After building many kits for myself in the past (for off road use) I am on the verge of deciding which kit to build next.
Due to my dislike of anything to do with bodywork I am thinking about an MEV rocket. MEV's domonstrator was built with a single donor and given
and age related plate, I would like to try and get a new reg for mine.
There are 2 reasons fo this:
1. I get bored quickly once I have finished a project and will likely want to sell. With the increase in popularity of trackday cars I have seen a
suden rise in resale prices, a new reg will give a better return on my investment
2. The list of parts needed from the donor is small, it seems a shame to take such a new donor (even a Cat D) and scrap it for so few parts.
I suppose my question is this, If to get a new reg I can only have used 1 major reconditioned part and all the rest new. How do people get away with
this?
I know of a few cars that have gone through the test that have many more recon parts such as uprights, steering racks etc so I guess these are not
"major" but I also know of a few cases where the car has had a secon hand gearbox. What am I likely to need to produce.
For info these are the parts needed from the donor.
Any Ford Focus will provide you with the following components;
Engine and transmission (1600, 1800 or 2000cc)
Drive shafts and front hubs
Steering column with switch gear, ignition lock and wheel
ECU complete with engine bay wiring loom and sensors
Rear calipers and discs (not fitted to all Focus models)
Hand brake lever and cables
Gear lever and cables
Wheels and tyres
Exhaust manifold
Seat belts
You may be required to prove everthing is new apart from the recon bit but in my experience a pile of receipts will not be scrutinised too deeply. The
VIC test is to help stop car fraud and theft and so even if your column is S/H you may well get a new reg and no MOT for 3 years.
A word of warning though if you go with a back up plan of introducing a donor V5 and the guy is not happy your car is new you would have trouble back
tracking. Having just claimed all the bits are new an age related plate the same year as the donor is out as you would have insufficient donor parts
on your "new" vehicle and you would get a Q. An age related plate could become a private plate quite cheaply. I just purchased R3 MEV for
£189. See you at Newark, Stig
P.S Rocket demo is new reg
Thanks Stuart.
I had a look at private plates to. R18 MEV is the same price! Ideal for a 1.8.
My biggest problem with the donor will be moving it once finished with. I would ideally need to keep it rolling to push it in and out of the garage
and eventually onto a traler to take to the scrappy. Maybe I could source a set of hubs from elswhere and strip everything else off the donor.
I hadn't realised that it was a new reg on the donor.
Thanks for the tips.
My planning continues!
Phil
Good point Phil, what we do is strip the donor then put it on our trailer before dropping the legs off with hubs attached. The car then gets lifted off at the scrap yard and then they give you £70! Careful what you throw away on these modern donors though as the bits fetch serious money on ebay. Cat D's normally have many good panels and lots of bits like air bags, power steering, and air con that you wont need on most kits, if you buy a Rocket the heater and wipers arent much use either but you can sell them! You can easily get £600 - £700 for the unwanted bits .Regards Stig
I have heard of the following working but have no proof to back it up:
Go for an age related plate and get one issued.
Then buy the cheapest personalised plate you can (£250 from DVLA) and get it changed.
Then after a short while contact DVLA to remove personalised plate.
Because the V5 states the year of manufacture of the kit NOT the donor they will then issue you with a new plate for that year.
As I say I have been told that this dodge works although I have NOT tried it myself.
It does sound plausible though.
quote:
Originally posted by ..::Nightfire::..I suppose my question is this, If to get a new reg I can only have used 1 major reconditioned part and all the rest new. How do people get away with this?
I know of a few cars that have gone through the test that have many more recon parts such as uprights, steering racks etc so I guess these are not "major" but I also know of a few cases where the car has had a secon hand gearbox. What am I likely to need to produce.