I've got a Freestyle

J

Jimtriestomake

New member
Hi all.

I'm now the happy owner of a blue freestyle, so I figured I'm come and say Hi.

It needs a little bit of love, so I might be asking a few questions here if that's cool.

I'm not intending to make the buggy road legal, but it looks like it once was, as it's got "Newark 09" stickers on it.

So far, I've got the engine running, petrol change, plugs and HT's and happy days, I'm now on to the back end as the hub is a little shot. I've been over to Mini Spares in Potters Bar (who are super helpful) and got most of the bits I need, I've gotta head back tomorrow morning and get the hub bearings as the outer CV won't slide in easily.

The part I'm slightly concerned about is the fact that the clutch and break peddle don't really move, I've not really investigated too much, but the fluids look fine. I've not taken that assembly out yet to see if there are siezed things under neith, but is that possible?

could you fine members please give me some advice?

Many thanks and good to meet you

Jim
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Hi Jim, Yes you are correct the buggy was once road legal, I SVA'd it on behalf of somebody 2009 seems about right, it also went to Peterborough show, let's be generous say it lost it's identity between previous owners. As it's 14 years ago memory is not 100% but if it has the passenger side MC's & the bars going across to the drivers side then yes I suspect WD40 or Pulsegas is going to be your friend. I also suspect you may need new MC's as well.

Welcome to the forum, it's quite quiet, there's not a lot of building going on anymore, but we're hear to help if we can.

Alan.
 
J

Jimtriestomake

New member
ok, it's running like a dream now. trouble is, it's way too fast for my kids, so I'm gonna put it back on the market, if anyone is interested, please let me know via DM
 
J

Jimtriestomake

New member
Phaeton said:
I don't know whether to be happy or sad
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Alan,

if this Freestyle was SVA'd, does that mean it still is? I want to get it back on the road. I'm looking at powder coating the frame and giving it some love.

I went to a hill climb yesterday and I've decided that I want to enter the Freestyle next year, so I've given myself a year to sort it oujt and do a run

Cheers

Jim
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Jimtriestomake said:
Alan,

if this Freestyle was SVA'd, does that mean it still is? I want to get it back on the road. I'm looking at powder coating the frame and giving it some love.

I went to a hill climb yesterday and I've decided that I want to enter the Freestyle next year, so I've given myself a year to sort it oujt and do a run

Cheers

Jim
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Jim,

Blunt truth no, it will need to be IVA'd to go back on the road, (the new form of the SVA), that is unless you can find the Freestyle that is now running around with your vehicles identity & convince them to give them up. They effectively took the VIN & number plates off your kit, put them on their kit so they didn't have to put theirs through the test. I suppose the alternative would be to go to VOSA to advise them of these facts & see what they decide to do, but that could end up being messy with both vehicles not being on the road. I'm sure you would also need photographical evidence, which looking through this site there doesn't see to be any photos of it with the Reg No attached https://www.muddybuggies.com/forum/index.php?search/88238/ although I have just found some images of Newark 2010 where it is in the lineup.

There is a £450 fee for the test, along with £90 for each retest, if it needs one, which from experience of IVA'ing 3 non Freestyles kits in the last 3 years it certainly will, there is only around a 20% first time pass rate, I managed 1 of the 3.

Alan.

2010-06-19155347.JPG
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
No Chris, the Q plated one, the B plate'd one is Steve's, the one with the 4 spots was mine, the orange one is Danny's but with a different plate on it.

Alan the owner went to Sheffield office to register it, he was told if you'll take a Q plate I'll do it now, if you want an age related one it'll take 7 days, he went with the Q.
 
J

Jimtriestomake

New member
My local IVA centre are just up the road from me and said they'll have a chat with me. I'm kinda worried I'm going to drop someone in the s**t if they've swapped the VIN and Plate from mine
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Jimtriestomake said:
My local IVA centre are just up the road from me and said they'll have a chat with me. I'm kinda worried I'm going to drop someone in the s**t if they've swapped the VIN and Plate from mine
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Unless you tell them what the Reg No is/was they will have no way of knowing who now has it, or where he moved to, TBH at the price you bought it at then was good, if it had had a plate it would have been at least double that.
 
J

Jimtriestomake

New member
Phaeton said:
Unless you tell them what the Reg No is/was they will have no way of knowing who now has it, or where he moved to, TBH at the price you bought it at then was good, if it had had a plate it would have been at least double that.
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A chap I've been to see today thinks that the engine number on the reg document is more than likely my engine and not the one on the current registered buggy
 
250buggys

250buggys

Well-known member
Still difficult to prove.

There is a chance they could both end up being crushed. They take this pretty seriously. It is illegal to tamper with VINs.

Just re build it and put it through IVA if you want to put it on the road. Like Alan said you got it at a decent price, I paid much more for mine in a very similar condition. At least you know it will be road worthy.

Once you have a V5C it is easy to get the engine number changed. Also easy to get a new engine number made up from mini spares when they corrode and become illegible.
 
J

Jimtriestomake

New member
250buggys said:
Still difficult to prove.

There is a chance they could both end up being crushed. They take this pretty seriously. It is illegal to tamper with VINs.

Just re build it and put it through IVA if you want to put it on the road. Like Alan said you got it at a decent price, I paid much more for mine in a very similar condition. At least you know it will be road worthy.

Once you have a V5C it is easy to get the engine number changed. Also easy to get a new engine number made up from mini spares when they corrode and become illegible.
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ok, thanks for the advice. I'm in about £800 so far, I'm just about to start stripping it down for powder coating. and I'm taking the seats to be upholstered. and I'm currently waiting for a new dash/instrument panel to finish printing
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Jimtriestomake said:
ok, thanks for the advice. I'm in about £800 so far, I'm just about to start stripping it down for powder coating. and I'm taking the seats to be upholstered. and I'm currently waiting for a new dash/instrument panel to finish printing
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My only advice as I'm a Yorkshireman, just check that you need what you are buying, it's very easy for the bling to get away from you.

I would build the most basic kit you can, get it registered then start your upgrades. I would also say instead of stripping it down to powder coat I'd be building it up to completion, nothing worse than having a newly powder coated frame, then thinking wish I'd welded a bracket there for X before I got it powder coated.
 
250buggys

250buggys

Well-known member
Agree with Alan, I hammerited my frame and used upol raptor on the rest.

The Freestyle has very little triangulation in the frame. You will find this out if you take it off road in anger.

Mine had split the welds in the frame at the top, welded them up and took it off road and it split them again.

In the end I made up 10 or 12 gusset plates and welded these in to stiffen it all up a bit.

All holding up now, can send you some pics etc.
 
J

Jimtriestomake

New member
So I'm having a blast with the freestyle, basically hammering around the fields. A chap has just offered be £1,500 for it, I paid a few quid less than that, but after 4 trips to Minispares for countless things, I'm thinking that's not far off the right price. I'm now torn between trying to IVA it over the winter, selling it and putting the money into something that is already IVA'd or just buying a quad. My daughter thinks I should put ATV tyres on it and just use it as an off roader. what would you guys do?
 
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