Age-related conundrum
 

I'm a bit puzzed by this age-related plate business - can anyone clarify?

Over on the locost forum the suggestion seems to be that after you buy your donor you will have to keep the donor SORN'd until it's time to register your roadster. The reason being you need to somehow prove that a certain number of components came from your donor to get the age-related plate. I am not sure how having it SORN'd and in bits helps this except of course you are still the registered keeper.

My problem is I don't want an old rusty wreck of a stripped-out Sierra on my drive looking like an advert for a Yorkshire remake of 'Deliverance' for God-knows how long whilst I build a roadster. I think my nearest & dearest would support me in that ambition too :) So is there a way round this? Can I strip the donor, have shell, etc taken away by a scrappy and yet somehow in the future still prove to the DVLA that all the bits came from that car and hence get an age-related plate?

Yours in puzzlement

Chris

I think that as long as you retain the plates ie: VIN etc. and don't fill in the part of the V5 saying that you've transferred ownership to a trader or have scrapped the vehicle then you should be fine. I intend to cut out any area on the chassis that has the numbers stamped so that the car is not identifiable and then have the relevant bits removed for scrap whilst keeping it sorn'd until I'm ready that way, the DVLA don't know anything about it - although I may have to go for a Q-plate as I want to go down the Zetec route.

HTH.

As CAD monkey says, retain the plate and remove the numbers from the chassis, keep the log book intact, you'll need it to prove the engine age at SVA time, and of course to get an age related plate on registration.

cheers

Chris

Thanks you two that clears up a lot! It's just I too am thinking of going the Zetec route - building the car is a lot of work to end up with a Pinto engine (and yes, I know why the book car has a Pinto Chris). I'm assuming with an engine from another source you haven't enough 'points' to get the donor reg? So is there any way of avoiding the Q-plate apart from the old dodge of putting the donor engine in, doing SVA & reg, then changing the engine? Would I even want to avoid a Q-plate? What are other folks doing about this?

Chris

I believe that there may still be sufficient points to get an age-related plate, even if you don't use the engine, you've still got lots to use from the donor - but tbh the Q-Plate thing doesn't bother me with this one - I've never got enough cash for a private plate anyway!!:D

I've had a few cars on a Q plate, it doesn't bother me at all, the car still drives the same!

There may be some impact on re-sale value, age related plate cars seem to be easier to sell. I think you might struggle to get an age related plate using a different engine.

Changing the engine post SVA seems to be a popular thing to do, particularly for a swap to a bike engine.

In the end I supose it depends on wether you want the hassle of doing the engine install twice.

Cheers

Chris :)

As I understand it there is only one reason to avoid a Q plate and that is because You would want a vanity plate of some kind, otherwise it is smarter to have a Q plate though there is still a perceived stigma about it.

You will have to prove engine age and meet the emmision requirements of that engine for SVA and any current MOT's. If the engine is after G reg then you will need a Cat, fuel injection and ECU with Lambda sensor.
I am fitting a Pinto and will have to meet pinto emmisions from 1985 on that car for evermore.

Age related plate
 

I had this confusion as how to retain the donor car reg. After consultation with DVLA I was told if I use the engine & gearbox of the donner car with a brand new chasiss ( even home made, with the proof). Then I would qualify for an age related plate, the V5 document will act as a proof of your donner car major parts.
Hope this is of some help!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would guess that my build will be a Q plate then if im using new pars and a bike engine

not exactly.
In our case Nottingham DVLA were prepared to issue an age related plate but in the end, the fact that my engine had a german log book was the only reason for a Q.

So do i need the logbook for the bike then.

Im only buying the engine and its been a CAT B spares only write off

If you're using ALL new parts and a bike engine that you can show has been reconditioned to as new condition you could get a current (new) registration.

if you go this route be sure to keep EVERY receipt, the DVLA require substantial proof that everything is new

Cheers

Chris :)

I'm wondering about whether to try and get a new reg when I get round to starting my build, but I saw something on the locostbuilders forum that one of the guys on there hadn't been able to convince the DVLA that the bike engine and gearbox were one unit. It's probably worth getting confirmation from the DVLA if you're going to spend extra money for the new plate.

If you are using all new parts and just one proven reconditioned part (Robin Hood just painted it and said it was reconed) then you can have a brand new current year (08) number. The Robin Hood SuperSpec achieved this with a new Rover engine a Ford MT75 box a recon Sierra rear end and Sierra front suspension and some dodgy steering rack. The new owners are a little are a lot better.
On the DVLA buildup report application form it asks about the origins of the Chassis/body shell. Axle, Transmission, Steering assembly, engine and front and back suspension.
The chassis/body will be new, the axle, steering assembly will be from the donor, the suspension back and front will be new, the axles will be from the donor. If you go bike then both engine and transmission are one.

You may get an age related but i belive that on a Q you will get a better emmisions allowance than on the engine age.