Registering Ruby

[Anne Griffiths]

My Ruby is being restored after far too many years of gathering dust (laid up in 1980), and I'm not sure how to go about registering it when it's ready to get back on the road. I have the original log book and subsequent V5, however, it's not showing on the DVLA database. I'm anxious to retain the original registration number. I'd very much appreciate advice from those of you who have already succeeded in doing this.

[Bill Dixon]

Pre-War A7C, DVLA Authenticiation. Peter Rowlands details on page 2 of PWA7C Magazine.

[Hedd_Jones]

I used Ronald Rudge Midlands A7 club recently with great success (as Peter was on holiday).

Ronald came out and did the inspection himself for some expenses and The V5 was back in 10days from posting the paperwork.

[Mike Costigan]

So long as you have a computerised V5 document there should be no problem at all. It's on the DVLA database somewhere, even if they have deleted it from the live files.

[Nick Lettington]

Be sure to take a photocopy of the v5 before you send it though... They're reported to have a habbit of losing things.

[Zetomagneto]

Don't send the original V5 get a certified copy of it and send that.

[David Stepney]

When I bought my RP saloon almost exactly twelve months ago, it came with an 'old style' V5, as it had not been on the road for 25 years. When I submitted this to the DVLA, nothing happened for about 5 weeks. When i rang them, the agent I spoke to told me that the old V5 was "unacceptable" and that I would have to complete a V62 and send this together with a cheque for £25.00.

Following a somewhat heated discussion, during which I asked to speak to somebody competent - and was refused, I
completed a V62 and sent it with a cheque for £25.00 and a trenchant letter pointing out that the V5 I had originally submitted was the DVLA's own document and that I found it extraordinary that it was therefore "unacceptable". Further, I told them that, if they cashed my cheque I would immediately file a complaint.

My new style V5C(W) arrived virtually by return of post and my cheque was never cashed.

So, be prepared to have to stand on your dignity a bit with the DVLA and point out that an 'old style' V5 IS an acceptable document.

[Martin Prior]

We had this situation last year with an A40 that had been off the road since 1978. We had plenty of paperwork, including a "first generation" computerised V5.

The car didn't show up on the basic DVLA website, but after a bit of gentle nudging the lady we spoke to found it in a deeper level of storage. All very straightforward, she said. We sent in an application plus £25 fee, which was returned as not being required for a simple re-activation of the registration.

We heard nothing for several weeks and so chased up the application, which had been lost. Fortunately, as I could prove that they'd returned our cheque, they couldn't deny that we'd submitted it.

DVLA then tried to push us through the "built-up vehicle" process, which would have resulted in an "age-related" plate. The car has a clear chassis number plate and with the help of photos, we successfully argued that it was completely original and eventually obtained a new V5 with the original registration. The whole process, however, took about four months and quite a bit of bloody-minded persistence.

[Robert Leigh]

They do lose things, in my case by ignoring my request for the return of historic documents relating to my vehicles after I moved house. The 'excuse' was that I had put them all in the same envelope! So now I longer have continuous registration history.
Robert Leigh

[Bruce Nicholls]

Some years ago I bought a Lotus Elan in pieces with only a buff log book and on the understanding that it was probably not registered. Having nothing to lose, I applied for a duplicate registration document and a V5 appeared almost by return. I guess I was just lucky.