How Close To This Could Be Legally Driven In The UK ?

[V8RX7]

I've recently come across this pic taken of a very stripped down MX5 - presumably in the USA



Obviously it would be illegal here but how far could you go ?

If you:

Added mud guards
Covered the sharp edges
Added rear plate

Would it be anywhere near legal ?

Do you need doors ?

I presume you need front bumper and bonnet for pedestrian crash reasons but do you need a rear bumper etc ?

I'm not going to do it - just wondered.

[Tom_C76]

Don't need doors, most Seven type cars don't have them (Caterhams, Westfields etc.)

[KarlMac]

Google Exocet kit cars

[Red Devil]

Tom_C76 said:

Don't need doors, most Seven type cars don't have them (Caterhams, Westfields etc.)

Nor an Ariel Atom.

[V8RX7]

But all those cars passed Construction and Use regs without doors.

Similarly old cars don't need seatbelts but you can't remove them from a modern one.

[supersport]

You wouldn't want an accident in that, ouch.

[Pistom]

I think setting fire to your car to make it lighter is a bit extreme.

The issue I see is sharp edges.

Get rid of the sharp edges, make sure you have lights, number plate, tyres covered and it should be OK. If is passes an MOT then it should be OK.

[PoleDriver]

Do MX5s have a proper chassis? I'd be worried about the loss of strength without so much of the body!

[TallPaul]

I'm guessing its about to form the basis of a rebodied kit car?

[TooMany2cvs]

V8RX7 said:

Obviously it would be illegal here but how far could you go ?

They don't tend to deliver bus chassis like this any more...

V8RX7 said:

If you:

Added mud guards
Covered the sharp edges
Added rear plate

Would it be anywhere near legal ?

Your big problem there would be that you've modified the monocoque. On something with a chassis, you'd be much more free to strip extraneous guff off.
Then, of course, if you purpose-build something, you can get much more minimal. I've driven one of these on the road - perfectly legally...

[V8RX7]

PoleDriver said:

Do MX5s have a proper chassis? I'd be worried about the loss of strength without so much of the body!

No.

Front and rear subframes but as there is no roof as long as you keep the floor, sills and where the suspension mounts I can't see that removing doors, bonnet, wings, boot should affect it - except in a crash.

[V8RX7]

TooMany2cvs said:

They don't tend to deliver bus chassis like this any more...

I'd forgotten that they used to do that - I presume their H&S rules or construction and use / registration rules prevent it.

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

[CrutyRammers]

V8RX7 said:

I'd forgotten that they used to do that - I presume their H&S rules or construction and use / registration rules prevent it.

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

Yes, but if you make any "major modifications" to the structure (which is where it gets complicated), you'd have to put it through IVA and get it approved, like you do with a new build kit car.

[TooMany2cvs]

CrutyRammers said:

V8RX7 said:

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

Yes, but if you make any "major modifications" to the structure (which is where it gets complicated), you'd have to put it through IVA and get it approved, like you do with a new build kit car.

Ah, but if you aren't modifying the STRUCTURE (the chassis)...
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitconvert...

[jith]

V8RX7 said:

I've recently come across this pic taken of a very stripped down MX5 - presumably in the USA



Obviously it would be illegal here but how far could you go ?

If you:

Added mud guards
Covered the sharp edges
Added rear plate

Would it be anywhere near legal ?

Do you need doors ?

I presume you need front bumper and bonnet for pedestrian crash reasons but do you need a rear bumper etc ?

I'm not going to do it - just wondered.

I'm getting to the point where nothing surprises me on here; but this just about managed it. Why the hell would you literally risk your life driving on the road with something like that? That guy has an excuse. He's American!

Are you nuts?

J

[motco]

V8RX7 said:

TooMany2cvs said:

They don't tend to deliver bus chassis like this any more...

I'd forgotten that they used to do that - I presume their H&S rules or construction and use / registration rules prevent it.

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

AEC chassis used be driven from the factory in Southall (Middx) through Greenford Broadway en route to (I assume) the body shop in Aldenham, Herts.

[TooMany2cvs]

jith said:

V8RX7 said:

I'm getting to the point where nothing surprises me on here; but this just about managed it. Why the hell would you literally risk your life driving on the road with something like that? That guy has an excuse. He's American!

Are you nuts?

How is it "risking your life" any more than, say...

[shakotan]

TooMany2cvs said:

CrutyRammers said:

V8RX7 said:

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

Yes, but if you make any "major modifications" to the structure (which is where it gets complicated), you'd have to put it through IVA and get it approved, like you do with a new build kit car.

Ah, but if you aren't modifying the STRUCTURE (the chassis)...
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitconvert...

MX5s are monococque with subframes.

As soon as you cut the monocoque you lose the ID of the vehicle under the 8-point rule for Radically Altered Vehicles, which renders it unregistered.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-...

To be put back on the road it would have to undergo an IVA test, and there's no way that chopped up MX5 would pass the test.

[TooMany2cvs]

shakotan said:

TooMany2cvs said:

CrutyRammers said:

V8RX7 said:

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

Yes, but if you make any "major modifications" to the structure (which is where it gets complicated), you'd have to put it through IVA and get it approved, like you do with a new build kit car.

Ah, but if you aren't modifying the STRUCTURE (the chassis)...
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitconvert...

MX5s are monococque with subframes.

As soon as you cut the monocoque you lose the ID of the vehicle under the 8-point rule for Radically Altered Vehicles, which renders it unregistered.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-...

To be put back on the road it would have to undergo an IVA test, and there's no way that chopped up MX5 would pass the test.

Yes, we did that bit - which is why he specifically said

V8RX7 said:

...if you bought a chassis vehicle...

[shakotan]

TooMany2cvs said:

shakotan said:

TooMany2cvs said:

CrutyRammers said:

V8RX7 said:

But taking this to the next level then - if you bought a chassis vehicle could you strip it and drive it like that ?

Yes, but if you make any "major modifications" to the structure (which is where it gets complicated), you'd have to put it through IVA and get it approved, like you do with a new build kit car.

Ah, but if you aren't modifying the STRUCTURE (the chassis)...
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitconvert...

MX5s are monococque with subframes.

As soon as you cut the monocoque you lose the ID of the vehicle under the 8-point rule for Radically Altered Vehicles, which renders it unregistered.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-...

To be put back on the road it would have to undergo an IVA test, and there's no way that chopped up MX5 would pass the test.

Yes, we did that bit - which is why he specifically said

V8RX7 said:

...if you bought a chassis vehicle...

Apologies, I skip read.

Then it would be a case of sifting through Constructions and Use and applying the bare minimum requirements from it.