Kit Car Registered as Donor

[the BossHogg]

Hi all,

I’m looking to buy a Porsche 356 replica built by JPS Motorsports in USA.
It was imported and registered into UK in 2016 and has been used regularly since.
However, the V5c states the make and model as a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle.
It’s not in historic tax class so gets MOT’d and road tax is paid for.
I was expecting the make to say JPS and model 356, so am I opening a can of worms if I wanted to change these on the V5?

[Pothole]

Possibly. Why is it important?

[the BossHogg]

My only real concern is I’ve heard of kit cars being incorrectly registered, and don’t want to spend £30k on this one to find some issues when selling it on later.
Example is Cobra replica registered as a Jaguar instead of a Dax etc.
Am I worrying about nothing?

[CanAm]

Does it use the VW floorpan and running gear?

[the BossHogg]

CanAm said:

Does it use the VW floorpan and running gear?

Yes it uses the VW floor pan, suspension and engine/box from donor.

[CanAm]

Then it's still a VW, that just looks like a Porsche. But iANAL.

[smokey mow]

the BossHogg said:

CanAm said:

Does it use the VW floorpan and running gear?

Yes it uses the VW floor pan, suspension and engine/box from donor.

Is the floor pan cut and shortened or the original length and unmodified? The former potentially puts you in IVA territory whilst the latter is much easier to register as a body swap.

[the BossHogg]

smokey mow said:

the BossHogg said:

CanAm said:

Does it use the VW floorpan and running gear?

Yes it uses the VW floor pan, suspension and engine/box from donor.

Is the floor pan cut and shortened or the original length and unmodified? The former potentially puts you in IVA territory whilst the latter is much easier to register as a body swap.

I definitely do not want to go down the IVA route.
It’s a shortened Beetle pan.

[CanAm]

the BossHogg said:

I definitely do not want to go down the IVA route.
It’s a shortened Beetle pan.

Then for £30k, I'd want cast-iron proof that it had all been done by the book, ie IVA

[smokey mow]

the BossHogg said:

smokey mow said:

the BossHogg said:

CanAm said:

Does it use the VW floorpan and running gear?

Yes it uses the VW floor pan, suspension and engine/box from donor.

Is the floor pan cut and shortened or the original length and unmodified? The former potentially puts you in IVA territory whilst the latter is much easier to register as a body swap.

I definitely do not want to go down the IVA route.
It’s a shortened Beetle pan.

if the car was less than 10 years old when it was imported into the U.K. then it would have needed an IVA test then to be registered. The fact that it’s on a beetle ID Now suggests the buyer or importer didn’t do this.

It does unfortunately sound like the car is incorrectly registered and the only way I can see to correct this now to ensure the car is legally registered would be an IVA test.

[RedAndy]

smokey mow said:

It does unfortunately sound like the car is incorrectly registered and the only way I can see to correct this now to ensure the car is legally registered would be an IVA test.

agreed

[the BossHogg]

Thanks guys.
I think the best option here is to steer clear and not buy it.