Westfield Elevens

Hi there, Not sure whether there is an answer to this conundrum but thought I'd ask any way....... My donor vehicle is a 69 Midget which has a neat single digit number plate.The car is currently on SORN and has not been changed to an historic vehicle for tax purposes. I had hoped to put the plate on retention until the Westfield was completed and, with recent changes to MOT requirements for older vehicles , had thought that it would be simple! Given the age of it I imagined that I could ignore the number plate retention prereq that states that the car must have MOT. Other requirements state that the car must be able to move under its own power (theoretically possible since it is still complete).
Having spoken to DVLA about this, I am advised that I must either put the car through a voluntary MOT or present it for an inspection. The former option just isn't worth pursuing - car has sat in a barn for the past 30 odd years but wonder what the purpose of the "inspection" is.
I will certainly qualify for an age related plate but just wondered if I have missed something in my quest to keep the existing plate.
Any thoughts?

Martin B

The way I understand it is: If you use a certain number parts from the donor you keep the donor reg. You should use the engine/box, axle, front uprights, steering rack etc so you should have no problems

Hi,

You will certainly not be able to keep the current number plate as a simple transfer on to your Westfield. When you pass IVA, fill in the declaration form as to where bits were sourced and send the original V5, they will take in the original number and give you an age related number plate. I asked DVLA about numbers from my father's early cars (one of which was scrapped in the 1960s, the other exported in the 1980s) and was told that once a number had been taken in, it would never be reissued to avoid any chance of of duplication.

I would say that your aim must be to get the number plate onto retention. If the inspection is solely to prove that the number plate is affixed to the vehicle as described on the V5, that ought to be a matter of confirming the engine / chassis numbers and the stuff on the V5. I'm not at all up on registration transfers - possibly worth an ask of one of the registration number transfer companies. I would guess that some of the numbers that they are marketing have come from similar "barn find" vehicles.

Simon

Hi, Just to close the loop on this - spoke to DVLA about avoiding the MOT on the midget (not worth putting it through, car has been quietly sitting in a shed for 30 years). Answer is that I either need to MOT the car or present it for inspection to validate its road worthiness (thought that was called MOT).
So, will have to be content with a '69 age related plate which is a shame really.
Did have another idle thought - wonder how many "MG Specials" there are running around out there....

Martin B

The option I went for was a NI plate direct from the DVLA website, currently has 4 plates that start WXI and then have 3 numbers at around £400, look period correct for an Eleven.


https://dvlaregistrations.dvla.gov.uk/nifixed/

Jon, I assume you had to wait until the IVA was completed before purchasing the WXI number?

Apologies for the late response, I didn't see the question. When you buy from the DVLA the plate is on retention so you can get it when you like and then include the retention certificate (signed) with your registration documents and they'll put it on the car as part of the first registration - must qualify to be a non-Q Reg though.

Thanks for your reply. I'd better get on there and check out availability.