16 replies to this topic

[Dan]

Presence of the original engine would no longer be relevant in this situation. A second hand bodyshell may not be used on any car, and any replacement brand new bodyshell must be original specification meaning it would have to have been a Mk3 shell so even if this is a BMH shell it can't be treated as original replacement. Therefore legally it would have to be classed as a radically altered vehicle or a vehicle of unknown origin.
Having said that it is unlikely that the MOT tester would notice it wasn't the original shell as on a car of that age his computer shouldn't be asking him to look for a VIN number. I don't know if comission numbers are treated the same way by the MOT system. It might slide through the testing but it wouldn't be fully legal and it wouldn't have a chance of passing a proper identity inspection.

[Dan16v]

I think that it probably wouldnt get picked up, but I dont think its worth the risk of spending lots of money on somehting that potentialy would be have to be SVA'd, would a mini even pass modern SVA tests!

I think I will keep looking, find somethnig thats a bit less hasstle.

Cheers for all the advice guys, it meant i was able to spot it wasnt a mk3 shell