DartzMan wrote:
This thread has been most interesting
I am currently stripping a 67..
couple questions...
1) The body stamp underneath matches the plate above, however the numbers on the body have faded with Rust... Is it legal to restamp the number in after I have restored the mini?
2) the radiator shroud stamp is different from the body which tells me it has been replaced.. funny thing is after cleaning the shroud I noticed that the top of the shroud where the number is has been cut out and welded in. This tells me that the car maybe made up from 3 cars (well the radiator shroud is from 2 anyway)
3) as the car didnt come with an engine I would have to put a new one in, thats another number.....
4) after restoring the mini is it Legal to apply a "NEW" plate showing the new colour, the New engine number and the correct shell no?
I am not trying to pass it off as anything other than what it is, a 67 Deluxe
The most important thing is that the Car No. on the plate matches the number stamped directly below. That shows the plate is the original plate for the car. This number (for pre 69 cars) is also the number which should go on the rego papers.
The number on the shroud is referred to as the Body number. This number along with a code was stamped when the body was first assembled and before painting and normally differs from the Car. No. anyway.
I think the body number helped the factory keep track of the body at the factory before it was given its final Car No.
To confuse matters after 1969 the more important Car No. was stamped in the shroud and body numbers in the bonnet gutter.
Perhaps your car had its original shroud damaged and they have tried to do the right thing and keep the original body no. with the shroud.
Either way the matching numbers on the plate and the firewall are the important ones and I wouldn't tamper with them at all even if the engine and paint don't match, you'll likely devalue the car if you do.
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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)
Nothing says wally quite like that.
