You Can Help Shape The UK Government’s Policy On Classic Cars

The classic car industry is as thriving, diverse and vibrant as it’s ever been, with a growing number of specialist firms taking old cars and giving them thorough overhauls with new componentry while keeping the classic look.

Whether it’s the likes of Singer or Theon visually backdating a ’90s Porsche 911 and giving it a howling new 500bhp engine, or companies like Everrati dropping a silent electric powertrain into an otherwise standard-looking Mercedes SL, there’s arguably never been a more exciting time to be into classics.

The thing is, the recent burgeoning of the classic car modification industry seems to be causing a bit of a problem for the DVLA – the body that handles all vehicle registrations in the UK – which apparently hasn’t changed the way it registers rebuilt or ‘radically altered’ vehicles since the 1980s.

With lots of UK-based firms now engaging in the world of restomodding, the government has launched a call for evidence seeking both public and professional opinion on how it can update its registration system for classics in order to protect the UK’s significant classic car industry.

The DVLA specifically wants to investigate how it classifies historic vehicles generally, how it registers cars that have been rebuilt, restored or extensively altered, and whether separate policies are required for things like electric-converted classics and kit cars.

It genuinely seems that the government has launched this initiative with a view to protecting both classic car drivers and the companies that work on them, with the documentation’s foreword stating that “we are committed to exploring changes that will make it easier for keepers who adapt their vehicles to make sure they’re roadworthy and safe.”

That said, should you want to give your two cents, you will need to fill in a 29-page form – what else would you expect from the DVLA, an organisation that, in the year 2024, still requires you to send off by post for a logbook when you buy a new car? At least you can find this form online.