Interesting new convertible

[Mtrike]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MIDAS-KIT-CAR ... 4190dd92ae

[b1zbaz]

Does anybody know any info on this car I have messaged seller but no reply I may be interested

[ACourtney]

I got a phone call from the seller yesterday afternoon. As it said in the advert, the seller is a builder who is renovating a factory unit. The unit had been unoccupied for some years after the previous occupant went bust and "did a moonlit flit". Evidently the liquidator for the company didn't do much of a job as there were three cars left in the unit. The builder has been tasked by the landlord to clear and renovate the unit and part of that is to dispose of the cars. Hence these three cars are all now on ebay: The Midas, the Robin Hood that can be seen in the photos next to the Midas and a Mini Cooper Convertible that seems to have been parked outside all that time.

When the seller called me yesterday he didn't know anything about the Midas and described the Robin Hood to me as a Caterham. Whilst on the phone I checked the registration number for the Midas on the DVLA website and that confirms that it is correctly registered as a Midas. it gives the date of first registration as 01 March 1983, which is obviously the date that the donor Metro was registered. That also tells us that it pre-dates the introduction of the SVA test when age related plates were introduced and you could no longer keep the donor registration. The tax liability dates back to February 1999, so it has not been used since then.
Whether the car has been in the unit for 16 years, or not, I don't know . The photos tell us little more than that and I would recommend trying to take a look at it to check that it is complete.

In a case like this there is a question mark over title. The car does not belong to the seller. I would suspect that it belonged to somebody connected to the company that folded, or the company itself. This should have been sorted by the liquidator, but I assume that the landlord was owed rent and simply kept whatever was left in the unit when his tenants disappeared. As such then the three cars belong to the landlord. It is unlikely that any owner is going to appear out of the woodwork after all this time, especially if they owe money to the landlord.

If you buy the Midas, then at least it is properly registered and you can get the V5C in your name by paying £25 to the DVLA.

The Robin Hood doesn't appear to have a registration number so may need an IVA test - yet it has already been bid up to £480.

[b1zbaz]

I did check dvla and came up with the same info judging by the pictures there are no seats installed and I could do with a look under the bonnet

[b1zbaz]

I have no idea how much a convertible is worth either

[wolfie]

I live in Dudley so not far to go and check it out for people. Hopefully the seller will get back to me and I'll get as many photos as possible and post them on here

[wolfie]

hopefully going to check it out on saturday so if you need any specific info, pics etc let me know

[b1zbaz]

Wolfe your an incredibly nice helpful gent I just want to know what condition the engine seems to be in as the lack of under bonnet shot is seriously off putting and also what them circular up stands are on the roof are they just debris of the garage roof or actually part of the car

[Stuart]

It has an interesting knobbly finish on the bonnet.

[b1zbaz]

3d paint