Any VIN plate experts in the house ??

[BigDave]

Howdy folks!

Can anyone tell me what info I would need and what details would require changing on both VIN and Body tags when a colour change and engine swap is done??

To keep things all legit I of course have the details changed with DVLA, or will do soon. I also have both of the old tags in my possesion that are now removed from the car ready for the deatail change.

I am just wondering which codes I would need to change to reflect the two changes from factory stamdard.

What have you people done in the past by the way? I mean lots of cars have colour changes and even more get replacement engines. Do you just paint over the old body tag and leave the VIN plate as it is??

I just want it all to be right is all.

All replies much appriciated.

Cheers
Dave...

PS> Who is best to get new tags from??

[rwdrs]

what you suggest doing is pretty much "ringing", not only is there little point in doing it, i.e. if you sell the car and somebody decides to find out about the car and finds out the VIN and build plate tags have been "falsified" / changed, it could get a bit iffy.
Engine no's only need to be changed on the V5, if you do that on the VIN and build plate it'll be dead obvious that somethings dead wrong.

change the colour by all means and the motor, tell Swansea, but don't go inventing your own car

[BigDave]

Not inventing a new car I just want the tags to match what is in the car, that is by no means ringing. Different colours, and shell swaps are done aall the time. Also the last time I checked no Mk2's left the factory with YB motors and Mexicos were 1.6 engined. Are all these cars now ringers ???

My V5 will be swapped with DVLA and all is legal and above board.

Can anyone tell me is what I am saying is illegal??

I have also swapped the engine recently in my TVR, plate is being changed to suit and details are registed with the DVLA. I sthis car now a ringer as well???

My head hurts...

[Tim]

i believe all the car needs is the chassis number stamped onto a bit of metal.

just leave the plate as it

[BigDave]

I am having new ones made anyway, so if its hassle I will just get exact copies done. I just thought it would then be wrong??

What about the re-shell situation then??

[rwdrs]

quite simple, the car left the factory with the engine and VIN no, any changes to those on the VIN plate are not allowed. not only that but as you say an RS should have a NE stamp in the VIN plate where the motor code is stamped.

If I was to go and buy a genuine RS with YBT or RE stamped in the VIN plate I'd walk away, fair enough if the car has a new engine or change or colour, but in no way are you allowed to change the VIN to suit your own wishes

[BigDave]

I might just make do with no plates at all then. As long as I cover my arse with the DVLA I am sorted.

Car is not for sale by the way and is a keeper so I am not bothered about resale.

I was looking at a Ex-Works Roger Clarke car in NZ that had been re-shelled into a sport shell after a falling out with a large tree. This car is widely accepted as a propper car so my mind boggles further??

[rwdrs]

yeah, well a rally car's a bit different, nevertheless for authenticity's sake still better off to leave the original engine code and no stamped in the plates. IMO

[hotrs2000]

Not allowed to change anything on the chassis/VIN plate, only thing that needs updating is the V5.

You can buy new chassis plates and get them stamped up as per the original ones, hope this helps.

[BigDave]

Will just get the old ones redone then, or maybe just blank ally plates and kep the real ones in an envelope.

I am wide open in saying my car is a reshell, so possibly best to just leave it blank to keep the train spotters at bay...
Cheers

[BB49Twink]

A scenario!...............If/when you eventually sell the car, a new owner may or may not know it's a non original colour and get tags made up to the spec of the car as he bought it!

[Andyboy]

What if - like me - you're building a car with no tags but have the actual BFAT chassis number? I know the car was white with black trim and I know the correct engine/trans/axle/version letters.
I'm assuming a company like VinTags or whoever will stamp up a plate from this?

[rwdrs]

What if - like me - you're building a car with no tags but have the actual BFAT chassis number? I know the car was white with black trim and I know the correct engine/trans/axle/version letters.
I'm assuming a company like VinTags or whoever will stamp up a plate from this?

if restoring then there may be no probs (although no plates???) if building a car with a an "identity" (V5) then legally speaking this is ringing, as the "car" no longer exists and it's not just replacing the shell with a genuine replacement part (engine / gearbox / repair shell)

[Andyboy]

Well the legal thing is a minefield - no point in even getting started on that.

I need to make sure all the letters on the VIN plate are correct (May 72 build RS1600)...does this look right?

Engine = K5
Version = L
RHD = B
Trans = B
3.77 axle = W
Black trim = A

If someone who has a similar aged RS1600 could confirm those I'd be grateful as two website VIN decoders are saying different things - for example is the 3.77 axle code W or is it A?
I'm assuming the actual VIN plate on the left hand side doesn't have the body colour code....and I'm again assuming it was Ermine white? The first owner swears blind it was Ermine and not Diamond.

Restoring Mini Cooper S's was so easy!

[rwdrs]

A axle is the 3.54:1