Worried!

[frodscrote]

Please can someone put my mind at rest? I bought a tax exempt mk1 escort last september. It was a standard 2 door rolling shell and came with a v5. I made sure I sorn'd it as soon as the v5 came back in my name. It had been off the road for about 8yrs when I bought it.

I bumped into a mate who had been building and customising a classic capri over the last 15yrs. Yes, I know that's a long time! I was stunned when he told me he had scrapped it. He said that because it had been off the road for so long and that it had been modified from standard it will have to have an inspection similar to an sva test and his car would have to comply with modern standards for safety and emissions. Not likely with what he had planned for the car without spending a lot of dosh. He also said that the modifications would have voided the tax exempt status and could have ended up with a "Q" plate.

Is any of this right? Am I about to waste a lot of time and money on my own personal white elephant? My car was not going to be a concours entrant so will definitely be modified. And it's been off the road for a long time. And when it was on the road it was a standard 1100L. The good news is that I've been given an essex 3l v6 with gearbox and an lsd back axle. The bad news is that it may be in vain. Please set me straight before a for sale ad appears in the for sale section!

[Matt.C]

i may be wrong but you would only need to get a sva or the new aquivilant if you were to modify the the chassis or bulkhead. Im shore someone with more knowledge will answer you question in more depth though.

[Mrs O/H/C]

Im not totally sure on how the new rules that they say are coming in will work.

But from what i understand there will be a points modification system eg:chassis...bulkhead...gearbox tunnel etc

We were thinking of modifying our Mk1 Cortina but have put it on hold for now until we are more clear of how/when this sva comes into force

 

There was a thread on this forum that you might want to look up as it might be more helpful

[V8ian]

The way I have read this s its a point system for the running gear, accumulating points for engine change, gearbox change, axle, suspension etc, over a certain amount of points you have to get it tested, these I assume mean change from original type, How anybody can tell is a different matter,

Next is the more vague one, body mods, termed as monocoque modification, any deviation from original sheet metal that involves cutting now should be tested, so bulkheads, tunnels 4 bar boxes, all fit into this,

Sounds like the test is a major problem to get older car thru, but it can be done, I think its a case of cross that bridge when you get to it, [if you have to]

I'm sure these rules have been in for about 15 years, just the test has got harder, so be sensible with your modifications,

[mk1rob]

If its tax exempt, why declare it SORN? Just keep taxing it if its free. Or is there more to it than that?

[escortmad4eva]

Dont worry mate my car had been off the road for 21 years but i just rebuilt that engine and modified and lets say upgraded i took for mot and it passed went to post office but iam not tax exempt though but what if the engine you put in was already in there and the old keeper never registerd it. i thought all you needed was an mot and logbook to tax it, its free cos of the cars age they are not done on engine size mine is a crossflow it was the same price as a v6 but tax it then phone sort out your logbook to what the actual engine size is cos it will be registerd online as a v6 when they do the mot but not on the certificate but i thought any car that passed an mot was up to road standards if they meet the mot standards whats the worry you should pass the sva but then i thought the sva was if you like made big and i mean big changes to the chassis,

[popeye]

hi fella...my motor had been off the road ( don't laugh) 18years...

when i got around to finishing it..i just got mot.ins.went down to the post office....there were more than happy to give me the historic tax disc ....happy days.. gary.

[rsminter]

If its tax exempt, why declare it SORN? Just keep taxing it if its free. Or is there more to it than that?

as far as im aware you cant tax it unless you have a valid mot and insurance certificate

[Beakster]

According to some of these rules, most of our cars would need to be re-registered and undergo such a test. But it's not something thats strictly enforced at the moment.

[frodscrote]

Found this

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/dvla/forms/~/med ... INF34.ashx

and this http://www.dvla.gov.uk/dvla/forms/~/med ... inf26.ashx

[stevie.t]

IF YOU GO ON TO THE ACE SITE, ALL YOU NEED TO NO AND MORE IS ON THERE,

[frodscrote]

What's the Ace site?

[ocean wasp]

The points system has been in use since the 70's, VOSA just kept it quiet

 

To keep your original registration you must total 8 points or more. All the details are in the links provided by frodscrote.

This, at the moment, will only be a problem for you if your car isn't on the DVLA computer and you need to register it. That would most probably involve it being inspected to confirm its status, as would a cherished transfer etc. If it was chopped about and a mix of parts its game over really, unless you fancy trying to get it through the new style SVA (BIVA?)

But, you said you had declared SORN so you must be on the DVLA system. You only need an MOT and insurance then you can tax it. At this point in time you won't have a problem with the MOT man but there has been rumours that there's plans, in the future, for a tick box on the MOT form to state the vehicle is modified. At that point in time you may be in trouble.

My advice, don't modify the shell

[old skool estate]

if they have got to be tested thats fine by me!

i have loads of mods and nothing to hide!

They have been on about all of this for years!!! just like when they said they were puting up the age of driving to 18 years of age!

 

think its more to do with kit cars etc