Is it difficult to get conversion approved by DVLA?

How difficult is it to get a Defender 90 approved with a Rover V8 3,5 conversion? What paperwork must be done and how goes the process?

Cheers!

I don't think just an engine change requires approval, just fill in the V5 with the changes and send it off. That's all I did for a change from 2.5 N/A to 200TDI

LoL... That easy?

What if you were to drop a 7 litre GM engine in one? I just recently moved to the UK, so back home in Norway everything is pretty complicated. Any changes done to the vehicle has to be checked over by authorities and reported in the V5 by them, even if its the same engine. You can't just drop any engine into any car and get it approved. The vehicle itself must be approved by manufacturer (or independant lab) for the engine. I think you also have to prove that you have purchased the engine, to eliminate the possibility that it might be stolen. Again, this is how its done in Norway. It's almost as if its too good to be true

When I went to tdi from non-turbo I didn't even change the v5 because my engine was just documented as 2.5 heavy oil and no engine number.

All I did was tell the insurance company (legally you have to) and they were cool

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHSH! Don't complain - it really is that simple - even with your big block plan just change cc on logbook [insurance would be a different matter]
My very early 110 is a V8 conversion - DVLA have been informed [3 times] and still the book comes back 2.25.

This is all good news then! Typically how long will it take b4 the logbook is returned and they don't require any inspections?

I hereby change the intention of the thread to hear about your experiences, as I realized I could get the info here https://www.gov.uk/change-vehicle-details-registration-certificate/changes-youll-need-to-update

couple of weeks - photocopy the original, they are good at losing things.................... and of course when you've built your road burner tell your insurance - now THEY might ask for an engineers report - any garage that does MOTs will be [probably] acceptable

It wasn't so easy for me, I changed from a 3.5V8 that died to a 3.9 V8 (much easier to get) and the DVLA then wanted an official receipt from a garage for the engine, or a garage report on the engine number and cc, or a VOSA inspection. The DVLA will not just accept a change in CC of the engine.

On one hand the DVLA say you must inform them of any change, and then on the other they do not believe you when you do tell them... Grrrr, useless bunch of w*****s. The insurance company had no such issues when I informed them of the change.

Who or what is is being protected here? Is it because thievery is so rampant that laws are affecting the law abiding?

I would find it fair that they will require proof of purchase of engine so that it can be confirmed that it wasn't stolen. But don't tell me the DVLA works in the way that it depends on who processes your papers. Works like this in Norway. You can get your mod approved by the same guy on a friday, but try him on an early monday and he will reject you and you can wave goodbye to your dream.

Thanks for sharing anyways!

I'm just having to do this. When I got the car the engine number on the V5 was different to the engine. The previous owner hadn't bothered to change it. Same type and size of engine, so I sent off the V5 with the right number on. It took them 6 weeks to return it saying thy couldn't change the engine size without a letter from the vehicle manufacturer. It's a 27 year old V8 Range Rover which has had 16 previous owners!!!!. I am going down the route of a letter from a garage on headed paper. I should have checked first but thought it would be easy with a straight swap.

waldamar said:

couple of weeks - photocopy the original, they are good at losing things....................

Click to expand...

Yup, they can do that with licences as well

R-soles


Rich.

Murtle said:

It wasn't so easy for me, I changed from a 3.5V8 that died to a 3.9 V8 (much easier to get) and the DVLA then wanted an official receipt from a garage for the engine, or a garage report on the engine number and cc, or a VOSA inspection. The DVLA will not just accept a change in CC of the engine..

Click to expand...

Thats strange. My Series went from a 2.25 to a 19J to a 200Tdi and now a RV8-3.9. Each time I just completed the V5 with the new engine number and cc, sent it off and got a new one back with the new details on. No engineers report needed of any other info requested. I think it might depend who's on the case at the time

They wanted a letter from a garage to say it was properly done the last time I changed (Perkins to a Tdi).

I just got my local friendly indie to scribble on headed paper and they accepted that no problem.

Sometimes it's a straight forward detail change but they can get confused
If you were to convert from petrol to Diesel AND confuse things more by capacity change then expect to have independent reports

For example, I have (amongst other cars... Have a pair of 200tdi Disco's aswell) a 1987 mk2 Golf that was an 1800petrol but now is a 1900 turbo diesel, same as with landy conversions it's done with VW similar age factory parts (especially to look standard outwardly ) but the dvla want a letter from either VW or an indipendant stating its been done properly & the engine-number

Although my golf has passed 3 mot's as a Diesel with the smoke test results since conversion but this is not acceptable to the dvla (who incidentally will not or cannot access mot records to help with their V5c alterations

Rich.