Invacar Model 70 on eBay

[Stuart Cyphus]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-wheel-invacar_W0QQitemZ200178969497QQihZ010QQcategoryZ29750QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 Plus chance of an AC version too. Usual story; "These may be the last two in existance" blah blah blah.....  At the last count, I rekon I can account for about 30 Model 70's existing right here right now, with vauge, unpinpointed details of up to ten others......   

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

Would it be possible to register one of these for road use, or are they going to be confined to museums and enthusiasts with large sheds from now on? Also did they ever make them in any other colour?

Regards

Rusty

[Stuart Cyphus]

Hello Rusty, the best reply I can give to you is Reply Nine in the attached link;

http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=649.0

 But please note that this is a COMPLEATLY UNOFFICIAL, UNCONFIRMED & UNTESTED interpritation of what was said to me by the third party. We still have no real yardstick regarding returning a Model 70 specifically to the roads. Don't forget, if things go wrong, its my door the police will be hammering on.....

 Regarding colour. Forget what some mis-informed websites might say, this blue was the ONLY offical colour option for all 16,000 Model 70's produced.

[AndrewG]

Hello Rusty, the best reply I can give to you is Reply Nine in the attached link....

Without in any way requesting an 'official comment', is there any legal basis for not being able to register an Invacar or other IC?  Obviously if the DSS owned them, they were perfectly at liberty to scrap rather than sell them: but "we won't sell you one" is a lot different from "you are not allowed to use one on the roads".

Presumably it would be necessary to re-register an IC to get it on the road, which now means passing the MSVA test - the gaseous exhaust emissions restriction of which could be a problem I guess, but an Invacar seems likely to fly through the rest - I'm assuming later models had seat belt mounting points, the lack of which could be a problem.

From the kit car guys there is plenty of evidence that the vehicle that passes the MSVA test and the vehicle used on the road afterwards often have some noticeable differences - for example, it is very sad to see how poor is the quality of the nut caps and other devices used to protect pedestrians from sharp edges, as many of these parts seem to fall off on the way home from the test station.......  

Andrew

[Stuart Cyphus]

 Well, to my knolege, about three full-bodied ex-Ministry (as opposed to rocking-horse-rare genunine Priivate examples) invalid tricycles have been returned to the road, as in full V5, tax, MoT & insurance, get in & go. One of these may have seen a bit of dodgey dealing, one SEEMS to be fully "by the book" & the other I can't quote upon due to not being in close contact with it.

 Prior to the disbanding of the Invalid Vehicle Service in 2004, the offical line was always "Not to be used on the road", but here I think their biggest worry may have been tax-dodgers poseing as disabled for the perks of free road tax etc. From personal experiance, the Department would do their best to claim back an errant vehicle. Since 2004 & the disbanding of the Department, one single unoffical chat SEEMS to suggest that no action will be taken BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH against these ex-ministry vehicles now doing the rounds today, provided they have been proved safe (by passing a standard MoT test), and are not being used to defraud the revenue side of things (by being taxed as "disabled" when in able-bodied hands, the class must be "Tricycle") and so on.

 Regarding registration, several Model 70's (as case in point) are still listed on the DVLA computer. If you know the original idenity of your Model 70, you MAY be able to just send off your £19 fee for dupicate logbook, then change the taxation catogry & then proceed to the MoT sation. If however, your number plates & chassis plate is missing, then the vehicle must be Q-plated, but come to me first for final confermation about ANY ic's idenity. (Yes, I practically do know them all invidually!!) In all cases, PLEASE keep me informed of EVERYTHING you are doing. It is in all our best interests & benifits for me to know precisly who is doing what with which vehicle...

 Regarding MoT, I would say things should be much the same as a Relint of the same vintage. All Model 70's have BSAU 1965-approved seatbelt mounts. I can supply a copy of the original certifficate to prove it as well. Seatbelts & mounts for were introduced on all Ministry ic's in line with legislation so I can't see any technical problem there. I have no knolege or experance of MSVA tests, so cannot guide on these at the current time.

 Insurance MAY be a bit difficult. It could depend on exacly what is written in the Make & Model section of the V5. I have heard that some insurance companys do not recognise "Invacar" as a make, but ask around. After all, I got the Mini-Comtesse insured with no real pain and theres many times more Invacars than Acoma's in the UK....

 Any further questions or explinations of any point needed? Put them here & I'll try my best to answer....

 As I've said, the only way I can help YOU with your vehicle, is for YOU to keep ME informed of EVERYTHING you are doing at every stage. It is becuse the three vehicles currently on the road do not keep in contact with me that I cannot state anything at the current time with any great degree of certainty or proof.