Modified vehicle
Discussion
Had a look round a modded 4x4 at the weekend. Looking to see if it’s a viable road/trialler vehicle.
It’s had a bunch of stuff done. Was Vitara based, chassis is modified to have an SJ Suzuki front axle and with cut outs for the springs and custom towers.
It’s got an original box and transfer case and a vitara engine.
What’s the road legality situation? It’s also running an exo cage and winch etc.
Any concerns to run it on the road? What to insure it as?
It’s had a bunch of stuff done. Was Vitara based, chassis is modified to have an SJ Suzuki front axle and with cut outs for the springs and custom towers.
It’s got an original box and transfer case and a vitara engine.
What’s the road legality situation? It’s also running an exo cage and winch etc.
Any concerns to run it on the road? What to insure it as?
Lesgrandepotato said:
Had a look round a modded 4x4 at the weekend. Looking to see if it’s a viable road/trialler vehicle.
It’s had a bunch of stuff done. Was Vitara based, chassis is modified to have an SJ Suzuki front axle and with cut outs for the springs and custom towers.
It’s got an original box and transfer case and a vitara engine.
What’s the road legality situation? It’s also running an exo cage and winch etc.
Any concerns to run it on the road? What to insure it as?
Might be best posting an image.It’s had a bunch of stuff done. Was Vitara based, chassis is modified to have an SJ Suzuki front axle and with cut outs for the springs and custom towers.
It’s got an original box and transfer case and a vitara engine.
What’s the road legality situation? It’s also running an exo cage and winch etc.
Any concerns to run it on the road? What to insure it as?
Lesgrandepotato said:
Had a look round a modded 4x4 at the weekend. Looking to see if it’s a viable road/trialler vehicle.
It’s had a bunch of stuff done. Was Vitara based, chassis is modified to have an SJ Suzuki front axle and with cut outs for the springs and custom towers.
It’s got an original box and transfer case and a vitara engine.
What’s the road legality situation? It’s also running an exo cage and winch etc.
Any concerns to run it on the road? What to insure it as?
Depends on when it was done. If it's recent, notching the chassis necessitates an IVA. If it's older it's not as straightforward, but more likely to be fine. It’s had a bunch of stuff done. Was Vitara based, chassis is modified to have an SJ Suzuki front axle and with cut outs for the springs and custom towers.
It’s got an original box and transfer case and a vitara engine.
What’s the road legality situation? It’s also running an exo cage and winch etc.
Any concerns to run it on the road? What to insure it as?
"older" is modified more than 30 years ago, with supporting evidence. You're guilty of modifying it more recently than DVLA rules permit, unless you can prove otherwise.
If the car is less than 30 years old it's not legal unless it's passed IVA, as anything with modifications to the chassis should go through IVA.
Its chances of having gone through IVA are slim to none.
It's getting harder to get modified stuff tested, and DVLA are actively withdrawing the registrations of cars they believe should be IVA'd.
Check MoT history for a start. If it hasn't had one recently, or there are advisories about the chassis, I would leave it well alone.
If the car is less than 30 years old it's not legal unless it's passed IVA, as anything with modifications to the chassis should go through IVA.
Its chances of having gone through IVA are slim to none.
It's getting harder to get modified stuff tested, and DVLA are actively withdrawing the registrations of cars they believe should be IVA'd.
Check MoT history for a start. If it hasn't had one recently, or there are advisories about the chassis, I would leave it well alone.
I suspect the provenance of it is a bit dubious, so I'd be inclined to leave well alone if you must have something usable on the road.
The original SVA test was 1998, I believe, and Vitaras have been around since 1989, so it is possible the modifications predate the system of policing them and are therefore "ok", but J very much doubt it, and I'd be wary of hanging my hat on it without solid evidence
The "30 years plus" modification rule is for historical MOT exemption, remember.
The original SVA test was 1998, I believe, and Vitaras have been around since 1989, so it is possible the modifications predate the system of policing them and are therefore "ok", but J very much doubt it, and I'd be wary of hanging my hat on it without solid evidence
The "30 years plus" modification rule is for historical MOT exemption, remember.
No idea on the legality but what are you planning on towing with it? Wouldn't advise anything heavy like cars. Vitaras have pretty low towing weights. I cant even get an Ariel on a small trailer behind ours. Vitaras are also pretty light so not ideal there either, combine that with your likely soft off road suspension, increased ride height, weight up top rom the cage and bugger all grip on the road tyres I can imagine it being awful for towing.
RB Will said:
No idea on the legality but what are you planning on towing with it? Wouldn't advise anything heavy like cars. Vitaras have pretty low towing weights. I cant even get an Ariel on a small trailer behind ours. Vitaras are also pretty light so not ideal there either, combine that with your likely soft off road suspension, increased ride height, weight up top rom the cage and bugger all grip on the road tyres I can imagine it being awful for towing.
He said "trialler", not "trailer".As in he wants to use it for off road trials.
ignore me. 
Lesgrandepotato said:
Yep, it’s mot’d and registered as a vitara. My concern is the 8points rule looks pretty problematic.
Not sure how much real world impact it has tho.
Would it be wise to treat it as off-road use only purely for the sake of getting home from trials?Not sure how much real world impact it has tho.
A mate has had a series of off-roaders, some Suzuki based, and sooner or later each one gets broken in a way that immobilises it. You can guarantee that when you break something that stops you driving it will be a Sunday afternoon, miles from home, when you have a three-line whipp to be somewhere on Monday for work.
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