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Documenting the Donor Vehicle
geedle - 27/1/20 at 12:51 PM

Hi,

I dragged home an MX5 for my Haynes project. I'm just about to start stripping it. Just a few questions about the donor:


  1. I read somewhere that it was a good idea to take photos of the donor and document the parts you take from it. Is this necessary? What exactly should I show? And is this for when I apply for a V5?
  2. Some suggested that the VIN plate should be removed and kept. Should it?
  3. When I am done with the shell of the MX5, I notify the DVLA that I scrapped it myself (yellow part of the V5 I think). Will metal merchants take the shell without the V5/VIN and just treat is as scrap metal rather than a car?


Thanks, Geedle.

ianhurley20 - 27/1/20 at 03:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by geedle
Hi,

I dragged home an MX5 for my Haynes project. I'm just about to start stripping it. Just a few questions about the donor:


  1. I read somewhere that it was a good idea to take photos of the donor and document the parts you take from it. Is this necessary? What exactly should I show? And is this for when I apply for a V5?
  2. Some suggested that the VIN plate should be removed and kept. Should it?
  3. When I am done with the shell of the MX5, I notify the DVLA that I scrapped it myself (yellow part of the V5 I think). Will metal merchants take the shell without the V5/VIN and just treat is as scrap metal rather than a car?


Thanks, Geedle.


When you register the car and also for IVA you will need to prove 'amateur build' so take loads of photos of the build. When you do apply it will give you a choice of what to include in the applications.
VIN plate is a problem area. I removed mine on my MX5 and had no problems, a friend removed his from his ST 170 and had all sorts of issues when scrapping the shell with the yard it was weighed in to. Got round it but they were not very happy. Probably would have been better to cut it into smaller pieces and weigh them in just as scrap metal.
KEEP the V5. You will need it at registration. Include it with the documents you submit and it will be daelt with by DVLA at that stage. Don't forget to sorn the car though.
Have fun!

geedle - 27/1/20 at 04:43 PM

That's exactly what I needed to know. Thanks.

Just gave the scrap metal place a ring: this one says that they don't care about the VIN plate, so long as I've told the DVLA that I've scrapped it. And they don't care if it is in one piece or chopped up...

gremlin1234 - 27/1/20 at 07:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by geedle...so long as I've told the DVLA that I've scrapped it. ...

you are NOT scrapping it (yet), you are replacing the chassis with a new one
get a receipt for the scrap metal, so you can prove it was disposed of responsibly.

don't forget things like the wings and doors are well worth selling on separately too

ReMan - 27/1/20 at 11:14 PM

if you want an age related plate, you need to SORN it not scrap it

John Bonnett - 28/1/20 at 07:50 AM

quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
if you want an age related plate, you need to SORN it not scrap it


I would have thought it would get a Q plate. Can you explain this please?

geedle - 28/1/20 at 08:22 AM

Right - I think I hadn't understood properly. So I'm SORNing and not destroying the identity of the donor. If I do that, does it not mean that I keep the number plate that is currently on donor? I would like an age related plate rather than a Q plate...

Schrodinger - 28/1/20 at 08:33 AM

If you report the vehicle as being scrapped now then when you come to registering the new car you can't claim you are scrapping it again as the donor so you will have to SORN the donor, then you can get an age related plate, otherwise it will be a Q plate.

geedle - 28/1/20 at 11:18 AM

Right - I think I have it worked out now. Good catch - I would have messed that up! Thanks.

ReMan - 28/1/20 at 11:23 AM

quote:
Originally posted by geedle
Right - I think I hadn't understood properly. So I'm SORNing and not destroying the identity of the donor. If I do that, does it not mean that I keep the number plate that is currently on donor? I would like an age related plate rather than a Q plate...


Yes, assuming that you use sufficient parts from the donor, you can apply for an age related plate, you will never get the actual plate of the donor. Which gives you a future option of a private plate for instance and some people dont like Q's even though they are perfectly acceptable on a kit

ReMan - 28/1/20 at 11:23 AM

quote:
Originally posted by John Bonnett
quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
if you want an age related plate, you need to SORN it not scrap it


I would have thought it would get a Q plate. Can you explain this please?


https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/kitconverted-vehicles

geedle - 3/2/20 at 08:17 AM

Just one last question on this... I've nearly got the MX5 shell off the running gear. I want to scrap the shell and it seems that my local metal merchant will take it without an identity.

It'll likely be a couple of years before I get done with this project (3 young kids!). Is it OK to keep it on SORN when I don't have the biggest part of the car any more? Can't see why not, but I might have missed something.

Thanks.

ReMan - 3/2/20 at 09:16 AM

Yes correct.
Harvest the vin plates from the shell and take pictures. Other than that, no-one will be inspecting the donor

geedle - 3/2/20 at 10:11 AM

Brilliant. Thanks. Wife will be happy not to have the rusting shell of a car sat on the drive for two years!