Historic status ?

[Coltstingray]

Hi all hope everyone had a good Christmas and new year

I have a 1989 C4 and was wondering about the 40 year historic status, I know mine is nort eligible yet, but I was curious after reading a few articles and it says from first registration, so because mine is 1989 but registered in UK in 2000 does that mean it goes from that 2000 date as opposed to 1989 date, I thought before I go down the rabbit hole that the Internet is I'd ask here first,

Thank you

 

[Chuffer]

Status is from year of manufacture not when first registered in UK . You will need provide DVLA with written confirmation of that ie ; 1989 . Good luck with DVLA because unless they have got their act together in recent years they are a PIA to get it sorted .

 

[antijam]

Presumably your V5C carries the car's VIN. For a 1989 this should fall between 1G1YY2186K5100001 and 1G1YY2186K5126328. There is plenty of information on the web allowing you to decode the production month of the car and the DVLA should accept this. However as Chuffer points out, they're not always the most efficient.

 

[Mr. Cricket]

Presumably your V5C carries the car's VIN. For a 1989 this should fall between 1G1YY2186K5100001 and 1G1YY2186K5126328. There is plenty of information on the web allowing you to decode the production month of the car and the DVLA should accept this. However as Chuffer points out, they're not always the most efficient.

This.

I had a '71 on an R plate that I wanted reassigned to the correct year J plate. Produced a VIN description showing how to decode the VIN and they sent me the new J reg without question.

 

[Mr. Cricket]

Found the letter and I've redacted the VIN as I don't own the car anymore:

Ref: 1971 Corvette Stingray LT-1

Current registration mark: WGD 287R

VIN: 194371S11****

Hello.

I recently purchased this car which has been to my knowledge not driven for 18 years. With the cars documents there was an old V5 which I completed and sent to the DVLA for a change of ownership but it seems to have been lost in transit as of today the DVLA have no record of it being delivered. With the application I had enclosed an appeal to have the current registration changed to an age-related registration rather than the first registered registration it currently has. I believe it was first registered between 1976 & 1977 prior to the age-related registration system.


I have enclosed a copy of the original sales documents showing the 1971 date and also below is an explanation of the vehicles unique VIN of which I have enclosed a photograph off the car itself. The VIN is located on the windshield pillar. A link to a website that decodes these VIN numbers is below.



194371S11****



Chevrolet Corvette V8 2 Door Coupe 1971 Assembled in St. Louis Production Numbers



Free Corvette VIN Decoder (1953-2024): Easy-to-Use, Decode ALL Years

 

[Steven Smith]

Status is from year of manufacture not when first registered in UK . You will need provide DVLA with written confirmation of that ie ; 1989 . Good luck with DVLA because unless they have got their act together in recent years they are a PIA to get it sorted .

That's really interesting, I wonder where I stand with My C4.
The manufacturer date as seen on the driver's door data plate is 11/85 but the model year is G for 86.
The car was imported to UK in 89.
Was hoping it will become historic in 2026.

 

[Roscobbc]

That's really interesting, I wonder where I stand with My C4.
The manufacturer date as seen on the driver's door data plate is 11/85 but the model year is G for 86.
The car was imported to UK in 89.
Was hoping it will become historic in 2026.

By all accounts Steve your C4 should be classisfied (by DVLA) as 'Historic' a full 40 years (so 480 months) after 11/85 official date of manufacture.

 

[Chuffer]

I think Ross meant to say 11/ 85 not 11/86 ??? The date of manufacture is what counts as the new model year cars are being manufactured in the lead up to the model year concerned . My C3 left the factory on 19th December 1979 as a 1980 MY car .

 

[Steven Smith]

I think Ross meant to say 11/ 85 not 11/86 ??? The date of manufacture is what counts as the new model year cars are being manufactured in the lead up to the model year concerned . My C3 left the factory on 19th December 1979 as a 1980 MY car .

So I should be able to apply for historic status this coming December.

 

[Roscobbc]

So I should be able to apply for historic status this coming December.

Sorry Steve - 'typo', my error. (put 86 year of manufacture not 85)
My experience when doing 'dating' letters on behalf of members was that the 40 no. years had to be 40 'inclusive' 12 month years (rather than say, simply a random 1985 to 2025 year date - DVLA can be very pedantic) so a full 40 no. 12 month years had to pass from date of manufacture......so, your car would become classified 'historic' as from 12/2025........but I've been known to be wrong in the past!

 

[Coltstingray]

This.

I had a '71 on an R plate that I wanted reassigned to the correct year J plate. Produced a VIN description showing how to decode the VIN and they sent me the new J reg without question.

Mine is on an F plate for 89 it's just with it saying registered 2000 that's all thanks

 

[Coltstingray]

Thank you all for your help

 

[Nassau65]

That's really interesting, I wonder where I stand with My C4.
The manufacturer date as seen on the driver's door data plate is 11/85 but the model year is G for 86.
The car was imported to UK in 89.
Was hoping it will become historic in 2026.

As the car was manufactured in NOVEMBER 1985 it would have been classed as a 1986 car and titled as such in the US. New year models usually run from sept onwards. ie sept 2024 build is a 2025 model.

 

[Pitre]

The club should be able to help with any necessary 'official' confirmation of manufacturing date in any necessary comms with DVLA.
Contact Mark Eaton on valuation_and_dating@corvetteclub.org.uk

 

[CaptainK]

I'm hoping that in 10 years time the process will be simplified - my FTO will then be 40 years old.

 

[Chuffer]

I'm hoping that in 10 years time the process will be simplified - my FTO will then be 40 years old.

I doubt it . Government beauraucracy being what it is will probably make it ten times worse !!

 

[Nassau65]

I got the Tax your vehicle reminder through yesterday for my 65. What a waste of effort that is. Printed form, envelope , postage etc. it’s tax exempt with nothing to pay. Why? Stupidity in my opinion. Yes, very easy to do online, but why is it necessary.

 

[Chuffer]

I got the Tax your vehicle reminder through yesterday for my 65. What a waste of effort that is. Printed form, envelope , postage etc. it’s tax exempt with nothing to pay. Why? Stupidity in my opinion. Yes, very easy to do online, but why is it necessary.

Keeps the `pen pushers in a job `, but they are now called ` keyboard bashers ` !!!

 

[Roscobbc]

I got the Tax your vehicle reminder through yesterday for my 65. What a waste of effort that is. Printed form, envelope , postage etc. it’s tax exempt with nothing to pay. Why? Stupidity in my opinion. Yes, very easy to do online, but why is it necessary.

The much bigger picture is..........should our current government decide to 'milk' more money out of a specific sector of the motoring public.......(i.e 'historic'/classic cars) it's very, very easy for them to apply with no additional paperwork required.

 

[antijam]

The much bigger picture is..........should our current government decide to 'milk' more money out of a specific sector of the motoring public.......(i.e 'historic'/classic cars) it's very, very easy for them to apply with no additional paperwork required.

True, but so far the government has actually made it cheaper to run a 'Classic' than a modern car - no MoT, zero road tax. I have three classics that only require insuring if on the road, one hybrid that pays no road tax and a modern Mustang that costs a bloody fortune to drive!