Changing engines and car tax etc.

[anonymous-user]

So in a nut shell I've converted my 2002 Cooper into a Cooper S, its a full swap from a donor car as the chassis on the MINI's are the same. Its in the process at the moment at the workshop of one of the MINI Challenge race teams.

I want this to be 100% right and legal when its back on the road in about a months time and the DVLA haven't been able to give me a clear answer (no i'm not surprised). I don't want any surprises when it comes to MOT time, ANPR or VOSA check points of which they love to have near my house.

Whats the best way of making sure its all legal, all I've been able to find out thus far is changing the engine number to match the new one on the V5 and using the V70 form to update the tax class but even the V70 form stops making sense at a certain point. My insurance company are perfectly happy with it being a Cooper running an S engine and gear box.

[TooMany2cvs]

The official CO2 figure stays.

If it needed IVAing (which it doesn't, from what you've said), it'd go onto a Q plate and pre-CO2 VED rates.

[drjhill]

I had this when I did an engine swap, simply sent off V5C with the relevant details and expect to get it back (both cars pre 2001 so no tax/emissions complications).

DVLA bounced it back saying they wanted documentation from the garage that did the work. But I had done the vast bulk of it myself at home. My local garage finished a couple of bits that I could not and got it ready for MOT.

Got a covering letter from the garage describing what had be done (not by whom) with all the numbers/registrations etc and the fate of the donor, and the DVLA were happy, no issues since.

If you are paying for the work then I would think copy of the relevant invoice should do it.

HTH

[anonymous-user]

Thanks chaps, luckily its being done at a MINI race place so theres no worries with documents. I've just sent of the V5 and V70 with the change in classes to the to add their invoice to and then send to the depths of the DVLA...

[Rich G]

Before you send it off, take photocopies (or scans) of it so you have a record. Also staple all the paperwork together, don't use a paperclip, less easy for them to lose that way. Also think about posting it signed for - the DVLA can lose anything!

[Cider Andy]

Many years ago I converted my 3.0 litre Essex V6 petrol-engined Transit to a 2.4 litre York diesel using all original Ford parts from a donor van. All I did with the V5 was complete the necessary sections: fuel type, cylinder capacity and engine number.

However, the insurance company wanted an engineer's report, which I asked the guy who supplied the original van to do. In the end, I wrote the report myself, he printed it on his company letterhead and signed it.

Incidentally, I couldn't get rid of the Essex engine for love nor money and ended up giving it to a passing rag & bone man for scrap. The classic Ford and TVR boys would probably be falling over themselves to give me £1000 for it these days!

[anonymous-user]

Rich G said:

Before you send it off, take photocopies (or scans) of it so you have a record. Also staple all the paperwork together, don't use a paperclip, less easy for them to lose that way. Also think about posting it signed for - the DVLA can lose anything!

All taken care of, got it scanned into the computer etc. The engineers report the other chap mentioned is also taken care of as its being done by one of the MINI Race teams.