vehicle has different chassis. will it qualify for vintage tax/insurance?

tomskimc

Hi,
I'm looking at a 1985 vehicle to import from UK and register as a vintage when it qualifies next year. The chassis has been changed so wondering if this will prevent it being re-registered?

Thanks for any help.

Cheers

corktina

depends....if it's a new chassis of the original type, yes...if it's off another vehicle , no, as it should be using the id of the donor vehicle.

carchaeologist

Is it in the county now or still in the UK?

aujopimur

What's on the V5 (UK logbook)?.

wildefalcon

There is a difference between the UK and ROI with regard to re-chassis work.

In the ROI the chassis IS the vehicle - change the chassis/shell and you have to re-register. Not always done, but that's the rule.

In the UK you can fit a NEW shell/chassis from the manufacturer and retain the reg/age etc.

So, if your UK vehicle has been re-shelled, and this is noted on the V5 and the new shell has been stamped with a new VIN then you may be out of luck.

But if the work isn't noted, and the new shell is stamped with the same number as the logbook then it is debatable as to whether the NCT/VRT people have sufficient access to the DVLA database to find out if the vehicle was re-shelled.

Is it obvious that the work has been done? Say a galvanised chassis replacing a painted steel chassis?

corktina

The UK rules apply here as the vehicle is still there and noone here will be able to tell the chassis was swapped if it bears the original numbers. A points system applies in the UK and the original numbers can be retained if , for instance, enough of the original running gear is transplanted into a new body shell.

wildefalcon

Of course in practice you are right, but it's still technically in breach of the ROI tax laws.

I'd be uncomfortable driving something that the Customs could take and crush at any time. Knowing my luck I'd be stopped by the one enthusiast in Customs that knows the difference between a mark 3 and a mark 4 body shell (or whatever).

I like being able to tell the feckers where to go when they stop me - taxed, licensed, tested, insured, paid for, the works!

Car99

wildefalcon wrote: »

I like being able to tell the feckers where to go when they stop me - taxed, licensed, tested, insured, paid for, the works!

Which is exactly what they want , everyone's a winner, you're happy cause you can tell them where to go and they're happy cause you paid all your fees and taxes.

wildefalcon

I can live with that, bad and all as Ireland is, it's a hell of a lot better than a lot of places.

101sean

I've recently bought a 1973 ex military Lightweight Land Rover off a friend in the UK to play with while I'm working there. Long term aim is to bring it back to Ireland but it's on a galvanised chassis that was fitted in 1992 after I borrowed it and piled it into a ditch at 40mph!
Rebuilding Land Rovers on new chassis is very common in the UK and is quite legal if the same running gear etc are used.

New galvanised chassis are available for most Land Rovers including Discovery 2, there's a guy up north brings them over regularly. Lads I know who've done it usually get the chassis stamped with the original chassis number by the fabricator before delivery. In my case I'll stamp the chassis myself but you still run the risk of ending up with a "new" vehicle here :rolleyes: