Thread: Is a reshell legal?

Just restamp the numbers and don't admit it on a public board and be on your merry way

Trust me - dont lie they will find out - nowthat you have posted this in an open forum its out there and will bite you in the butt. I take it by cannot be registered the vehicle has been written off overseas? I would check with your states RTA (etc) and see what they say - so long as the donor vehicle is structurally sound then you may not have a problem. Do not attach your old vin to a new donor body - vin stays with its original vehicle . RTA's have gudelines as to how to undertake major panel resotoration work. IMO if its done by a licesed panel beater and you can prove title of the donor vehicle they you should probably be ok.

Originally Posted by blue_mini

Thats where the line gets blurred, I'm not planning on selling this car, it was my first car. But to chop up a very good shell to piece together an old shell with seems a bit pointless when i can just reshell it from the word go.

As has been said your best bet is to give your state RTA a call and see what the requirements are. I think you will be OK. The issue with so called rebirthed cars is that they are usually stolen vehicles with dodgy compliance plates and/or ar mechanically unsound eg chassis being welded together.
What you are describing is totally different and is restoration which there is nothing illegal about at all.
Many people import vehicles ex japan for bodies, panels, engine and drivetrain components.

I was originally not saying any of the specifics just in case it might bite me in time. All it would take is an old inspector to walk up and say thats no 60s deluxe, thats a 90s rover import.
I had a look at what would be the donor vehicle today. Its a mint condition 94 rover with fuel injection, air con, the works. And at a really good price. The only downside is that it doesnt meet ADR's for side impacts. There are people around who can do it, but only to post 97 cars with airbags.
And you wouldnt believe how many people say just dodgy it up. But its too tidy for that. Looks near new so doesnt cut it. Thanks for the advice, might still buy it and try to get it complied as what it is. Rebirthing is not a career im looking for.

This is a bit off topic but there is a company in UK that builds new roundnose shells, the also do MGB and Midget/Sprite shells etc.

Mini Restoration by British Motor Heritage Limited

Can you swap the doors to comply with the ADR?

James

ps This mob is a license supplier for BMH and theyre at Smithfield. http://www.mgspareparts.com.au/index...com_virtuemart

I have seen the reproduction shells, and they look very good. But I'd be paying more to get the shell than I would be paying for the entire car in this case. If I was going to spend the money I'd import a fibreglass mini minus shell from the uk and reshell it into that. But I'm sure Queensland transport will have something to say about it.

But by far the simplest way would be to replace every panel on my rusty mini except where the plate is mounted, but that's playing with fire.

AFAIK if the car was imported as a complete car for parts only, it can never be registered legally.
To be legally registered the late model car would have to have an Australian Compliance plate, be imported by an approved importer, and ADR'd by an approved ADR agent, eg like Dodge Rams etc. (or driven etc for a year overseas by the owner and given an ADR plate.)

If you change the ID numbers then that is a No no and if discovered the car will be unregisterable.
This is NOT an issue of restoration, you are talking fraud.

However I am pretty sure that if you used the bulkhead or wherever the chassis number is of the original mini and replaced a number of panels say including the roof etc , you do not have to tell anyone.

It is pretty common to use different bodyshells for "restored' cars . I recall going to a Show and Shine about 6 years ago where there were a number of Escort RS2000s. I was appalled/amused to see that the ID plates were all for lesser models.That is OK as long as the shells match the ID, but in two cases the shells were 2doors and the IDs for 4 doors. This should be picked up buy the RTA , but as long as the donor car was registered I guess it never arose. But if it were there would be legal ramifications.

Regards Philip A