For those of us with £25k to spend

datsun dave

datsun dave

Club Member
No ringer in my garage 240z imported from USA payed all VAT & chargers when it landed ,converted to RHD MOTed on the chassis number then had to take all my USA docs and bills into DVLA Manchester and was given a H reg 1970 plate for my 1970 car.

Would NEVER restore a UK car again as my car inported in 2004 cost inc shipping/vat/delivery to the docks in USA under £2500.
 
datsun dave

datsun dave

Club Member
Russ said:
Sorry my bad, I thought as it had a UK plate it was being passed off as a UK car, if it's still got the US ID then yeah whatever, it's totally legit. I wasn't knocking it, I was merely saying that if I had £25k I'd want a car that when claimed to be UK was actually UK. I'm sure it'll make a very nice car for someone.

Guys we all want different things, to me I wouldn't want a Porsche that pretended to be something it wasn't or an MG (not relating it to the Z in any way). Same as I'd love a Charger R/T, I wouldn't want a Charger which had all the R/T dress up and pretended to be one, but was never born that way. To me I want the genuine article, bit like designer knock offs, why pretend to yourself? That's how it feels to me anyway.

Good luck with the sale, looks like a nice car for someone.
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So my 240z is not a real 240z its pretending to be one ? a designer knock off !!
 
moggy240

moggy240

Insurance Valuations Officer
Staff member
Club Member
via the autotrader website.

Vehicle Ringing


A 'Ringer' is a stolen car that has had its identification numbers replaced by a set from another - usually written-off - car, which effectively changes the car's identity.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) number is presented on a small plate that is riveted under the bonnet and stamped on the car's floorpan. In addition, the VIN number will sometimes appear in the door pillar or at the base of the windscreen.
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If you buy a ringer, in legal terms, the car does not belong to you.
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A ringer will have these numbers removed and replaced, so look for evidence of tampering around the riveted plates and instances where the stamped VIN has been ground away and another has been added in its place.

Often ringers are processed and sold by organised criminal gangs who cover their tracks thoroughly to avoid detection, so you will have no chance of getting your money back.

If you buy a ringer, in legal terms, the car does not belong to you. This means that it will be returned to the original owner or sold as salvage, enabling the insurance company to recoup their losses.

There are steps you can take to avoid buying a ringer:


  • Make sure the V5 registration document is genuine - an original will have a DVLA watermark running through it
  • Check for tampering around the VIN numbers
  • Make sure there is a satisfactory amount of paperwork
  • Ensure that there hasn't been a recent respray - look for overspray on glass and trim

The best way to be sure that a car isn't a ringer is to invest in a car data check from an organisation such as the Auto Trader Vehicle Check.
Often a car data check will be included in a full vehicle inspection.

If you suspect that your vehicle is a ringer, contact the police immediately. Keeping hold of it or trying to sell it on could leave you facing criminal charges.

If you have viewed a vehicle, which you believe is a ringer, contact Trading Standards (in the case of a dealer sale) and the police (private or dealer) immediately.
 
SeanDezart

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
So those cars quoted here as non-ringers have a UK registration for a RHD Z with an 'HLS' chassis number ?
 
Mr Ex

Mr Ex

Inactive
SeanDezart said:
Ok Mr - so define 'ringer' please.
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Well Sean, it's not strictly a ringer as in the true sense of what moggy has found but changing a rotten English Z's chassis number with a US car & making said car a RHD is bordering on "ringing" & therefor is bordering on the "is it legal or not" territory. Anyway Sean you've been around long enough to know what a ringer is.:D
 
moggy240

moggy240

Insurance Valuations Officer
Staff member
Club Member
SeanDezart said:
So how would using a UK chassis number get you a DVLA supplied 'H' or 'J' plate ?
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it would not ..............it would get the related number plate matched to the UK chassis number and its original date of registration.so if it was a k reg 240z chassis number that is what you would get, a k reg 240z
 
Mr Ex

Mr Ex

Inactive
samuri-240 said:
The Z in the ad is on a J plate, moggy's is on a J plate, mine is on a J plate, Dave Porter's is on an H plate, Brian Baker's 240 Sam was also on an H plate, this is just to name but a few,
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This is making a mockery of the history of the UK Z scene where only 2 J reg cars should be over here. I wonder what Albrecht thinks to it all?
 
Mr.G

Mr.G

Club Member
All of you are imposters with your imported Zs!! (Joke)

What was the main decision to change from LHD to RHD, does it really make a huge difference? Would you do the swap again or do you think you could live with it being LHD?

If I bought an imported LHD Z I think I'd keep it LHD, dont think it's much of an issue with a car that isn't that wide, interested to hear what you think.
 
R

rallymanDP

Well-Known Forum User
As you rightly say, Alan, it has made an interesting thread !

Let's not forget that, on a wider scale, there were many other Sports & Classic models re-imported into the UK, especially in the 90's - TR3,s, E-Types, MGA's, etc., that were re-registered with UK Registrations quite legally and have swelled the numbers of those Vehicles now over here.

I don't think that they would be happy with the moniker of 'Ringer' - but thanks again to Moggy240 for such a comprehensive definition of the word.

I think that puts the description to bed quite succinctly.
 
SeanDezart

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
SeanDezart said:
Here we go again....so what ? It happens all the time with MGs, Porsches, E-Types....so it's only when done to cheap 'ol Sunny-clones in supposed back-street lock-ups that it becomes 'The Untouchable' and 'The Ringer' ?

Get real and don't apply double standards please. Another clean Z on the roads is worth 300 rotten baskets lying in fields and damp garages !
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Like I said !:eek:

I think we don't do ourselves favours when we describe our own cars so. Re-bodied, re-shelled, perhaps a bit affected but ours are not cheap, old Datsuns done up in railway lock-ups - look around - they're a milestone in sport-scar history, super competitive in rallyes, races and such AND more exotic (here) than most.

Stop denigrating a fabulous road-car, a beautiful body with beautiful precision, engineering.

Over there you're so obsessed with age related plates - for tax reasons and before it was because only pre-72 cars could race in the HSCC.

Here, every car over 30 years (was 25) can be classed as a classic car with the state but at over 20 years, it can be insured under a classic scheme with or without a stated value.
 
Z

zedhead260

Well-Known Forum User
SeanDezart said:
Over there you're so obsessed with age related plates - for tax reasons and before it was because only pre-72 cars could race in the HSCC.
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This is a good point.

Shipping over a 73 US shell and changing it's identity to a 72 UK is tax evasion - therefore illegal.
Shipping over a 73 US shell and changing it's identity to a 73 UK is dubious.

Converting a US shell to RHD using the full bulkhead (or whatever) and registering with its US chassis number in the UK for the correct year - no problem at all.
 
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