As my search for a Clssic continues, I've run across a few cars that seem to have 2 different years...one on the title...and one when the car was manufacturered....? or something that doesn't seem normal.

For example here is a car on Minimania: http://www.minimania.com/web/id/7228...ale_Detail.cfm

Titled as a '77...but the seller calls it a '96.

When the cars are imported into the US... do they get titled for the year that they are brought over...? or for the year that the engine in the car was manufactured such that a '96 engine in a '77 shell could be titled as a '96 car? Maybe I'm just reading into an issue that doesn't exsist and I'm only making myself paranoid or confused.

Any insight?

 

That car is something that is called a Re-Vin. It is either a 1977 Mini that was upgraded to 1996 specs or simply a 1996 Mini that was titled as a 1977 to make it legal to have in the US. Note the interior, dash and especially the engine - '77 Minis didn't have fuel injection.

It's a nice looking Mini, just know that it is not exactly as it seems - its either a 1996 Mini posing as a 1977 or its a 1977 with 1996 parts.

 

That's terrific info!! Thank you!!

 

That is really the main thing... know what it is you are buying.

There are those in the classic community that equate buying a re-vin with running over your neighbor's puppy and will rain down these stories about how you will get caught and "they" will come in black trucks and take your car and crush it and shoot the bits into space and and and...:impatient I really don't buy into it. (Now I would put the disclaimer that I would agree that personally bringing over a re-vinned car probably carries some added risk of getting caught but....)

If you looking at a newer spec car that is here then just know what it is and what are the nuances to that year/spec. And don't get me wrong, not every updated car is a re-vin (I run an MPI motor out of a '98 in my '80 cabrio and I know the the engine is an update as I did it.)

Again..just my two cents but I'm on the side of telling you to find a well sorted car without too many issues and enjoy the heck out of it and not worry too much about the real vintage.

 

Gettin' caught...? Is re-vin illegal? I mean, if the seller has a legit title..then some state, somewhere has deemed it legit, legal and road worthy such that it can be registered and driven. So as long as the seller has a title that matches the car... there no issue...or is there?

Holy Moly, I just thought I was paranoid...but NOW I'm paranoid. (hee hee!!)

 

The way I look at it, the DMV had every chance in the world to inspect my car and invalidate the title I had (my car is a '92/'76 "update" that had a NJ title) and they signed off that it was a 1976 Leyland Mini - who am I to contradict them? I pay insurance as if I had a 1976 and if my state had emissions testing, I'd be responsible for keeping the car tuned to emissions standards for that year car.

Minis have so many interchangable parts (entire engines from cars 20 years older can and are fitted to newer cars and vice versa with great regularity) that "proving" a car's pedigree is hard to do - what matters is that you know what you're getting and that it's "well sorted out" as mentioned above. I've never heard of anyone having an issue witha re-VINNed car, outsie of California (which has extremely restrictive laws even for "classic" cars over 25 years old).

In Ohio you'll have no issues, believe me.

 

Thanks Matt! Yep, I've never had any problems with the Ohio BMV in regards to transferring an out of state title. The "inspection" was just a clerk who came outside and verified the Vin number to the title.

 

Yes, reVINned cars are illegal, and can result in a car that is being imported either being crushed or sent back home. From what I've heard, the main concern with a reVINned car is at customs. Once it gets the "okay" from them, I haven't heard of anyone having an issue with DMVs. I just had to get a VIN verification, where they looked and said, "Yep, those are numbers"

So buying a car already here in the states with a current registration shouldn't really be a problem.

 

I've heard of problems with DMVs with VTEC Minis - not entirely sure why, but who knows. The problem with customs that I've heard is that some inspectors are beginning to learn the differences between 90's Minis and older Minis and Re-VINs are beginning to become suspect. Never actually heard of a Mini getting confiscated or smashed, so who knows.

When I titled my Mini in IL (previously MA titled) they didn't even ask to see the car/VIN or anything.

 

That reminds me....

NO MINI FOR YOU!!




Sometimes I crack myself up!!

 

Check the wiper motor and the boot latch assembly. Both will have the year of manufacture stamped on them. The wiper motor will have the week and year, and if I remember correctly the boot latch has just the year.

If you end up purchasing an SPi (Single Point Injection) car you can convert it to carbs should anything go wrong with the Rover MEMS (ECU). If you get an MPi car you're stuck with it - they had coil packs instead of a distributor.

Often times you'll see the 77/96 or soemthing similiar... it's just BS really. The car is a 96, it just happens to have a 1977 VIN tag on it. If it's already in the USA and registered I doubt you'd have any problems transferring the title. The real risk is when someone is trying to slip one in the country. Over the past few years there seems to be increasing scrutiny over Minis. I can't remember all of the details, but I know the car has to be older than 25 years ...and I *think* the engine has to be at least 20 years old to come in. So - if you were to buy a Mini with a Honda engine already swapped into it from say, the UK, you'd probably run into problems. That's my guess at least.

Good luck in your search. There are many Minis out here in the US now. Probably way more than were ever sold during the few short years (64-69?) that they were originally.

 

Actually the MPI to carb swap is not as impossible as made out to be. (That is what I'm running on my car now.) The mechanical swap it pretty easy. There is some considerable wiring work that needs to get done (basicly you need to isolate the ECU so it just controls the spark.)

 

Oh, ok. I stand corrected then. If you're a wiring whiz it probably won't be that bad.

That's good to know though. I have a buddy with an MPi car here.

 

Interesting thread... Thought I would post some information that I found some time ago that is pretty detailed.

http://www.eastcoastrover.com/imports.html

Long story short is, "Buyer Beware".

Seriously though, good luck finding your Mini. I just got to see a Classic up close and I am now looking for a garage filling project.