Wrong chassis number for year?

[stephenpolhill]

Hi there. I have just used this website http://www.auto-part.com/auto/shop/vin.asp to check out my car. It says that for 1965, my cars number should be between 1092770 and 1131828. However it is 1089***. Does this mean it was build quite a bit before it was registered or what? I can PM a picture of the chassis plate if needed?
Steve

[bpr81a]

Those are the chassis numbers given in the P.OLYSLAGER manual. It also says 'APPROXIMATE AND FOR GUIDANCE ONLY'
so I wouldn't worry about it.

[bmcecosse]

And yes - cars often stood in showrooms for quite a while before being sold. These days - they stand in fields/runways perhaps for over a year ....... so the discs are rusted to the point they are not safe to use!

[stephenpolhill]

Ah thanks very much. Does that mean it was registered a few months after it was built then?

[bpr81a]

It may have been bought late 64, but not registered until the brand shiny new 'C' plates were issued in Jan 65.

[Dryad]

Hi there. I have just used this website http://www.auto-part.com/auto/shop/vin.asp to check out my car. It says that for 1965, my cars number should be between 1092770 and 1131828. However it is 1089***. Does this mean it was build quite a bit before it was registered or what? I can PM a picture of the chassis plate if needed?
Steve

Can't be right. My Traveller starts with 1121*** and it was registered in 1968. I doubt it was in a showroom for three years.

EDIT: Oops, no it doesn't, it starts with 1211***

[mike.perry]

A Heritage Certificate will give the build and dispatch dates of your car and other info.

[stephenpolhill]

bpr81a - just looked on my v5 & it says that it was registered 21st of January 1965 so that probably confirms what you suggested
mike.perry - I've looked at the Heritage Motor Centre website and it looks quite expensive. If I went to the museum itself is it cheaper?
Thanks
Steve

[LouiseM]

Yes, it's free!

Here are the details, posted here previously by Regaliaqueen:

Here is a useful tip to save you the cost of a Heritage Cert. Book yourself into the "Reading Room" at Gaydon and write down all the details you want for your car for free

Contact number is 01926 645076

[stephenpolhill]

Oooh fantastic. Thanks! May have a trip there in a couple of weeks.

[PSL184]

Here are the details, posted here previously by Regaliaqueen:

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... on#p309247

[Dryad]

Oooh fantastic. Thanks! May have a trip there in a couple of weeks.

Any chance of doing a search for my Traveller if I pm'd you it's chassis number?!

[stephenpolhill]

Yeah sure! I would think I shall go in a week or two.
Just PM your chassis number and colour etc.

[Dryad]

You're a gentleman, sir! PM sent!

[Truediamond]

BAFFLED !

I've just got a reply from DVLA to my V888 request and am over the moon with a service which, for only £5 , has given the full ownership history of my car. Its a 1967 convertible and the VIN Number fits this as it begins with MAT5D, followed by the seven digit production number and an M. However, the original document shows it as a saloon.
Looking at the bodywork, it doesn't seem to be a replica. Is this a case of DVLA misfiling?

[bmcecosse]

Depends what they were told when it was first registered! Maybe the garage didn't think it was important to distinguish.

[PSL184]

it's not uncommon for the good ole DVLA to make mistakes however, it may be worth getting an expert in convertibles to look over it for you just in case.......

[Truediamond]

Thanks for these replies, they sort of confirm what I thought but the idea of the supplier garage not being too fussed about accuracy hadn't struck me. I had the car checked over by an engineer when I bought it as a valuation was needed for insurance purposes. They dispelled any doubts I might have had about it not being an original convertible so I guess it will remain a quirk of the records.
Thanks again.

[MarkyB]

Unless the engineer was well versed in the differences between original convertibles and copies then his word doesn't carry much weight I'm afraid.
It's a bit of a specialist subject.

[LouiseM]

You could always obtain a Heritage Certificate which will show the original specification of your car when it left the factory. If you do a Google search for BMIHT Heritage Certificate it will take you to the website where you can purchase a certificate for £39. Alternatively you could visit the archive at Gaydon and look through the records yourself for free. If you do a search here you'll find more details. Unfortunately I'm having some techy problems at the moment which mean I can't copy a link but hopefully someone will post a link to an appropriate thread!