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classic car, new bodyshell, registrations and other random thoughts


dave21478

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Just thinking with my fingers here really....

I have an old MG Midget festering in storage back in uk. It hasnt seen the road for years and to be honest the body is completely shot. Restorable if I were really keen, but probably of better use as a parts donor for another car.

Random internetting today brought me to the Heritage website, where complete new bodyshells are available and not completely unreasonable for price. (ok, they are chuffing dear, but compared to a trailer-load of repair panels, sheet steel, MIG and grinding consuables and most importantly, time, it looks like a reasonable deal.)  It should be easy enough to rustle up the necessary LHD parts here in France.

What about the papers though? If I did this in uk, i could just do the work, get it mot`d and keep the original reg number (I believe a VIC check would be needed though?) Im guessing things wouldnt be that simple here in France? or would it?

Assuming I built it up with the new shell, it would pass CT ok, then I could just register as normal? The original car is a `79.

 

Its all pie-in-the-sky at the moment, just wondering....

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I hate to reveal yet another part of my life but it takes about 5 minutes to tack weld the chassis plates on any BMC car from the 1960s. Your major problem is making the welds look rough enough to be factory original work. Sorry I know it is sad but once you have had somebody try and sell you a mini with an 1100 engine as a 1071s you become a little careful. They are not even stamped into the car. 
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If the numbers tally they wouldn't know or care.

Don't forget the only people who actually see your car are the people at the CT station and all they're interested in is if it passes the test.

On a different note, unless you have some strong emotional ties to your 79, Rubber Bumper, Midget (i.e. lost your cherry in it perhaps....[;-)][:$]) then IMHO it would be sheer lunacy to throw, what will certainly run into many many thousands of pounds, at reshelling it when, for probably less than a 1/2 of what that will cost you, you could buy a much more desirable (and resellable) chrome bumper model in perfect condition.

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[quote user="Anton Redman"]I hate to reveal yet another part of my life but it takes about 5 minutes to tack weld the chassis plates on any BMC car from the 1960s. [/quote]MG's are even easier, the chassis plate is pop riveted in and you can even buy brand new blank plates to stamp your own numbers onto [;-)]

There is (or rather was, as the supply has all but dried up now) a thriving market for log books for scrapped pre 72 MG's to enable people to get their newer cars into the tax exempt bracket.

Naughty but nice [:D][:D][:D]

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