Unusual kit car purchase search

[eric318]

Hello all, I am new to kit cars and very impressed with some the crafts that I have seen on this site. I am more of a classic car chap, with currently 3 machines on the road.

I have an unusual request for the kit car experts here. A friend of mine has inherited a 1970's Lotus 7 lookalike from a distant relative who unfortunately killed himself racing the car in a hill climb. My friend, who is a bit of a mechanical genius, is meticulously rebuilding it in France and will soon face the problem that the car came with no documents. Bummer.

Without getting into too much detail, given the absurd regulations in France, the only way he will ever get this car on the road is by obtaining a UK registration document for a car from before 1978.

So there you are, does anybody have in a shed a totaled 1970's roadster kit car with papers that he could think of acquiring (he really only needs the docs) and reincarnate in the shape of a gleaming S7 shining in the south of France?

I don't have pictures of the rebuilt with me, but will post some when I get them.

Cheers

Help will be very much appreciated.

[Ferg]

Isn't that illegal, though?

[eric318]

I was wondering about this.

In France kit cares are illegal full stop, unless they are over 30 years old. Try to make sense of this one ...

[LotusNova]

Eric,

With respect, kit cars are not illegal here. Identity transfer, however, is illegal.

If you have a car first registered over 25 years ago (classic status) then import & registration with a French plate is relatively painless.

If not, then you need to visit the DRIRE for type approval for "low volume production". It's not as simple as SVA (37 different tests at €100 each last time I looked into it). It can be very long and very expensive, but not impossible.

Here's a road legal 'Busa powered XTR2:
http://www.autojournal.fr/video-auto...net-10887.html

One other alternative - I think both Caterham & Westfield sell their 7 replica here (turnkey only, with type approval). You friend could speak to them for assistance.

[eric318]

Thanks for the precision Lotusnova. I was indeed simplifying the matter to avoid getting into painful and controversial details. As it happens, I am French and I have had the doubtful privilege of getting two vehicles through the DRIRE some years ago (a Honda motorbike and a brand new US-Reg Ford Escort). So yes, it is not "impossible" in the same way as going to Mars or winning the Lotto is not impossible. It leaves you broke, emotionally exhausted and divorced, all of that ... very legally.

To get back to what I am looking for for my friend: a full restoration project, pre 1977 UK built Kit Car. Thank you.

[LotusNova]

Eric,

Then I admire your perserverance. You're the only person I'm aware of who's been through it twice.

Is your friend the same guy who's looking for one on Pistonheads?

Jon.

[eric318]

I very much doubt, he does not even answer the phone, so Internet is a long way away from his interests