Re: [MV] Ruined Restoration Job

From: Richard Notton (Richard@fv623.demon.co.uk)
Date: Sun Jan 09 2000 - 11:47:35 PST


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-----Original Message-----
From: Robin Craig <therobincraig@home.com>
To: Military Vehicles List <mil-veh@uller.skylee.com>
Date: 09 January 2000 18:08
Subject: [MV] Ruined Restoration Job

>For me, and it is my own opinion, when you see all the time and energy
>people put into MV restorations and all the trouble they go to put
>period kit and the like, why do so many people ruin it all at the last
>moment. What am I talking about? CIVILIAN REGISTRATION / LICENCE
>PLATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
Might I direct you to "Construction and Use of Motor Vehicles" available from
Her Majesties Stationery Office.

This is the law.

>I like to take photos of other peoples vehicles but nothing stops me
>taking a picture quicker that the sight of that damn civvy licence plate
>on the front of a WW2 Matador etc. This issue was one that I had to face
>when I bought my MK 2/3 Ferret. I use it on the road quite a bit and at
>night too, so I have to be 100% street legal with my rear plate being
>illuminated etc. The previous owner had attached angle iron to a fender
>and bolted it there, causing two holes to be made without reason.
>STUPID.
>
Very sensible actually as you would see from reading the Construction and Use
laws. Do remember the UK police can recite it from memory . . . . . . .

>My solution for my situation bearing in mind that flat steel surfaces
>are abundant was to go magnetic. I obtained some magnetic sheet used for
>door signs for vehicles, some Scotch double sided tape (one shot deal
>stuff that wont come off without a lot of aggro) and put tape on the
>back of my plates and then set them on the magnetic sheeting and cut
>around them neatly. WHAMMO in less than 15 minutes careful work I have a
>set of plates that are removable.
>
Illegal and plates are required to be fixed on a vertical face ± very few
degrees.

>After visiting Beltring in 97 and Pennsylvania in 98, I would really
>urge people to think about this one, come on guys, how much effort did
>you put into finding that special widget with the F script stamped into
>it etc........ The WORST offenders are the Brits who make up civvy
>plates for ex MOD vehicles with the civvy registration spaced as per mil
>i.e. 34 KG 94. What a waste of effort.
>
That is a mil plate and would mostly be displayed:
34
KG
94

Post war vehicles will have a year letter, eg., my '69 FV623 is MBV 467G how do
I illegally space that to appear mil ?

The number plate is the first thing any traffic cop will spot, obviously. The
size, style, spacing and background is rigidly defined. We are trying not to
rock the boat driving old MVs here, their road use is a minefield of grey areas
falling foul of C and U together with the HGV and MoT test requirements
depending how you interpret them, none of us want to be a test case and bring
the heavy hand of officialdom down on the hobby, the tiny numbers and infrequent
movements mean we are currently ignored.

We have no system of on demand, cheap personalised plates, you get what the govt
issue. There is a huge market in the sale of interesting combinations (on a
vehicle only) for very big money, some fetch tens of thousands (UKP) and several
thousand is commonplace, even the govt has cashed in and withhold interesting
sequences for auction by them later.

You mention the Ferret, for instance the tyres and all mil run flats are
basically illegal here as they are considered as solid according to the regs and
only useable on pre 1930 vehicles at 15mph or less. We get a hefty fine and
three automatic licence points for each illegal tyre on a road vehicle including
the spare, 12 points is an automatic ban, post ban insurance sir ? Let me show
you the door.
Still with me ?

I would prefer not to attract any official entanglements thank you very much and
my plates are totally correct in size, font, spacing, background and fixing.

>Come on guys Im sure you can all do better if you try a little harder.
>
However you're not the one collecting points, fines and loosing a job through no
driving licence, we are not forcing you to photograph all our old army trucks
either. . . . . . .

Richard
(Southampton UK)



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