[Standard_58]

I am thinking of changing my car from 4 doors to 2 doors and I was wondering if I will have an legal problems with MOT or the DVLA.

I haven't spoke to my insurance company either but I expect I may have some issues there too.

Can anyone help me learn from their experiences.

Cheers

Martin

 

[unityjon]

Nope you should have no problem what so ever, its been done loads of times. A long as your welding is sound and you document your work should they ask for it you can list it as a modification / conversion on your insurance and tell the DVLA too by making the ammendment to your logbook !

 

[Standard_58]

Thanks unityjon,

Now comes the hard bit.

 

[kapri]

Not quite right .

If you simply weld up the rear doors then yes , no problems. However, if you move the B pillar back then you are modifying the monococque and that screws you on the DVLA points sytem . Should you be found out then you would be down for BIVA test. For some background to this check out www.the-ace.org.uk , mail direct and ask them any questions , they're a helpful bunch

 

[Standard_58]

Not quite right .

If you simply weld up the rear doors then yes , no problems. However, if you move the B pillar back then you are modifying the monococque and that screws you on the DVLA points sytem . Should you be found out then you would be down for BIVA test. For some background to this check out www.the-ace.org.uk , mail direct and ask them any questions , they're a helpful bunch

Oh, that will definately make me re-think my plans. I would perfer to move the B pillar back and extend the front door rather than weld up the back doors. Thanks for the advice and the link, I will have a look at what's involved before I make any more plans.

Cheers

Martin

 

[Kustom Jim]

Like the pics!

really makes a fab difference moving the B pillar though.

 

[Vonmerkin]

but should'nt that points system only come into play if hes trying to register the car not if hes modify'ing an allready registered old english car thats been on the road and registered since it was made allbeit maybe with an age related on her now :S or am i getting the wrong end of the stick haha more than likely

Harley

 

[40Stude]

Not quite right .

If you simply weld up the rear doors then yes , no problems.

Surely by welding the doors to the b and c pillars you are still in effect modifying the monocoque though?

 

[kapri]

Harley ,nope ,the points sytem and every other law applies to any registered car and those you are trying to register.Just look at teh recent saga of Andy Saunders Bentley .

It was caught and had to go through BIVA. I'm not telling anyone what to do with their car ,or how to build, just do whatever you want but from an informed point of view and accept the consequences of your actions.

Some may not be aware of the penalty for being caught misusing a V5c ,maximum penalty is £2000 fine and / or 24 months inside. Now DVLA don't tend to push this , of the 14 peopel I've spoken to who've lost their V5c ( including Andy ) they tend to just pull the logbook and the only way to legally get it back on the road is by going through the BIVA ( or ,possibly ,undoing enough mods to qualify under kit conversion / radically altered vehicle class.

Be aware there is a lot of misinformation in the thread below .You have to read it all to get the correct picture.

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=61576&page=1

 

[kapri]

Surely by welding the doors to the b and c pillars you are still in effect modifying the monocoque though?

That's where a big part of the problem lays with what DVLA's take is on 'modified'. Andys was pulled on the premise that the roof chop weakened the monococque.

I know what I class as monococque structure but whether that is the same as theirs is another matter. Over at ACE we are currently sounding out their take on what constitues modified. They tend not to like to be specific saying " each case is considered on it's merits " which is all well and good if it rules in 'your' favour but why do we have to find out AFTER spending a lot of hard graft, and money , to discover we are going to be sent for BIVA?

If you read the PPC article where they spoke to DVLA about this they even insisted that the Mac struts on a car must the the ORIGINALS it was built with ...and as we all know that's rubbish as they are service parts :tdown: