In reply to Trent (Generally supportive dude)
"it was more likely that the car was retitled than it was reshelled."
I would believe that is the simplest way of getting a car on the road. This one has drum brakes all around and an early engine and trans. Mismatched doors and various interior bits and pieces as well. Certainly cobbled together from what as on hand, not entirely sure if there was ever a base car to begin with, but most of the parts seem to match the year of the VIN plate.
It's been on the road forever in it's current state, the rot and rust under and round the VIN plate and all over the front engine compartment (and elsewhere) would suggest that it's been decades but I can't imagine that this sort of thing is even close to legal . . . hence the want/need to find the original VIN for the later shell.
notsafeforwork said:
In reply to Keith Tanner :
If you ever DO strip it down and find a stamped VIN or stumble over a stamped VIN in the mean time, PLEASE post the location here ! PLEASE ! ! !
Thanks—
Hope you have a decade or two to wait. It's a running car with no pressing need to be turned into a massive project.
In reply to notsafeforwork :
Well, how would they prove the car was re-VINed?
Option #2 - put it back together and sell it to someone in a state where the DMV doesn't check these sorts of things.
Anyone would be able to tell that it carried a bogus VIN plate as the VIN is for an early Mark II and the body/interior is a Mark V.
"Option #2 - put it back together and sell it to someone in a state where the DMV doesn't check these sorts of things. "
REALLY not that much interested in spending all of the time and energy and money to restore the car only to have to TRY to find someone living somewhere where they somehow don't have a DMV that checks for this thing. Any local safety inspection garage would be able to spot a modern body with those huge tail lights and windows and a modern interior masquerading as an early 60's car.
I didn't say restore it - just put back together. Honestly, most people shopping for a Mini in the US don't want a restored one. They just want a cheap one to drive.
I've lost track of how many mis-year Minis I've seen over the years. Simple fact - the only ones who slightly care are other Mini people. To those in authority, they don't see a Mk I or a Mk 4 or much of any difference between a car built in 1959 to one built in 1999. They just see a Mini.
notsafeforwork said:
In reply to TurnerX19 :
What year is your Cooper S 1275?
Customer car, not mine. It is the car that was on the cover of the Nov. 1965 Road & Track magazine. Still in the family that purchased it from the press fleet in 1966.
Good news, GREAT news actually, not that anyone really cares, but , I finally found the VIN for the '85 Mini !
I'm having a new commission plate made up with the correct VIN and will begin the titling process as soon as it arrives. I usually don't register a car until it's completely road worth, but I'll probably put this one on the road early so that I can tow bar it to whatever shop or friend's garage that might be needed.
So . . . time to pick up some more necessary parts and pieces, starting with a full length burl wood dash, because that's SO necessary, right ? ! ? ! ?
In reply to notsafeforwork :
Only Minis with uppity airs have wood instrument panels.
notsafeforwork said:
Good news, GREAT news actually, not that anyone really cares, but , I finally found the VIN for the '85 Mini !
I'm having a new commission plate made up with the correct VIN and will begin the titling process as soon as it arrives. I usually don't register a car until it's completely road worth, but I'll probably put this one on the road early so that I can tow bar it to whatever shop or friend's garage that might be needed.
So . . . time to pick up some more necessary parts and pieces, starting with a full length burl wood dash, because that's SO necessary, right ? ! ? ! ?
Don't leave us hanging, where was it?
Oh sorry . . . it was under the scuttle almost in the very center. The number was raised rather then stamped and very hard to read since the number and letters were made up of small raised dots, almost like they were in braille. Took a light and a camera and a phone and a mirror to get it all and make the digits clear enough to read. I wondering now just how much of this commission number would comprise the VIN for the title and registration? All of it or just the section with the numbers or what?
Has anyone found their actual VIN and compared it to the commission plate and title to see how many of the digits were used? If so, I'd LOVE to hear back. The commission/build number is 18 digits plus long and contains information/code for the body style, place of manufacture. engine size, nose style, number of doors, company that manufactured the car and more, in addition to the actual number.
Any help at all here would be REALLY big ! !
What year are you aiming for on your title? That is needed info before deciding on a VIN. Traditionally a "commission number" does not have any relationship to the actual VIN on the data plate or the title. All three numbers appear easily visible on British Leyland cars from 1968 onward. I never figured out what the "commission number" really meant. The Mini I work on has a body number and a chassis number on separate tags. The chassis number is what appears on all legal paperwork. That car is titled as a 1966, which is when it was sold to the first retail purchaser. It was manufactured much earlier. If you are titling for later than 1982 there are some prefix codes you need to be USA compliant as well.
I think my car (1976 canadian market) has the vin on the drivers door. I will grab it from the garage later and double check.
In reply to Trent (Generally supportive dude) :
I checked the doors earlier and found nothing. This car, a right hand drive, came in from Canada as well, had the Canadian car dealer's badge on the back when I got it. Not sure if it's going back on, but it sure is neat.
If you are titling as 1985 you need exactly 17 digits. Delete any suffix to attain that and you have a number for the government. Any 1985 application with other than 17 digits will trigger alarms in some bureaucracy.
Sounds like the A is not part of the VIN
No, I don't think so. It's a bit apart from all of the other digits and the information (town of manufacture) doesn't seem as important as the rest, nor pertain to the car's specifics in a way. Without including the A as a part of the actual VIN it makes sense and allows for the appropriate/required 17 digit VIN.
Honestly, considering all that I've read about how much fudging is done to the classic Minis with regards to incorrect VIN plates and year/model changes to effect a more desirable car, I'm just thrilled that I was able to find the true VIN and am able to title it as what it is. The car was sold to me with an incorrect VIN plate attached for a Mark II Austin Super Deluxe. It had been "in the system" and on the road, titled and registered as such for nearly twenty years.
The information so far, based on the VIN and the rear latch plate confirms that the car was made in the 16th week of 1985, a FAR cry from the Mark II that it was masquerading as . . .
Hey! Another classic mini lover here! I'm on the tail end of a year old bear shell respray and mechancial refresh (didn't have to open up my 21k mile old engine)
For parts I've been going to minispares.com as my first option (ships to me in RI in 3-4 days) the minisport.com (just as fast but not as good selection for what I was looking for) then 7ent.com, then minimania.com (slow, very very slow) and then moss if all else fails. I've found 9 out of 10 times the price with shipping of any order over 100 dollars the UK distributors beat the US based companies prices without shipping.
My beast.. before and after (all work bar buffing the paint work was done by myself)
In reply to dextervw :
LOVE that Sexy Beast ! ! ! ! The color is just perfect. I started out going to Mini Spares but shifted over to GB Car Parts. Better selection, better prices, faster shipping and Sergio is simply EXCELLENT. He has knowledge and help and suggestions and such and shares ALL of it. A MUCH more personal experience than what I got with Mini Spares ! ! !
Nothing to contribute here. But today I learned what a "scuttle" is... Thank you.
In reply to TurnerX19 :
Is your VIN seventeen digits? Do you have the extra "A" at the end?
Yup ! How about yours? I "hear" that this is sort of typical, seventeen numbers and letters with an extra A at the end indicating place of manufacture, but I don't know if this the way that all 80 to 90 Minis are? Mine is, wondering about others . . .
In reply to notsafeforwork :
Cars built before 1982 do not need 17 digits. This is a thing driven by the US motor vehicle safety standards, not by the manufacturer. Also I do not have access to "my" car, it lives 36 miles away with its owner. This 17 digit issue is for any make car, not just a British Leyland.
In reply to notsafeforwork :
I will have to give him a whirl, this is the first I'm hearing of him
In reply to TurnerX19 :
Yup ! That would certainly be mine then . . .
Well . . . everything is cleared up and as it should be ! Spent some time communicating with an MOT inspector/Mini exporter/Mini restorer and got the straight scoop on the year of my car and the VIN interpretation. I'd been mistaking a 1 for an I along with a few other errors. All is straightened out and ready for the Title application. I went over things with him and what I now have is what he expects will be just fine with the RMV, so time to begin again and buy more necessary parts for the restoration. Beginning with that wonderful burl wood dash ! ! ! And including a pair of step plates/thresholds that extend fore and aft to include the bottoms of the wheels arches. And THEN a trunk floor along with a good used door and rear deck lid. Then DONE spending for a spell while I tack weld everything that I bought in place.
Oh, and now that I'm re-committed to the Fiat 600 build, I'll begin fabricating a faux Abarth gauge pod.
