Is it OK to pass an MGB off as earlier than it is?

[Ian F]

This may not be the place to suggest this, but if he can fit in a Midget he could get a good one for that price.
I got mine from Mike Authers.

Ian F

[Ian F]

This one is £8750, and would be my choice if I didn't already have one!!

Ian F

[Michael Barclay]

Hi
If I can chip in here. With regard to retaining a vehicles original Reg No.The DVLA work on a points system as follows. The vehicle must reach a score of 8 or more points to retain its original reg No
Part Points
Chassis, monocoque bodyshell (body and chassis as one unit) or frame -
original or new and unmodified (direct from manufacturer) 5
Suspension (front and back) - original 2
Axles (both) - original 2
Transmission - original 2
Steering assembly - original 2
Engine - original 1

With regard to the car in question, the body and engine are not original, I’m sure the suspension will not be original .There is no mention of the back axle or steering but if checked out I’m sure the car would struggle to obtain the 8 points required. The DVLA would be very interested in this car and I’m sure if they were to inspect the car it would be placed on a Q plate. At the very least ir would be given one of the DVLA’S unique Vin No’s.
I have inspected quite a lot of MGB’S on behalf of the Car club and DVLA. Unfortunately the above story is more common than you think. You would be amazed at the number of roadsters out there with GT VIN plates because of the availability of new shells.
Heritage shells are easy to identify as they have a unique No stamped into the body if you know where to look.
I think your friend would be well advised to give this car a wide berth.
Best regards
Mike Barclay

[Bumpa]

Ian, I think he is coming round to your way of thinking. A really good MGB is a bit above his budget, and as he has had a Midget before and liked it, he has started to look at them again. The one you show - where is it advertised?

Michael, he has definitely stopped any negotiation regarding the car that was the reason for this thread. Apparently the salesman at the dealership was not best pleased. Could it be a little tricky to sell? Apparently he was willing to drop the price quite a bit for a sale.

[Ian F]

Hi Mike.

The Midget is currently on Mike Authers for sale list. He is at Abingdon and has a website.

He specialises in Midgets and usually has a small stock. I can only recommend him because that's where I got mine. He will look out for specific models, colours etc. if you ask.
Mine did require a bit of fettling,so remember he is a car dealer!!
But overall a good solid car from him.

Ian F

[Ian F]

Thanks for that comprehensive explanation Mike, I didn't know that the club had such a person in place to deal with DVLA.
The Land Rover club I belong to certainly has such an individual, called the Vehicle Registration Officer ifI remember correctly.

Can I ask a supplementary question? There must be many vehicles out there, particularly prewar cars, which have their original registration but are not subject to any official examination. Do vehicles which are examined under this points system generally belong to the "reconstructed" category which are not yet registered with a current registration document? I don't imagine that the DVLA are seeking out vehicles with a current V5 which may fail this test of authenticity, so does it just come down to an enquiry from a potential purchaser or similar?

Ian F

[Michael Barclay]

Hi Ian
The MG Car club is on the DVLA’s list of official inspectors to undertake Vehicle inspections on behalf of the DVLA. Colin Grant based in Kimber house is the official contact. Obviously Colin is not an expert on all MG Models so inspections are usually performed by an expert from the various registers. However all documentation has to be stamps and signs by Colin before submission to the DVLA. I believe the exception to this is the T register (M, TA, B, C, D, and F Types) who have direct link to the DVLA.
Usually problems only occur when owners contact the DVLA regarding their when an anomaly has arisen regarding the cars details. This frequently happens when cars are being bought or sold and a discrepancy is spotted between the V5c and the vehicle details. (A common example is a roadster showing as a GT on the V5c) Surprisingly very common and an example where the DVLA would call for an inspection. The other scenario is vehicle that have been off the road for many years and are no longer on the DVLA data base. Generally owners do this the wrong way round , restoring the vehicle then apply for the original reg. This causes no end of problems if an inspection is required as most major components will have either been replaced or refurbished, making the declaration “The vehicle has been built using genuine period components all of the same specification all over 25 years old and is a true reflection of the marque” very difficult to confirm. This is usually further compounded as many owners replace the VIN and commission plates with new repro ones. The DVLA are very hot on this do not look favorably at pictures of shiny parts and VIN Plates. If a member is considering purchasing a “barn find “, I strongly recommend applying for the a V5c Before commencing any restoration.
We are currently seeing a plethora of Australian built B’s coming to the UK, which is keeping the car club busy with inspections etc.
Mike Barclay

[Ian F]

Many thanks Mike, very interesting. It seems it was much simpler and less risky in the 1970's when I bought my BGT (nearly new I thought) and my TR2 ( unrestored and a bit of a wreck).

Ian F

[Michael Barclay]

Hi Ian
That was before we had heritage shells and parts suppliers like Moss where you basically build a new car from scratch then buy a Vin pate from Ebay! It’s one of the main reason for the very cautious approach taken by the DVLA when a discrepancy is discovered or trying to obtain an age related Reg plate. From my experience i would support their approach
I would urge any prospective buyer to be very cautious when viewing a car take someone who knows about MGBS with you and check the paper work very carefully.
Mike Barclay

[Rommel]

There are many MGBs on Ebay and carandclassic.com which are in your friends budget that should fit the bill, at 77 I am surprised he can still get in and out of a MGB let alone a Midget !