Austin Bugatti special

[Mike Costigan]

I suppose it might depend on how long it's taken him; if he started it several years ago the DVLA policy was dramatically different.

[Tony Griffiths]

As everyone acknowledges, a lot of skilled work, time and money has gone into this - but even when finished (after even more time, trouble and money expended) what does one end up with? A car heavier than a special and, even with a half-race engine installed for road use, performance and handling but a shadow of the "real thing". After all that work, I can only imagine that the owner has come up against either some sort of brick-wall problem or just lost interest.

[Michael D]

If that project car were 'over here' (being The Netherlands) I'd be seriously interested provided it would not break the bank to buy it; not qualifying for a road registration would not bother me all that much as I'd use it for club track days and sprints anyway; plenty of single seater specials over here that have cost their owners lots of €€€ but cannot be road registered and still provide lots of fun.

[Hedd_Jones]

It seems strange that the builder has put such a lot of hard work and planning into the build, yet doesn’t appear to have done his homework to ensure he can establish an identity for the car.

I’m sure Hedd will chip in on this one...

The DVLA rules are quite specific. You need an old or new unmodified chassis. On a Radically Altered vehicle to keep the identity.

Calling it and unmodified chassis, and it actually being a unmodified chassis are two very different things.

For the record, my belief based on looking at the photos is that the chassis has been subject to significant modification.

Without an Unmodified chassis, its fodder for the Individual Vehicle Approval route, but to all intents and purposes, a pre war looking vehicle isnt going to gain approval. IMO if the keeper was honest with the DVLA it would loose its current identity (assuming it has one) and be almost imposible to road register in its current form. 

Of course the keeper could keep quiet, say nowt and carry on, but I think I have said elsewhere what I think of doing that. 

And yes, I agree, theres some tasty work gone into that, but the builder has missed the boat with the rules such as they are now.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Spotted on the rear mudguard of a VW Beetle "Bugatti" in le Puy Notre-Dame a few years ago...