15 replies to this topic

[foxfan]

I recently bought an unfinished project. Its a mini which has had its roof cut off and welded back on where the back seats go so its now a two seater. I think its now called a roadster ? It has been done really well with huge reinforcing along the inner sills to strengthen it and I was even given a photo album of the stages of the build. My question is tho, can I just bang it in for an mot or has it been modified too much and will need a iva ?I did read the following in a FAQ section.

TAKING THE ROOF OFF
I have a query regarding MOT testing and was hoping you might be able to Help me. Basically, myself and some colleges are planning to buy an MOT Certified car for very cheap and then angle grind the roof off for the summer to make a the car a convertible. I'm working on the assumption that as a result this would then fail its MOT (is this true?), however, for the duration of the existing MOT is it legal to drive the car in that state?


You are correct that regarding the MOT you would not be committing an 'MOT' offence by cutting the roof off your car as the existing MOT would still be valid. However it would almost certainly fail an MOT in that state and also be illegal to drive on the road (irrespective of its having a valid MOT) unless you have taken the appropriate steps to properly reinforce the structure so that the structural integrity and strength of the body shell is at least as strong as the original structure.

[minidaves]

and take it for an IVA

[foxfan]

and take it for an IVA

I wasnt sure if that was the case. I looked at the IVA section on the direct.gov website and the vosa site but they only refer to imports and kit cars and other things which bare no resemblance to my mini. Where did you get your info ? Do you have a link to it ?

[Dan]

Look up 'radically altered vehicles'.

[Darkscamp]

just take it for an MOT and if they refer you then you'll have to do an IVA. i always try to go to a local mini friendly garage

My bet is they will just MOT it and off you then go to get your tax. Over the many years my scamp has been MOT'd, the question of an IVA has never come up, and you could say its a bit modified from the standard mini shape

[xBR4DLEY]

just take it for an MOT and if they refer you then you'll have to do an IVA. i always try to go to a local mini friendly garage

My bet is they will just MOT it and off you then go to get your tax. Over the many years my scamp has been MOT'd, the question of an IVA has never come up, and you could say its a bit modified from the standard mini shape

Yeah but its not registered as a mini , is it?
and maybe because of thats how it was made from factory , the ERA turbos had a bulkhead box thing for the turbo , but as they where made like that nothing was said about them.

[Darkscamp]

Yeah but its not registered as a mini , is it?

whats not registered as a mini? the scamp? i think you'll find it is. The car is a mini scamp.

Edited by Darkscamp, 18 July 2010 - 09:48 PM.

[foxfan]

OK, cheers for those replies.I think because its not quite ready for testing yet (needs rear lights and seatbelts sorting) I'm gonna go into my local MOT station and ask. I'll report back tomorrow hopefully

[Darkscamp]

Personally i'd just wait until its finished and take it for an MOT.

I have a mate who races Super Mighty Minis and he has two roadster converted minis, both of which pass an MOT every year without any hint of being sent for an IVA.

Edited by Darkscamp, 18 July 2010 - 09:52 PM.

[xBR4DLEY]

Yeah but its not registered as a mini , is it?

whats not registered as a mini? the scamp? i think you'll find it is. The car is a mini scamp.

Thats why I asked a question dumbo
It is still classed as a mini , but a variant , is yours a Q reg by any chance , I saw some scamp looking moke thingys on Q plates a few times

[Darkscamp]

Yeah but its not registered as a mini , is it?

whats not registered as a mini? the scamp? i think you'll find it is. The car is a mini scamp.

Thats why I asked a question dumbo
It is still classed as a mini , but a variant , is yours a Q reg by any chance , I saw some scamp looking moke thingys on Q plates a few times

Its classed as a mini on the log book but made with a mixture of new and used parts according to the DVLA. I think it was a loop hole back in the day to put it on a normal plate. Lets just say i dont pay road tax with the plate its on, but dont tell anyone

[xBR4DLEY]

Hmmm , make sure before the police seize your computer you change that statement

[Darkscamp]

Its how i bought it officer. Which is true, its how i bought it many years ago now .

[Dan]

That's precisely the point, it was done in the past and has been driven on the road in that condition since. There were no IVAs when it was done, there were very few rules regarding modified cars at all. Any car in the process of being converted now has to comply with the laws as they stand now. There is a very large pinned thread about how it all works currently somewhere, either in the technical or chat section.

[foxfan]

So I've spent a long time on the phone today pestering the nice people at VOSA. I eventually spoke to a nice chap who couldn't possibly comment on my vehicle without seeing it. So in my persistence and wanting to know straight from the horses mouth if my mini needs a iva, I am trailering my mini to Derby so he can look at it in its unfinished state. I know it may be easier to just take it to an MOT station, but ive got a fair bit of work to do on it yet and if it needs an iva then im just going to break it for spares and get my money back and save a fair bit of work. It sounds a bit defeatist but the advise I've been given here does point to it needing an iva and I cant afford the expense and i dont think its worth the time to be honest I'll update asap