52 replies to this topic

[Jammy]

As i understood it reshelling a car is done on a points system, if you use over a certain amount you can keep your original reg and no sva is required. Thats why my dads robin hood is 2 years old but on 89 plates. So if you use everything from the donor mini and a new fibreglass shell its easy.

Nope, its based on a points system, but its counted as the bodyshell AND two of some of the major components; subframes/chasses, engine, etc. You have to use the original or a unregistered standard replacement shell.

[CharlieBrown]

If you are serious about building a fiberglass mini, go for new parts and a recon engine and keep every reciept.
or at least get every part replated like new and obtain reciepts. Then register it as a amature built car, this being the lesser sva test not the esva. The sva test is not that bad, just build the car and take it for test if it dosent pass they will tell you the reason, put things right and re test it. Tip dont bother on cosmetic things like wheel type and flash paint job till after the test. Make sure you take it there on a trailer. I have a good mate (a tester at vosa) i have built up good relations with vosa presenting some hundreds of cars for sva and esva over the last ten years. hope this helps. my old web site kosscar.com give me a call if you want any help.

link to test info mainly first 12 items on a amature built car
http://www.direct.go...n...&chk=LLGFMd

Why do you suggest using new parts? Is that just so its classed as an amature built car?

Simple answer is yes a fibreglass mini will pass an sva if you use all the parts from a standard production mini in all the places they were intended to be used. The only problem you may have is if you build the fibreglass shell yourself.

Why would it be a problem if the shell is self built (apart from the fact its me )?

[The Matt]

Why would it be a problem if the shell is self built (apart from the fact its me )?

I wouldn't think that a 'self build' shell would necessarily be a problem. Especially if said shell was correctly designed and analysed etc

and I guess Koss has suggested new parts so you could register it as new, but I dunno how that would work???

[koss]

Why do you suggest using new parts? Is that just so its classed as an amature built car?

Yes i would hate to think it it ended up on a Q reg

[pinch]

surely the suppliers of the shell would tell you all there is to know about the legalities???

[The Matt]

surely the suppliers of the shell would tell you all there is to know about the legalities???

Not if it is a self built shell.

[The Matt]

Yes i would hate to think it it ended up on a Q reg

Would that really be a major problem though? I know that the 'Q' plate thing can be a bit of a stigmatism, but it really wouldn't bother me.

[pinch]

am i missing something, but i'm sure charliebrown isn't going to be actually moulding the shells himself, so the person/company who produces the bare shells would have an idea about the legalities??

[pete]

If you are serious about building a fiberglass mini, go for new parts and a recon engine and keep every reciept.
or at least get every part replated like new and obtain reciepts. Then register it as a amature built car, this being the lesser sva test not the esva. The sva test is not that bad, just build the car and take it for test if it dosent pass they will tell you the reason, put things right and re test it. Tip dont bother on cosmetic things like wheel type and flash paint job till after the test. Make sure you take it there on a trailer. I have a good mate (a tester at vosa) i have built up good relations with vosa presenting some hundreds of cars for sva and esva over the last ten years. hope this helps. my old web site kosscar.com give me a call if you want any help.

link to test info mainly first 12 items on a amature built car
http://www.direct.go...n...&chk=LLGFMd

Why do you suggest using new parts? Is that just so its classed as an amature built car?

Simple answer is yes a fibreglass mini will pass an sva if you use all the parts from a standard production mini in all the places they were intended to be used. The only problem you may have is if you build the fibreglass shell yourself.

Why would it be a problem if the shell is self built (apart from the fact its me )?

Using new parts will allow it to be registered as a new car and therefore have a new reg.
If you build the shell yourself then you may be required to produce evidence that it complies to current regulations regarding safety(especially seat belt anchorage points). If you use a recognised fibreglass shell ie. minus or domino, then they have already been tested.

[CharlieBrown]

As i understood it reshelling a car is done on a points system, if you use over a certain amount you can keep your original reg and no sva is required. Thats why my dads robin hood is 2 years old but on 89 plates. So if you use everything from the donor mini and a new fibreglass shell its easy.

Nope, its based on a points system, but its counted as the bodyshell AND two of some of the major components; subframes/chasses, engine, etc. You have to use the original or a unregistered standard replacement shell.

So would say an unregistered mini minus shell count as a standard replacment shell???

Does anyone have a contact in the DVLA, VOSA????


Oh also does anyone know of a company currently selling glass fibre mini shells?

[Jammy]

No, the only standard replacement shells are the steel shells you get from Heritage. An unregistered minus shell would need an SVA.

[miniboo]

i reckon it would be ok as it was used in the past wasn't it.

surely at the most it would nee a standard sva as long as you use all standard mini parts as they are already type approved

[Jammy]

An unregistered shell suggests it hasn't previously been used. The only way to use a minus shell without having to go through an SVA would be to get one already registered as a mini/minus/whatever. However that way, Charlie wouldn't be able to use that shell to rebuild his current car, he would have to retain the identity the minus currently had.

[pikey7]

but even then, wouldnt you be effectively "ringing" the car then as the parts that went into it wouldn't be the original parts as registered by the DVLA, and therfore wouldn't make up the totals required by the DVLA?

Not sure on that one... but thats the way ringing works for me with a normal shell. Why should it be any different with a pre-registered minus shell?

Edited by pikey7, 23 November 2006 - 03:47 PM.

[Jammy]

Well, it all depends on how many components he uses from the Minus...