Midas Cars Forum - www.midascarsforum.com

Hi All,

In mid 2012 I procured a part built Gold Mk 3 convertible from a guy in Essex. It's apparently one of the Pastiche built cars.
It has no chassis number/ident nor a VIN plate.
Unfortutely the previous owner is unable to fnd any of his original purchase documentation for the car.
Am anticipating registering the car (then the IVA test) and am talking with Alistair about coming up with some credible chassis number for the car.
Any Pastiche sourced owners out there I'd really appreciate any knowledge/guidance you can give regarding build numbers/chassis numbering ?
I'm not even sure how many and what Midas varients Pastiche built.
Any knowledge/advice and particularly info on your own Pastiche built Midas varient/chassis number would be much appreciated

with thanks - in anticipation

Allan

David Manifold has a Pastiche built car, I'm sure he'll spot the thread soon. I think they made around 10, but I could be misremembering, but David will know.

I haven't had a looksie in the garage but mines either MV113 or MV13. the sister car to mine, Andy Murray's (the nice blue one which was red) is either MV12 or MV112. Very uninteresting numbering I am afraid compared to the other cars. On the upside, your car will be built like a tank if it's like mine. Pastiche seem to have over engineered the laminates especially compared to my factory Coupe which has a lot less laminates. It's not In the same league. downside is it will be a slightly heavier car.

...on separate note. I know that there is a BRG pastiche Coupe knocking about somewhere and another white convertible. I remember seeing them at the factory at Rotherham before they went bang in 1991 or whenever it was. Is yours white like mine?

Thanks Stuart - and David for these responses.
David - do you recollect where on your car Pastiche embedded the chassis number ?
I've never found one on mine at all (and now know every inch of the car save what's under the paint) - but wonder if it is embedded under some glassfibre gel and has been painted over so I've missed it.
And yes, construction ? Amazing. I have no real difficulty with the weight - but just love the monocoque's rigidity. Couldn't believe it when I first jacked a corner and there was NO twist/lozenging.
Have to admit am getting a tad fazed by the forthcoming IVA - am building the car as professionally as possible and checking all against IVA manual and with reference to several blogs/websites/accounts of others' IVA process - but am put off by comments such as (as reported by one applicant's experience of his IVA inspector) : "We never pass a vehicle on its first IVA test".
Am anticipating getting my excellent garage man (familiar with kit cars/IVA) to check it over/test beforehand - but ideally need to run it for a while to sort out any issues before the IVA - but of course can't easily as it will be unregistered so can't use on the road. No local closed circuits either.
Hm, still thinking about that one.
Cheers for now,

Allan

Hi Allan,

On the later Midas built cars like the MK 3 coupe the chassis number was written in black marker pen and then lightly laminated over on the area inside the car just above the petrol tank. I'm not sure if they did the same on the convertible, but imagine that area is in the boot on the convertible. Quite likely that they didn't bother though, it took Midas a long time to getting round to doing it, none of the MK 2's I've seen have it.

Mine didnt have any numbers embossed on it anywhere. Like Stuart said, they did put it on the area above fuel tank on my Mk3 Coupe. They may have embossed it on the Eurospec models. I'm pretty sure they had to for German cars.
You'll get a lot of pleasure out of your car I am sure once you get it on the road.

A tip for IVA. Put as a little as possible on it before going through the test. I would even take out any door frame and windows.... Get some stick on mirrors to get it through a test. The less you install on the car (except for legal requirements) the less they can test....

God I miss my Midas you will get great pleasure out of your car I regret selling mine every time I wake up

Thanks Guys for the info on chassis ident locations - and particularly for the encouragement about getting it finished and the driving pleasure to be had.
Yes, am really looking forward to that bit, am just running a bit low on energy and enthusiasm (and money) to get it completed.
Since buying it (late June 2012) have had everything off the part build (when I got it) with the exception of removing the core electrical harnesses and everything has been rebuilt/replaced or new. I probably should have posted a running blog about all the work - but to be honest have been to busy actually doing it to take the time. One thing I have started doing now is a written record of all works done on the car (with photos) to evidence at the IVA - anything to convince them it's reasonably well put together and meets their requirements - and thanks for the tip about leaving non-critical stuff off, yes Alistair is cautioning me about the trailing edges of the existing window frames being a "fail" (not meeting the 2.5mm radius requirements !)
Whilst waiting for exhaust mounts and seat belt mounts to be plated and getting exhaust fitted am currently installing seats - I can now sit in it and dream at least !
Thanks again

Allan

Best of luck with the build and IVA.

Just to remind other Mk 4 owners the Midas Owners club, have one brand new Mk4 heated front screen available. This will be the last one ever available, although there are some cold front screens on order, but will be about three months before they arrive.

That's the commercial break over!!!

Alan D.