Classic & Vintage Commercials Magazine CVC August 2013 Back Issue

P ART of many restoration
projects is sorting out
the paperwork and this
can occasionally prove more
challenging than dealing with the
nuts and bolts. One of the biggest
hurdles is obtaining an age-related
plate or, even better, the vehicle’s
original number. You could, for
example, buy an old truck with
the original log book, but whose
number has been deleted from
records. It’s then up to you to
prove that the truck is what you
say it is – easy enough – and that
it originated from a certain year.
That’s where owners’ clubs have
shown their worth by issuing
dating certificates.
Similarly, if you have built a vehicle
as a re-creation of a particular model
and used period parts then you’ll need a
certificate to authenticate that, although
it is not a factory-built vehicle, it is a
fair and true representation of a certain
marque.
That hasn’t been too much of a
problem until recently when, reportedly,
the DVLA is saying that the original
manufacturer should be contacted to
provide proof of a vehicle’s age and that
should take precedence over letters from
clubs.
The problem is spelled out in the latest
FBHVC newsletter, which also reports
that there is a DVLA Swansea staff
member tasked with the job of writing
to manufacturers to try to establish who
has historic records. Hmm, so what
would they do if dealing with a Tilling-
Stevens, Vulcan or a Sentinel Steam
Waggon? Not much chance of getting
hold of the manufacturer. Probably
as much as trying to contact Henry
VIII for a bit of marriage guidance
counselling.
OK, I don’t mean to be flippant, but
the DVLA says it wants to streamline
its services and one way would be, as
the FBHVC suggests, that if a vehicle is
more than 25 years old, the requirement
to contact the original manufacturer
should be waived. The DVLA do a great
job overall – yes, they do