Reshelling a car with a used shell.

[GrahamS]

Evening chaps.

I put in my project thread earlier a little idea I've had. I've got a pretty battered clio DCI which I'm hopefully getting rid of in 6 months or so but though of keeping it if I could make it a little better. The body work is dented all over as you can see in this thread http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?733924-Discusting-farm-clio

You can buy 172s with snapped belts for absolute peanuts so wanted to swap over the engine, transmission, all the electronics, fuel tank etc to have a DCI rep for not much money. I do not want a q plate however and want to keep the £30 tax.

Looking at the v5 document you can change the vin number and colour of a vehicle no problem (this is all that would be required). I've already got a DCI rep with full sport running gear so technically here the only difference would be a number on the body. The parts which I'm swapping over have more ID numbers on them than the shell it's self. I would also loose the sunroof.

Having searched it seems people do this loads with classic cars because of rust or crashes on rallies. I'm not trying to hide anything about the car so don't see why this would be a problem. Of course it would required modified car insurance.

All your advice would be brilliant

Cheers

Graham

Has anyone got any experience of this?

edit: https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-altered-vehicles This is the site I've been looking at which speaks of the 8 points. I have absolutely no problem putting the original suspension on it if it means I get the 8 points.

 

[Bluebeard]

Re-shell it and swap the chassis plates over.

As long as your honest when you sell it, nobody else needs to know. If you do a good enough job (I don't expect anything less of you tbh!) then nobody would ever question it.

Saves aggro with insurers, aggro with DVLA, aggro at MOT time etc.

It's not a classic mk1 escort or the likes so will anyone actually care??

 

[GrahamS]

Daniel

Cheers Dan, very kind of you.

When you say swap the chassis plates, do you mean on the log book? of course they are stamped in a few places on the shell. This whole business of "original axles" is all a very outdated law that is really only relevant to land rovers and cars which have stamped axles.

I'd of course do it all properly as It's quite a big swap over. Engine, gearbox, wiring, exhaust, fuel system, steering column I was thinking something like a 172 cup as it's got all the correct running gear but basic interior spec which the DCI currently has. Would be a great finished item but the whole beauty of the DCI is the tax at £30.

 

[Bluebeard]

No I mean keep the DCI log book, but basically 'ring' (for want of a better word) the car.

So change all the VIN plates over. Put the chassis numbers from the DCI on to the 172 shell. Apart from the lack of sunroof, nobody would know.

I think it's illegal though so you might want to check that out...

On Clio mk1's, people just drill out the 4 rivets that hold the VIN plate on and swap them between chassis', so it's certainly not uncommon.

 

[Djw John]

Chassis number is stamped under the drivers seat iirc. Cut that out the scrap shell and if you want fit it to the new one but I wouldn't (and probably won't) bother.
Buy a new vin sticker with your v5 and ID and stick to the new shell, the only other piece thats obvious is the dashtop, 2 minutes work or just forget about it, it really won't matter.

 

[GrahamS]

Yeah the chassis number is stamped under the seat, on the chassis leg. The dash one as you say is a complete dos. I don't want to do any chopping really in case it isn't above board and I don't want to be seen to deliberately conceal the identity.

Looks like the points works mainly with the chassis which is just stupid.

Exploring another idea. If it was turned into a Q plate. How would the tax work if I chucked the DCI engine in.

 

[Djw John]

I would genuinely do as Daniel says.

When was the last time your chassis number was checked? Mot right? Swap to a new sticker and thats that. Its not like the police do random chassis checks is it?

 

[GrahamS]

Ohh yeah I know I imagine it's never done in the life of most cars. I can't weld which is a bummer so the dash would have to do and realistically would suffice.

only issues to overcome now is the abs! Maybe a ff would be better. Will have to see how much I've got to play with. A 182 would be fun but it will always be a £500 max kind of thing.

I dont plan on selling the car really as we will always have use for it. Cheers guys. If I find the time for this it should be a fun project with a cool outcome

 

[GrahamS]

Adding to this. If I bought a 182, can I have the tax class changed based on the emissions?