FE & Body Numbers

[Hunter2]

Simon, if you can...

The FE number plate on the inner wing by the radiator surround is: FE41966

The Body (?) number on the plate spot welded to the slam panel/apron is: 023050

They were/are on the same front end assembly. Are they a match? (And am I right in guessing 1st half of 1960?)

Thanks,

Rick

[spoon.450]

Is that an original body number taken from a genuine front panel, or a genuine body number taken from an original front panel ?.....

[Hunter2]

Since I bought the project in 2004 after it was disassembled, walnut blasted, had the original wings & apron removed...with the top of the apron/slam panel included with the body number plate still attached, I'm going to guess that the plate was on the original nose...can't prove it, but if the FE number & body number are from the same time frame, I'll go with YES.

The Woody was a rolling chassis that was flat towed from California to British Columbia some 950 miles north on Interstate 5 (I5) before the previous owner stripped the car and began some of the body work. I can trace ownership/possession since August 1981. Have no record of any previous history of ownership, use, abuse or repairs.

(we have replaced a lot of steel - new full length floors, new cross member, new full length doorsteps, new rear closing panels and have done a variety of minor steel repairs (including opening up the welds in the A pillars where the front & back halves were joined), welded in an early front parcel shelf/dash rail assembly, welded in a rod change tunnel section...and have the new nose wings/apron to weld on)

[woodypup59]

I'd date an FE of 42,000 as October 1960.

I have seen body numbers ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 on cars "claimed" to be late 1960 so your seems plausible.

[Hunter2]

That makes sense Woodypup as the nose has a flat windscreen panel (pre-November 1960) joined to a flanged windscreen panel (post-October 1960) on the rear at the A pillars.

At this stage, not at all certain that the rear was ever actually connected to the VIN plate from July 19, 1961.

[Simon776]

Simon, if you can...

The FE number plate on the inner wing by the radiator surround is: FE41966

The Body (?) number on the plate spot welded to the slam panel/apron is: 023050

I'd say that FE41966 is from May 1960

Body numbers are more difficult to date as each model had its own body number sequence but I'd have thought 23050 is too high for an Estate built in July 1961. Saloons were at body number 11000 by January 1960 so that might well tie in with the FE Number. As it was probably an export car from new you might find a number stamped in the right hand triangular bulkhead/inner wing bracket which would be the chassis number (without prefix).

[woodypup59]

Simon, if you can...
I'd have thought 23050 is too high for an Estate built in July 1961.

Agreed - my Aug '61 woody has a body number of 12,000 ish.

Thats on the Heritage Cert and original bill of sale, but I've not found it stamped anywhere.

[mascher]

My 6 June 1961 Countryman has body number 101XX. The FE number probably disappeared with the floors, inner and outer wings over the years.
The 13 March 1961 Traveller has body number 708X. The FE number is FE139619.

Kelley

[Hunter2]

Very interesting....

Now look at these photos which I took after noticing faint paint on the rear of the smooth roof. I took several because the image is so faint.

Remember, this shell was walnut blasted years ago paint & primer gone...but not rusted afterwards since I kept it in dry storage.

Though very faint, I suspect this was a body stamping ID with date...which looks to be January 27, 1962 or 3??? and includes a number "61?50".

Could be we have a Woody that was assembled from a 1962 or later External Tank rear and a pre-October 1960 nose (from a sedan or??)

All help appreciated!!

Rick