New car from Old - DVLA?

[eLSerbera]

Hoping to ask you guys a couple of questions I think I already know the answer but I am hoping that maybe some can suggest some a different way of doing this.

I have a project (work not being done by me) which basically ammounts to ending up with a Cerbera very similar to those belonging to PHers "brummmie" or "diycerb". That is a Cerbera rebuilt up with an GM LS v8 engine and new gearbox.

Now I do have a custom built stroked LS3 engine, and a TKO600 gearbox already, what I am missing is the donor car. This is where my questions come from:

I am considering getting a written off Cerbera as the donor car (assuming a car written off only because of glass fibre damage only), as part of this I would get the body completely rebuilt, and the chassis completely refurbished(ie proper protection).

Now assuming the chassis is in perfect structural condition, and the car gets completely rebuilt, I would prefer to try and get the car SVA'ed as an "ameuter build" and registered as a new TVR Cerbera replica (assuming I have the build up documented), but without proof of the chassis and body being new (everything else will be) then the way I understand it the car would be given a Q plate, due to the body and chassis being of undeterminate age.

What would be the best way to try get the project car registered as a new entity with the DVLA?

I am hoping that maybe some of you more experienced heads can help me here as I haven't had much help from the DVLA over the phone and the forum search has helped me get this far.

I do know that this is pretty much the circumstance that the rules were set up to stop from happening, but from my point of view the consequences of accident damage are not the same for steel chassis/gf body cars compared to damage to modern space frame chassis cars, the rules have been setup to protect against reselling repaired cars that should not be back on the road, this car is for me only and if the chassis is all out of alignment then it would be me in the hedges!

Rob

P.S. A break down of what the car status would be...

Body - from donor: fully repaired + some modifications - all intents and purposes brand new.

Chassis - from donor: stripped down & restored(inc wishbones) and rebushed - all new as body

suspension/brakes - all new parts (would keep all receipts)

engine & gear box - all new parts (already have custom built 6.8l LS and a TKO600) - All receipts kept

Diff + shafts - diff rebuilt + all new shafts

[Paul1972]

The simple answer is you are only allowed one item which has to be reconditioned to "as new" standard (and you WILL need a receipt) in order to get a new registration - in your case the engine. A repaired body, reconditioned and rebushed wishbones etc simply doesnt allow you to get a new registration - otherwise many more kit cars would be getting new registrations rather than "Q" or age related.

I think from your plan you will get an age related plate, or even retain the original registration from the donor (and quite possibly wont need an IVA depending on your donor)

[Snake the Sniper]

If you're using a previously registered car, why would you want to IVA it? All your doing is repairing the cerbera. As long as the chassis isn't changed (other than to repair it were required), you can pretty much do what you want to it and just get it MOT'd.

[eLSerbera]

Paul1972 said:

The simple answer is you are only allowed one item which has to be reconditioned to "as new" standard (and you WILL need a receipt) in order to get a new registration - in your case the engine. A repaired body, reconditioned and rebushed wishbones etc simply doesnt allow you to get a new registration - otherwise many more kit cars would be getting new registrations rather than "Q" or age related.

I think from your plan you will get an age related plate, or even retain the original registration from the donor (and quite possibly wont need an IVA depending on your donor)

Snake the Sniper said:

If you're using a previously registered car, why would you want to IVA it? All your doing is repairing the cerbera. As long as the chassis isn't changed (other than to repair it were required), you can pretty much do what you want to it and just get it MOT'd.

The car I am thinking of is actually a Cat C write off at present, so by my understanding once the rebuild is complete the car would need to be inspected by the local DVLA office before it can be given road legal again, basically re-registering the car.

Okay so one major part can be from a donor car... Would the glass fibre body count as a single part? Just thinking that I may be able to get a new chassis, and trade in the old one...

See from my point of view having the newly built up car labelled with the Cat C history seems alittle unfair and I really don't care if the car were to be labelled as replica once re-registered.

[Paul1972]

It would need inspecting if you rebuilt a cat C yes - but not IVA'ing (which costs £450 now). As for the Cat C status - well i really dont know why its such a worry really seeing as you are planning on sticking an LS3 lump in it and after all it is what it is.

I just cant see how you can realistically look to get a brand new registration at a sensible cost. It would cost a fortune to buy every component for a complete car - reconditioning the diff, brakes, suspension etc simply isnt an option if you want that new reg.

Have you had a read of the Direct.gov website??

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSell...

[eLSerbera]

Paul1972 said:

It would need inspecting if you rebuilt a cat C yes - but not IVA'ing (which costs £450 now). As for the Cat C status - well i really dont know why its such a worry really seeing as you are planning on sticking an LS3 lump in it and after all it is what it is.

I just cant see how you can realistically look to get a brand new registration at a sensible cost. It would cost a fortune to buy every component for a complete car - reconditioning the diff, brakes, suspension etc simply isnt an option if you want that new reg.

Have you had a read of the Direct.gov website??

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSell...

I have had a read through the .gov pages which is why I was posting here, they are regulations and you can get different interprations depending where you go (Tvrolet?), so I was looking to see what other people have come across.

I didn't want a car with blotted history (written off and moddified!) because it will effect the insurance and I want to keep the car long term.

From what you are saying it is looking like what I thought, short of engineering receipts (which I really don't want to do) its looking like my best bet is to get a pristine Cerbera with a busted engine (), but the alternative of getting a written off one (there is an Cat C 02 Cerb around) was something that I wanted to go through to make sure it was a non starter...

[Paul1972]

Gotcha. That plan sounds much more cost effective to me - a blown engine means a pretty large bill doesnt it. Then again, what sort of money would a good engine and box fetch if you bought an undamaged car and then did the transplant you propose??

[eLSerbera]

Paul1972 said:

Gotcha. That plan sounds much more cost effective to me - a blown engine means a pretty large bill doesnt it. Then again, what sort of money would a good engine and box fetch if you bought an undamaged car and then did the transplant you propose??

Yeah starting with a car that is mostly good has been part of the plan from the start but there are a few things that getting the damaged car would allow, get the wheel arches reglassed for bigger wider tyres (better on power traction would be nice), and a respray to the colour of my choice (viper blue)...

One thing I am pretty certain would need to be done no matter what the Cerbera I get is to have the chassis refurbed, TVR really scrimped when it came to chassis rust protection...

The TVR AJP v8 engine seems to go for about approx 2.5k new (broken one could get as much as 1.5k).
The TVR speed6 engine seems to be allot more variable especially considering the factory spec engine was considered flawed...
Both engines are very low volume but they are not scarse yet so prices are quite low... Engine service history would seem to be the main limit for how much the engines can sell for.
Standard gearbox is a T5, not really worth more than £500 private sale, there seem to be loads about...