<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="2"><font color="blue">Cheers Gary - let's hope it wasn't a Cat A or B right-off or there'll be lots (and I mean lots) of clean, shiney, painted, serviceable bits for a TR7 on ebay pretty soon, and I'll be buying all the tissues I can!
I actually think the previous owner just ran out of time and patience, because the car was in really good nick, with just a tiny bit of welding (less than the size of a 5p piece just to fill a small hole) needing doing, but the perfectionist in me wanted to do a full resto. However, before I waste any more time I will try to contact DVLA (somehow) to see what's what. Thanks for your advice, better safe than sorry (perhaps I could buy this V5 and clone my car!!).
I emailed Jim, the trader (see the post above) and he's replied with the following:
<font color="red">hi i never thought of that, that a stolen one could be cloned with this, i thought it was just like when you are building a kitcar or doing an old car up, you get a doner vehicle for the age related plate, just thought it was too nice a number to let it go to the scrapyard in the sky. i have actually said in the ad that i have destroyed and cut up the vehicle, which i have pictures to prove this, to show that there wouldnt be two of them, so i didnt think this would be cloning, and who ever i sell it too, to use it they have got to test the car with this number on, and send it back to the dvla to change the details of ownership, many thanks,jim</font id="red">
I subsequently responded to him with the following:
<font color="red">Hi Jim. Thanks; the reason I asked is that I have just one of those projects -a TR7 bought from a scrappie that I am giving a new lease of life, but all I have to identify it is the rear number plate and I need to register it soon! I don't know anything about this, but it appears to me that you are selling the rights to the registration. If I am right, depending on what you get on ebay (it might only go for £2!) you might be losing out on a plate worth hundreds. Have you thought about one of those number plate traders (before one of them bids £2 and sells it for buckets of cash!). You might get more than ebay! Your listing has provoked a large discussion on a TR7 forum I use (
http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.a ... hichpage=2). I hope you don't mind but I posted my previous question onto the forum and will do with your answer and this question as there is a lot of "speculative" discussion. Maybe this might help reduce that "speculation"!
Thanks again, Mac</font id="red">
I think I am right, and if so would hate to see a guy ripped off but I might be wrong; I'd appreciate being educated if I am!
</font id="Comic Sans MS"></font id="size2"></font id="blue">

The pheonix rises from the ashes - just give it time!

http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/macmattom/