Real Good Number Plates vol 5
Discussion
ashleyman said:
Is there any risk of theft of these special plates like the 1X1, 2X2 or other great combinations? Like people trying to claim ownership of them fraudulently.
Yes. Scrapped car, put number (1 x 3) on retention and went abroad.On returning had a letter from DVLA giving me a set time to reply if I didn’t want a claim on the plate to succeed. Fortunately time had not run out. Whether or not they would have given away ownership I do not know, but it appeared so and very casual. They said police would be contacting claimant. Didn’t hear anything further. Question is: who would know the plate was on retention besides DVLA. 
chasingracecars said:
I’ve never had that! Yes the retention certificate is sent to you but 10 years was the time limit
I had the retention certificate ok but had a letter from the DVLA saying that someone else had claimed ownership and if I didn’t confirm ownership within (I think 12 weeks) they would be getting the right to display it. It didn’t say whether or not they would have had to provide paperwork to confirm ownership. The only thing I can think is that it was the firm who scrapped the car thought it was worth a try to see if I hadn’t put the plate on retention. I hadn’t thought of that before but it makes sense thinking about it now.
Hatson said:
The only thing I can think is that it was the firm who scrapped the car thought it was worth a try to see if I hadn’t put the plate on retention. I hadn’t thought of that before but it makes sense thinking about it now.
Yep.Quite possibly not fraudulent at all.
Probably a good reason not to leave the physical plate on a car if it gets scrapped, written off or traded in.
Pat H said:
Hatson said:
The only thing I can think is that it was the firm who scrapped the car thought it was worth a try to see if I hadn’t put the plate on retention. I hadn’t thought of that before but it makes sense thinking about it now.
Yep.Quite possibly not fraudulent at all.
Probably a good reason not to leave the physical plate on a car if it gets scrapped, written off or traded in.
ashleyman said:
Is there any risk of theft of these special plates like the 1X1, 2X2 or other great combinations? Like people trying to claim ownership of them fraudulently.
I seem to remember there was an issue of ownership on 1 S, don't know the full story.In addition recently some owners are placing fake plates on their cars, 1 K seen on a BMW, 1 F seen on an Audi (I have photos of both) but the plates don't belong to the people displaying them. Another 1x1 was displayed on a Hilux that also didn't belong there, I binned the pic but memory tells me it was 4 S. F 2 is another, photographed on a Ferrari but dubious also
droopsnoot said:
I recall vaguely a story about a historic plate being "re-claimed" from its current owner / holder when a historic rally car was repatriated, rebuilt and the owner of that vehicle applied to the DVLA to have the plate back. Sorry that's a bit (a bit?) vague, the tale I was told was relating to an ex-works Triumph TR rally car that was presumed lost, found aboard and restored. As I understand it the plate was handed back to the car, but I have no idea what happened to the person who lost the plate, whether there was any reimbursement for example. Presumably the method by which the plate was claimed for that other vehicle would be the key to whether the new holder had a proper claim to it.
A little off-topic, but you've reminded me of what I think is a nice story!There were a number of early pre-production Range Rovers, built in 1969 and early 1970, many of which were registered on YVB xxxH registration numbers.
Fortunately most of these earliest examples of the marque, highly collectable nowadays, are still about, many in very good condition.
In the 1990s, the very first YVB-registered car, YVB 151H, emerged. It was, however, bearing a different UK registration number as a result of a 'cherished transfer' at some point in the car's life.
It could be identified as the original YVB 151H by its primordial chassis number: 35500001A.
In representations with the DVLA, the car's owner argued that, as a matter of preserving heritage, this icon of British motoring deserved to be reunited with its long-lost original registration number.
The typically David and Goliath-like story goes that, despite the abundance of documentary evidence proving that the registration number and vehicle were originally linked, and the fact that the number was dormant, the DVLA wouldn't budge.
I think the car owner's local MP became involved, supported by key figures involved in the late-sixties design process, and the June 1970 launch, of the Range Rover - including a chap called Geof Miller.
As I recall, the lobbying 'campaign' involved people as high up as the officialdom at Whitehall.
Eventually the Department of Transport relented, and allowed YVB 151H to be reassigned to the car.
The upshot, I believe, is that the DVLA introduced the sexily-named process "Application to register a vehicle under its original registration number," aka the V765 form.
As the name suggests, this streamlined process allows a car owner to apply to the DVLA, supported by verifying information provided by an accredited source (vehicle club, for instance) for a vehicle to be reunited with its original number, as long as the number is dormant.
If approved, the DVLA will re-issue the car its original registration number on a non-transferable basis.
More information from the DVLA, at this link.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff