Hi,
I was around at the time (1997/1998), but didn't pay much attention.
But say, FOR INSTANCE, you had a Jago Jeep still registered as a Ford Escort which, up until then, nobody was bothered about. Suddenly, the rules changed, and it had to look like what the V5 said it was. Difficult, as it had a new body and chassis.
VW based Beach Buggies were OK, as they still had the original chassis ... unless it had been shortened .
Memory tells me that the afore mentioned Jago had to be taken to an MOT station, for inspection, and the changes from the original donor had to be notified to DVLC
BEFORE the deadline (01/01/1998 ?) There would be
NO provision to notify the changes after the deadline. I cannot remember if a Q-plate was issued. I believe the V5 would somehow record that the Jago had been kit-built.
Fast forward to 2015. I am browsing through Ebay, and I find a Jago Jeep listed, dated, with year of manufacture shown as 1972, with photo showing registration plate to match. The vendor says it is VED exempt. OK, this story is fiction, so details may be wrong, but things like this DO happen.
How do I know that this vehicle is Kosher ... that DVLA will accept it is really, really, a 1972 donor, rebuilt before 1998, and VED exempt? Or would I be buying a load of trouble that would result in my bargain being crushed?
602