Does anyone know how many Elfs and Hornets are still on the road?

Hi all.
Whilst sat down the pub yesterday, we pondered how many little Elfs and Hornets were left on the road today.
Does anyone know if you can find out or how to find out these figures from the DVLA?
Are you able to get figures for those that are still taxed or SORNed?
Would be interested to know.
Any info or help would be most appreciated.
Cupcake

See:

https://elf-hornet.forumotion.com/elf-hornet-chat-f2/amount-of-elfs-hornets-on-the-roads-today-t442.htm

They estimate less that 900 total.

Jim

And the DVLA, even if you could get the information, would be no help for those outside of the U.K.!

I can confirm, that there are not more than five cars road legal in AUSTRIA and suppose there are ten more in somebodys garage......

Only two of them in Hungary.

I know of five road going Rileys in Southern California and one Wolseley. One of those Rileys is a 1961 MkI car so very nice and rare too. There are supposed to be two in Northern California and for sure Red Riley in South Carolina and bmcelf in North Carolina

Here's one currently located in Ohio. I haven't seen this one before.
On Ebay

Red Riley wrote:Here's one currently located in Ohio. I haven't seen this one before.
On Ebay

It looks pretty good, maybe I can be a two Riley guy? Been wanting another car.

That car on Ebay was bought by a fellow in Dayton, OH . He posts on this board under "paulsminis". He may come to Mini 51 with his new Hornet. At least one other Elf is planning to be there. I will try to get some pictures to post.

Jim

Hi guys,
Minor correction: the car I recently purchased is a Hornet that I picked up from the previous owner in Michigan. I looked at the GREEN Riley that is on EBay. The Green Riley is a New Zealand car, my Hornet is a UK car. Their were stickers on the driver's side door jam of the Riley that indicated it had its oil changed in the late 1990's at 98K miles at a garage in Auckland. The speedo was showing that it was at 99something K now. The dog bone bushes were completely knackered and the engine bounced off the bulkhead on most shifts. For whatever reason, some US authority had tagged the car with a VIN -- I don't think that some state believed the plate on the radiator surround was really the car's VIN --and I could not figure out which state. It has the typical non-fresh air heater that one sees on most of the New Zealand cars. It is fairly solid but didn't make it onto my short list when I was looking for an Elf/Hornet. Besides the color was not all to my liking (sorry if I offend anyone who really likes that color.)

I'm not yet ready to state that I am convinced the Hornet is ready for the rigors of the driving at Mini 51...but I am working on it. But, if our 67 Cooper S is the car we take to the event, I will be equipped with pictures of its garage mates.

Paul

I recently exercised my right to freedom of information at the DVLA regarding this question.
(I have to say they were very helpful and personable.)
Anyway, this is what they said:

Freedom of Information Request

Thank you for your letter dated 26 September requesting information under the terms of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

In your letter you asked for the number of Riley Elf vehicles currently on the road or with a
Statutory off Road Notification (SORN) in the UK and the number of Wolseley Hornet
vehicles currently on the road or with a SORN in the UK.

On the 22 August 2010, there were 327 Riley Elf vehicles with a current licence and 225
with a SORN. Also, there were 275 Wolseley Hornets with a current licence and 166 with
a SORN.

I feel extremely lucky and privileged to be one of the 327!

I guess SORN doesn't mean the same thing there as here: Sexual Offender & Registration Notification.

Red Riley wrote:I guess SORN doesn't mean the same thing there as here: Sexual Offender & Registration Notification.

OOP'S I'd better keep quiet then I have one for the mini van!

Just a thought, I have 4 Elf radiator grills in my collection and a friend of mine has a perfect one too. Thats 5 NOT ON THE ROAD for a start!!!

About 2-3 years ago, I did see a Norwegian Registered Blue Elf driving through Amesbury (Wiltshire).

anyone fancy getting an up to date version of the information?

Would be interesting to see how many have rusted in peace

I found this fantastic website resource for the UK. Shows how many cars remain licensed or SORNed by model and year.

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/

Kev

thanks for the link

In the 4th quarter of 2000 there are 593 elfs and 581 Hornets on the roads
in the 4th quarter of 2011 there are 355 elfs and 412 Hornets on the roads

2000 1144 Elf/Hornets on the road
2011 767 Elf/Hornets on the road

Thats a loss of 377 vehicles from the road.

As SORN did not become available until some time later its difficult to address the amount lost to scrap from Storage etc and how many roadworthy vehicles became stored/scrapped etc

Wolseley hornets on the SORN register from 2007 have increased marginally only.

2007 Q4 143 Hornets
2011 Q4 160 hornets

A gain of 17 Hornets placed on SORN

Riley Elfs have stayed fairly consistent

2007 Q4 192 Elfs
2011 Q4 198 Elfs

A gain of just 6 vehicles placed on Sorn

so how many cars have been s rapped/exported or lost from the system from Q4 of 2007 to Q4 of 2011?

2007 Q4 Elfs are:

380 on the road
192 SORN

2011 Q4 Elfs are:

355 on the road
198 SORN

So for the period of 2007 Q4 - 20011 Q4 Thats a loss of 19 Elfs, A Fairly respectable stabilisation of vehicles.


Now for the Hornets:

2007 Q4 Hornets are:

427 on the road
143 SORN

2011 Q4 Hornets are:

412 on the road
160 SORN

so for the period of 2007 Q4- 2011 Q4 there has actually been an increase of registered vehicles of 2.

Many thanks

My Elf's been SORNed for about 2 years. I know the whereabouts of another that may or may not be SORNed, but it's certainly off the road.

I've got three of the Elfs and a Hornet on SORN as well as another two Elf and a Hornet not on SORN.

I got a Maryland Historic tag for mine. It's not real pretty but the car does drive. I have a lot of rusty areas to repair but the car runs strong, good tires and new brakes.

Rather than run the ugly Historic plates on your car, are you aware that you can get permission to run actual old 1969 plates on the car? Most states are doing this now, and I've got 1968 SC plates on mine. You can buy old plates from a bunch of places online, even from Ebay.

Here's from the MD DMV:
Application for the Use of Vintage Registration Plates – If you possess vintage (old) license plates that are dated the same year as your vehicle’s model year, you may apply to display these vintage license plates on the vehicle, in place of the historic tags that are usually displayed. The vehicle must be 25 years old or older to display vintage license plates. The historic tags will still be issued, the renewal fees must be paid, and the plates must be carried in the vehicle at all times. There is a one-time fee for the use of vintage tags.

Anyone in the east coast. I have a 1969 hornet in NC