Beauford Kit Conversion V5, Date of first registration, donor date OR conversion date

[davidscottuk]

I am struggling to get reliable info from dvla regarding date of first registration of a Beaford Kit car conversion.

Here is the email I just sent them, any advise greatly accepted Thanks David

Here is my post to DVLA.....

ATTN KITS and REBUILDS TEAM

Hello, I want to understand how some Beauford KIT CONVERTED cars can retain the date of registration on the V5 document, as the date of registration of the DONOR vehicle ( thus allowing the vehicle to be registered as VHI vehicle).

But another Beauford Kit conversions the date of registration on the V5 is the date the conversion was done ( IE after 1985, as this was when Beauford started trading ).

I am looking to buy a Beauford, I have seen the V5 for both vehicles, Both vehicles were converter after year 2000, yet one of them show date of registration as 2012 ( date of conversion ), but the other shows date of registration as 1980 ( Date of registration of donor vehicle).

I was led to believe it is due to an application to keep the original donor registration number vs applying for an " age related registration number ". I was told…

Original registration number application will result in original donor date of registration, will be on the V5

Age related registration number will result in Date of conversion, will be on the V5.

But this is not possible, EVERY beauford kit includes a new CHASSIS and a new BODY, the body will ONLY fit the Beauford new chassis,

The chassis on 1980's vehicles was part of the body and it would be impossible to fit a kit conversion body to the donor car chassis, therefore EVERY Beauford car cannot qualify to keep the original donor car registration number.

Examples of the discrepancy in the comparison  these two vehicles.

Reg no: 702 BUA  date of first reg in the V5 is 1980 ( IE: Same as the date of first registration of the donor vehicle ) and( registered as VHI )

Reg no: A249 SCW date of first reg in the V5 year 2000 ( IE: same as date of conversion ), yet has a registration mark that denotes first registration of 1983

Please explain

Regards david Scott

 

[IanS]

The rules on keeping the donor registration haave changed over the years.

Pre SVA (now IVA) it was possible to keep the donor registration if sufficient parts from the donor were used, otherwise a Q plate was issued.

SVA started in 1998 so early Beauford kits would potentially have been able to keep the donor registration. 702 BUA could be one such car. Of course it also might not be correctly registered, Check that the V5 shows Beauford as the manfacturer.

The other car of the surface is newer and could have been given a new age related registration when it was SVA/IVA tested.

If you are getting a Beauford as a wedding car then that is comercial use and it must not be registered as VHI.

I hope that this helps

Edited April 14, 2023 by IanS
correct information.

[Sparepart]

Well, ... to be PEDANTIC, the early kits used a Mini bodyshell for the passenger compartment. You indicate that both were built after 2000, so it's obviously unlikely that one used an old (ca. 1985) kit. However, if such a "Mini" kit had been used, then it might have retained the original Mini number as a "radically modified vehicle". For info, my car is like the A reg Beauford, built in 2000 yet having a C reg number like the donor vehicle.

[Foz]

My understanding is that the VHI category is for cars made over 40 years ago, NOT for kits built more recently using an older car as a donor.  Unless a kit was actually built over 40 years ago I think some rule bending may have taken place for it to be classed as VHI.

Kit cars can be registered with an age related plate, based on the age of the donor car, as long as sufficient parts of the donor have been used.

This is only how I understand it, and I could be wrong, but I think VHI classification would be low on my list of priorities if I was buying a built kit car.

[nelmo]

Don't expect a response from the DVLA - I've spoken to them before and they're admin people who don't have any understanding or interest in cars.

[Webstermick]

I had similar issues with a superspec which I bought new had all invoices etc still ended up with a q plate they wouldn't give me age related or new req even though these kits originally were all new chassis engine etc apart from refurb rear axle .Good look with dvla they just seem to be very awkward 

[alanrichey]

I wish my Superspec had been given a Q plate.    Would have solved all my emission problems at a stroke 

[nelmo]

31 minutes ago, Webstermick said:

I had similar issues with a superspec which I bought new had all invoices etc still ended up with a q plate they wouldn't give me age related or new req even though these kits originally were all new chassis engine etc apart from refurb rear axle .Good look with dvla they just seem to be very awkward 

Actually, I found them very helpful. They initially gave me a Q plate because I was too honest and wrote 'refurbished' on one of the forms I sent in, whereas GBS normally wrote 'new' on there instead. I re-sent the form and they changed it to a new age-related plate, no argument.