Chassis supplier

[ericbushby]

Hi Alan,
I am sure the chassis` are fine, but I would give a word of caution.
A friend is having difficulties registering a Series 4. It was rescued from a barn with no paperwork.
DVLA inspector checked it and commented that it had a replacement chassis. It hadn`t, but had been repaired by Spyder with a tubular front cross member.
The inspector then wrote down the VIN plate number wrong, One digit wrong.
Despite help from Club Lotus and from Lotus themselves, DVLA have declared it to be a BUC ( built up car) and are refusing to give it a period registration number. This started four years ago and has no end in sight.
Be careful.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[alanr]

Hi Eric,
What a sad story. i bet the guy is really cheesed off with the situation he finds himself and the car in!
This is the sort of thing that if it is happening we really do need to know about and therefore completely disproves my theory about it being just a years gone by myth!
So it looks to me like fitting anything other than a genuine Lotus replacent chassis is a no-no and that keeping any chassis repairs, if retaining the original chassis, as close to standard spec as possible to a Barn find car or any car without paperwork is a definite must do!

I know you are saying DVLA won't give it a period reg plate but are they saying it will have to have Q plate or are they offering a current 21 plate for the car?

Alan

[h20hamelan]

Is there an outside the box approach, can one register it as a home built car.
They must know people can buy chassis, body etc and make a beastie.
How do prototype cars get registered, kit cars?

I went thought 3 years of this, with a happy ending.

[ericbushby]

Hi Alan.
I don`t think it has got that far yet and the owner would not want to talk about that possibility.
It is bleeding obvious to any right minded person that the car is right knowing what history exists, but the DVLA have refused another inspection visit and he is stuck for now.
I know nothing about registering kit cars, Bitsas or built up cars.
I think the DVLA are overwhelmed with applications and will not tackle anything difficult or that cannot be done by tick boxes.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC