ROADWORTHY PROJECTS
If your project is a car that you have owned for a while and had on the road, then you should already have plenty of grist for the assessment mill because you will know whether it has sufficient power, if it makes any untoward noises, whether the steering and brakes feel OK and if the gearbox changes smoothly. You will also have an idea of what ancillaries work and which ones don't, right down to whether the heater provides enough warmth to at least demist the screen. It is, however, well worth making a note of all these factors because, in a project that might end up stretching across several years, you will be amazed at how once-sharp memories can cloud and fade.
If you have bought a car specifically as a project, then this could still be a runner. It might even be road legal, but do bear in mind that this is a term which some people have always chosen to interpret rather loosely, and this situation has only worsened since cars over 40 years old and designated as Historic Vehicles have been exempted from needing an MoT. You cannot simply insure an old nail, apply for your free virtual tax disc and drive it on the road with impunity – it is still your obligation to ensure that the car is safe and complies with all regulations. If the brakes don't work properly, then driving it 'carefully' and keeping to the back roads does not make it safe, sensible or legal to drive using only the handbrake!
Assuming that the car is justifiably on the road, then having at least a short MoT is a bonus. In such cases, I would consider investing a little more cash before wading in with the spanners. Circumstances will vary from one person to another, but often a year's classic insurance will cost under £100. A Historic Vehicle will be eligible for a zero rate of road tax, but even if you have to pay for this, then any unused months get refunded when you take a car off the road, so the cost for one month is only modest. As such, it would help with your project planning if you had the car on the road for a few weeks, giving you a chance to assess all of the things that become impossible (or at least require far more experience) on a static car. Also consider whether spending £50 on an MoT inspection could be cost- effective – there are not many cheaper ways of getting a professional appraisal.
If for whatever reason it is not practical to put a car on the road, then maybe it has only recently been put on SORN? If so, you can check out its MoT history at www.gov.uk/check-mot
history. This will show you any MoT tests it has been submitted for since 2005, giving test results, failure points and any advisories. Reading through these can build up quite a picture of a car's condition and history, and at the very least direct you towards areas that will undoubtedly benefit from your tender ministrations.