Registration

Now with a complete vehicle and all systems working, it was time for registration. I was seeking historic registration which was substantially cheaper, reflecting the largely club nature and limited use of such vehicles. I was already a member of the Land Rover Register of South Australia and called their historic vehicles registrar, Ian Turner, for advice. Ian, a man who lives and breathes Land Rovers, having restored and rebuilt a number of Series 1s and others, came around, very easily confirmed the vehicle was "substantially original", and supplied a certificate. I then had to take this certificate, my club membership card and the vehicle to the State Government vehicle inspection centre. For historic registration the vehicle apparently didn't need a full "over the pits" inspection but rather an identity check. Using a single trip permit, I drove out to the Regency Park inspection centre and nervously awaited my call. So far as I knew, all was in order, but who knows what might lie in the history of my engine and chassis numbers, or if the inspector might take a keener interest in all the mechanicals. The rules around vehicle trays, wheel and mudguard clearances etc are a nightmare which I had done my best to navigate in the build. This vehicle did not originally come fitted with seat belts and so I was presenting it without seat belts. Would that be an issue? My turn came and I drove in onto the polished concrete, handed over my paperwork, showed the inspector where to find the chassis number (above the left rear spring hanger) and was told to wait in the sitting area. I watched in anticipation as he checked off and recorded the chassis and engine numbers, had a look along the main chassis rails with a torch for any cutting and shutting, gave the steering wheel a pull each way, pushed down the brake pedal and then wandered off. After what seemed an age, he came back with the completed paperwork, everything was fine and I was all set to go to the registration office and collect my new licence plates. My former workmates had reserved LR-1960 for me as part of a retirement gift and I couldn't have been happier as I bolted the new plates to my project.