How to register without papers

[Buggyboy]

Hallo Everyone

Hopefully some can give me some advice. I had a buggy witch was supposed to be a project build but, due to financial reasons had to sell it before any work could start. I am looking at buying either a beetle/pan or a buggy project to start with my own project. The only thing that's a bit worring is that my budget is R10k (at max) and for that price there's a lot of potensial that can be bought but without papers!!!!

If I buy one of these "ugly ducklings"(hopfully turning it into a swan) what is the process of getting it registered in my name or is it at all possible?

If one of you guys maybe have a potencial doner car or buggy project please let me know

Thanks

[flatfourfan]

do yourself a favour and buy a project buggy that's already been shortened, licensed and has paperwork, (even if it's been off the road for a few years).

You can get one for your price range, albeit probably with no motor or a shot motor and needing body work. The licensing department has become SUPER strict with new rebuilds, so try to avoid that at all costs.

[Buggyboy]

Thanks for the advice Flatfourfan!

The search contuniues............

[calooker]

As a private individual you are no longer allowed to register a built up car unless it has SABS test certification or done by a shop that has the required certification and know how. A buddy of mine found this out the expensive way after he spent 35K on a trike he can't register in Johannesburg. Same thing applies to trailers.

[retrovan]

As Rui said, there is no such thing as "Home Built" anymore.

Even the poor guys that fit bodys to "Chassis Cabs" have to be registers, inspected, and Design verified.

As a trailer manufacturer, or even a body builder, it is one hell of a posses, to register with the Dept. of Transport, with SABS audits, inspected, Design verifications, and fees.

But it also has made it safer on the roads, as all things are now strength assured, and not just stuck together with a wish and a glue.

Herman

[Buggyboy]

I knew about the trailer building issue... So then if I understand correctly the. Best would be to buy a registered buggy and strip it down and start my rebuild!

If all goes well I should be the proud owner of my first acvw this afternoon!! Going to have a look at a kestrel buggy that has all its paperwork in order! The body will be removed and a a different body will need to be sourced, not a big fan of the kestrel style.

Thanks guys!

[Bundy]

Isn't bribing someone the new way of doing these things? :O

I once managed to get the papers for a paper-less vehicle by completing an affidavit that the seller had taken my money and moved to New Zealand, not sure that it'll be so easy to do that now with e-Natis but it might be possible if the vehicle is already recorded on e-Natis. I'm always very suspicious of vehicles without papers and assume that they have probably been stolen at some point. You should be able to check this by filling in some request forms.

Bikes and trikes are easy, just make sure that the headstock (where the VIN is stamped) and the engine have papers. You can buy crashed frames from scrapyards that still have a solid headstock and valid papers. The rest of the frame and body-work can be modified quite a bit before drawing attention but it'll still have to be in good roadworthy condition, of course.

I have heard that some trailer manufacturers (you didn't hear it from me) will go over your trailer, check build quality and welds etc and then put their own chassis plate and chassis number on it. This will be expensive and they won't offer a warranty! Or buy a crashed one with papers and stamp that chassis number on the new one.

It's probably easier to source a vehicle with legit papers in the first place. The reason that vehicles advertised without papers seem so much cheaper is that it's expensive and a time-consuming PITA to get it sorted out.

[Barry]

Just so you know, swapping VIN numbers may just earn you some free board & lodging.........and some interesting bed mates......

[sean]

Just search this forum. I have posted it several times. It is not an issue to get a vehicles papers sorted out. The only thing you don’t want is it marked as stolen.

Its a simple check, just get the VIN number and go to your nearest traffic department, ask them to check it. They will tell you what the status is.

[flatfourfan]

If you don't have paperwork, you're going to have to obtain a request for a duplicate certificate and for that you need the last REGISTERED owners copy of his ID book and he has to sign the form for this, then you can do change of ownership. It's a lot of work............and the price should reflect that.