40 year old car, how to get date of build

[fray-bentos-uk]

My Escort is now 40 years old, but the arrogant idiots at DVLA will not accept this. By the VIN number I can tell it was built in June 1983, and first registered on the 1st August 1983, but DVLA say that they want proof it was built before it was registered, unbelievable!
Where can I get a proof of date of build letter from, Ford uk don't seem to do this sort of thing, DVLA mentioned a letter of conformity, but I believe this is for 1997 cars and latter

Thanks all.

[Darkspeed]

Does it matter for those couple of months - VED exemptions are not valid until the following 1st April. And MOT exemption is on the date of registration.

[fray-bentos-uk]

Yes, the old MOT has run out, so I can not tax it which I need to do till April

[kevins]

You should be able to tax it on the 1st August which is only 3 days away (or just take it for an MOT) , can't see the DVLA doing anything any quicker.

[fray-bentos-uk]

DVLA now saying they have the date of my car as 31st December, the last day of 1983, even though it is 1st August on V5, I have pointed out the car must have been built by !st August for it to be registered on V5 and given a reg number, but they are extremely arrogant, and insist I get a date of build from Ford.

[zeberdee]

You can fight it , but it might take awhile .

Think I’d just let it go .

Get it MoT’d & be happy , life’s too short to be arguing with the DVLA .

👍

[BritBrick]

Any of the big owners clubs are liable to be able to help. However, by the time they've done that it might simply be easier and quicker to MOT it.

Reg numbers and registration detes aren't always as logical as they seem. I knew the reg number for my Peugeot before the factory had even finished building it!

[Darkspeed]

Cannot see getting a dating certificate making any difference MOT is on registration date and TAX the April 1st following unless someone can explain how it does.

Mot run out you need a new one to cover you until next April

[Shadow1]

Ok so here is how I did mine

Email this email address ukdac@ford.com
You will need to send proof of ownership
And a pic of the car with reg number
And vin plate.

They will send you a letter confirming build date.
Then you send off to dvla with your log book changing tax status to historic.
Very easy process.

I hope this helps.

[kevins]

Tax is based on the date it was built and they consider ones registered in the first week of a year to have been built in the previous year.

[fray-bentos-uk]

Yes Shadow1, ukdac are really good, fast replies, and are sending me a certificate out, brilliant. These people offer good old fashioned excellent customer service, unlike DVLA who reckon on about 4 week service, maybe, if they don't lose it, possibly.

[fray-bentos-uk]

UPDATE, I am an hols in France at the moment, but I have some one at home to open post. DVLA have sent back my V5, which now has historic on it....result. However they have not retuned my insurance certificate, letter off ukdac, or even enclosed a covering letter to explain what they have done! I then went on their web site just to see if I could tax the car from October when I get back, and it said it was classed as historic for tax purposes as well, so I taxed it for 12 monthes for free!!!' I was under the impression that you had to tax it till the April following its 40th birthday, weird!

[v8ian]

Just checked to see if my Toledo is ulez exempt, registered in 73, and it is registered as historic, but to be exempt it must be built prior to the 1st jan 73, fortunately the cut off seems to be rolling

[mk2cossie]

Sept 6, 2023 10:24:24 GMT v8ian said:

Just checked to serif my Toledo is ulez exempt, registered in 73, and it is registered as historic, but to be exempt it must be built prior to the 1st jan 73, fortunately the cut off seems to be rolling

Is it not the same 40 year exemption for ULEZ as VED?

Which would mean anything before 1983 currently is ULEZ free?

[v8ian]

Sept 6, 2023 12:59:14 GMT mk2cossie said:

Sept 6, 2023 10:24:24 GMT v8ian said:

Just checked to serif my Toledo is ulez exempt, registered in 73, and it is registered as historic, but to be exempt it must be built prior to the 1st jan 73, fortunately the cut off seems to be rolling

Is it not the same 40 year exemption for ULEZ as VED?

Which would mean anything before 1983 currently is ULEZ free?

Maths was never my strong point........... ;( ;( ;( LOL, well it means my Toledo is free, yippee, never even occurred to me that 40 years ago was 83, not 73 DOH

from what I can see, as long as its registered as historic its free. although it lists it as having to pay... I might well drive it into south Kent and wait for the bill.

[akku]

Sept 6, 2023 13:10:03 GMT v8ian said:

Sept 6, 2023 12:59:14 GMT mk2cossie said:

Is it not the same 40 year exemption for ULEZ as VED?

Which would mean anything before 1983 currently is ULEZ free?

Maths was never my strong point........... ;( ;( ;( LOL, well it means my Toledo is free, yippee, never even occurred to me that 40 years ago was 83, not 73 DOH

from what I can see, as long as its registered as historic its free. although it lists it as having to pay... I might well drive it into south Kent and wait for the bill.

The ULEZ checker is borked. I phoned and asked about my 1975 Ford because the ULEZ checker said it was not exempt but when I registered on the payment system it said it was exempt.

I was told by the guy from TFL that the payment system is right and the checker is not.

Do not wait for them to mail you, because they only do that for late payment fines. Pay online within the time period or you will have a penlty as well (I think its 48 hours)

But yours should be exempt. Check on the payment site

[fray-bentos-uk]

Just been on my Vehicle Smart app, and its coming up as good for MOT and tax, go figure!