First, moderators, I don’t know which forum this should be in. Can you please move it appropriately. Thanks. (this is my first post, sorry)

Does anyone know what I should do to get my 1977 Escort MkII RS2000 properly registered with the DVLA? The story is not so simple:

I bought the car sometime around 1990 from Northern Ireland (could have been 1989, I’ll have to check).

I rallied it in Belgium in the clubman’s series (great rallys there) with it for a year but the shell was in poor condition and got even poorer during the season as things jumped out and hit me.

So I re-shelled it with a nice shell. It was a LHD shell though and I planned to convert it to RHD, but never bothered.

I then put it in the back of my garage and built a house etc. No time to rally.

Now I want to get it MOTed and taxed and rally it again. But I understand the time has passed for us to trade in our “old” style logbooks for the new V5, that happened because I have been out of touch with car and rally things, because I spend a lot of my time over in Belgium for work. Still live in Kent though…

I want to rally it again.

I want to keep the original reg number. It has LIA in it and that’s my daughter’s name. Named after the rally car reg number actually. And I have some sentimental photos of myself and my wife in the rally car, with the reg number showing. Good times, those.

I understand I can let an official at the Ford Owners Club inspect the car and the log book, and then with his ok, I can “re” register my car with my original reg number. Something like that.

Does anybody know about these things? Can anybody help me get my car back into the system with my original reg number? Does anybody know who I should contact to do this?

Thanks,

Peter

This press release was made back in 2005. For latest info, you are best off looking at the DVLA website. I should imagine that your car was never SORN'd either. If it was DVLA would have contacted you beforehand.

Press release no:6 - DVLA urges classic car enthusiasts to get a new registration certificate

Release Date: 23/03/2005

Keepers of classic vehicles are being reminded that their old registration documents will be invalid from 1st July 2005. Since last year, DVLA has been issuing new style vehicle registration certificates (V5C) to vehicle keepers across the UK. The registration certificate replaces the old V5, commonly known as the log-book.

DVLA spokesperson Jeff Mumford said:

"This is partly an anti-vehicle crime initiative as the new V5C has added security features making it harder to forge than the existing registration document. This protects and benefits all vehicle owners – including classic vehicle owners."

Motorists are being issued with a new registration certificate automatically when they renew their vehicle tax or make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). However, if your vehicle is off road being renovated, or it is exempt from car tax for another reason, you will need to send the old V5 to DVLA with a letter requesting a new certificate.

Keepers of classic vehicles who are concerned they may lose vital information on their car’s history by handing in their old V5 registration document, may request the return of the log book in the covering letter.

All motorists are asked to ensure they are issued with the new registration certificate, as after 30 June 2005 private buyers and motor traders may refuse a sale if the vehicle keeper is unable to produce it.

This press release was made back in 2005. For latest info, you are best off looking at the DVLA website. I should imagine that your car was never SORN'd either. If it was DVLA would have contacted you beforehand.

Press release no:6 - DVLA urges classic car enthusiasts to get a new registration certificate

Release Date: 23/03/2005

Keepers of classic vehicles are being reminded that their old registration documents will be invalid from 1st July 2005. Since last year, DVLA has been issuing new style vehicle registration certificates (V5C) to vehicle keepers across the UK. The registration certificate replaces the old V5, commonly known as the log-book.

DVLA spokesperson Jeff Mumford said:

"This is partly an anti-vehicle crime initiative as the new V5C has added security features making it harder to forge than the existing registration document. This protects and benefits all vehicle owners – including classic vehicle owners."

Motorists are being issued with a new registration certificate automatically when they renew their vehicle tax or make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). However, if your vehicle is off road being renovated, or it is exempt from car tax for another reason, you will need to send the old V5 to DVLA with a letter requesting a new certificate.

Keepers of classic vehicles who are concerned they may lose vital information on their car’s history by handing in their old V5 registration document, may request the return of the log book in the covering letter.

All motorists are asked to ensure they are issued with the new registration certificate, as after 30 June 2005 private buyers and motor traders may refuse a sale if the vehicle keeper is unable to produce it.

As far as I understand, you will probably need to re-register it, possibly as an imported vehicle.

Take a look at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/DG_4022486 as I think it may be of some help. I know you havent rebuilt the car, but you may need to re-register it.

This one http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/DG_4022316 is specifically for registration data, and how to go about. If you mention the previous certificate, and that you tend to spend a lot of time in Belgium, then they may be able to advise just where to go next.

ok, thanks for the info.

here goes...

Peter