DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

I am going round in circles trying to understand the categories for registering a kit car. I know a 356 replica sits in the 'kit conversion' section. This is defined as:

This is where a kit of new parts is added to an existing vehicle, or old parts are added to a kit of a manufactured body, chassis or monocoque bodyshell. The general appearance of the vehicle will change and result in a different description being put on the Registration Certificate (V5C).
A vehicle will keep the registration number of the original vehicle if the original unaltered chassis/monocoque bodyshell has been used along with two other major components from the original vehicle.
If a new monocoque bodyshell or chassis from a specialist kit manufacturer (or an altered chassis or bodyshell from an existing vehicle) is used with two original major components from the donor vehicle, a replacement registration number will be issued based on the age of the donor vehicle. The vehicle must have IVA, SVA or MSVA. The date of manufacture for the vehicle will be taken from the IVA, SVA or MSVA certificate.
Where insufficient parts from a donor vehicle are used or in cases where the original registration is unknown IVA/ SVA/MSVA will be required to register the vehicle and a 'Q' prefix registration number will be allocated.

Ok clearly it will not be able to retain the original reg as chassis is altered, the second (underlined) option enables you to get age related if a new specialist chassis and 2 major donor components are used. The following bit in brackets says (or an altered chassis or bodyshell from an existing vehicle), I'm guessing this is the relevant bit for most 356 builders and I assume it doesn't have to be altered by the 'specialist manufacturer' mentioned before.

But this line is a bit at odds with the whole dvla/vosa definitions as an altered existing chassis will normally automatically be an iva and Q plate! In the radically altered vehicle bit it says:

If the vehicle has less than eight points, a second-hand or altered chassis, frame or monocoque bodyshell is used, the vehicle must have IVA, SVA or MSVA, whichever is appropriate, so that it can be registered. A ‘Q’ registration number will then be issued

But that would mean that every shortened buggy and 356 kit would be a Q, but I don't see many.

How did the people who have gone through iva do it?

Cheers

Typically you now see them issued a replacement age-related registration so I presume that a manufacturer shortened chassis is sufficiently refurbished to be considered 'new'. (After all, only the tunnel and torsion tubes are retained). Or use refurbished components and get it registered as an all new car. Either way, you'll have to pay road tax.

I built my car pre-SVA so retained the donor registration when re-registering as a VW Chesil Speedster, although it is now on a private dateless plate.

Simon

You've answered you own question in your confusion?

"Ok clearly it will not be able to retain the original reg as chassis is altered, the second (underlined) option enables you to get age related if a new specialist chassis and 2 major donor components are used. The following bit in brackets says (or an altered chassis or bodyshell from an existing vehicle), I'm guessing this is the relevant bit for most 356 builders and I assume it doesn't have to be altered by the 'specialist manufacturer' mentioned before."

As Simon said, sorry for the pun. You will loose your historic tax and have to pay . It will be classed as a new vehicle hence why you don't get to keep the old plate, although it is replaced with age related.

I agree it does seem that the answer is there in the document, but it doesn't tally with the general 8 point principle applied to modified cars, where a cut chassis means Q plate automatically. If the wording is correct then why don't all the 'radically altered vehicles' just go in as kit conversions and keep an age related plate.

I spoke to the guys at ACE and they believe the wording is wrong and it should read "or an UNaltered chassis or bodyshell from an existing vehicle". I was told thats what it used to read a few years ago and its been changed in error. But this doesn't make sense to me either as if you had 2 components AND an un-altered chassis you'd be eligible to keep you actual age related plate and just be doing a rebody without IVA.

Seems to me that the sentence is very odd, but its the sentence we are rely on to get an age related plate. Maybe I should just keep quiet and accept it as it works in our favour, but my kit build will take so long, the rules will probably have changed when I'm finished!

I knew that the historic tax gets lost. I only want to do this to be able to run black and silver pre-reg plates....what vanity! Technically I wouldn't even be able to do that as its date of manufacture would be current, not pre 73, but I think I would be happy taking the risk on black plates on a pre-reg plate on a 50's looking car.