chassis number is DIFFERANT

[system6]

  hi ....just noticed that the chassis number on my  car a mk3 gt6  is different from whats in the log book?....should i let the  dvla know ?...whats the reason for this...i can't really see the letters/numbers clearly , but the letters appear to be FC which is a mk 4 spitfire letters on mine should be KE ... i am in the process of a full nut and bolt resto when taking the car apart  i found  nothing to make me think the chassis had been replaced as paint on the chassis was same as body colour and if any-one was up to no good they would'nt have left a differant number on the out rigger for all to see? similarly if out rigger was changed because of damage or rust why did'nt they remove the chassis plater and fit/weld it to the replacement out-rigger? the last owner of the car had it for 30 years...... so it was a well looked after car not messed about with....is it legal for me to remove the plate and fit/weld a new one with the correct chassis number on it.
             Thanks  

[Clive]

The plate on the actual chassis is not recorded anywhere, and so it is fine to just remove it.
What people refer to as the chassis number on our cars is actually a commission number, found on a plate on the A post on the LH side, also has trim and pant codes on..... That is the one you need to worry about if it does not match.
New commission plates are available, and Bill at rarebits can supply them stamped with all your info (you need to have the V5 in your name etc....)

[system6]

Thanks Clifty......  makes sense ...the body has been away for complete re-furb so forgot all about the commision plate  .... just checked my mobile photos and you are exactly right the numbers do match  :)....but why have a differant number on the chassis? or even have a number at all ,..Unless it was just so the factory could keep a check on there stock moving arount the plant , ..or in case any of them went missing/walkies ;D ...and why is'nt it logged any where or is it ?
                          
                                    Regards S

[thescrapman]

8940 wrote:

Thanks Clifty......  makes sense ...the body has been away for complete re-furb so forgot all about the commision plate  .... just checked my mobile photos and you are exactly right the numbers do match  :)....but why have a differant number on the chassis? or even have a number at all ,..Unless it was just so the factory could keep a check on there stock moving arount the plant , ..or in case any of them went missing/walkies ;D ...and why is'nt it logged any where or is it ?
                          
                                    Regards S

It is NOT a chassis number, it is a number on the chassis, totally different!

It is just a build process identifier from the chassis supplier.

and as you can read it I suggest you remove it immediately as someone else will be able to as well. And that will cause you pain beyond your wildest dreams, and possibly a crushed car. Yes, they will go that far.

Cheers

Colin

[system6]

Colin ...don't really understand your last  few sentences , could you elaborate....
    (  ..PS I can't see the letters/numbers clearly.. from my ealier post.. in fact i can only make out   2 letters and 2 numbers)

               I await your reply ...               Thanks                                      

[thescrapman]

The problem comes if someone else (MOT station etc) sees that number attached to the chassis, and it gets reported back to the dvla. The MOT guy may not even realise he is doing it when he enters it into the computer.

Then you suddenly have a vehicle with a "suspect" identity, as the number does not tally. Is it stolen? Has it had it;s identity changed to put it in a lower taxation class (the real reason behind lots of this, money), so many criminal activities you could be involved in!

And if they are not satisfied with your explanation, remembering that they are always right, and you are always wrong, they can demand your car is crushed. You may get away with a new identity, possibly a "Q" plate (taxable!), but can you take that risk, all for a small metal plate that has no relevance???

Cheers

Colin

[daedalusminos]

I agree with Colin.

The requirement is to have the VIN (chassis) number stamped onto the car (usually a VIN plate but also duplicated on the body/chassis). This will usually only be checked at the MOT and the MOT inspector will usually check the number of the VIN (commission) plate - it's easier to locate and read than looking for a rusty stamp on the body. So your number mismatch would not normally be an issue, but if your VIN plate is missing then they will search the body/chassis for a number so best to get rid of that offending number.

Incidentally you do not have to have an official plate, the number must just be stamped.

If you're stopped by the police then they could check all numbers to verify legitimacy of the vehicle.

[WIMPUS]

On mine there is a plate in the left outrigger, it says FC....
But it has been painted over many times so you can't see a thing from the plate  :P

Other side on the right is my chassis number (starting with FH, because it's a 1500), also nearly unreadable and seems to be halfway stamped into lead  ??)
But in 1984 they stamped the chassis number in the passenger footwell (even got papers to proof it).
Previous mot was all good.
First the guy asked to open up the bonnet , but i said the chassisno was stamped in the footwell (and showed him the paper).
All was fine then, even didn't need to lift the bonnet up !  ;D

[system6]

hi ...thanks for all the replies ;) ...but i'm going to disagree with some of youir comments ....i think you are all being a bit over the top... i believe that any competant police officer , MOT tester would quite understand the situation (old/classic car)  and if matters were to go further i'm sure the triumph Auto clubs would come to assist in my or for that case any body else's defence ..i for one will be leaving the plate where it is and today i've even high lighted it by spraying it gold 8)
                                                                          

[Alex]

If the mot flags up so much as an incorrect letter you'll have a letter from the dvla questioning you.
You then have to go back to a garage get them to write a letter ( and pay for it I expect) just to tell the dvla what your being told here.
It's up to you but if it was mine I'd just knock the tag off with a grinder/ chisel and be done with it.

[Mark Hammond]

8940 wrote:

hi ...thanks for all the replies ;) ...but i'm going to disagree with some of youir comments ....i think you are all being a bit over the top... i believe that any competant police officer , MOT tester would quite understand the situation (old/classic car)  and if matters were to go further i'm sure the triumph Auto clubs would come to assist in my or for that case any body else's defence ..i for one will be leaving the plate where it is and today i've even high lighted it by spraying it gold 8)
                                                                          

Fine, lose your car then.  We're only offering advice........   Up to you then but trust this, the DVLA won't care, if there is any hint that there is a discrepancy with the VIN/chassis/commission number, whatever you want to call it they will make life difficult for you.  I had issues a number of years ago when an MOT tester recorded the body number instead of the commission number on the MOT.  I was told that the car had to be inspected.  It took weeks for the "mistake" to be rectified.

Suit yourself.

Mark

[GT6 M]

Hold on a minute, as far as im aware, there aint no need to show a chassis, body tub number,
or any thing else, on an olde car.
mine aint had either for at least 12 years , took off to pent, forgot to put back on.

Mot man asked wheres the chassis ID, told him it should be there, pointing to the holes int side
Mot man siad, its ok, there no need, just the reg will suffice
and its passed every mot since, and even at 2 other mott stations, not in my toon either.

on a GT there is a plate on the side by the bonnet catch, and a body tub number.
ive niva known aboot one stamped inside any where
and never ever seen one when welding it up either
and there aint ne where on that car i aint been at wid a welder, !!!

M

[thescrapman]

You have to think in the current environment of (large) numbers of different makes of cars being the subject of dubious identities. Minis and escorts are renowned for it, due to the high values on those models. They are now turning their attention to one of the easiest cars to ring, the small chassis Triumph.

With my TSSC AO hat on I have helped 2 people fight to get their cars registered correctly.

Both lost their original reg numbers and had to have modern VIN numbers stamped inti the cars and new reg no. Generated.

One guy had his commission plate lost by a restorer, and the MOT guy found another random number stamped onto something else. That took quite a few letters to resolve. They wrote to him saying the (newly restored) spitfire would be crushed as they could not establish its true identity.

You have been warned!

Cheers

Colin

[FGRob]

8940 wrote:

hi ...thanks for all the replies ;) ...but i'm going to disagree with some of youir comments ....i think you are all being a bit over the top... i believe that any competant police officer , MOT tester would quite understand the situation (old/classic car)  and if matters were to go further i'm sure the triumph Auto clubs would come to assist in my or for that case any body else's defence ..i for one will be leaving the plate where it is and today i've even high lighted it by spraying it gold 8)
                                                                          

Get yourself over to the Land Rover series 2 forum - then you will understand the problems that are created by conflicting numbers, I'm putting a new chassis on my SWB and that opens up a complete bag of worms you would not believe - best advice given is to remove any problems and say nothing.

[esxefi]

thescrapman wrote:

One guy had his commission plate lost by a restorer, and the MOT guy found another random number stamped onto something else.

similar thing happened to me.
when I first made my convertible gt6 way back in 1988 my garage was broken into and stuff stolen which included the vin plate amongst things.
when the car was finished the dvla said it had to be inspected at the local office(long gone).
I had both v5 docs but the guy insisted that the chassis no. on the outrigger was the correct one and put that down,me being somewhat young and naïve accepted it and I have had that as the vin no.eversince.
I was going to question it with the dvla when the free road tax came about but thought better of it as it may have started FBI type investigations :o

[MikeTeesside]

I had the exact opposite of a lot of these "horror stories" when my MOT tester entered the commission plate number as the VIN number.

The DVLA sent me a polite letter asking for photos of the car, number plates and commission plate. I did them, printed them out and sent them in with a polite covering letter.

Got a nice letter back no more than a week afterwards saying thank you and our records have been corrected. No fuss.