Vin Plate

[Joel]

What's the deal with VIN plates?

 

Do you have one, or do you just stamp the chassis number onto the chassis?

 

If you have one, are you given it after SVA?, do you buy one beforehand?, where from?, do you make your own?

 

Cheers.

[Guest boggie]

I haven't got one - I simply stamped the number into the chassis and nothing was said about it, however this was pre-sva so I don't know if things have changed.

Boggie

[Guest rdavis]

Yes you do need a VIN Plate. I had to make one up after failing the MoT - so I guess they'll check it on the SVA as well.

 

Per the regs, the VIN plate must be fixed to something which is not usually removable, and the letters must be at least 4mm tall. The plate should show:

1 Manufacturers Name

2 EEC Type approval number (if relevant)

3 VIN

4 Max permitted laden weight

5 Max permitted laden weight incl. trailer (optional, but if you leave it out, you can't use your hood for towing!)

6 Max permitted road weight for each axle (front first, then rear)

 

Also, the VIN number should be stamped on the chassis number and 7mm tall

 

This is all buried in some EU directive, but I can;t find the reference at the moment

[Guest Ant]

Looks like we've just found another of those ambigious rules and regs situations again!

 

I have a "VIN" plate, of sorts, but it certainly doesn't carry the design weights or any of that stuff. It has my chassis number stamped along the top, and then my house number and postcode underneath. This is stamped into a piece of brass and rivetted to the chassis in front of the radiator. I've then engraved (scratched!) the chassis number onto the chassis itself in two places, again with my postcode (more of a security measure than anything else), and then I got carried away and wrote "Hand built by Antony J Allen 2002/2003" on it with the engraver too.

 

This passed SVA and MOT without comment. I think the MOT man said something about having lots of numbers to choose from, but I pointed out that the 17 digit ones were all the same.

 

My advice - do something simple and wait for them to complain. When they complain ask them what they want, and then do it, to the letter.

 

Ant

[Guest Guy]

Ant,

 

Thats the best bit of advice ever. It saves lots of worry!

 

I was just going to engrave the VIN onto a plate and rivit it on to the chassis as well.

[Guest minty]

"Keeping it Simple" seemed to work for me too . Mine has SVA/MOT passes and is simply the 17 character chassis number (that I made up) punched into a galvanised plate - each of the characters is no more that 2mm high ! I pop-rivetted the plate to a front chassis member .

[Guest Angel Boy]

For anyone in East Yorkshire/Hull area. When I had mine done, the boys in blue (who insist on coming around and doing it with their VIN number - this was Summer 2002) wanted to see either a plate "welded" to the chasis or they actually stamped the chasis itself. As I didn't have access to welding kit, they stamped the chasis along the wishbone box section. I imagine their is nothing stopping you having it stamped on the chasis and rivetting a plate to a more visable position (as per the donor).

 

The solution is to check with your local DVLA office, SVA centre etc.

 

Andy

[Guest Ant]

Personally I'd rather not see it _stamped_ on the chassis itself. The stamping process, particularly of a 17 digit number, will dent the chassis somewhat. Either that or the letters won't be deep enough to read clearly. Better is to engrave it on. This is just as permanent. Supplimenting this with a rivited plate is what I've done.