Modified chassis and SVA/IVA

[hairykrishna]

I was talking to a chap today about his kit car and he mentioned that he had substantially modified (reinforced) the chassis when he uprated the engine. Where does the law stand on this? I thought that any chassis mods, to a 'normal' car at least, required a SVA test? It did beg the question 'how would they know what the chassis was like originally?' though.

[Tony427]

Once its been SVA'd you can do what you want to the car bearing in mind construction and use regs and the MOT requirements after the three years moratorium (its effectively a new car therefore first 3 years mot not required).

Most guys build a car to pass the SVA and then adapt the car following its successful test.

Cheers,

Tony

[King Herald]

Tony427 said:

Once its been SVA'd you can do what you want to the car bearing in mind construction and use regs and the MOT requirements after the three years moratorium (its effectively a new car therefore first 3 years mot not required).

Most guys build a car to pass the SVA and then adapt the car following its successful test.

Cheers,

Tony

SVA is history now, and I hear the new IVA is supposed to deter people from modifications after the test, though I don't know exactly how it is supposed to be policed.

Edited by King Herald on Tuesday 5th May 15:24

[Steve_D]

If a chassis (or Monocoque) is modified then it will (most likely) need a new chassis number issued issued by DVLA then it will need an IVA.

The other comment about MOT and 3 years is not correct. If the vehicle/kitcar is built from all new parts bar one then then is will get a current reg and will not need an MOT for three years. All other builds or conversions will be either existing reg, age related reg or 'Q'. In all these last cases and MOT will be required right from the start.

Steve

[hairykrishna]

Steve_D said:

If a chassis (or Monocoque) is modified then it will (most likely) need a new chassis number issued issued by DVLA then it will need an IVA.

That is what I suspected. Somewhat difficult to enforce though unless a record is kept of what the chassis looked like when it passed the SVA.

[Steve_D]

hairykrishna said:

Steve_D said:

If a chassis (or Monocoque) is modified then it will (most likely) need a new chassis number issued issued by DVLA then it will need an IVA.

That is what I suspected. Somewhat difficult to enforce though unless a record is kept of what the chassis looked like when it passed the SVA.

Very true. My comments were based on moding a production chassis where the onus is on you to declare those mods to DVLA. Having done so and been SVA/IVA'd then who is to say what has been done later. It is within the power of DVLA to decide if your declared modifications require and IVA. If the DVLA inspector has engineering skills he may decide that cutting off 18" of chassis overhang does not need IVA where another inspector will not have the knowledge and will have to require the IVA.

At my Dakar SVA the inspector did photo it front, back and side for the inspection records but nothing more detailed than that. Nor did he enquire what mods I had done to the chassis probably because it did not concern him as his brief is to convince himself that what is presented is suitable for the task.

Steve

[Tony427]

Steve_D said:

The other comment about MOT and 3 years is not correct. If the vehicle/kitcar is built from all new parts bar one then then is will get a current reg and will not need an MOT for three years. All other builds or conversions will be either existing reg, age related reg or 'Q'. In all these last cases and MOT will be required right from the start.

Steve

Is this a ruling changed in recent years?

When I built my previous Cobra on Jaguar donor and had it SVA'd in 2004 it was given an age related plate and we didn't need an MOT for three years, just had to tax and insure it as normal.

Cheers,

Tony

[Steve_D]

Tony427 said:

Steve_D said:

The other comment about MOT and 3 years is not correct. If the vehicle/kitcar is built from all new parts bar one then then is will get a current reg and will not need an MOT for three years. All other builds or conversions will be either existing reg, age related reg or 'Q'. In all these last cases and MOT will be required right from the start.

Steve

Is this a ruling changed in recent years?

When I built my previous Cobra on Jaguar donor and had it SVA'd in 2004 it was given an age related plate and we didn't need an MOT for three years, just had to tax and insure it as normal.

Cheers,

Tony

Don't know that it has ever been any different but am very aware that DVLA offices either cock things up or work by their own rules.
My Dakar is on an age related reg and had to have both SVA and MOT. But the DVLA failed to notice that the reg on the donor was a cherished and issued my new reg based on that.

It is not surprising that both are required as both are different tests. The example I use is that the IVA inspector looks at the track rod end you have used and decides if the TRE off an Austin Mini is suitable for an extreme 4x4. The MOT inspector checks to see if the TRE is worn.

Steve