At the risk of being obsessive and 'off topic', for my concern and the benefit of others I have been in touch with the DVLA.

From the horse's mouth, so to speak;

'' If you stop the insurance on your motor vehicle it has to be declared SORN with the tax disc (if still valid) returned. An uninsured vehicle does not have to be seen on the road to be committing an insurance offence. If our computer records show a vehicle to be uninsured and not SORNed it is considered that the owner is intending to continue using it on the public road without insurance. The minimum SORN period is 21 days.''

''Regarding pre 1974 vehicles with registration documents still showing tax class PLG, the owner will now be required to the pay the PLG tax to get a tax disc. The owner will then need to send us the document which will be changed to historic class, and a refund of the remaining PLG tax paid will be made.''

Originally Posted by: Old Blue 

The Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) scheme to tackle uninsured motorists was launched in June 2011. Under the scheme it is an offence to be the keeper of an uninsured vehicle.

Under CIE, keepers of vehicles which appear to be uninsured are sent reminder letters. Those who take no action receive a fixed penalty notice of £100, followed by enforcement action – wheelclamping, impounding and ultimately prosecution by the courts (the maximum fine in Court is £1,000).

I'm not sure which horse you've been speaking to, but you need to look at section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

You only need to insure a motor vehicle if it is going to be used or kept on a public road.

With regard to obtaining a historic (free) tax disc, as I said before, it's the way you talk to people.

Maybe you should offer the horse a bigger carrot.

Herbs.

Originally Posted by: Herbert 

I hope you didn't let him run off with that Pork Pie John...there is a burgeoning market in Classic Pork Pies...just do an EBay search.

When I started at Ordnance Survey's Drawing School in 1967 there was a general store next door that had a dusty collection of Miller's Pork Pies in the window. It was an impressive array that us young lads could only covet...money didn't seem to interest the owner when we tried to add them to our own collections.

They were there, untouched for the duration of our 6 month course. I distinctly remember the patina of congealed white fat on the base of those tough outer jackets...ahhh those were the day's when you could pick up salmonella for just a few pence.

Originally Posted by: lifeintheslowlane 

I hope you didn't let him run off with that Pork Pie John...there is a burgeoning market in Classic Pork Pies...just do an EBay search.

When I started at Ordnance Survey's Drawing School in 1967 there was a general store next door that had a dusty collection of Miller's Pork Pies in the window. It was an impressive array that us young lads could only covet...money didn't seem to interest the owner when we tried to add them to our own collections.

They were there, untouched for the duration of our 6 month course. I distinctly remember the patina of congealed white fat on the base of those tough outer jackets...ahhh those were the day's when you could pick up salmonella for just a few pence.

Originally Posted by: lifeintheslowlane 

Welll the guy that is researching the whole Rattlletrap history/story/legend/nonsense/cobblers (depending on your point of view ), has been over to visit me an Rattletrap. He has been driving all around the country visiting those stilll around with knowledge of Tony Levyand Rattletrap, so is very serious about the car. Hehas allready visted Tony Levy's widow, and one or two others including the once editor of a well-know but now deceased VW motoring magazine. His main aim is to get to the bottom of just how old Rattletrap (or some of him) really is.:smile:

Listening to varous comments and mumblings he made as he examined Rattletrap - pulling up carpets and mats - left me thinking that he though the oldest part of Rattletrap was a stale Tesco pork pie that he found wedged down behind the rear seat .:o

However, he is taking his project to the end, and has borrowed Rattletrap's document file to examine (and have scientifiically tested??) those items relating to the car dated from 1950/51.:shock:

Originally Posted by: Rattletrap 

Glad the car's story is being persued. As mentioned, I did know Tony back in the late 1950s, so I am one of those still around as you say. Can't say that I can add to what is in this thread though.

Originally Posted by: Old School 

I know what you mean. When I went to fill up for Stanford Hall and popped the bonnet open a young woman looked perplex as I pumped petrol over the engine.

ps I did not get a pork pie.




Andy W

Originally Posted by: AW 

I will be interested to see the outcome of the research into Tony's car.

I do remember though that at one time Tony had two Beetles - not mentioned anywhere here. The black one ''Rattletrap'', but also a lighter colour one.

Originally Posted by: Old School 

Your motor not partial to pork pies then Andy. I reckon that the boy at Wickes must have been left with the impression that my Beetle runs on cement dust.:rofl:

Yes thats a point, like your car, Rattletrap's fuel filller is under the front bonnet. I'll have to watch that at the filling station when 'pumping petrol over the engine', there's a few out there that will take the opportunity of throwing a lighted match under his bonnet.:omg:

Originally Posted by: Rattletrap 

Yes I have seen mention of it in past magazine articles about Rattletrap.I think it was a car for his wife to use. It was a1958/60 Beetle so with a single piece larger rear window making it more practical for her I guess.

Originally Posted by: Rattletrap 

I have had similar reactions from people young (kids) and fairly old (kids parents) while filling up at the local shell! Ranging from "why's that man putting petrol on his engine?..." to "Does it have an engine!?"

The lady in the kiosk is always pleased to see me in the Beetle and often holds the queue up while talking to me about it!

I did have (and eat) a large, and a small tesco pork pie at Stanford Hall! :)

Originally Posted by: bigoval