Does anyone know what this vehicle is?

[MattA7]

This strange vehicle often drives around the area I used to attend college (the photo was taken a while ago). It appears to have the old black and white license plates so I’m wondering if they were very common years ago I’m 26 and never remember seeing anything like this in my younger years.

occasionally you saw passengers in the back often with no helmets or seatbelts on

 

[LOL The Irony]

It's a custom made trike and looks like it might use a VW Beetle engine & gearbox, which would explain the license plate. As for the seatbelts, if they're not fitted, you can't wear them.

 

[DerekC]

I must admit that I thought you could only use the registration of a donor vehicle if you were using a majority of its parts, which this doesn't look as if it does.

A quick Google reveals that the black and white plate situation is now quite complicated. All cars and bikes used them until 1968. From 1968 to 1972 both styles were legal on new vehicles and from1st January 1973 only the new type of plate was allowed. However the law has recently been changed so that any vehicle registered prior to 1st January 1979 can have a black and white plate, provided it has been registered as a historic vehicle. This one carries an M-plate which I think is 1973, so it's doubtful!

 

[FQTV]

It was registered, and still is, as a Volkswagen Beetle on 1st July 1971.

It appears to be or have been owned by, and/or used by, a Johnny Depp impersonator, and the MOT is currently expired as of 21st June 2018.

 

[pdeaves]

often with no helmets or seatbelts on

As far as I am aware, crash helmets are not compulsory for a three-wheeler (as some motor-trike riders near me like to assert and make sure everyone can see they have no helmets!)

 

[Ploughman]

It was registered, and still is, as a Volkswagen Beetle on 1st July 1971.

It appears to be or have been owned by, and/or used by, a Johnny Depp impersonator, and the MOT is currently expired as of 21st June 2018.

May now be MOT exempt as over 40 years old.

 

[FQTV]

May now be MOT exempt as over 40 years old.

Of course; the rule about age exemption changed in 2018 from memory, so that would potentially tie-in with no renewal beyond June of that year.

 

[beeza1]

May now be MOT exempt as over 40 years old.

The MOT exemption only applies to "unmodified vehicles", so it will require an MOT.

 

[FQTV]

The MOT exemption only applies to "unmodified vehicles", so it will require an MOT.

Every day’s a school day!

 

[silverfoxcc]

Didn't the Munster of Addams family have a similar one?