Gents – As my build is now on the home run and the chassis has been completed, I went for a chat to my local DVLA office to inquire about the chassis number. The person I dealt with admitted that she had never heard of anybody that was building his own chassis and told me to ring Swansea. Not to my suprise they could not help me neither.

So please could someone tell me from where do I get a chassis number prior to the SVA?
Do I use the donor or is it issued by the officer during the test??

Iwan

I recon everyone will have their own answer to this one.

I did some research. Also had a big debate on the 2b RH list on yahoo.

What RH builders do....and believe this.....they make one up. Yeah. I didnt recon that was right but it works. The VIN has to be 17 letterts. They use the first letters/numbers as ROBINHOOD and use the invoice number if the kit for the rest!!!!

What you are supposed to do is contact your local VRO who will ask to see the car or come and see it at your place and inspect it. They will then issua a vin which you have to stamp on the chassis. You need to speak to someone othet than Tracy Or Sharon at your local VRO who knows the score.

You MUST have a vin at the SVA or you wont get a test.

I am told, also by the bods on RH list, that all thats needed is a VIN that can be seen as ORIGINAL by the tester at SVA.

Using your donor VIN is ABSOLUTELY OUT as it already used, and not original.

I know what im gonna do.


A vin is made up of a manufacturer code, transmission and body codes, model code, and a unique chassis number and a check digit.

Take a look on google and you will find stuff on how to decod a vin.


Take your donor vin and change a couple digits. Like, to auto, and change the check digit. Its then gonna be unique as its NOT the vin from the original any more and wont have the chassi number repeated on any other of the original donors 'family' of cars.

If the tester asks, show him your vin and log nook from donor, and evidence of how its different.

The 100% safe way is get a vin from your local VRO. But if they are dorks, or want you to drive an unchassis numbered car (illegally) to them, then you might wanna take up the 'made it up myself' route....


atb

steve

cant be bothered to check typos...pick the bones out that!!!

When i got mine i spoke to stanmore office,i took the completed car there they looked at said car said very nice and sent one in the post

Steve - As you mentioned in your note I went back to my local DVLA office today and asked to talk to someone with a bit of sense and yes I got some at last!!!
I need to fill in the odd form and prove that my chassis is build from new steel, so that it falls under the kit conversion category. They can then give me a chassis number over the counter and also I will find out if I have used enough of my Sierra to have an age related plate.

Thanks

Iwan

We just got a VIN sent in the post after filling out a form or two, no inspection needed. But when we got to SVA the tester said we could have made it up anyway, use your grannys birthday and your dogs name, whatever, as long as it is unique!

I believe it depends upon your local office. I know that with a Locost, Nottingham will accept your own made up number but Lincoln will not.