc that you are using would have been registered for use on the road as a complete car - even though each of them might have come from cars that were registered more than 10 years ago!
In the UK, the authorities recognise three types of kit car:
1. Kits made entirely from new parts (new chassis, body, engine, transmission etc)
2. Kits made from a mixture of old and new parts (e.g. a new body and chassis but an old engine / transmission etc)
3. Kits that retain the "original and unmodified" chassis or monocoque bodyshell (plus a mixture of old and / or new parts from other vehicles.
The first type, (as one might expect) get a "new" registration and a current date of first registration. If you are an amateur builder they do allow ONE old component (e.g. the engine) as long as it has been reconditioned to an "as-new" standard. These cars are treated just like any other "new" car and they have to meet current emissions limits - (unless you chose to have an old (but reconditioned) engine).
The second type will either get a "Q" plate (if you can't prove the age and identity of any of the components) OR it will get an "age-related" plate. This is where you have to prove that you have used at least TWO "major components" from a previously registered donor vehicle (let's say the engine and transmission as an example). If you do this, you will get a number plate that denotes the same "age" as the car from which the two major components came but the car will still have a CURRENT date of first registration. It will, however, only need to meet emissions standards appropriate to the age of its engine.
The third type is the only type where you do not have to do an SVA test and your registration document will show the date of first registration as being the same as that of the donor car. In reality, it is pretty difficult to keep the "original and unmodified" chassis or monocoque because few cars have a true "chassis" these days and if you use a monocoque, it's quite hard to make it look very different without modifying it. Notable exceptions to this are the Toyota MR2 body kits that are becoming popular. There is also a chance (depending on how honest you are(?!)) of simply telling the authorities that you haven't modified the chassis. Most of the time you will get away with it if the changes are not extremely obvious!
As far as proof of age goes, this is a bit difficult if the cars whose parts you are using were not registered in the UK! Normally, with (say) an engine, you would be able to show the authorities the regsitration document for the car from which the engine came and the engine number on it too. For parts other than the engine, there is little way of proving it and the authorities generally just take your word for it! Also, for emissions purposes, you can sometimes get a letter from the engine manufacturer (Say Ford or one of the big car companies) on their own letterhead stating that engine number "XXXYYYNNN" was manufactured between two specific dates. (they can't usually give an exact date!) The authorities then generally take the latest date quoted. I don't know what they would accept for a non-UK registered car though. It's up to the indicidual officer concerned!
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