Practically Classics Forum

GHT, BL's second greatest aficionado, wrote:The advert calls it an Austin-3-Litre-1971-Automatic-Austin-Westminster-Wolseley-6-110-Vanden-Plas-MGC.

That's a fine example of "keyword spamming", an offence that eBay used to take so seriously that they could ban users who were caught at it. The idea is that someone who's looking for an MGC will then find the 3 litre among their search hits. Presumably, they don't really want the B's rare, six cylinder torsion bar sprung cousin but will, in fact, settle for anything with a C series engine regardless of the car's precise identity?
At one time, I would have reported the vendor to eBay for this despicable crime against the very fabric of our civilised society but these days, eBay have become so greedy and have strayed so far from their original values that I say good luck to anyone who gets away with such an outrageous act of savagery.
That said, I still report minis, Land Rovers, Beetles and similar cars in cases where the listing clearly illustrates a much newer vehicle with a VED (& MOT) free 1950s/'60s/'70s identity. That's fraud, and as such is a proper crime. Here comes an example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-S ... SwtXta-XmM Yeah, 2a my bottom!

GHT, BL's second greatest aficionado. Whose the first, Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Gresham Stokes, Baron Stokes TD?

I take your point about advert ambiguity. If that was a 1961 model, as stated, the headlights would be set in the grille and it would be tax & MOT exempt long before May 2018, more like 2001. But you do make a good point on the dubious practice of misinformation. Had I not owned a 1952 car, I wouldn't have a clue about the exemption laws. In addition, I know what the 1961 model looks like, I had been around for 15 years, but would today's prospective buyers have the sense to check it out?

Just for the benefit of anyone who's reading this for its information value..

A 1961 vehicle would have been old enough to qualify for what, in 1996 was introduced as the "25 year exempt" VED class, but the same 1961 vehicle would only become, subject to its being original, MOT exempt in April of this year.

Pre-1960 vehicles were MOT exempt already and had been since November 2012.

Just as the 25 year exempt class caused confusion, mostly among eBay sellers who couldn't understand that in fact, the exemption applied to cars from the January of the 26th (twenty sixth) year after their build, so for example GUS 265L, my 1972 Reliant Rebel estate, became exempt at the start of 1998 but has only just gained its right to swerve the requirement for an annual test, though it's possible that GUS will be denied its MOT exemption when the current test certificate expires as it has a disc brake conversion sourced from a Triumph Spitfire, but using hubs from some sort of Lotus in order to keep the correct stud pitch at both the front and the rear hubs of the car. More significantly, GUS has an 850cc engine - sourced from a 1980s Rialto - in place of the original 750 version of Reliant's all aluminium in-house (except for the ones built for Reliant by Bean) engine, an SU in place of its original downdraught Zenith and an alternator, pre-engaged starter and more fuses than its original two. The engine looks the same, apart from some minor details but apparently, it may not be enough these days to argue that the larger capacity engine was all that was available, so it may not qualify for the test exemption.
Just as an experiment, I ran the car through a few insurance companies and all quotes were cheaper for the car with an MOT than without, by amounts varying between £22 and £94 per policy! MOT tests can be carried out for as little as £30 even now, so even if GUS, or any other potentially test exempt vehicle, were to be put through a test, the cost of that could well be significantly lower than the difference in insurance cost and after all, enthusiasts surely wouldn't risk running about in a car with faults that would cause a test failure so whether or not a classic or other qualifying car qualifies for the exemption, I would get any vehicle of mine tested as a matter of course.

And on the current VED situation: Cars are now made VED exempt at the start of the 41st year, so this year, only cars built on or before 31/12/1977 will be free to "tax", yet still a whole load of eBayists are advertising their 1978 cars as being currently exempt from both VED and the MOT.. The pilchards! I blame aliens.

lidls pg 40
https://www.lidl-flyer.com/?utm_source= ... er/page/40

whats road tax?
meanwhile i find this very tempting.. needs a door trim & two window motors.. i have the reg this time!! J79207...
https://www.leboncoin.fr/vi/1441346199.htm/

rich. wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:17 amwhats road tax?

What is road tax? Good question. There's 20% VAT on everything connected to a vehicle, from servicing to spares, to tyres. There's 58pence fuel duty on every litre of fossil fuel, and for good measure, there's 20% VAT on top, creating a tax on a tax. There's IPT that's insurance premium tax, currently standing at 12% although some vehicles attract the higher rate of 20%. And finally there's the road fund licence which Rich doesn't pay, nor do I. So what is road tax. Highway robbery, that's what.

GHT wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:28 am

rich. wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:17 amwhats road tax?

What is road tax? Good question. There's 20% VAT on everything connected to a vehicle, from servicing to spares, to tyres. There's 58pence fuel duty on every litre of fossil fuel, and for good measure, there's 20% VAT on top, creating a tax on a tax. There's IPT that's insurance premium tax, currently standing at 12% although some vehicles attract the higher rate of 20%. And finally there's the road fund licence which Rich doesn't pay, nor do I. So what is road tax. Highway robbery, that's what.

My hero!! have you considered politics?

john! is this nearly everything you were looking for
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rat-Rod-Hot- ... rmvSB=true

back to sensible
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/113037680381?c ... rmvSB=true

, etc.
That GSA is bloody lovely, fortunately, it's a manual and not the C-Matic. Why fortunately? Because a C-Matic model would be paid for and I'd be on the way to Alloa to collect it by now, even though I would also have to buy more lockup space to accommodate the thing! Getting in, these are a bit low, but at least once you're in you can raise them to full height which makes the getting out very easy.

Please, someone destroy the butchered taxi, it's clearly a labour of love but so was Fred West's cellar and that didn't appeal either.

id have thought the taxi thing would have fulfilled your need for a taxi & a fridolin van in one go
still working on wifey to go collect an mx5 & maybe a trip out to see that honda thing
meanwhile gsa automatic?? can you make your dream car out of the two??
https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/14103 ... m/?ca=12_s
https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/14415 ... m/?ca=12_s
https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/14412 ... m/?ca=12_s
https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/14441 ... m/?ca=12_s
https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/14301 ... m/?ca=12_s

todays selection,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Devon ... rmvSB=true

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayIS ... mg-full-11