pigiron Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 I recently saw a Westfield on 22 plates in a car park, understanding that it was impossible to register a kit car in France I hung around untill the owner came back.......... he confirmed that it is almost imposible to register one here, however he bought his in Monaco where they are accepted, he then told me that as far as registering cars is concerned Monaco is considered part of France so he had no problem putting her on Cote d'Armor plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Saw a Caterham last week with a "12" registration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 [quote user="jc"]Saw a Caterham last week with a "12" registration.[/quote]Caterhams arn't kit cars anymore - well that's what the manufacturer wants the buyers to think !! They are sold complete, ready to go, so if Caterham can provide a C of C for France, then there should be no problem registering here.However, IMHO of course, if you want a Lotus 7 copy get a Westy, preferable with a Rover V8 or a Cosy, much more fun ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 [quote user="pcwhizz"]However, IMHO of course, if you want a Lotus 7 copy get a Westy, preferable with a Rover V8 or a Cosy, much more fun ![/quote]PCWhizz, You'll have some explaining to do about this statement next time you see Mr Clair... (wagging finger smiley here) [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Caterham stiil sell for you to finish but this option may not apply for France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 [quote user="Clair"][quote user="pcwhizz"]However, IMHO of course, if you want a Lotus 7 copy get a Westy, preferable with a Rover V8 or a Cosy, much more fun ![/quote]PCWhizz, You'll have some explaining to do about this statement next time you see Mr Clair... (wagging finger smiley here) [:D][/quote]No problem [:D]me and my big know it all mouth, always gettiing into trouble..................................[:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 [quote user="jc"]Caterham stiil sell for you to finish but this option may not apply for France.[/quote]LOL. thats not a kit car then is it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 No but you avoid paying the tax on it because they leave enough parts off for you to finish to qualify as a home-assembled car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion van man Posted September 21, 2007 Author Share Posted September 21, 2007 [quote user="jc"]No but you avoid paying the tax on it because they leave enough parts off for you to finish to qualify as a home-assembled car.[/quote]There is a kit car manufacturer in Sutton Coldfield that even allow you to do the final assembly on their premises to avoid paying extra tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 I was told that the "final-assembly" by the new owner need amount to no more than holding a screwdriver over the car ! Bizarre, what some people will do to get around the rules. [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion van man Posted September 22, 2007 Author Share Posted September 22, 2007 [quote user="pcwhizz"]I was told that the "final-assembly" by the new owner need amount to no more than holding a screwdriver over the car ! Bizarre, what some people will do to get around the rules. [:(][/quote]The lad I knew that bought one 'semi' assembled had to bolt the seats in at the manufacturers premises before he could drive it home. They had previously been fitted but, removed for him prior to collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 A few years ago on one of the Discovery UK (?) channels, there was a series about this guy putting his Caterham together from scratch.He had to find an engine and build the car around the supplied chassis and boxes and boxes of parts delivered to his garage.He also put it through the SVA at the end of the construction.On another series, he built himself a plane!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion van man Posted September 22, 2007 Author Share Posted September 22, 2007 [quote user="Clair"]A few years ago on one of the Discovery UK (?) channels, there was a series about this guy putting his Caterham together from scratch.He had to find an engine and build the car around the supplied chassis and boxes and boxes of parts delivered to his garage.He also put it through the SVA at the end of the construction.On another series, he built himself a plane!![/quote]I know who you mean. His actually a vet by profession. His built lots of kit cars and restored other vehicles. While I was in Russia earlier in the year they were showing him restoring the E type jaguar on one of their channels and it was dubbed in Russian. The episode where he goes hillclimbing in the Caterham was on here one night last week on cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 [quote user="Clair"]A few years ago on one of the Discovery UK (?) channels, there was a series about this guy putting his Caterham together from scratch.He had to find an engine and build the car around the supplied chassis and boxes and boxes of parts delivered to his garage.He also put it through the SVA at the end of the construction.On another series, he built himself a plane!![/quote]Now we're talking, thats a proper kit car - are you sure it was a Caterham and not one of the many other Lotus 7 copies ? I know that Caterham started off as kit car makers and I understand use the original Lotus jigs were applicable today, but in recent times have moved into suppling finished cars only and are very snobbish about owners wanting to get their hands dirty - hence thats why I said buy a Westfield ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 I went to the Catheram offices/factory with Mr Clair to buy some parts when we had ours, and they did still offer the car in bits at the time... I think prospective buyers are offered several levels of kits though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 [quote user="pcwhizz"]I was told that the "final-assembly" by the new owner need amount to no more than holding a screwdriver over the car ! Bizarre, what some people will do to get around the rules. [:(][/quote]No more Bizarre than "I can't be bothered to legitimately save the tax - because I have so much dosh, I don't need to" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 I've just googled Caterham kit cars (wot do you mean its raining 'ere!) and yes they do provide 3 levels of kit, from assembled to DIY, but I note that the DIY option is still mostly assembled requiring only 70 hours of time to finish. When I built my RS200 it took me years to do !Also of interesting on the site is news of a new French dealership, so if you want a Caterham in France it would appear to be not a problem - don't let MrClair see that [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 I might have to use Mods superpower to delete that bit of your post PCWhizz...Although Mr Clair has now acquired a Bultaco Sherpa 250, and needs a vast piece of land to ride on...Any suggestions?[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 [quote user="Clair"]I might have to use Mods superpower to delete that bit of your post PCWhizz...Although Mr Clair has now acquired a Bultaco Sherpa 250, and needs a vast piece of land to ride on...Any suggestions?[Www][/quote]Wa whoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With all those empty roads around your place, he'll be gone for hours................................[8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moulin85 Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 I contacted Westfield recently about building and registering one of there cars in France and received a prompt reply from the French distributors. They said it was absolutely impossible to register a new self build Westfield in France, only factory built cars could get the correct paperwork to be accepted!I asked weather it was possible to use what I am told is known as the Belgium method, ie bring the car to the UK for SVA and registration then import it as second hand. They replied that theoretically this may be possible but they would not guarantee anything! Another contact, who I stress has nothing to do with Westfield, has recommended buying a legitimate accident damaged vehicle and ‘rebuilding’ it as the most reliable method! Anyone for Mint Sauce? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 You cannot register any vehicle in France without a Cof C, if the vehicle manufacturer cannot supply, you're stuffed. I believe that there are alternatives for older vehicles ?However your contact's idea of "rebuilding" an accident damaged French Reg vehicle sounds interesting. I guess the process is not unlike that used in the UK by kit cars builders who want to retain an aged related plate and not by marked with a Q - eg, those building Ford or Jag based Cobras who want an american V8. Just tell DVLA that the donor car has a new engine, supply engine number and you will be issued with a new V5 that says the Sierra (or whatever) has a Chevy (or whatever) V8, then when you come to reqister the Cobra, voila ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion van man Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 [quote user="pcwhizz"]I guess the process is not unlike that used in the UK by kit cars builders who want to retain an aged related plate and not by marked with a Q - eg, those building Ford or Jag based Cobras who want an american V8. Just tell DVLA that the donor car has a new engine, supply engine number and you will be issued with a new V5 that says the Sierra (or whatever) has a Chevy (or whatever) V8, then when you come to reqister the Cobra, voila ! [/quote]It does not work like that here in the UK. The log book for a kit car now has to have the actual name of the kit-car. This came in years ago to stop people having Lambo type kit cars with a Mini Metro log book (V5). I can't remember the exact date but, there was a cut off point around the end of the 1990's, people who had a kit car with the incorrect name had to apply to get it changed prior to cut off date or they had to have an SVA and the registration number was based on a points system as to retaining the original cars registration. Basically to simplify this it was based on just how much of the original car was retained and built into the new body/chassis unit. Sierra based cars with a big block chevy and a transit rear axle have little to no chance of obtaining the original Registration number.The 'Q' Reg is a problem because unless I'm wrong you can't change it, It means the vehicle is of an un determinable age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Stiched up all ways round then [:(]Are you saying that is it now not possible to build (say) a Sierra with a Chevy and custom suspension etc without having to have it Q plated ? I know this was possible before SVA, but times have changed. Gone are the days of messing with heads and carbs, then when funds allowed it was work on the block, fancy cranks, pistons etc etc etc etc ! Kids these days have to resort to sports exhausts and air filters to get fun out of a car - how boring, no wonder they fit big stereos ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion van man Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 [quote user="pcwhizz"]Stiched up all ways round then [:(]Are you saying that is it now not possible to build (say) a Sierra with a Chevy and custom suspension etc without having to have it Q plated ? I know this was possible before SVA, but times have changed. [/quote]Well, its all covered here. If you read that even restoring a car could be a grey area as regards retaining the original registration. However, It is normal for british regulations to have large grey areas in any rules as we all know. [quote user="pcwhizz"]Gone are the days of messing with heads and carbs, then when funds allowed it was work on the block, fancy cranks, pistons etc etc etc etc ! Kids these days have to resort to sports exhausts and air filters to get fun out of a car - how boring, no wonder they fit big stereos ![/quote]I was just looking at this the other day myself. When I was young we used to enlarge the ports, polish them,fit large valves, twin carbs, higher lift cams etc. Now its chipping and remapping or for the boy racers its silly exhausts the size of a squashed dustbin hanging off the bottom of the bumper and spinner type wheel trims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moulin85 Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 My understanding regarding the UK now is that to retain an existing plate all the major mechanical components, Engine, Gearbox & Axle must come from the same vehicle. If you ‘mix n match’ it’s either a Q or a new plate if you pay the tax. My contacts idea of ‘rebuilding’ an accident damaged vehicle was to Clone it. Buy a damaged vehicle identical to the one you had just built, transfer all the ID marks and then pass yours off as that damaged car rebuilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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