vintage tractor issue

El Kabong!

Hi lads,

Hoping somebody here has experience of this.

I bought a vintage Massey 135 a year ago for my own use. I didn't get a log book with it, assumed I could apply for one.

Haven't used it and now need to move it on.

Sellers are looking for the book.

There is normally a cowl below the dash, with a serial plate on it. The cowl and plate are missing.

Sometimes there is a serial tag behind the battery on the tray support. It is not there.


What do I need to do to register this thing???

My only thoughts at the moment are (and they are not nice)

1) buy an old log book. I know where to get one
2) legitimately buy a blank serial plate and cowl
3) stamp the log book serial number into it
4) register it from scratch


HELP!

corktina

how can you stamp the log book serial number on to it when you don't have a logbook?

gobnaitolunacy

Option no 1, to sell a log book is fine...but for one tractor to assume the identity of another is illegal!

In the event of an accident if the serial no's don't match, it could mean very bad sh!t of a legal nature.

El Kabong!

I am able to get a log book that is nearly the exact date.

I don't know if this is illegal or not. I would assume it is, however, I would also assume it is illegal in name only and there are are thousands of 50 year old tractors around that need an identity and nobody cares (inlcuding Govt offices) once the new identity is officially assigned to it via the NCT centre, as they will check and ensure it doesn't exist already.


Sorry, I am clueless on the vintage tractor world. I assume there there is a way to resolve this and would appreciate guidance.

If I go to a VRT/NCt centre with a tractor with no serial number then what do I do?

Edit: the 4 options I listed above are just 1 option, a series of steps.

El Kabong!

I understand the registration process with the NCTS. I know I will have to get a certificate of conformity from a dealer, and a letter signed by a solicitor stating I am genuine etc. But this doesn't resolve the problem of no serial number. I doubt the dealer will issue a letter if there is no serial number, or will they?

I can't believe there is no way around this. it must be happening all the time with old tractors. Or perhaps I have just been caught out.

corktina

it's not OK to sell a logbook, property of the Dept of Transport

Are you 100% sure the tractor is legit? Buying a vehicle without a logbook and an id is a dangerous thing to do, could be stolen or something.

Have you no ID at all on it? an old reg number or something?

El Kabong!

Well now that all this is happening, I'm not sure it is legit! But if pushed I could easily find the address of the person who sold it to me. It wasn't bought in a car park or anything. Openly advertised and met him at his house. He had a few tractors he was restoring, showed them all to me.

There is a reg on it but I have no guarantee it is a real one. If I remember correctly I rang Shannon and they had no record of it. It doesn't come up on motorcheck... MIO 502.

Hope I haven't been caught out!

gobnaitolunacy

It won't show up on motorcheck anyway if it was taxed a long time ago. It only goes back so far.

El Kabong!

If I have the engine number, would the VRT offices be able to search and find the matching serial number from their records?

Do-more

El Kabong! wrote: »

Well now that all this is happening, I'm not sure it is legit! But if pushed I could easily find the address of the person who sold it to me. It wasn't bought in a car park or anything. Openly advertised and met him at his house. He had a few tractors he was restoring, showed them all to me.

There is a reg on it but I have no guarantee it is a real one. If I remember correctly I rang Shannon and they had no record of it. It doesn't come up on motorcheck... MIO 502.

Hope I haven't been caught out!

If the registration number is not showing up on the computer system you'll need to contact Kildare CoCo. motor tax office, they will probably require you to fill out a form with whatever details you have before they will get someone to manually look up the old files for you.

Assuming the records show that the number is for a MF 135 they should give you all the details you require in order to be able to apply for a replacement logbook.

I believe that there are companies in the UK that can produce replacement VIN plates assuming that Kildare CoCo. give you that info.

El Kabong!

Yes, I can get a VIN plate for about a tenner. And the number could be stamped onto it.
I was aware that MIO was Kildare but I never thought of ringing that local office. I have no proof that the reg number on it is is anyway related to it!

Do-more

El Kabong! wrote: »

I have no proof that the reg number on it is is anyway related to it!

You have the engine number, the registration number and the make and type of vehicle, if they all match what Kildare Co. Co. have on file you should be good to go!

El Kabong!

I seriously doubt the reg number is legit TBH! But I will give it a go.

El Kabong!

An update....

MIO135 was, to me, a Kildare number. I rang Kildare Tax Office. Lady there had never heard of such an occurance and just wanted me to ring Head Office in Dublin, who would then request an archive search in Shannon.

Rang Dublin, she put in the reg into a different system and it came back as 'agricultural machinery'. She wouldn't give me the details though. I said to her that it could be from a different tractor for all she knows. Also, gave her the engine number but she said engines could be changed so it meant nothing.

Anyway, she is sending me a form to be signed by a Guard and a Solicitor, 12euro and she will issue it to me.
I don't see how this can be.

Perhaps she thinks I have lost the log book and she will issue it to whoever is listed as the owner, although she took my name so she must know it can't be me.

I'm a bit lost but willing to give it a go!


I guess when she sends something out to me I will get a blank VIN plate and have it stamped......

galwaytt

...stop fighting it !! When you get the form, fill in the numbers you do have - as much as possible, pay the €12, and send it in.

Do it in 'utmost good faith' and you have no worries.

El Kabong!

So the form has arrived, and I have to fill in the Engine No, C.C. and Chassis Number, and have it stamped/approved by a main dealer.

So, I either leave the chassis number as 'not available'.... or I put in the number stamped on the transmission tunnel. But if I put in that number, then perhaps it won't match with the record they have against the reg number, if any.

Also, have no way to get this thing to a Massey dealer easily, although there is one pretty close. Maybe I will just have to drive it.

Also have to get it notarised.

Not sure what route to take at the moment.


If I just provide the Reg, then I don't have to go to the dealer, but the solicitor might refuse to sign.

If I provide the Reg and engine number, and go to a dealer, then the engine number might not match the Reg number records they have.

...........