V5 change of address problems on project car

Ronski

In 1989 I purchased a 1974 Mini, and started restoring it and fitted a Lancia Beta engine (2ltr Fiat Twin Cam) in the back, this was all done at work, in 1992 the company closed down and the Mini was stored. House's, girlfriends, children, marriage, cinema rooms all came along.

Long story short, the Mini has been in my garage for years (never been on the road except on a trailer) and the other week I dug out the paper work and found it was still registered to my mothers address, which was sold many years ago. So I filled out the change of address section on the V5 and sent it off.

Friday I came home to find a letter from the DVLA, thanking me for my application for a vehicle registration certificate (V5C) - which is odd as I sent them the change of address details on my old V5 log book which already had the new engine number and cc on it not an application form.

The letter states they want images which must show the following:

vehicle as a whole displaying the vehicle registration numberstamped-in vehicle identification number (VIN)/chassis numberVIN plate and its location on the vehicle
Now I've got various photo's of the car from 1990 showing the registration on it, and today I have the rear number plate on the boot, but no front number plate. The early photo's are in a photo album of the build - didn't have digital camera's back then.

I can not find the VIN number stamped anywhere on the car.

The VIN plate is not on the car, it's had various panels replaced/painted and I can only assume I put the VIN plate somewhere safe, nearly 30 years later I have no idea where.

Anybody got any suggestions of how to proceed, I don't want to loose the registration?

nvingo

I hope you took photocopies of the V5 pefore you sent it off.
It's very important that you don't trust government organisations with original documents, assume they will lose and deny ever having had them.
They might request that you present the vehicle for inspection at a VOSA station (kind of super-MOT centre) which is another £80 ish 'down the drain'.

A letter from a representative of an official Mini owners club might also help.

Ronski

Thanks @nvingo. Yes I've got scanned copies saved on the computer.

The car is not roadworthy at the moment, so unless it's just for them to try to confirm it's identity there wouldn't be much point. I run a commercial workshop, so we often take vehicles for mot tests. They are now known as DVSA rather than VOSA, most ministry test stations are now closed and you have to use ATFs which wack a lane fee on top of whatever fee DVSA charge.

car-man

The VIN will be stamped somewhere...they changed location a couple of times. It has been on the left inner wing, the rain channel in the roof, etc.
I would contact Minisport of Padiham, Lancashire....they are Mini specialists and have been for donkeys years!

Ronski

I contacted Somerford Mini's, they've been restoring Mini's since 1990. The only place the chassis number was stamped on a 74 Mini Clubman was on a tag on the slam panel. I also done some more research and found various pictures of Clubman's from a similar age and they had a commission plate, and VIN plate riveted next to each other on one side, and the chassis number was on a plate spot welded the other side of the slam panel.

Here's an example



Now when I was restoring the car back in 1991 and I replaced the slam panel along with many others, it would appear that the old one either got thrown out complete with the plates or I put them somewhere safe and they have since been lost.

Now I spoke to someone I know who restores cars, and he had a similar situation, he was told (but hasn't done yet) to send an email complete with pictures and an explanation of why he no longer had the VIN plates, so this is what I've done.

I now await the reply from the DVLA

Ronski

I thought I'd also add for clarification that when @car-man said look in the rain channel of the roof I suspect he was thinking of the rain channel on the scuttle. On Mini's from 1980 it was stamped in rain channel just above the brake and clutch master cylinders.

car-man

I've restored a few Minis myself but remembering everything is not always easy, especially when you reach 65
MiniSport of Padiham have been restoring Minis from around 1976 btw.
Anyhow, I hope you get everything sorted

Ronski

I'm only 14 years behind you and have enough trouble remembering now

Didn't realise Minisport did repairs/restorations, thought they only did parts, used to use them back in the late eighties when I had a Mini as a daily drive

car-man

I should have said they have been involved with and built Minis since around 1976..restore is probably the wrong word.
I used to know the original guys there from way back. I bought all sorts of stuff from them.
I live only about 6 miles from where they are based.
I once built a Mini with a 1394 engine and straight cut gears transmission. It was more or less full rally spec. I got more from selling the parts than I would selling a full car when I had finished with it (grew up a bit and started my own business fixing cars )

Ronski

Just to update this thread it's now been five weeks since I emailed my reply and photo's to the DVLA and as I hadn't heard anything I phoned them. When I finally managed to get through they simply told me they do have it on file and its being dealt, but they do have a back log, so I should hear soon.

Edited for typo