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Imagine a car which was highly modified some years ago (but since 1988) and has been accepted as a Historic Vehicle for all the years it has been on the road. No secret was made of the modifications at the time it was first put on the road and it has been tax exempt and allowed to wear its original registration for years. This vehicle would fail the 8 point criterion so is it now going to be reclassified and have to wear a Q plate? Seems very unfair.
As for the 15% power to weight ratio, it could never be enforced fairly. I have been involved with MGs most of my life, and there can hardly be a standard Sprite/Midget out there. Most have had some head work, perhaps a different camshaft, etc. None of this shows so how is the tester supposed to know the output of the engine and whether it is 14% increased or 16%? Its a mad proposal by people who have no idea about the specialist car fraternity or engines in general.
Well, since the 8 point rule has been in force since 1983, anyone who built a car in 1989 or later which would not comply with the 8 point rule, has been getting away with tax fraud since historic status was introduced (can't quite remember when that was, but quite while now) So forgive me if find this more poetic justice than unfair! I know of several guys who have had exactly this happen to them, mostly the V8 Pop fraternity. They got away with it from build, because, at that time, DVLA accepted without question whatever data an owner offered. Since all cars were taxed then, it made no difference whether the car conformed to the 8 point rule or not. So nobody was very bothered and DVLA didn't have the computer power (or I suspect, the staff) to chase potential offenders. Now there is income involved, they are becoming more proactive!
On the 15% rule, I am 100% with you! It is impractical and almost unenforceable, since even power outputs from a dyno test vary wildly. And again, using my car as an example, I chose to modify a 2 door Toledo, the lightest and lowest powered model in the Dolomite range, and gained in excess of 100% in P2W ratio. Doing the same conversion on my Sprint would hardly gain me 10% and though I would have done (in fact AM doing) a major heart transplant, under the 15% rule, I would not be obliged to declare such! TOTAL NONSENSE!!!!
Steve