XI Donor advice

[Si Richards 0]

Evening all,

 

Well I have ordered my Eleven kit today from Westfield and now the donor hunt has started. I obviously want an age related plate as opposed to Q but at the same time want to build the car with as many new parts as possible. My question is what do you have to use as a minimum from the donor to ensure that you don't get left up the proverbial creek without a paddle. I believe it to be Engine, Gearbox and Rear Axle as the key parts to keep the plate but want to get it right!!!!

 

Apologies in advance as this is no doubt going to be just one of many stupid questions I am going to inevitably ask!!!!

 

Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated

 

Cheers

Si

[Mark (smokey mow) 1,357]

So long as you can prove that the parts used came from a single donor car and the remainder was bought new then you'll have no problem getting an age related plate.  If you were to only use one major part from the donor car (lets say the engine) and refurbished it to a new condition and everything else was sourced new (with receipts to prove it) then you'd be able to apply for a new registration, conversely if the majority of your parts were sourced second hand from different sources and not off a single car then you'd get a Q. 

 

Theoretically at least with a single donor car such as the X1 or an SDV westfield it would be easy to avoid a Q-plate since the only donor item that carries a serial number to identify it is the engine. Just so long as you keep hold of the V5 for a suitable donor then it's impossible to prove otherwise if the back axle or uprights came from that donor or a completely different midget

[Si Richards 0]

Thanks Mark for the advice I guessed that it would be tricky for the powers that be to identify whether the uprights (for example) came from your donor or from your friendly local MG parts supplier!!!

Its going to be a fun learning curve, I'm enjoying every minute and I'm only 7 hours in and I don't have the kit or the donor yet, how sad am I !!!!!!    

[bhouse 34]

Simon,

Glad you've taken the plunge!

 

Whilst the powers that be decree that a certain number of parts have to come from the donor, once things such as uprights etc have been properly refurbished they should look pretty much as good as new. It's than hard to tell if they're from the donor or bought new from the MG Owners' Club. 

 

Have you removed the front uprights yet? b******* of a job! I'll fill you in on the gory details when you visit.

 

Good luck and keep us all posted with your progress,

Brian

[Norman Verona 455]

If I remember correctly you need a special reamer to rebush the king pins.

[Si Richards 0]

Hi Brian,

Haven't sourced my donor yet but I'm battling away trying to find one. I managed to sneak a look at one that was for sale and once I had seen it in the flesh I stopped at the services on my way home and ordered it!!!! Would still like to discuss various bits though no doubt as the dismantling and building commences so will keep in touch.

[bhouse 34]

If I remember correctly you need a special reamer to rebush the king pins.

And a very big hammer!

[Norman Verona 455]

Of course.

 

When I started work (or when I was in the Navy) we had a wiry, small chap called Shorty Johnson who had a violent temper. He was trying to get the king pin out of an MGA (current car then). He was hammering away under the wing, shouting and swearing at it. He then emerged and threw the lump hammer in temper - right through the windscreen!

[bhouse 34]

Luckily when I removed the kingpins I'd already sold the windscreen on eBay. I understand his frustration!

[Norman Verona 455]

[jonclancy 6]

Well done!!

 

Here's some light reading:

 

https://www.dvla.gov.uk/dvla/forms/~/media/pdf/leaflets/inf26.ashx

 

 

Keep photos of your donor, the dismantling and keep the chassis plates and V5.  Don't get a Certificate of Destruction for the old chassis, just sell for scrap and take a pic of its departure.  Make sure the donor numbers match on the V5.  Buy a big happmer and 3 tins of Halfords Shock and Unlock.

 

You will get an age-related plate - not tax exempt, sadly.  Decide now if you want wires or steel wheels as the axle casings are different.

 

HTH

 

Jon

[Si Richards 0]

Hi Jon

Thanks for the details I got my build manual through today so the excitement has really started!!! Kit will be ready for collection late October so the donor hunt is on, struggling to get a midget as cheaply as I had hoped but fingers crossed one will appear soon so I can get it stripped and the necessary bits sent to Westfield for the mods!!!!

Cheers

Si

[Norman Verona 455]

Si,

 

I'm a member of the Midget and Sprite club so if you need names of suppliers of parts just shout.

 

I've looked through the current mag adverts and there's a 61 Frogeye needing total renovation being advertised for £3500 to £4000. I'll see if it's still for sale if you're interested. It's in Wimbledon.

[peterg 97]

I doubt if £4k is the sort of price Si was thinking about for a donor and I'm not sure a Frogeye is suitable for an XI kit? I thought it required the later Spridget version...

[Scott Young 3,811]

I'd be interested in knowing something - let's assume you don't care about having a Q plate, and are happy to just source all the running gear you'd need for an XI separately.  How much would that cost versus buying a donor, stripping it and selling the remainders?  Is there a market for the remainders (I assume there is), and what could you realise back?

 

In other words, what are the costs of average donor versus separate parts?  Just curious.