Historic Vehicle, yeah right!

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Only way to get genuine historic is for it to have been unaltered on the road 30 years I think, as they only started making Freestyles in 1998 they are going to struggle with that one, although good luck if he can get that for un-MOT'd one
 

Roky

New member
This one was only sold last year. I remember considering it. Pretty sure it changed hands a year or 2 before that too.
 

250buggys

Well-known member
In that case it needs a few £s spent before it is IVA tested and on the road properly.

Not worth the risk of your pride and joy getting crushed....

Section something or other if you get caught. Not worth the risk and probably why it is changing hands so often.

I remember the last one that wasn't registered properly was hidden away in a container.

The main thing is that the MOT tester has a duty of care to report any irregularities.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
The MOT test states it's an ABS, so it may have been registered prior to 1998 which means it never needed a SVA, my Phaeton was never tested but was legally on the road.
 

250buggys

Well-known member
If you get pulled, which you probably will it is all about being able to blag your way out of it.

Much like the IVA test when they question you about the earth strap on the fuel tank and you say I thought you might ask me about that and pull out a photo of how you did it.

With this buggy it may well be legit but if you are the 7th owner without any knowledge it may be plod is the winner in the arm wrestling competition....

Funny how this buggy has no number plates or even a sign of being road legal.

Having a 998 bet it doesn't do much either....
 

Gef

New member
I've just found this series of thoughts, a bit strange and scary since i've just bought the thing, though not for the ebay price. Its registered as an ABS Freestyle in May '03, manufactured 1969 H reg, the seller has taxed and driven it without needing an MOT as a historic vehicle...and no, i dont understand it either. I havnt seen the v5 yet (sharp intakes of breath) but the DVLA site shows it.
Im told it says 998cc on the v5, the seller hasnt actually checked engine codes i dont think, i will tomorrow when it arrives. I remember it was on sale last year, Worcester way?
Youve all got me worried now, im trying to reassure myself that if DVLA have it as an ABS then there isnt that reason to stop me.
And i was so pleased at having found one! gef
 

Gef

New member
Hi again, i just tried to introduce myself on the 'hello, im new' section and failed. Im pretty useless at anything computer and this is the only forum im on so apologies, please bear with me! gef
 

Roky

New member
Congrats on getting one and i genuinely hope it's all OK. Have a look about the forum, it's not the most active by the looks of it on account of the scarcity of freestyles but everyone seems friendly. I'm relatively new myself.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Welcome Gef, I can't see how it can be an historic vehicle, if it was built in 2003, but at least it went through an SVA (Hopefully) but the DSA are the gatekeepers of this type of thing, if they are happy that it is then it is. With regards to MOT whether it's exempted or not I feel I'd be getting one done anyway just for peace of mind

Alan..
 

Gef

New member
Hi, thanks for the comments and good wishes. Well, it arrived Monday, the transporter (Leigh Classics) backed it off the trailer and left. I went to hop in to get it out of the rain - and hurt my back. With the help of painkillers and by getting through the passenger side and sitting on some wood and the cushions from my sofa i drove, ooh, at least 50 feet.
Clearly its not going to work for me, its me not it, im no longer flexible enough at 65. So its for sale again and im rather disappointed, i should have got one years ago.
It came with various old papers, its last Mot seems to have been 2014 which i think is when 'historic vehicles' stopped needing Mots(?). I would have put it through, as i have with my old bike. I like having someone else checking for safetys sake, its easy to miss something and insurance companies would rather know its Motd.
From the papers it has been a west country buggy, no doubt someone on this forum knows all about it. I bought it as a ruuning project for retirement, had i gone to view i would have realised my difficulies getting in and out (and out is even more harder!) so not bought. Moral? - dont buy without viewing!
Bother, and other terms i wont use here.
gef
 

Gef

New member
Hi again, ive been looking properly at the paperwork that came with it, also at what Jamriggsy wrote. Seems it was built 2002 (possibly using an earlier chassis) by a Devon motor engineer and was inspected Oct '02 by the Vehicle Inspectorate, Taunton GVTS station 17, according to a British National Type Approval - Ministers Approval Certificate. At first glance i thought it was an Mot Cert but it has design weights for front and rear axles, plus gross weight. This was done on the chassis number. A week later it was MoTd at a normal test place. On both certs is a stamp 'registered as UDV105H', overstamped Exeter DVLA 29.4.2003.
Jamriggsy says it was built for hillclimbs and sprints, also road use, theres an Mot cert from 2012 and a tax reminder letter and disc from 2014. These describe it as an ABS and as a 'Historic Vehicle', as does the v5c new keepers section from 2019. Also the then owner completed a 'Declaration of exemption from MoT' v112.
Together they show that it was properly inpected in '02 (an SVA i presume) and given Historic Vehicle status at registration in '03, which has been accepted since. Maybe the builder being in the motor trade helped?
So i reckon its legit, assuming some knowledgable person can confirm that the inspection of Oct '02 was an SVA?
And it does have a 1275 in it.
But i cant get in it painlessly, so its still got to go. Thanks for your comments, gef
 

250buggys

Well-known member
All said and done it is not a historic vehicle, just a loop hole exploited.

The original vehicle may well be worthy of said title.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Gef, SVA was in force from 1998 until 2009 when it changed to the IVA, only DVSA or the owner at the time will know exactly what happened, but to have an SVA then a MOT a week later is not a usual occurrence, also the certificate of an SVA pass has to be handed over to the DVLA as it was then to get it registered the owner doesn't get to keep a copy. One of the purposes of a SVA is to negate having to have a MOT for 3 years, unless the vehicle gets put on a Q plate, though I'e heard recently that has also been changed.

It's a bit of a puzzlers thats for sure

Alan..
 

250buggys

Well-known member
I am surprised that the logbook states it has a 998 and there is a 1275 engine sitting in it.

If you were selling it you would really want all the paper work to match as if it doesn't it may put people off.

It's not that difficult, DVLA just want to see a receipt for an engine and an invoice from the garage that fitted it.
If you can provide that your logbook will cone back with the right engine no on it within a couple of weeks.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
They don't need to see a letter from the garage that fitted it, they need to see a letter from a garage confirming that the engine number you are supplying is fitted to the vehicle along with confirmation of it's capacity
 

250buggys

Well-known member
I have always supplied the invoice from the garage.

Will add more value if the documents say 1275 etc.
 
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