Whats the deal with age related plates?

lee · 02-06-08, 04:03 PM

Hi

was just wondering. when you get one of these replicas on the road, is there anyway of attaining an age related plate.

A suffix D or C plate i feel would finish of a replica rather than a Q plate.

What are the requirements for this, will an engine from the 60's be enough to get a related plate?

just curious really? Oh im in the UK so was hoping for a UK related answer, as i assume it will be different in the USA?

thanks

CraigB · 02-06-08, 04:14 PM

If you pass the SVA as a newly built car then you will be issued a plate related to the date when the car was presented for registration. ie a late 2007 car will get a 57 plate (I think). If you are unlucky enough to get a Q plate then there is no way of changing that

However if you get a plate that is not a "Q" you can buy a plate that looks older and have that applied to the car - you just can't make the car look younger than it's 1st registration date. I hope that helps a bit.

lee · 02-06-08, 06:09 PM

oh right, so even if you had an engine and a gbox from say a 67 car, it would still be classed as a new registration? dont worry thered be no way id want to make the car look newer!!!!

So if you get a new reg, when you say make it an old plate i assume you just mean pressed with black and silver?

How do you stand then with personal plates, cos i think when i get a new reg id hate it, (i hate the new style plates), could you then transfer a private plate on it.

also if you had a q plate does that mean you cant then transfer a private plate?

soz for the questions but i feel this is a very important part of the build, id hate to have a beautiful 66/7 lemans replica with a NEW reg on it, personally id be embarrased to drive it (no offence to anyone who has a new plate just my point of view).

thanks

John W · 02-06-08, 06:55 PM

A Q plate used to stand for 'query', meaning unknown date of origin. If you have one of these you cannot put a personal plate on the car.

If you have a new (e.g. 57) registration, then you can put any private plate you like on the car as long as, as Craig says, it doesn't make the car appear younget (e.g an 08 reg).
Legally, the style of the plates are now governed by law, and supposedly controlled by the plate makers, who should ask for proof of ID andthe log book. However, many companies make 'show' plates, which you can order over the phone without any of that. These are not meant for road use and could potentially fail an MoT. I've got show plates on my Audi and its passed its last 4 MoTs with them on, so go figure.

As for black and white plates, these are only meant to be fitted to pre 73 cars, and if you were to fit black backed plates on a modern car you'll likely get pulled, but on a classic (or a car that looks like a classic) its unlikely.
Finally, stick on plates are meant to be illegal too, but I think the real problem is the angle at which they are presented so as to be clearly read. I have a stick on plate on the front of my Caterham and it always passes (well, it did until now anyway...)

Hope that helps

Doc Watson · 02-06-08, 07:33 PM

I have a private plate and will get SVA approval for a new car with 1 'used' component which is a 1966 289 engine. The car will have a new plate assigned and then my private plate will be transfered to the car.

Try searching New Reg Personalised Number plates, DVLA Number Plates info, Private number plates, Car registrations. I used them and bought my plate for £129 2 years ago. Similar plates to mine are now selling for £320. You have to register the number plate with a car within 1 year, but this can be extended on a yearly basis indefinitely.

and incase your wondering my plate is

V8 HEX

...these cars do put a spell on you....

Andy

Paul B · 02-06-08, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RsLee

so even if you had an engine and a gbox from say a 67 car, it would still be classed as a new registration?

How do you stand then with personal plates, cos i think when i get a new reg id hate it, (i hate the new style plates), could you then transfer a private plate on it.

Hi,
You can only have one item that is 'used - reconditioned to as an as new standard' to get a new registration number. If you use a number of items from a donor vehicle then you will have a registration relating to the age of the donor vehicle ( ie if the donor was a 1990 'G' reg you would get a G reg for your vehicle).

As for putting a private plate on, wouldn't be a problem unless you have a 'Q' plate or the reg is newer than the reg you've been assigned.

lee · 02-07-08, 03:32 AM

cool thats a good numberplate!

Ok so i get i will have to stay away from a Q like the plaque.

What worries me is that i'll be using the engine a (302 from something like 1966-69), a second hand audi transaxle and front uprights from a mustang.

this to me from the above posts spells a Q plate

!!!!?

Ian Anderson · 02-07-08, 03:59 AM

When you buy the transaxle and other parts get a receipt that shows the parts - no reference to second hand.

Do a lot of cleaning and polishing and how will anyone tell without stripping the box?

The Q or otherwise comes from the registration with DVLA not the SVA crowd

I also believe part "Reconditioned to New Level" is acceptable as new part but please do more reading on that one!

Ian

Fred/Belgium · 02-07-08, 06:00 AM

John,

Do you have some adressed where I could buy this "show plate" ?

Tx
Rgds
Fred

Malcolm · 02-07-08, 12:36 PM

There is/was a way to get rid of Q plates but it is not simple and potentially no longer possible! Before times moved on with Northern Ireland, you could transfer your car there and register it to an Northern Irish address. After say 6 months or so, you then brought it back to England and put it to an English address. Because the car came to/from NI, the registration was changed each time and hey presto when it came off the NI plate, you could lose the Q! Not a system I have tried or would wish to guarantee but maybe someone out there knows a bit more!

lee · 02-07-08, 02:26 PM

Ok, so ive established i cant get an "old reg no".

Now im interested in makng sure there no Q!

Obviously the 302 engine will be second hand. but from what i read this is acceptable.

SO your saying if i purchase say a transaxle, as long as its just an invoice with price and description and does not give away the donor age/origin, and i clean it througherly this will avoid the Q?

Doc Watson · 02-07-08, 03:42 PM

The engine age will have a bearing on the emissions test required... if its older than 1972 (i think..might be 75) then only a visible smoke test is required, the younger the engine age the more strict the emissions test. SVA says you can use 1 used item in a car, im using the engine block for the smoke test so all other parts must be new. It depends on how you define new I suppose, and its the gearbox that will probably be the only other 'used' component. If you buy a gearbox and it has been 'reconditioned' to a 'as new' standard then you should be fine... I've heard of people doing this but it could be a concern as it seems all SVA testers are different. I'm going to buy a new ZF-2 for my car so its not an issue for me.

Have you bought the gearbox yet? is the receipt from a suppliers who sells new gearboxes? also what kit will you buy? and why use the mustang front end?

Andy

lee · 02-07-08, 03:57 PM

I have to wait, I dont have the car yet, it wont be delivered to me untill april/may.

At this moment in time im just trying to familarise myself with the basics of kit cars and doing some general homework on gt40 replicas.

Id like to start the project with as much info behind me as possible, rather than tear into it only to find when its finished/sva'd id have to spend a load more money to correct things.

One thing i am looking foward to is not having to deal with dirt, rust, thick black oil, welding in new panels all the time.

John W · 02-08-08, 05:35 PM

Lee, your last but one post says you can't have an old plate.
Yes you can, but in th first instance the car will (hopefully) be given a new reg, and then you transfer on to the car a classic plate.

Fred, go to google.co.uk and do a search on 'show plates'. You will get pages of hits.

I've personally used :
My Showplates - Design your own show plates
Welcome to No1showplates - Number Plates and Show Plates
Classic plates and Vintage Embossed Number Plates

plus a few others who's links I don't have.
Hope that helps.

Jerry · 02-08-08, 07:01 PM

Lee,

Buy an old 1960's/70's ford and get the log book with it. Put the engine number of your v8 on to the log book and change the engine size. Send it off to dvla and you will get back the log book with your engine details on it.Use this v5 as the Donor vehicle. Present this v5 to the sva tester, and he will test the emmissions as per a 1960's/70's car.( no visable smoke). Get a sva certificate when it passes. Go to your local dvla office and show them the car. They check the engine number,check the v5 and see its from the donor. Tell them that the gearbox, steering, suspension, brakes, etc are all off the donor( they wont know what individual parts of a classic car fit what car) and you get an age related plate.

Any age v5 will do the job, but bear in mind that the sva emmissions are carried out according to the donor vehicle age(pre 1975 for the visual check).
The dvla inspectors don't need to see proof that a specific part of your car actually came from your donor. When registering it you state that all the components came from the donor, and that is good enough for them.

When you have an age related plate you can put an older plate or personalised plate on.

Jerry

lee · 02-09-08, 06:38 AM

Wow jerry thanks for the info, so basically in the dvlas eyes im reshelling the donor car, therefore keeping the V5!?

this is interesting, id like to know more about this. I HATE with a passion New reg numbers, 1 because people use them as a status symbol (even thou the cars probably on credit) and 2 just because i think the format is so horrid.

I love the old pre fix ans suffix regs. I recently restored a 1968 Mk1 2dr escort which came with the horrid yellows, so i put new black plate on with silver letters and it totally transformed the car!

SO is it really as simple/fail safe as it sounds!!? Obviously id want to buy a shitter of a car as all i want is the v5 then scrap it
Do you know which cars i could buy as a "donor", anything ford i presume will do as its only the age im after?
I'll be aiming to use the 302 engine, but anything up to a 427 would be ok.

One think im not to certain on is you say about getting a old plate after?
e.g if i used a '73 donor car and use the v5, i could then say get a '66 reg number at a later date?
would this not also work then with a new reg and changing it?

sorry for all the questions, but to me having a cherished old plate would really make the car special.

MikeP · 02-09-08, 06:43 PM

You can SVA the car with an old engine block and use the casting number to prove it's age. The code is very simple. The casting no. is under the ledge at the back of the engine on the right hand side. The first letter is the decade C is sixties; D is seventies. The next number is the year. eg C7 is sixty seven. You can get the info from most small block building books to provide evidence of the age of engine. Pick a year which requires only that it produces no visible smoke.
You can get any plate from your SVA process and then put on a plate of your choosing provided it does not try to make your car look younger. Making it look older is not a problem. I am putting a D suffix plate on my GTD (which is a 1966 plate). The car is 1989.
Using an old logbook from an old car to register your car is more difficult as the logbook will say something different than a GT40. Also suitable logbooks (which have details which are something similar to what you want) are not easily obtained and not cheap as they are in demand from hotrod builders. The method is now complicated by the MoT sytem being computerised and hence hard to change details.
Technically you should use the horrible yellow plates on a car which is fairly modern irrespective of the plate however I do not think that there would be an issue on a classic type of car like a GT40. I shall be using the pressed metal plates on the rear and either stick on or raised plastic letters on a fine black mesh at the front.
Cheers
Mike

MikeP · 02-09-08, 06:58 PM

To get an old reg number there are various sources. Buy an old car but it must have a current MoT to remove the plate. From DVLA registration auctions - they publish the next batch on their website. You have to bid and they have a reserve and they are not cheap. DVLA do not sell age related plates such as D for 1966 or E suffix forn 1967 except those which are in the auction.
Private sellers and on Ebay have suitable numbers on retention certificates but many are expensive. I got my D suffix plate from the company which advertises in Practical Performance Car (Motor Marks) in their bargain basement section! which cost £150 plus Vat plus transfer fees. Many personalised plates fetch silly money with few letters and single digits being v v expensive.
Cheers
Mike