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I was looking around on my classic and noticed on my title the vin is listed as 979532 which is on the tag under the bonnet that says Car No. Im sure that isnt the original vin for the car. on the opposite side of the bonnet is a number stamped into the metal B20S 706125. I tried to look that up and the only thing I've come up with is that B20S is listed as a Mini City. I can't figure out the rest of it. I've heard that the vin might be stamped on the right floor board underneath the paint. I don't know if that would apply to my car since it is a RHD car, I was thinking maybe it's on the left side. Also the engine plate was removed for some reason is there anywhere else on the motor that has the engine code stamped on it? Thanks alot.
A couple of things. I'm 99% sure it is a true '79 as I got a ton of documentation with it including a hand written spiral notebook from the owner that took the original '79 and turned it into the modified runner you see. This 79 was imported last year, having just become 'legal' at 25 years. It went thru customs with no problem and is properly documented import wise, titled and registered in FL originally and now VA. I have UK MOT documentation and tax records.
You may notice that the plate rivets are not original. The plate was relocated during the rebuilt, when a glass flip front was fitted so the possibility does exist that this plate is bogus for this car ...but read on.
If nothing else you will see that a 1979 VIN (actually VAR) clearly shows AUSTIN MORRIS GROUP, British Leyland, as the builder; vice Rover.
As I understand things, in 1979 Austin Morris made the Mini, if you have a Rover it must be newer than a 79 - and must be a re-vin (u are in US right??)....I suppose a 1980 could have been legally imported in the last 5 days and I believe 1979 was the year things changed.... If you look at my gallery pics for hints about age/year note that I know my car is heavily modified for a retro look. It is NOT original. Altho a '79 (I think), side markers are all removed (I know where the clipped wires are!), boot and tail lites are MK1....maybe I'll post the pics I have of the original '79....yep I got some of those too!
The info the previous reply spoke of; I think I have the page in question:: I pulled it trying to decide my Orange Crate's true roots too. I'll underline as it applies to my #
VIN
The general format for the VIN for these cars is:
X-K2S1N-XXX-A
VIN, First Position (“X” in the above example):
This is simply dismissed by the factory as “non significant”!
VIN, Second Position (“K” in the above example):
= Engine type
A = [Unknown if this was used. If so, it indicated any of the A series engines still in production at that time]
C = 1098cc
E = 1275cc
K = 848cc L = 998cc documents say mine started as this, I know I'm re-engined
VIN, Third Position (“2S” in the above example):
= Body type
2D: The factory microfiche does not list a designator for the 1275GT. This would imply there wasn’t one; however, it is likely the 2D designator was still used. The microfiche shows 2D used for the 1980 model year. If no designator is listed, the Commission number must be used to identify the 1275GT. 2S = 2-door saloon/sedan. (Except 1275GT) Caution: bureaucratic bungles often interpret this as 25 (twenty-five)
2W = Estate (“2 Door Dual Purpose”)
U = Pick-up. Caution: U and V can be mistaken one for the other.
V = Panel van. Caution: U and V can be mistaken one for the other.
VIN, Fourth Position (“1” in the above example): 1 = Round nose, traditional Mini body style. Includes: Mini 850, Mini 850 City, Mini 850 Special Deluxe, Mini 1000, Van (848cc and 998cc), Mini Special 1098cc, and Pick-up (850cc and 998cc).
2 = Clubman, square nose style. Includes: Clubman Saloon (998cc Automatic and 1098cc Manual), Clubman Estate (998cc Automatic and 1098cc Manual), and 1275GT.
VIN, Fifth Position (“N” in the above example): N = Special Deluxe (Except for North America). Includes the Mini 850 Special Deluxe, the Mini 1000, and the Mini Special 1098cc.
(I think something got dropped from the info here - I can't figure out which character they are talking about......unless "N" was something else if not special deluxe. Interestingly my records say mine was a 1979 special deluxe but this raises the question, where in the VIN/VAR is the year identified? Well, customs accepted this as a '79...or earlier....) North America:
A = 1970
B = 1971
C = 1972
D = 1973
E = 1974
F = 1975
G = 1976
H = 1977
J = 1978
L = 1979
VIN, Number positions (“###” in the above example):
= The sequential build number:
Each “type” of car (with one exception) started with number 101; e.g., the first Mini 850 in this range started with 101 as did the first Mini 1000, the first 1275GT, etc. (not limited to 3 digits)
The factory records list one exception: the export Mini Special 1098cc. The starting number, for some reason, is listed as 1012011
{hmmmm, I don't think they buit 100,000's of these, but how did they sequence the #???? I don't know}
VIN, Last position (“A” in the above example):
= Assembly plant. Officially, “Internal Use Only” If used at all, this would be “A” for English built cars. A = Longbridge (Mine is a UK import with rt hand drive)
##################################
gospel???? heck I dun no......
But if my VAR plate is a fake, it is a good fake!
Anyone??? Anyone???
{{to paste you needed to strip the formatting, I pasted to note-pad first, then copied again to paste here...not fancy but it works!}}
Right as to identifying that Mini or yours, from the photos here's what I can tell you:
The washer bottle is later than 1979
Heater valve is pre 1984
Wiper Motor cover is post 1984
Engine colour is post 84 or later (could have had a recon engine fitted tho)
Breather hose is kinked lol
Heater hose is for 998cc so it's definately a 998cc engine.
Rear lights post 1984*
It has the wrong rear lights, it shouldnt have reverse lens, as that year had no reverse lamps fitted, and no fog lamp under the rear bumper.
(I have a 1979 Mini 1000 Super).
Now the Supers were made in Dark Red (maroon) and Black and had a gold coachline along the side and chrome inserts in the screen rubbers, and chrome door handles. They had no wheel arches, a black grille with chrome surround and a small shield bonnet badge.
If put/left to standard they are quite rare now as they were only in production for 12mths. Unlike the City which was in production from around 79 to late 1980's early 90's.
In 1979 they made:
Mini 850 Super
Mini 1000 Super
Mini City
and I believe an automatic in the 850 and 1000 models.
*Some models of the 1000 Super did have reverse lens, as there seems to have been a dispute of some kind at the factory, (always on strike back in those days) and they tended to use stock from other production runs hence the differences in some cars of the same year. Makes it very confusing. Some are in Mk3 shells some in Mk4.
As for the VIN number it should be the same as mine which is:
XL2S1N (then the production number which will be 8 digits)
So from the photo of your VIN plate it looks like it's a 79, but there's so much mixing and matching going on over here when people want to sell a car overseas you can never be too sure what you're getting. And you don't know what the previous owners have done to their cars, in the way of replacement engines and parts.
So basically you could have a true 79 car but it's got an A+ engine in it, which makes me think it's definately had a recon engine in it at some time, as for that year it should be an A series. The bits they've put on it engine wise that are pre 84 would fit an A+, but it makes it look like the cars older than it is for anyone that doesnt know much about the specifics of the A and A+ engines and which years they were fitted.
I have a inported from USA a 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S
we went to the T.U.V here in Germany After a couple of weeks the search came up with
and they say that the Vin mumber is not correct for the car CA2S7-5550110 Vin
and that the engine is from A 1989 1275 mini 12HD24. So ist not possible to registrate the car
Hi all, I'm new to this forum and am looking to buy a 1964 yellow panel van from New England, USA.
After reading these post's I;m concerned about the vin tag which is obviously not original to the van. It sounds like the thread starters. A long metal strip with Car No.553800 held on by two straight head screws.
Where should I look for the correct tag and why to people Re Vin there cars?
The MINI stopped being imported and sold in the US in the mid 70's ... they just left the US market and the car was no longer produced in a version that met all US laws and regulations.
The US allows for the import of an otherwise 'illegal' car if it is 25 years of age or older as a 'collector car'. In 1984 if a US customer wanted to get their hands on a Mini they could find in the UK a 1959 (1959 + 25 = 1984) and LEGALLY bring it into the country under what I'll call the 25 year rule. In 1980's and 90's this was done by the occasional Mini enthusiast but the situation changed in 2000 when the MINI was introduced in the US.
With the introduction of MINI, US interest in "classic Mini" grew ... it grew A LOT. Suddenly folks in the US were clamoring for Mini to import under the 25 year rule .... problem was finding one that was 25 years old and in decent shape. It was easier to find Mini that were less than 25 years old .... after all they had been made until 2000. And a newer one was in better shape. But how to get it INTO the US?
Say the year is 2002 and I locate a really nice 1988 Mini in the UK. Well that car is only 14 years old and can not be imported. SOMETIMES one would go find a junked Mini from say 1970 and remove the VIN plate, and REPLACE the VIN on the 1988 and ship it to the US. Many times (most times) these cars made it into the states; altho not ALWAYS. If caught by Customs they were usually seized and destroyed but many found there way into the US and became legally registered even tho the VIN is wrong.
You don't see this as much today. In 2019 all Mini thru 1994 can be brought in under the 25 year rule so the issue is less common in the US for new entries. But when buying a Mini in the US it is something to be aware of: you will still occasionally see Mini for sale in the US advertised like this: 1966 Mini updated to 1992 specificationswhich basically means the car has had the VIN changed. I've seen proud owners of 1970's Mini who insist the car is 70's despite an SPI motor and airbags! And what we're beginning to see is European buyers of the US 're vin' Mini discovering they bought a Mini with illegal alterations to the numbers ..... US law was somewhat ignorant or just didn't care about 're vin' of a cheap car (much more impressive to capture an illegal Ferrari) but it appears in Europe where Mini was always a part of the landscape they DO care.
The MINI stopped being imported and sold in the US in the mid 70's ... they just left the US market and the car was no longer produced in a version that met all US laws and regulations.
The US allows for the import of an otherwise 'illegal' car if it is 25 years of age or older as a 'collector car'. In 1984 if a US customer wanted to get their hands on a Mini they could find in the UK a 1959 (1959 + 25 = 1984) and LEGALLY bring it into the country under what I'll call the 25 year rule. In 1980's and 90's this was done by the occasional Mini enthusiast but the situation changed in 2000 when the MINI was introduced in the US.
With the introduction of MINI, US interest in "classic Mini" grew ... it grew A LOT. Suddenly folks in the US were clamoring for Mini to import under the 25 year rule .... problem was finding one that was 25 years old and in decent shape. It was easier to find Mini that were less than 25 years old .... after all they had been made until 2000. And a newer one was in better shape. But how to get it INTO the US?
Say the year is 2002 and I locate a really nice 1988 Mini in the UK. Well that car is only 14 years old and can not be imported. SOMETIMES one would go find a junked Mini from say 1970 and remove the VIN plate, and REPLACE the VIN on the 1988 and ship it to the US. Many times (most times) these cars made it into the states; altho not ALWAYS. If caught by Customs they were usually seized and destroyed but many found there way into the US and became legally registered even tho the VIN is wrong.
You don't see this as much today. In 2019 all Mini thru 1994 can be brought in under the 25 year rule so the issue is less common in the US for new entries. But when buying a Mini in the US it is something to be aware of: you will still occasionally see Mini for sale in the US advertised like this: 1966 Mini updated to 1992 specificationswhich basically means the car has had the VIN changed. I've seen proud owners of 1970's Mini who insist the car is 70's despite an SPI motor and airbags! And what we're beginning to see is European buyers of the US 're vin' Mini discovering they bought a Mini with illegal alterations to the numbers ..... US law was somewhat ignorant or just didn't care about 're vin' of a cheap car (much more impressive to capture an illegal Ferrari) but it appears in Europe where Mini was always a part of the landscape they DO care.
Thanks Capt'n I'm starting to understand now, Back in the day it's what they had to do to get a mini in the US before they legally started selling them here, Right?
What problems could I get into with the re vin serial tag? I live in Ohio and the car is in Conn. I have to get the serial number checked against the registration ( no titles in Conn) before they issue me an Ohio title.
I'm afraid they won't let me reg. it with a non original number plate. ...LJ
Back in the day it's what they had to do to get a mini in the US before they legally started selling them here, Right?
Not quite ... you're missing the difference between Mini and MINI. Re-vin applies to Mini AFTER they stopped selling in the states ... the car became 'not legal to import.' The re-vin was a way to get past the 25 year rule and import a car (Mini) that was less than 25 years old, by attaching the VIN from an older but wrecked body shell.
What problems could I get into with the re vin serial tag? I live in Ohio and the car is in Conn. I have to get the serial number checked against the registration ( no titles in Conn) before they issue me an Ohio title.
I'm afraid they won't let me reg. it with a non original number plate. ...
if you're in the states and the car currently has a valid title you really have no issue 99.9% of the time. I took a quick look at the Conn rules which sound a lil weird but I see that Conn does not require a title for a car over 20 years old. It looks like you've checked with Ohio and have the basic document issue in hand. Soooo ......
IME a state is only going to check that the "document" VIN matches what they see on the car. They DON'T dig any deeper to see if the VIN actually matches what the car should be nor will they be able to decode the VIN on a Mini. My experiences were in VA and FL and here they were more concerned that the sale value I claimed was 'valid' for sales tax purposes.
Your related 're-vin' issue can come up when you start to get into the car. By this I mean it is POSSIBLE what you're being told you are buying is NOT what the car is and the seller may not even be aware. The less you know about classic Mini the higher the possibility. Of course if the car is already significantly modified this may be a moot point too. But the first time you go to buy parts the true vintage and model and even place of manufacture can become an issue and that doesn't touch figuring out what engine is in it (probably not original)
If this is the case, having the car checked out by a Mini smart person is a GOOD idea ..... or at least hang some pictures here.
Here's a quick tip. The week/year of manufacture is stamped on several places on a Mini. Some of these are parts that would be very uncommon to change out. For example the latch assembly of the boot (trunk) but I dunno if the same thing applies to a VAN. Similar numbers are stamped on the wiper motor but often hidden on the 'back side'. Similar numbers are on the distributor too but this is a very common item to see changed out . . . Here you see from mine "18 79" .... I have UK registration that says it is a 79 and MOT from 2004 just b4 the car came into the US.
IME the various number plates should be RIVETED, not attached with screws and the VIN plate will have RAISED letters & number having been stamped from the back side. While it is possible to get replacements made this way, it is easier and cheaper to buy a blank and simply have the number ENGRAVED ... a clear sign it is not original.
BUT like I said, IME if you have a VALID registration from another state, the new state accepts this as long as the number match. I can't promise but this has been my experience. You could make the sale contingent on getting a new title but with your distance issues this wouldn't be easy.
** Conn does not require a title in this case but does it PROSCRIBE one? Can you get a title for just a cost of a few bucks and some time? I suspect the problem would be less with a clean title **
Whew, The one I'm looking at is modded . he say's it's a 64 with a 1275 motor and a wood dash. It has the fluted roof which some say is not a 64. the seller say's 64 is a changeover year.
I admit I don't know much about Austin mini's but I'm learning fast. The seller has a respected MG parts business. I really like the van and am driving out Thursday to see it . Here is a pic of the ID
Met David and his '73 yesterday and yep, doesn't have a number on it anywhere! �� Beautiful car that just got off the boat. His import documentation appears to have a correct alpha/numeric sequence so the plan is to just order up a blank facsimile VIN plate, stamp it and affix for government inspection and US registration.
******************* he say's it's a 64 with a 1275 motor and a wood dash.
Well what you are really looking at here (pic not visible btw) is the same thing I own. An itsabitsa .... IT iS A BIT of thiS and A bit of that
And that's not bad ... mine is absolutely one ...... just recognize this up front *. If it is a 1275 it is re-engined as I'm pretty sure they never put that engine in the van and I don't think it even existed in 64 and a wood dash is an add on ... certainly never an option in 64 or on a van. When buying parts you will never be able to just punch in a year and model and know what you are looking at is correct.( Knowing if the engine is an A or A+ could save some problems down the road but if you buy it come back to me and I'll tell you how to quickly identify. There are some SIGNIFICANT parts differences between A and A+ while others are interchangeable)
*Is your MG parts guy the builder owner .... or selling for someone. In other words, how much does he know about the car?
If you buy it PM me .... I bought mine in 2004 and didn't know enuf. 15 years later I've learned a bunch. Maybe I can help you avoid some of my early landmines.
Thanks for all the good advice, I collect old 60's panel vans and when I go to auto store for parts, I say don't ask the year!
The MG guy bought the panel from a 75 year old friend of his about 3-4 months ago after he had to go to a nursing home. Apparently he owned the van for about 16 years and it was well known at car shows.
It's a hot rod van for sure. 10" aluminum wheels, yokohama tires, front disc brakes , small custom steering wheel,The 1275 supposedly has a mild cam and performance exhaust. And it's the way I like them.
Hi Capt'n , This is the 64 panel van I purchased yesterday from Conn. Should be getting it home in Ohio next week. Looking forward to learning more about it...LJ
01-05-2005, 01:48 AM
...but read on. 
Anyone??? 
mit I don't know much about Austin mini's but I'm learning fast. The seller has a respected MG parts business. I really like the van and am driving out Thursday to see it . Here is a pic of the ID
