Little orphan annie

[ignatzcatz]

I know a few folks have (stupid, pathetic) names for their cars, especially our American cousins, you may get the idea I'm not a fan of this practice but if I had to give a name to my old boat I would think the above would be fairly apt. You see following a lengthy and certainly not cheap episode of re-build and restoration I finally got the car into a state sufficiently roadworthy for it to pass a MOT test not that it really was a requirement, due to the age of the vehicle, but the MOT document was listed a something that should be included with paperwork when submitting documentation to the DVLA to obtain first registration. So all the papers, pictures and invoices were bundled up and with great hope and a following wind despatched to the interior of Swansea for the folks at the DVLA to do their worst. After a two week wait the whole lot came back to me with a request for a NOVA declaration. Was I upset? Of course but I was more annoyed with myself for not knowing exactly what this NOVA declaration was and what it meant to my application. NOVA stands for 'notice of vehicle arrival' from outside the UK and the car or rather the shell I started the restoration with had unknown origins. It wasn't stolen or anything like this because it came from a very respected Porsche dealer who is still trading today, but how it came into their possession was not known and at the time of purchase, I stupidly didn't press home any requests for such information.
The NOVA requirement comes under HMRC umbrella due to possible taxes which may have to be paid, so after trawling through pages of stuff on their website and making numerous phone calls I'm pleased to say I'm fully clued up regarding the dreaded novas etc. So after finding paragraph x subsection y third clause z on page 333 I found a little bit about what you do if you have a car and don't know where it's come from. Phew! Anyway, more forms, more declarations, more invoices, and with a whole lot of luck I might just get through this latest episode. Of course once I do obtain HMRC clearance with a NOVA declaration I've still got to go back to the DVLA and try and register the old boat.
D'ya know I might just turn it into a track day car!

 

[ian harvey]

Looks great, good luck and please keep us posted once you get it on the road.

 

[Tony Maddocks]

Hey Graham , good to hear of your progress with your outlaw project! Arrived back in NZ 2 weeks ago and now my turn to present to our authorities, the LTSA ,my 356C ,ex UK , as you are aware ,to be accepted to be driven on our roads. The container actually arrives tomorrow with our little investment and will be unloaded in the next couple of days. I am now aware from the designated compliance workshops that at least the wheels will be removed to check all the brakes. The interior will be removed and to what extent is any body's guess!looking for rust!!Seatbelt anchoring points. Sounds straight forward!
Some guys have imported cars and had to completely replace the floorpans!, so i won't speak to soon and keep you posted.

 

[ignatzcatz]

Hey Tony, glad you made in back home, wow you've been round the world and I made it all the way to Dorset last month. Still the Lit Meet in LA is on the calendar for Feb so I shall have to be patient until then. It sounds like the NZ authorities can be a bit naughty so I shall wish you the best of luck. And speaking of luck, I came in from the garage at lunchtime to grab a bite and before I can shove anything down my face I have the feline brigade who line up for a small snack as well. Dreamies all round, they luv 'em. So I check the mail and amongst the pile there was the 'brown envelope'. Brown envelopes usually mean that the tax has run out on one of the vehicles or the tax man is telling me I haven't paid enough this year. So I cautiously slit open the envelope to find . . .joy of joys the import vehicle taxation division has given me, or rather the 356 the all clear to proceed with vehicle registration application. No VAT to be paid (and I should think not being the car is European origin and 1962) but it would seem they were unable to pinpoint the date and location of the import country although my cert of authenticity does state the first registration was San Antonio (great city) Texas so I reckon it was the good ole USA. So it's full speed ahead with papers to the DVLA and hopefully legal registration. It would be super if this could happen before the new year because there is a great classic car meet at Brooklands on new years day and a load of the Sadcase members get up there.
So hope you have an excellent Christmas, turkey burgers on the beach I guess, and a great new year, I shall be wearing my kilt for the occasion, something definitely worth missing!

 

[Tony Maddocks]

Hi Graham, I'm nearly there! I pushed the 356 out of the container last week and it stood at the steam cleaners for a week ,because they were busy, MPI (ministry of primary Industries) demanded that it be cleaned. We could have had that done in the UK but they can still order the steam cleaning to be done again! It is now at a compliance garage for the wheels / brakes off and some other bits for rust inspection. The LTSA inspect then decide on the amount of work you need to complete to make it roadworthy. It might just be Seat Belt anchorage positions? The cars that come in from the US have to have the headlights shining the right way on dimmed position etc.
I wait the inspection which then moves on to the paperwork supply! Fingers crossed!
Amazing that you can move forward with the paperwork without an inspection. I suppose that will come in when you turn up at a garage for an MOT! In Britain its Ministry Of Transport. In NZ its WOF ,
Warrant Of Fitness.

 

[vitesse]

When my sister & brother in law moved to Auckland a few years back, they took their then car , Rover 600 which was packed in a large container with all their furniture & household effects.
Since then cars have become cheaper in NZ.
I well remember Frank having everything steam cleaned here,any rust being painted prior to it all being packed in the container-even the garden tools looked like new again.I think also,everything was sprayed with a preservative coating.
IIRC despite the intensive inspection at the arrival port ,everything was deemed OK but I think it took a while for the Authorities to issue new documents

 

[Tony Maddocks]

So !! the car has now been steam cleaned. Not enough! I now have to sand blast some of the underseal off to expose the floor pan for rust! The seat belt anchors are suspect as always are, now the disc brakes are in question! I have had to supply the factory recommended thickness as it is not locally known! Nothing i did in the UK beforehand could have prevented any of this!

member:
PCNZ
PCGB
356US registry
early 911s

 

[ignatzcatz]

Oh mate, how can you put up with all that crap. I'd definitely get a bit punchy, but it does prove there are jobsworth's all over the world!
Not exactly great news from my side either. The DVLA threw out my last application saying that I hadn't given sufficient evidence of the date when the car had been manufactured. I did enclose a Certificate of Authenticity which stated the car was manufactured in November 1962. I presumed this would have been sufficient evidence but no so I went back to Porsche Cars GB and the good folks there sent me back a letter that even shows the day in November when the old girl popped out of Zuffenhausen. If the DVLA decide that this is still insufficient I think I'll stick a Subaru WRC motor up it's rear and start doing track days, sprints and hill climbs, actually that doesn't sound too bad an idea.....

 

[Nick_USA]

Graham, I feel your pain. Been here got the t-shirt with the DVLA. Several things that helped (adds physical weight to the application). Certificate of export from the US, I got this from the city, I also needed this to un-tax the car at the DMV. Second was a 'Certificate of Origin' some may know this as a 'Certificate of Conformity' not to be confused with a 'Certificate of authenticity'. COO is for non-Europe cars, COC is for Europe cars. Both are more legal looking documents than the COA.

 

[ignatzcatz]

Really sounds like there is a load more red tape you have to wade through now on both sides of the big pond. I have brought in a Harley Davidson motorcycle from New Jersey - flown in, a Porsche 914 from LA, again flown in and my lovely truck, my Ford F150 styleside from New Jersey - this went seafreight, and the import procedures were so trouble free I really can't remember any details of any of them. I do recall you got a C&E 386 import document which the clearance agent wanted, I did have the US title on each vehicle too but unlike now there was minimal agro. I think all I had to do with my truck was to change the indicators from the US red to orange. Big deal.
Anyway with regard to my particular problem getting my 356 registered I have been able to get a letter from Porsche cars GB that states the actual Day of the month when my lil scoot breathed its first gulp of Zuffenhausen air. Now should the DVLA throw out this third registration application I shall commence their official complaints procedure which I would hope bring positive results. So for the time being all I can do is be patient and wait for the telltale brown envelope falling through the letterbox.
Seasons greetings all, bah humbug!

 

[Tony Maddocks]

Getting there slowly. small areas of the chassis have now been exposed, a bit of welding and re under Sealed! To be honest , a bit like a piece of furninure with a few marks that you sand down and recoat.
Someone is justifying their job. Seatbelts are now fitted but the brake rotors have now been established as being only 9.55 mm thick . I need new rotors all round and new pads to suit! The pads have to be accompianed with a document to state they are NZ compliant. Phew! So a bit more research. Can purchase the rotors anywhere but probably need the pads in a genuine Porsche stamped package. This will all happen next year now!
Happy Christmas from NZ !

 

[ignatzcatz]

'Er indoors and me having not gotten sloshed seeing in the new year in woke pretty early to get to the first classic car meet of the year at the fabulous old Brooklands circuit venue (which BTW has an excellent new aircraft section). Well the place was rammed, loads and loads of very tasty machinery, lots of Porsches although only two 356's, a few street rods and plenty of American muscle. Unfortunately the main parking sections were for pre '88 autos and anything else had to park up in the industrial estate section and as we rocked up there in our late model Cayenne that is where we went. However TIPEC were there with preferred parking and a Cayenne had sneaked in with that lot. I think PCGB should get a slot there for next year.
Anyway to get to the point, although the day was great, lots to see as always at Brooklands plus the weather was pretty good too, I really had the blues seeing all this stuff and knowing that I couldn't join in the fun as my old girl was still entombed under it's car cover, in the garage, still waiting for legal registration. So Tuesday came and I whilst up to Christmas I had been checking the post just to if that brown envelope might appear on the mat, but after the holiday I really didn't think there would be any happenings for a while. I came in from the garage at lunchtime, not for me, it's the cats that like a snack, looked at the pile of mail which appeared to be the usual estate agent, curry house recycling, and there it was, the brown envelope with the return SA31 - Swansea post code. Ripped it open - oh yes, one pristine V5C for my little 356. Deep unexpurgated, profound joy. It's little legal reggie number is 586UYY and it's non-transferrable but I do believe you can put a cherished number on the car so I might stick one that I have on retention on it.
I am really relieved because this whole paperwork deal has taken almost 6 months to sort out and at last I can get out to some of the great classic car meets they have in our patch, and of course some PCGB meets too, so roll on Summer.

 

[ignatzcatz]

I wanted to add something just to finish off my little tale of getting my 356 legal. The last and successful application which I sent off to the DVLA contained the original Certificate of Authenticity plus the original letter from Porsche Cars that specified the actual manufacturing date for the 356. I was keen to get these documents back whatever the outcome so I enclosed a stamped self addressed envelope and requested their return after necessary perusal. I didn't get these papers back with the V5C so I telephoned the DVLA after 10 days or so to enquire of their whereabouts. I got fobbed off so I telephoned again last week and was told that the papers were possibly in another department but he would send a message to try and get them returned. So yesterday, I got a card with my mail saying the main post office were holding a package for me pending payment of additional funds. I went to the post office today to get this package which turned out to be all my previously despatched application documents which was quite weighty. What the DVLA people had done was to sellotape my SAE on the front of a large envelope containing all the papers. Now it must have been pretty obvious to anyone that one first class stamp would not cover the cost of this weighty bulk of documents, so I had to pay £1.50 in excess postal charges. Of course the amount mattered little to me, I was just very pleased to get my original documents back, but was this action a joke or just the DVLA clerks having back at me because I won and got my car registered. It was just a little strange, oh and I sent the V5C straight back and got my personal registration swapped onto the car. I must admit I was sweating a bit until the revised V5C was back in my hands.
Now if only this dreadful weather would cheer up a bit I could get out in the damn thing and get some miles in. Happy Days!

 

[Tony Maddocks]

Hi Graham, so all good news then! Mine is that my 4 Rotors and Brake pads arrived yesterday from the UK. Only took 10 days.So now the floor pan has had a couple of welds sorted here and there and have replaced the 3 point seat belts with only 2 point ( Lap only) The year of manufacture allows the same belts that would have been fitted when new. The shoulder belt is not allowed unless the body fixing is absolutely proven to be secure. The new brake components once fitted require a form to be signed to state that the parts are compliant to NZ standards.Talk about hard work!! Then I will get a load of paperwork,like you, to pop along to the licensing dept to access some no. plates and then a WOF (warrant of fitness inspection) same as MOT. Then I can register it and gain a sticker for my windscreen.
We shall see??

 

[ignatzcatz]

Hi Tony, so still trying to find a way out of all the red tape, although from your remarks it would seem the brake situation is now just a formality and it will be pretty much plain sailing after fitting the parts. I really do hope so. And what a stupid rule about the safety belts, I mean what good is a lap belt? It only holds you back so you can give the dashboard a real good headbutt. I hadn't fitted any belts to my car but Julia said she would not be happy in it without them, so today I have just fitted a pair of full harness belts. The shoulder straps went to the bottom of the chassis where the handbrakes cables exit and the side straps go onto the outside rear bolts of the seat mounts. There is plenty of room because I have little bucket seats instead of the 356 armchairs. I'm contemplating getting the interior re-done in leather, it's just crappy vinyl and horrid nylon carpets at the moment, but it will be north of 4k so I might put the expenditure off until later in the year. We're off to the pub tomorrow night (30th) for a few scoops and some nosebag with our friends and I might take the 356 but I might get Julia to follow me in the Cayenne with a tow rope just in case I break down!

 

[ignatzcatz]

Pretty racy eh Tony

 

[Tony Maddocks]

Graham! Love the seats! and the power expected to need full harness seat belts! I had a Toyota fj40 landcruiser a 350Ci Chev in which had full harness belts but I just used the lap belts only . A bit like my 356 now ( lap belts only) . Just don't want the hassle of being stopped by the police to explain that a car of this vintage doesn't need anything more.
Good news!! drove my 356 today all up and legal !! Fitted with the brand new discs and pads! It was all worth it! Issued me with a no.plate Lee376. Just a routine plate next in line but now I can notify the personalise plate makers that I now need my pre- ordered plate , which is 356356. Most guys have long had plates like 62 356 B or 356C 64 . Has to be no more than 6 characters. Years ago the cost was $500/600 now the cost is around $1000. Bet guys in the UK would happily pay that for their cherished plate!

 

[ignatzcatz]

You betcha. The plate 'A356' is available and it's 80000, that's eighty thou. Another nice plate is POR356B and that is a snip at 6K. Good to hear you're legal and rollin' I'm just starting to get out in mine now. We went to our region 23's monthly meet at the Bolney Stage pub last night. Although we had a nice meal we didn't actually speak to any body cos they're a bit cliquey. Anyway by the time we got back (I'm saying we but Julia didn't fancy going in the hot rod so she followed me in the Cayenne - woz) the steering needed adjustment, the third gear bearing was howling and the brakes didn't feel too good. So that lot will keep me busy. However the motor, I'm pleased to say, was pulling like a train!

 

[Judder]

On the plate front, when I imported mine I went through the whole debate in my head about getting a private plate or not (I have one one on another car) and in the end went for a DVLA assigned period number which is free

Very pleased when my '63 came back as ALC583A which seeing as my first name is Alex was almost made for me []

 

[ignatzcatz]

A lot of people think having a private plate sucks, like oh yah look at me, but all my plates and every vehicle I run has one, have not cost me much, they have all come my way by cars purchased that already had them on. I did buy my nicest plate VOR 94 which is a Southampton plate that was on an old Morris Minor that belonged to the daughter of the guy who lived opposite my best man Dougie in Shoreham by Sea. One night the daughter came back from wherever a little worse for wear and missed the drive but hit the post by the drive and did the Morris a damage which meant she couldn't drive the car anymore. At this time I had a chrome bumper MGB to which I was fitting rubber bumpers to so it would look late model. I wanted to get rid of the F suffix plate the car had so Dougie told me of this damaged Morris parked in his road. So I got the Morris for £30 and then spent the next month welding the old dog up so I could get it through a MOT (the car had to be roadworthy in order to swap the plate) in fact it was on this car that I learnt how to gas weld. Anyway by the time I sorted everything out, MOT and plate swap, we had sold the MGB and bought a Midget so that got VOR94 and we have kept this £30 plate ever since. By the way I sold the repaired Moggy Minor for £300 so I guess the plate owes me nothing. I would say this plate looked its best on our black Porsche 944 but it now resides on my wife's Cayenne.