Morris Minor Owners Club

Errrrr - yes - you should worry now....... The engine number is insignificant...but mismatch chassis number (unless an obvious simple typo) suggests a car with a changed identity..... Possibly stolen and 'resurrected' ( ) with the ID from a scrapped car...

Thanks for this, I guess I should contact the police and see what can be done to sort this out and then make a decision based on what I'm told. What a shame, I'd spent ages on the car and it was my first real project. Thanks for all the advice though; given time I'm sure something good will come out of it. I feel a bit of a fool though. Ah well.

Err - I would do NOTHING... Just use the car and enjoy. Yes - it's not got the correct numbers, but that could have happened years ago - and you didn't 'do it'.... When did it last have an MOT ?? Because they have to check the chassis number from the car against the V5c as part of the MOT.

That's probably 8G

Thanks again, but it hasn't had an MOT for years and was laid up prior to me getting it as a project. I don't want to inject more time and money on a car that could cause me problems later on and so I think it'd be best to get it squared out first. It is probably just a case of registering the car again with the new codes in place as the wearer of the original plates has probably been scrapped long since. It would be a criminal offence to knowingly sell the car on now that I have made this discovery and don't make an attempt to sort it out and their may be a bona fide explanation that the DVLA could help with.

les wrote:That's probably 8G

I don't understand?

The engine number probably begins 8G------ rather than 86------

Yes - that would make sense - is the engine showing any 'gold' paint?

Yes, only the top part is red, the bottom half is 'gold' ish. Is this 'good' news? The police are coming to look over the car in Tuesday morning; if the worst happens then I will be able to claim some parts as salvage.

Yes, it indicates a 'Gold seal' fully rebuilt unit, as opposed to a 'Silver seal' partially rebuilt one. This thread mentions a similar engine number:

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... ngine+code

When you say ' no plates with the car' - do you mean chassis plate - or just the reg number plates?? On a car that age there should be a 'stamped in' chassis number on the bulkhead - driver side, where the main wiring harness comes through. Obviously this 'should' be the same as the number typed on the chassis plate fixed to the bulkhead . The 'body number' will be on a little narrow plate fixed to the bulkhead on the other side of the car - just below the bonnet line. If you PM these numbers to POMMreg he can tell you very accurately the age of the car. I'm doubtful if it can then be traced through Heritage to get the original Reg number - but Chris is definitely THE man to speak to about these difficulties. I suggest you don't let the cops see the car until you have exchanged details with Chris. The engine is then indeed a Gold Seal exchange unit - with just a RED rocker cover ??? Sorry - no extra power for that....

bmcecosse wrote:When you say ' no plates with the car' - do you mean chassis plate - or just the reg number plates?? On a car that age there should be a 'stamped in' chassis number on the bulkhead - driver side, where the main wiring harness comes through. Obviously this 'should' be the same as the number typed on the chassis plate fixed to the bulkhead . The 'body number' will be on a little narrow plate fixed to the bulkhead on the other side of the car - just below the bonnet line. If you PM these numbers to POMMreg he can tell you very accurately the age of the car. I'm doubtful if it can then be traced through Heritage to get the original Reg number - but Chris is definitely THE man to speak to about these difficulties. I suggest you don't let the cops see the car until you have exchanged details with Chris. The engine is then indeed a Gold Seal exchange unit - with just a RED rocker cover ??? Sorry - no extra power for that....

I meant no number plates. I cannot find the stamped in chassis number on the bulkhead though I can see the body number on the thin plate on the drivers side below the bonnet line. Which is the VIN number? Either way I will send over what I have to Chris. Cheers again.

Tim

I have also seen the body number stamped into the floor the front passenger foot well so may be worth checking there if the floor has not been replaced.[frame][/frame]

Great, thanks for the picture. No worries now, I'll call off the cops and start on the brakes instead!

Tim

No worries now? You mean - it has the correct number stamped there - matching the V5?

bmcecosse wrote:No worries now? You mean - it has the correct number stamped there - matching the V5?

The paint is so thick it would take forever and spoil the look of the inside of the bonnet to find it. The police were OK and said that as long as I had the V5 this would be helpful and the body number matches the description of the car. I bought the car knowing the engine was re-built and this has been verified now by the codes. All in all it seems to be what it says on the tin.

On a "36" series,chassis number will be stamped into the driver's side footwell.

Thanks again, I'll have a look tonight!

Tim

I cannot find it, like Lord Lucan and Sheergar, it appears quite elusive. I have given up for now but thanks everyone who has chipped in.

Tim

Would someone post a pic/diagram of the location of this stamped number.

I know if you Google "morris minor chassis number images", it's the 3rd one
along.

Mr.Numberjuggler