Shell for Convertible £40,000

[AH1951]

Would this get registered as a new car?
Would there be a problem in getting it registered at all?
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C509192" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
What's eco-upholstery?

[Chris_R]

You might be able to use it to re-shell an existing original 1970's convertible in which case provided enough of the original car was transferred to the new shell to achieve 8 points on the DVLA scoring system it would retain its original chassis number and registration number.
It might be possible to build it up and register it as a reconstructed classic vehicle but all the major components must be over 25 years old to qualify under that scheme, including the shell. The owners club would have to certify that it is a true reflection of the marque. DVLA will assign a mark based on the age of the youngest component and if anything is less than 25 years old it will be assigned a Q plate. It could also fall under the kit car criteria which would need vehicle inspection and approval.
There does seem to be a chassis number assigned to the shell and provided the DVLA will accept that then it could be built and registered as a new car but that will require payment of vehicle taxes etc.

[VFK44]

What's eco-upholstery?

From Fisker website: EcoChic interiors use EcoSuede upholstery, an environmentally friendly 100-percent post-industrial textile.

Now you are going to ask: What's post-industrial textile? It's recycled textile, excluding consumer waste.

I am actually puzzled that leather upholstery is seen as "compulsory" on all upmarket cars these days as many people are now vegetarians and I would have thought many vegetarians would have reservations about sitting on dead cow!

[VFK44]

I'm guessing that "major components" include those in the DVLAs "point Iist" i.e.:


Chassis, monocoque bodyshell (body and chassis as one unit) or frame - original or new and unmodified (direct from manufacturer) 5
Suspension (front and back) - original 2
Axles (both) - original 2
Transmission - original 2
Steering assembly - original 2
Engine - original 1

[ascotts1]

Now I am convinced the world has gone totally crazy, a shell for 40k when you can have the beautiful metallic red convertible at stelvio.dk for the same money and its a complete car!! ...Oh, how stupid of me, of-course the red one is LHD,doh,lol!
I wonder what Robey's would charge for making up a whole shell, if such a thing is possible??

[Richard Calver]

Robeys did have this for many years. Chassis 2015 commenced build in 1990 at the height of the last of these car booms, or rather just as that boom was ending. The order was cancelled and the unfinished chassis was eventually sold to Robeys along with the rest of the assets in 1993 when Jensen folded. It was still there in 2005 when I saw it last, the price being £17,000 which was about £100,000 less than the complete Convertible would have cost in 1990, if it had been finished. It is a genuine numbered S4 but not the last. 2016 is the last chassis number - a built and finished LHD saloon. Neither of these numbers appears in the databook because neither had been built in 1991 when the databook was printed. If the unfinished 2015 is now for sale at £40,000, I'm guessing Robeys sold it some time ago. So it comes out again, right at the height of another car boom, with a decent markup.

[Chris_R]

Key will be getting the DVLA to accept the chassis number. I think a wise buyer should verify that before shelling out £40k.

[Denis]

If you have donor saloon Interceptor - can you conduct body replacement, dont you?

And anyway - if you cant do it in UK, you probably can do it in some others EU nations (definitely in Estonia, I guess, probably in Scandinavia too)

Another issue is the all other convertible specific stuff - like roof frame, door frames, probably something else.

It`s usual business with US cars - you take good solid original 2DR hartop, let`s say 1955 Buick, find some remnants of same year convertible and just create convertible car.

[Peter Rothery]

Rejen had this on their website for sale at £19,995 less than a month ago. I understood that whoever bought it from Robeys also bought panels to convert from RHD to LHD but did a bad job (allegedly). This may not be an unmolested shell anymore.

Jason also had the rear end damaged convertible showing as "sold" which would have been a nice donor car. A 100% profit seems a bit greedy. You could buy a roadworthy car for that money.....

[Jens]

The pictures are not very clear but am I wrong assuming that the welding quality (as seen in the third picture) is ... well ... a wee bit below average?

[Torquemada]

Met Ludovic a couple of weeks ago, nice chap.

[sentimental journey]

40k for a shell.

Insulted.

[Peter Rothery]

Robeys had the shell for sale for at least 10 years at about £16k +vat. It didn't sell in a market when a good convertible could be yours for £20k. I did a rough calc many years ago of how much the individual panels would cost bearing in mind prices are not published for many parts. I recall getting to over £10k with many bits still unaccounted for. How do you value the time and expertise to weld it all together in the right order? Since Robeys prices have increased by 2 to 3 times since that time the equation is probably about the same.

Rumour has it that the shell was touted around the trade at as little as £10k but the question was always who would actually want it and how can you exploit the fact that it is the last one ever made? Where would you find another one? You WILL, I think, need a donor car to provide the hood frame and windows so the original identity could be retained (just like a heritage shell MGB) so this is the alternative to a Q plate, IVA test or any other obstacles DVLA might want to put in your way to register it as anything other than the original 1970's vehicle.

I notice the unobtainable boot lid is now missing in the pictures as is the bonnet (more easily replaced) so a lot of extra fettling will be required with the new panel work before it is ready for paint. Hopefully the transport primer has protected the hidden areas from rust well enough for the last 20 years (?) since is was put together.

I will watch with interest........

[interjen]

I notice someone said this was converted from LHD-RHD? if that is the case why is the prefix 165 and not 175? also i see that they are not claiming this is the last ever body shell built just the last ever Convertible. Still a hell of a price hyke but i guess if you had the £120,000 to buy an Interceptor S you would have £80,000 to spend on this baby and provided it is all "correct" you could end up with the most rust free Jensen in the world!