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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - registration

I’m french, I live in france, I have built an mgbv8 conversion. It’s no possible to register this car in france. What is the procedure for register this type of car in England.
regards.
michel

Michel,
Take a look at http://www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/vehicles.htm If the car was originally registered in the UK, it may be possible to re-register. If however it was exported new from the UK, it's likely you will have to follow the process for importing a car into the UK. The DVLA site above explains how this is done. Good luck!
Pete
Pete Green

Thank you Pete, I will read that attentively. The car was built bits per bits without any documents. (I have the bills)
Regards
michel

Another possibility
Buy a cheap MG roadster about £400-£600 Transfer the registration and chassis number onto your car. Fill in the changes section of the registration document to indicate new engine size(3500). Get your car MOT,d then sell the donor car as spares.
You will probably have to bring the car back to england to have an MOT test once a year.

Mark
Mark

Michel
And while you were over here with your car it would be daft not to try some of our circuits. Brands Hatch is probably the nearest.

Mark
Mark

Hi.
I had the same problem here in Norway, since the car was originally 4 cylinder, the goverment would not let me register it as a 8 cylinder.
But since the car was availible as a 8 cylinder car orginally, I could get it registered if I could supply a document from MG that told the differences between a 4 cylinder car and a 8 cylinder car.

Trying to get this document from Rover/MG was impossible, so i talked to Roger Parker (thanks for all the help Rog.) at MGOC and he wrote me an letter with details of all the differences between the models, the letter was an official letter from MGOC.
This letter was accepted by the goverment. And my car get registered.

Runar
Runar

The Norway government is intelligent, the French government much less.
Regards.
michel

Michel
The normal procedure for a 'new' vehicule is to get temporary registration in the Country of manufacture.
Would your registration people not give you an export plate ?

Once here you have a number of options - the easiest would be to register it as having been assembled from parts - an acceptable and legal procedure although it does involve a test - you should ask if they will give you British temporary registration.

If you can't get temporary registration in France or England, could you bring it here on a trailor or in a container ?

If you get stuck, I would certainly follow Runar's example and talk to the MGOC

I can not help feeling that if you had assembled say a Peugeot that your authorities would find a way to get you on the road.
RMW

Michel,

When I bought my 79 MGB seven years ago, the intention was to convert into V8 power straight away. However, after making contact with the athorities I got the bitter information that the only tuning that was alowed was: 129 bhp as per the 1969 BMC special tuning manual stage 3. Since MG stopped being imported into Sweden in the seventies we had no company that issued documents of the standars needed to comply with when upgrading into V8. When MG-Rover retuned to Sweden a few years ago, we were able to get the neccesary documents to persue an engine transplant. Which we do.

In Sweden, we do have a second alternative that is called "a homebuilt vehicle". To have it recognised as a "homebuilt" we need to have the car evaluated by a representive of a private motor association and changed, if ordered to.

I am not really sure of the specific nature of your problems with the French government. Is it a protection of the French car industry or safety reasons of stuffing big motors in small cars? The angle of attack in my two hypothetical options, would vary so to speak.

Good Luck

Erik
Erik

Thank you all for your reply. For register my car in france I need a document named "certificat de conformité", conformity certificate, sold by the importateur rover-france. The importateur does not have this certificate, the mgbv8 never existed. There is no temporary registration in france and the registration service is inflexible. Erik say for safety reason, yes, french state welfare french people, welfare state and the state protect take precautions. I will try to register my car in England, but I think I need an address in England.
Regards
Michel
michel

Michel

Are self build kit cars (Caterham, Westfield etc) permitted in France? If they are you should be able to put your car through the French equivalent of a "Single Vehicle Approval" test.

I sincerely hope you can solve this problem so that you can enjoy the results of your hard work.
L Webb

Michel,
The method which L Webb speaks about is exactly what I mean by my second alternative.
France is a country within the European Union wich is in some sence a possible route. Even if "Marianne" can have her own rules concerning engine swaps in France, you might export your car to say Britain. Own it there and have it registered as a V8 and then reimport it to France. A car that is considered legal in GB should be legal in France?

Cheers
Erik
Erik

The system of registration here is locked by the " conformity certificat". I buy one Range Rover in England I bring back it to france, I require the certificat to rover-france, the certificat exist, no problem, registration is accepted. I buy Westfield, no certificat, no registration. The certificat exist fo Caterham super seven. The solution is in England.
To day, track day with my mgbv8 a delight.
regards
Michel
michel

Michel.

As a fellow V8 owner I sympathise.
other possible alternatives ?

I visited your region last summer, you are not too far from Spain and Italy, where perhaps their rules are less strict, could you temporarily register it there, would that help ?

Having seen photos of your excellent engineering, it would be a pity if it did not get on the open road.
Bon chance

Michael

M Barnfather

I know I should just keep my mouth shut, but your problems sure make me feel good as an auto hobbyist to know that I live in the USA. We here in the States may fall short of european expectations in many areas, but we do get to drive what we build, smoke what we roll, and drink what we brew! Vive la France! Chris, in Texas
Chris Jones (CO)

Michel
Address ? - Email me
Roger
RMW

Roger
The address mail is to my home PC.

Michael
Thank you. Now, I use my car for track day and I have a great time.

Chris
You are lucky for live in States, in Texas or Colorado, I like States, I have Holley carb to my engine, I ride to my Harley, I drink Bud. Just one trouble, your president. Nobody is perfect.
Regards
michel

Michel,

I also got my single homologation here in Holland for my MGv8. Its now 6 years ago and thinks are not so easy anymore. Like Erik, i thought that if a car is registered in the UK, they can't refuse to register it in France. This was the goal of a united Europe.
You could also try to buy a converted roadster from the UK and then take the registration and sell the bits.
Another solution could be:
About the certificat of conformity: This says that a car meets the regulations. Your car is a mixture of the MGBV8 and the MGB RV8 which are both registered in France i assume. Engine, brakes, axle are from the GT V8 and the body is more or less identical to the RV8. I send the guys in Holland copy's from magazine reports that compared the GTV8 and the RV8 and also copy's of bills that showed, the parts i bought were GTv8 parts.

it was all very easy. Âfter a short check, all the papers were send and 6 weeks later i got my V8 car papers.
Good luck
Peter
Peter

Thank you Peter for your contribution. Unfortunately for me the gtv8 and the rv8 are not approved in france. I have hope with all these mgv8 approved in europe.
Regards
michel

Michel,
I have been somewhat preoccupied with your dilemma and came to think of a possible option.
-The RV8 was built in the mid nineties and all cars produced for the European market carried an E-number. A code that specified all sorts of testing and equipment, in one sence a conformity to regulations of the period. Since MG-Rover just recently let the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust take care of their dealership for spares for the RV8. BMIHT should be able to specify the similarities and differences between your car and the RV8. Since one of the cars presumably carries the E-number and the otherone does´nt. It might be the case the RV8 might supply some leverage for you. Possibly Roger Parker at MGOC and BMIHT could join forces and work together, just for the sake of it.

I´d love to see the pencil warriors beaten by their methods.


Hope it helps

Erik
Erik

This thread was discussed between 16/12/2004 and 21/12/2004

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