Ideas or advice please...

[triumph1300]

Right guys there are plenty of cars around my way with no apparent owners or doors to knock on etc.

First of all i know of a series 3 Land Rover, its sitting in a load of trees and is overgrown with weeds, it has a tow rope hanging from the front bumper so I guess it was dead when left in 1996, there are no houses near to it, and the ones I have knocked on dont have a clue, some didnt even know the car existed.

The other car is a Jaguar 420 G, which I believe is a mk10?, it's looking pretty unloved, last taxed in 2002, and it's next to an old salvation army hall which is derelict and a dumping ground. The car itself is all complete, flat tyres etc and covered in dirt/moss. I have knocked on some of the locals doors and they don't have a clue either.

Is there any possible way of finding the current owners details? Even if they aren't for sale or out of my budget, I would at least like to know there is no danger of them being weighed in...

 

This is the landie:

 

My battery died when I got to the Jag!

[Negative Creep]

I believe you can write to the DVLA and pay a small fee to confirm whose name the V5 is in. No idea about the legalities of claiming it though

[triumph1300]

Oh really? I will have to look into that, I wouldn't ever just take a vehicle, at least send a few letters and see what happens though I suppose. Worth a try...

[purplebargeken]

Nice finds. What you can do is this:

 

The first bit you have done already, you have asked around as to the identity and whereabouts of the owner.

 

Next bit is go to local plod HQ with a letter stating that as a classic car enthusiast you are willing to remove the car and store it whilst you identify the owner. If you put this in a letter and get them to stamp it and keep a copy, you are acting responsibly. Then arrange for the car to be towed to wherever you will keep it.

 

You can then send this to the DVLA:

 

[quote 28 XXXXX Road

DVLA XXXXXXX

Swansea London

SA99 1DD XXXXX

 

Date:

 

Dear Sir/Madam

Re: V62 – Application for a vehicle registration certificate

I am writing to support my application (documents and payment enclosed) in respect of vehicle index number: . Make: , Model: Colour Blue.

This vehicle has been kept unlicensed in the vicinity of XXXXX Road, XXXXXX, London XX for between 12 and 24 months. There is no tax disk on display and the vehicle condition has deteriorated due to possible vandalism, parking damage or neglect. A DVLA Vehicle Enquiry shows that the vehicle has been unlicensed since: XX/XX/XXXX

I have taken reasonable steps to identify the owner of the vehicle with no success.

I wish to move this example of British motoring history to private land to save it from any further risk of vandalism, accidental damage or seizure while I continue to attempt to trace the owner.

I understand that I will be the legal keeper of the vehicle while it is on my land, and will need a V5 in my name so that I can quite correctly declare SORN for your records.

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

Mr.

]

 

This is what you take to the police, get them to stamp it and copy it.

 

XXXX Road

XXXXXXX Police Station XXXXXXX

XXXX XXX XXX London

XXXXXXX XXX XXX

London Tel:

XXX XXX

 

Date:

 

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to make the local Metropolitan Police Service and its agents aware that this vehicle (Index number: . Make: Model: has been kept unlicensed in the vicinity of XXXXXX for between 12 and 24 months. There is no tax disk on display and the vehicle condition has deteriorated due to possible vandalism, parking damage or neglect. A DVLA Vehicle Enquiry shows that the vehicle has been unlicensed since: XXXXXXXX

I have taken reasonable steps to identify the Registered Keeper of the vehicle with no success, I have made numerous local enquiries with no success to date and have contacted the XXXXXXX Owners Club. The were able/unable to identify the car and the former member (if any).I wish to notify you of my wish to move this example of British motoring history at my own cost within 7 days to private land on behalf of the currently unidentified Registered Keeper. My aim is to save it from any further risk of vandalism, accidental damage or seizure while I continue to attempt to trace the Registered Keeper.

I have submitted a V888 application to the DVLA in respect of the vehicle to attempt to formally identify the Registered Keeper and I understand that I will be the legal keeper of the vehicle while it is on my land, and will therefore need a V5 in my name so that I can quite correctly declare SORN for the DVLA records. When the formal Registered Keeper of the vehicle has been successfully contacted he or she may reclaim the car from me at no cost by providing proof of ownership (ie; current V5 or traceable bill of sale).

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

Mr

 

This is another one I sent to the DVLA:

 

Fee Paying Section XX XXXXX Road

DVLA

Swansea London

SA99 1AJ

Tel:

Date:

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Re: V888 – Request for Information

I am writing to support my request for information in respect of vehicle index number:. Make:, Model: , Colour:.

This vehicle has been kept unlicensed in the vicinity of Road, , London for between 12 and 24 months. There is no tax disk on display and the vehicle condition has deteriorated due to possible vandalism, parking damage or neglect. A DVLA Vehicle Enquiry shows that the vehicle has been unlicensed since:

I have taken reasonable steps to identify the Registered Keeper of the vehicle with no success to date.

I wish to try and identify the Registered Keeper to ask him to move this example of British motoring history to private land to save it from any further risk of vandalism, accidental damage or seizure. If he no longer wishes to have responsibility for the vehicle then I would consider discussing other options with him in order to preserve the vehicle.

I will continue to attempt to trace the Registered Keeper by other reasonable means in the interim.

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

Mr.

 

I managed to get the V5 and the owner never stepped forward. The rest is history. Make sure you take pictures of the car being removed, stored and so on.

 

Good luck.

 

Ken

[Angrydicky]

What happened to that Morris Minor Ken? I remember following the story on the MMOC forum, did the owner come forward to claim it in the end?

[purplebargeken]

No, no-one ever did.

 

I discovered just why the car had been abandoned. The chassis rail, cross member and rear n/s and o/s floor pan was non-existent being mostly crafted out of sealant, filler and various other no-car related stuff. Such a shame as the original owner and his daughter loved it

 

The car went for bits and pieces to various folk and lives on in other cars sadly. I really miss it but I seem to have no luck whatsoever with Moggies unfortunately.

[triumph1300]

Yesterday i emailed the company dealing with the planning permission on the Salvation Army hall where the Jag is parked, today I received a reply from the company and they have spoken to the owners of the building and they dont have a clue who owns the Jag! So it looks like some emails will be fired off and a visit to the police station will commence!

[Rocket88]

Surprised the hi-ab brigade haven't had the Jag........Mk 10 / 420 g are fine vehicles, but they rot like billyo

[purplebargeken]

Bagsie the Landie!!!

[triumph1300]

Yeah im surprised the Jag hasnt been hiab'd too.

[Wilko220]

If you are successful in getting your hands on these, is your intention to restore them? They both sound like very brave projects.

[triumph1300]

Until I can actually look over them, I can't really say, although I imagine there isn't much left of the landie underneath, I guess that would be broken for spares, but the jag, if it isn't too rotten then I will stick on my drive as a long term project. If that turns out to be too bad I would probably try and sell it on

[Danblez]

Not wishing to stir any more shit up or cause offence but I am a little perplexed.

 

Not long ago you scrapped what appeared to be a perfectly saveable car as it was beyond your expertise but now you are wanting to try and save two more vehicles which are in far worse condition?!

 

Surely you already had a long term project probably far more doable than either of those two?

[Louise2cv]

I think sometimes it's a good idea not to over estimate what you can do, even if something does seem like a great opportunity and even if it would be a shame to see the car scrapped.

 

Do you really want to move a rotten car from somewhere just for it to rot on your driveway?

 

My dad has a +8 that came off the road in 82 and so far it's still awaiting work to begin on it's "long term resto". He's just about ready to build the garage for it (this year he's finally found time to dig out the foundations) and bring it out of storage. So maybe it'll surface in 5 years and actual work on the car will start some time after that. This is a man who builds engines (for vintage cars/bikes) and car parts for a living and has some experience of welding on a more ametuer grounding; he can do "car-stuff" but there's more to projects than having the skills or even the enthusiasm.

 

Did you find a college course? Perhaps you'd be better starting there, and starting on some "needs small amount of welding for MOT" type motors first.

 

You might sell it on, but it's likely to be a ball ache and if you factor in the time spent p*ssing about you might not make that much out of it.

[ashmicro]

Fair play to you for having a go. I once bought a Kawasaki KH400 in boxes w/rolling frame. Never got it put together, and gave it away in the end, but it was (mostly) fun trying. Good luck.

[Cavcraft]

Fair play to you for having a go. I once bought a Kawasaki KH400 in boxes w/rolling frame. Never got it put together, and gave it away in the end, but it was (mostly) fun trying. Good luck.

 

 

I'm going to start crying in 3,2,1...

[ashmicro]

Soz Billy!

[messerschmitt owner]

I recommend getting the Mk10/420G home, ascertaining how bad it is, and punting it on straight away, either as bits or as a complete car. It'll probably be fit for parts only and regardless of how good you may be (or become) there are few 420Gs worth restoring. It'll most likely be a parts car.

 

has the Landie got an overdrive? If it has, that's a nice little bonus. Do the same with it - part it and scrap it.

[Cavcraft]

420G would also be of interest to an oval racer if it's too far gone for the road. Might as well let someone have their fun out of it if it's knackered anyhow.

[messerschmitt owner]

420G would also be of interest to an oval racer if it's too far gone for the road. Might as well let someone have their fun out of it if it's knackered anyhow.

does depend on what state the engine is in, surely!

 

I'm thinking it must be a couple of hundred for a parts only 4.2 XJ engine... maybe more.

[whitevanman]

I can't see the pics due to the works filter....but I can almost gaurantee that the Jag will be rancid, as others have said, assume it's a parts car, sell the engine and sell the shell to the banger racers as they will happily put a different engine in it.

[triumph1300]

Not wishing to stir any more shit up or cause offence but I am a little perplexed.

 

Not long ago you scrapped what appeared to be a perfectly saveable car as it was beyond your expertise but now you are wanting to try and save two more vehicles which are in far worse condition?!

 

Surely you already had a long term project probably far more doable than either of those two?

 

The reason the triumph had to go was because it was my daily driver, and i needed a car, but I had no money. So the car needed to be broken to free up cash for the new car. I did start the welding on it, picked it up pretty quick surprisingly which was good, but there was far to much to do on without having a car on the road at the same time.

 

Like i said, if the Jag isn't that bad then why not have it as a project. It's not like I would be in any rush to get it fixed...

 

To be honest, whatever I do with it doesn't really bother me as messing about with cars is all part of the enjoyment for me. If the cars cost me nothing, then thats a bonus, if I have to pay them I would most probably break them, as I know they would most probably be uneconomical to restore.

[Alexg]

Perhaps the cars are no longer registered to anyone. Use this DVLA site and select 'VEHICLE ENQUIRY' (4th box down on the left) to find out when the car was last taxed...

https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPo ... =directgov

If this message is displayed under the taxing info...

This vehicle can be licensed at a DVLA Local Office without the V5C Registration Certificate

...the car has no registered keeper.

 

That'll speed up the application for a log book and just 1 form and £25 is required to register to you.

[jonny69]

I got the log book for an abandoned Jag in the garage next door to mine about 3/4 years ago. Nobody knew who's it was or who owned the garage, the tax disc went out in '84 and I had no reason to believe anyone had been in the garage since, other than it had been broken into and things were being stolen from time to time. I literally just filled in the V62 form from the Post Office and the V5 turned up in the post a few weeks later.

 

They try to contact the registered keeper and if there's no reply after a couple of weeks, it's basically yours. I wrote a couple of times as well, with no reply. But then, one day, out of the blue, there was a car parked in front of the garage and the owner had turned up. He hadn't been to the garage in over 14 years, he was furious that his early Lambretta had been nicked and was going to take the Jag somewhere else.

 

Crazy world eh?

[autofive]

I got the log book for an abandoned Jag in the garage next door to mine about 3/4 years ago. Nobody knew who's it was or who owned the garage, the tax disc went out in '84 and I had no reason to believe anyone had been in the garage since, other than it had been broken into and things were being stolen from time to time. I literally just filled in the V62 form from the Post Office and the V5 turned up in the post a few weeks later.

 

They try to contact the registered keeper and if there's no reply after a couple of weeks, it's basically yours. I wrote a couple of times as well, with no reply. But then, one day, out of the blue, there was a car parked in front of the garage and the owner had turned up. He hadn't been to the garage in over 14 years, he was furious that his early Lambretta had been nicked and was going to take the Jag somewhere else.

 

Crazy world eh?

 

did you give him his jag back?

 

i remember a thread on a forum a few years ago about a bloke who had a merc 'nicked' out of garage where it had stood for a few years, the 'new owner' spent a fortune getting it road worthy then applied for a V5 about 6 years later, then the police came arrested him for theft and returned the merc to the original owner who got himself a free resto. The new owner tried legal action but failed as he didnt legally own the car.

[Ross_K]

But then, one day, out of the blue, there was a car parked in front of the garage and the owner had turned up. He hadn't been to the garage in over 14 years, he was furious that his early Lambretta had been nicked and was going to take the Jag somewhere else.

 

Crazy world eh?

 

You serious? He came back after 14 years expecting to find his car and a Lambretta waiting for him?

 

I presume you told him to fuck off, or did you offer him his ex-car in return for 14 years worth of storage payments?

 

The balls on some people...

[Cheggers]

I know we all know this already but the V5 doesn't make you the legal owner of a vehicle, just the registered keeper. In legal/ ownership terms, your name on the V5 isn't worth a wank if someone else turns up and proves ownership (with a receipt etc).

 

I know we all fantasise about "rescuing" some old nail languishing in a field, but most abandoned cars have been abandoned for a reason...

[messerschmitt owner]

 

You serious? He came back after 14 years expecting to find his car and a Lambretta waiting for him?

 

I presume you told him to fuck off, or did you offer him his ex-car in return for 14 years worth of storage payments?

 

The balls on some people...

I've stuff I haven't looked at for twenty years, tucked away in a garage - doesn't mean anyone else can come along and just 'nick' it, does it!

A friend of mine had an XK150S DHC which had been in a garage since the 1970s. They were supposedly restoring it but it languished in a corner until 1990. When the garage tried to sell it, my friend took them to court. They claimed for storage, he counterclaimed for them not doing the work, he got his car. I had to pull it out of the garage forecourt with my BX (the Jag had the rear brakes seized on) and up onto the trailer - the garage owner had closed up shop for the day the Jag left.

 

The jag is fully restored now, looking fantastic.

[sporty-shite]

I believe SOC has a story to tell in relation to this subject. Frankly, I CBA finding the years old thread on the blue forum, but suffice to say, it got quite nasty.

[Ross_K]

I've stuff I haven't looked at for twenty years, tucked away in a garage - doesn't mean anyone else can come along and just 'nick' it, does it!

 

Your property in your garage isn't the same thing at all, is it? Why would you try to confuse matters?