DVLA call for evidence asks for ideas on how to preserve historic cars and skill

[nickmerry]

Saw this information about possible future changes that could be made to vehicle registrations after rebuild, repair, conversion.

DVLA call for evidence asks for ideas on how to preserve historic cars and skills

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/call-for-evidence-launched-on-how-to-future-proof-classic-cars-and-back-drivers

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/registering-historic-classic-rebuilt-vehicles-and-vehicles-converted-to-electric-call-for-evidence

[diffwhine]

This was also sent to the club secretary and we are in the process of discussing it and working out responses. The club must respond given our VRO relationship with DVLA, so we will get to that asap.

If club members have any strong views which they would like us to put forward as a club, please let me know by email to [email protected]. I can't promise that all will be included, but general views from members would be appreciated.

Secondly, there is nothing to stop individual club members having their say. All I would suggest is that we avoid too much discussion around replacement chassis in submissions. Its a very grey area for us and we don't want a catch all bit of new rules which means that by replacing a chassis we end up on a Q plate with a DVLA issued VIN.

[JohnR2]

How about a scheme with replacement chassis manufacturers whereby a new chassis to exactly the same spec as an original one can be stamped by them with the original number (and a suffix? A,B,C etc)

[Peter Holden]

The link below offers guidance from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle clubs  of which we are a member

https://evidence.fbhvc.co.uk/

Please read

Peter

[Mycroft]

My read was that one of the main points of this exercise was to remove electrification modifications of classis cars (to engine, transmission plus any simultaneous beefing up of suspension, axles etc) from the 'radically altered vehicle' Q plate totting-up system, thereby doing whatever they can to get us all hooked up to the grid.

[Worf]

It would be nice if there was some relaxation of "data protection" rules the DVLA have adopted, so it was possible to trace the history of Historic Vehicles in your ownership without a blanket "NO" (unless you are a car clamper).

Interesting article https://blog.royalhistsoc.org/2021/04/12/data-protection-and-historical-research-the-basics/

Perhaps this doesnt come under the remit of the current DVLA review

[Wittsend]

It would be nice if there was some relaxation of "data protection" rules the DVLA have adopted, so it was possible to trace the history of Historic Vehicles in your ownership without a blanket "NO" (unless you are a car clamper).

The DVLA are missing a trick and income source here.

They could charge an owner wanting the history if the DVLA contacted past owners for their "permission".
The DVLA could charge £50/£100 for such a service and genuine owners would pay. Down to past owners to say yes or no. Quite a few past owners will have died - no problem and a few will have changed address, not a problem.

It's a paradox as they freely give info out to the parking bandits 

We should be writing to our MPs and the ICO


Regarding the idea of chassis makers stamping the reg number in the new chassis is a non-starter 
Why should they do the DVLA work and there would be not check or authority for the makers to check what happens to the old chassis 
Open door for ringers.

What the chassis makers could do/do is to stamp their own serial number into the chassis.
My Marsland chassis has a factory number.
Then - if there were an investigation by the DVLA, Police or Insurance they could get the details of the person who bought the new chassis and take it from there.

Current best advice from the club is to stamp your new chassis with the old number (having destroyed your old chassis) in the expected place on the front off-side dumb iron. Don't worry about getting the exact size or font. Just have a clear stamping.

As fossil fuels are phased/priced out more classic owners will opt for "electrification".
These conversions kits are becoming more common.
The DVLA are in a  bit of a quandary as they allow engine changes that were of the "period" or straight derivatives of engines of the "period", e.g. TDis, Perkins diesels or Essex V6s to retain the Vehicle of Historic Interest.
It would be "nice" if fitting an electric engine meant the VofHI tax-free status could be retained 


   

[GlenAnderson]

I have followed the above link to the FBHVC site and completed it that way. For what it's worth I agreed with most of their responses, but added my own thoughts regarding kit cars (that they should be entitled to all the advantages of historic status after 40 years since built, even if registered on a Q), and that electric conversions should also be entitled to the same, provided they are carried out in a sympathetic and reversible manner.

[Clifford Pope]

This whole business is getting incredibly complicated, and I wonder why it needs to be so?

Why does the government need to be involved at all? I presume the answer is partly to regulate safety, and partly so that motoring can be taxed. If it were not taxed, then there would be no need to keep any records at all, just like bicycles, carts, or indeed most possessions.

Very few vehicles are in reality either historic or classic - those are just euphemisms for "old", and having a collectors' following.

Why does a government need to know whether a chassis on an old car is original or not? Surely only its safety on a public road is relevant, so why not just charge a fee for safety inspections and dispense with everything else?