OhcrapOhcrapOhcrap vehicle reg issue

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping for a bit of advice. This is going to be a fairly long-winded post, so sorry about that. Anyone who sticks with it to the end gets 150 points.

I was once, as we all were, young and naive. During these carefree, oblivious times, I bought a late bay off (insert ominous music) eBay. It was (insert, slightly louder ominous music) sight unseen, and when we went to pick her up, I had no idea about the dangers of buying a bay using the 'wing and a prayer' technique.

I should also mention (to ensure none of you think I'm expecting sympathy) that we were those people that 'just, like, thought it would be cool to have a campervan'. We didn't have a clue about underseal (and what it might be hiding). More importantly, neither of us knew of the significance, or even the existence, of chassis numbers. Complete doe-eyed novices, I fully admit.

Anyway, we spent a couple of happy years with her, and she scraped through a couple of MoTs, until a catastrophic engine failure put her off the road. She remained SORNed for eight long years until I recently managed to get the funds together to fix her up.
And what a task this is proving!

Now though, I've discovered a pretty worrying potential issue, worse than the horrors I revealed when I got rid of the rather thick underseal.

What I found, while looking at how to get a vehicle back on the road, and off-SORN, is that the license plate, and the chassis number (deafeningly loud ominous music), Don't Match.
I am, as a wizened, and slightly less naive thirty-something, aware of the possible implications of this revelation.

My question is, what the Fuchs do I do now? I'm already into the resto for over £4K.
Short of building a time machine and going back to slap my former self in the back of the head, I'm not really sure what the best course of action is.

Does anyone have any ideas? Or the blueprints for a feasible time machine?

P.S. Congratulations, you made it to the end. You have earned 150 points.

 

We had someone on here a while back who had bought a van which had the registration switched - probably for road tax purposes and I don't think that the authorities were too bothered when she tried to sort it.
Is the reg roughly the right year for the van?

 

Not condoning possible illegal activities but, if it was me I would make the chassis match my reg now !! Where do I collect my points ?

 

Is it that the chassis number on the V5 match the van or is it the V5 states a different numberplate to the one on the van?

 

Part it out.

 

The reg is 1980 (I know, that should have been a clue). The chassis is '78.

 

what does the mot cert say? they have to put the vin in to the system i order to test it.

 

At the moment I can't find the v5. Eight years of having it off the road (out of site, out of mind) means I can't put my hands on the docs at the moment. I am planning a frantic search after work tonight!!

 

I wondered that, but van has been off the road for 8 years or so.

presumably the V5 registration number is the same as your van number plates, but the van's vin/chassis number is not the same as the V5 vin/chassis number.

to me there seem to be 2 issues here.

first is you want to get the van off sorn and drive the van and I assume you just have to fill in a form to do that and make a declaration and sign it. if so, you could just fill out the details as shown in your V5 and get it off sorn. The V5 details are what dvla have about your van. They don't know your van has a different chassis number.

the other issue is when you come to sell it, but that's for later.

 

if you have lost the V5, how do you know the numbers don't match up.

 

Hopefully, once I've turned the loft upside down, I'll be able to answer that. I am hoping that's where my docs are.

 

so is it just that the vin says '78 and reg says '80 that makes you think there's a problem? As @Baysearcher says it's probably fine.

 

That is a good question. And based on Baysearcher's point above, maybe I'm panicking for no reason. I was worried because I decoded the chassis number and it came up with '78, and the reg is '80. Maybe I was getting my knickers in a twist about nothing! I'll hunt out the docs. Hopefully I've over-thought, and over-worried about the whole thing? I am a worrier though.

 

So stop worrying, try to find the V5. if it doesn't turn up, contact the dvla and explain you have lost your old one and ask for a new one.

 

Sorry, I mean '79

 

They're are plenty registered in 1980 as many were sat around waiting t be sold or converted.

 

PM me some details - I can HPI both the reg and chassis etc and I'll let you know what it turns up. You may find you have a 78 built bus, not registered until 1980? It does happen....

Sorry - @Lord Congi already mentioned this...

 

this...

Plus there was a big pause in sales ,everyone was waiting for the newer more improved ,better styling T25...