HV registration

[Dave1942]

Can anyone help me with the manufacture date of my recently acquired Dolly 1500 HL?
First reg. 1/7/80
comm # TWFLW1AT108101
Eng# YC74563H

When getting HV exemption do you have to wait until after date of reg. or manufacture or can it be applied for in advance of these date for activation at the date/s.

Cheers

Dave

[triumphdolomiteuk]

You can buy a "Heritage Certificate" showing the build date and original specifications from here; https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/ar ... rtificates

[Dave1942]

Thanks for that. They are restricted by the virus so can't issue certs. at the moment.

[marshman]

As far as I know you cannot apply for it in advance. This year you can apply for exemption - change to Historic Vehicle - if you car was first built.manufactured before 1st Jan 1980 or registered before 8th January 1980.

All the info is here:

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/ve ... ehicle-tax

Normally I would say that 6 months is a longish time between build and registration, but 1980 was towards the end of production so it is possible the car was sitting around a while at a dealers, so worth applying for Heritage Build Certificate. I think you then have to send this off to the DVLA to get their records updated.

I am fairly certain that if you pay for it now and subsequently find that it was built pre 1st Jan 1980 and register it as an Historic Vehicle, the DVLA will refund the "overpaid" tax.

It used to be the case that although the qualifying date was 1st Jan, the actual date it was "tax free" was 1st April, so you had to wait until then to get your "free disc" (yes I know there is no disc, but old habits die hard - I still "dial" a telephone number )

Failing that you will have to wait until 2021.

[triumphdolomiteuk]

Just a thought, wasn't it March 1980 that the numbering system changed to the TWFL VIN numbers? That would make the build date post-March 1980?

[xvivalve]

Just a thought, wasn't it March 1980 that the numbering system changed to the TWFL VIN numbers? That would make the build date post-March 1980?

No, it was 01 September '79, after which all models received consecutive numbers, so this car was the 8101st Dolomite built after that date.

Rather than buying a Heritage Certificate at full cost, you can buy one piece of information from it for £6 on line, for example they'll tell you the date of manufacture, thus informing you if the cost of the whole certificate is worthwhile. The complete certificate is required for purposes of claiming HV earlier than the date of first registration.

[Carledo]

The VIN number series represented a change from each model having it's own numbering series defined by a model code prefix, ie VA for a Sprint or WF for an 1850, to an overall numbering series, where the next Dolomite off the line got the next number in the series, irrespective of model, 1300 or Sprint, it didn't matter.

So we're discussing here the possibility of the factory building over 2000 of all models of Dolomite per MONTH for the last 4 remaining months of 1979 (Sept 1st to Dec 31st) in order to make 8101 a 79 built car which would be elegible for free VED on April 1st this year.

On the whole, I consider it extremely unlikely but not totally impossible. Remember, in 79, the factories were already winding down, the GT6 finished in 73, TR6 died around 76, the Stag and 2000/2.5 ranges in 78. The Speke plant was closed around this time and production of the last 3 models, the Spitfire, Dolomite and TR7 was split between Canley and the Rover factory in Solihull. Triumph as a marque was dead, just not quite buried yet! The abomination of badge engineering that was the Triumph Acclaim was built at Cowley in the old Morris plant and Canley was already closed by then.

The MOST practical way of finding out is, as Alun suggests, to go online and buy the single piece of Heritage info that will confirm one way or the other. But you might just find someone with a VIN numbered car close to yours which has a confirmed build date (remember ANY model will do) to give you a clue!

I have, on my drive at the moment, a June 79 built, VA30xxx chassis numbered Sprint that was not registered till May 1980, a combination of Russet brown paint, the model being 8 years old and the less desirable Automatic transmission being a difficult proposition for the salesmen I should think! But these throwbacks are quite rare, few cars lasted more than 3 months in the showrooms before sale unless there was a good reason for it, as in the car I mentioned above. So I wouldn't hold your breath!

At worst, you will only have to wait till 1/4/2021 for your free VED!

Steve

[RobSun]

For everyone's information a friend (not a member) who has a Dolomite has been through this. His 1980 reg. car was thought by him to be HV acceptable now but I said not unless it was made in 79. Not being sure he contacted the Heritage Trust and they said at the moment they are not sending out certificates but will send an email confirming the build date. So armed with this he contacted the DVLA and they said they will accept the email as proof of manufacture date.

He got the email which in his case says the car was made in 79 and sent it off and the DVLA have honoured their statement and his Dolomite 1300 now is HV registered.

[Dave1942]

Thanks to all for your help and advice, very useful.

Dave Coleman