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You seem now to have zeroed in on Rods.
We have three kit cars, in one case the original chassis was taken and shortened, in the other two the chassis was provided by the kit manufacturer. In all cases the chassis/vin number was stamped into the chassis by the plods.
All three kept their original reg and two are tax exempt due to age.
So none are made from "two" chassis. The only thing I can think you are meaning is a car that has been cut and shut, with the front from one car and the back from the other. So more likely to be a monocoque. Many Landrovers have new part chassis and this could be looked at as "two chassis" or parts of. Rear third or half of a Disco 2 chassis for instance. Cowboys used to do this, ("cut and shut") and sadly do it badly. It CAN be done properly and be just as safe as the original, if not indeed slightly stronger, but you seriously have to know what you are doing and typically it is better to reshell the vehicle.
The Q plate was issued to kit cars etc that did not meet the criteria to retain the original reg. There was a points system, front axle 1 point, rear axle 1 point, engine 1 point, gearbox 1 point etc. I forget the actual details as it is so long since I did it, but the thing was designed to see whether the essence of the original car was there and could be said to be "kit modified". You needed 4 points to keep it. BUT the car, whether on a Q plate or not, still had to be as roadworthy as any other car, which at the time was determined by an MOT. So people only tried to avoid a Q plate as they thought it looked naff, or if they felt much of the car was old enough they wanted to avoid road tax and also they couldn't replace the Q with a personal plate. The vehicle still had to meet the construction and use regs in place at the time of original manufacture. so tyres that stuck out from the wheel arches etc were a no-no, and the kit manufacturers knew and know this, so they design the kit to meet them. Height and separation of lights for instance.
Many rods are built on chassis from cars before WW2 so the construction and use regs then were very different. Hence for instance they can have no indicators or ones that flash the brake lights individually. They don't need seat belts, I could go on.
So if a Rod has front wheels not covered by wings or mudguards of any sort, that would have to have been in the regs at the time the original vehicle was built, for it to be legal.
Here is a thread that shows the varying attitudes to legality and also proving that an MOT does not make a car street legal it just is necessary to drive it.
https://www.volkszone.com/threads/american-style-rat-rods-are-they-uk-road-legal.626443/
At the end of all this, I think we should all celebrate the fact that we live in a country where modifying vehicles is still legal.
We moan about the regs and stuff, rod builders nowadays do mad things like buy London Taxis cos they have separate chassis BUT they and we CAN do it.
Landies must be about the most commonly modded vehicles on our roads.
Abroad you can't hardly change the tyres on a car. You can't change the cam, you can change hardly anything. Each country varies slightly, for instance in Germany if a bit of kit is TUV approved you can fit it but in France you are dead stuck. They are sooooo jealous of all we can do! The paint, the exhaust and the wheels sometimes is about all they can do.
Oh and change the sound system!
"La conformité
Dans tous les cas, il faut vérifier que l'accessoire choisi, même s'il est autorisé, répond bien à la réglementation française. Ainsi, l'homologation TÜV figurant sur certaines pièces en provenance d'Allemagne, grand pays de tuning, n'a aucune valeur en France. Idem pour les homologations américaines ou japonaises, non reconnues en Europe.
A savoir : l'installation d’un matériel non conforme peut exposer à des sanctions en cas de contrôle et provoquer l'annulation de la garantie constructeur.
Le tuning, une pratique en évolution
Plus discret mais plus technique
Sous l'effet conjugué du durcissement des réglementations et du changement des modes, le tuning a évolué, surtout depuis le début des années 2000.
La personnalisation extérieure et la sonorisation restent prisées par certains amateurs, mais nombre de véhicules tunés se font plus discrets en misant principalement sur l'optimisation des performances : accélération, freinage, tenue de route, sonorité de l'échappement...
Le plus souvent, il s'agit de rentrer dans le « dur » de la technique du véhicule, notamment son électronique. L'intervention d'un professionnel agréé est donc recommandée, d'autant que le véhicule transformé nécessitera peut-être une nouvelle homologation pour rester légalement apte à circuler sur la voie publique."
Which translates as "Conformity
In all cases, it is necessary to check that the chosen accessory, even if it is authorized, complies with French regulations. Thus, the TÜV approval appearing on certain parts from Germany, a major tuning country, has no value in France. Ditto for American or Japanese approvals, not recognized in Europe.
Note: the installation of non-compliant equipment may lead to penalties in the event of an inspection and cause the cancellation of the manufacturer's warranty.
Tuning, an evolving practice
More discreet but more technical
Under the combined effect of tougher regulations and changing fashions, tuning has evolved, especially since the early 2000s.
The exterior customization and sound system remain popular with some enthusiasts, but many tuned vehicles are more discreet, focusing mainly on optimizing performance: acceleration, braking, road holding, exhaust sound, etc.
Most often, it is a question of getting into the "hard" of vehicle technology, in particular its electronics. The intervention of an approved professional is therefore recommended, especially since the converted vehicle may require a new approval to remain legally fit to circulate on public roads.
Sad isn't it??
