mk1-forum.net

Hi, I about to plunge into the restoration of my 1961 Austin Seven. I've owned it for the last eighteen years (it's been laid up for at least sixteen!) and it wants all the usual doing.

I've started to look at the numbers of the car and they seem strangely high to me given other numbers I've seen on the 'net.

Example, VIN number (the plate screwed to the rad shroud) shows me A-A2S7 - 184xxxA. The FE number is 243xxx and the number on the slam panel is 072874. Engine is 8AMUH242xxx

I'd have though on 1961 (registered in December, and showing a September '61 on the brake drums) that the VIN would have been a lot lot lower.

All the numbers tally up with the logbook and I've not really got any reason to suspect anything untoward with this car.

Do these numbers ring true for a 1961 car?

Cheers,
Gary

184XXX is about right for a November '61 built car. Can't speak to dates for the other numbers.

FE243XXX is also about right for a November '61 built car.

Great thanks people, this is likely to be the genuine article then?

And as for the model, this would indicate (according to the VIN) that it's a Basic? However, the car has opening rear quarters, heater, passenger sun visor, panel lamp switch and illuminated companion boxes (or at least the wiring present for them, cut off long ago) suggesting it's actually a Deluxe. Or am I wrong on that? The interior was retrimmed in what looks like a Ford Escort XR3 velour fabric and at the time it was done was a very neat and tidy job, leaving the vinyl backs in place on the front seats. I suspect the people that owned it for a year before I did undertook the lousy respray and oversills along with this work as the people prior to them owned the car for over ten years and never had anything major done to it.

It's had a new front panel long ago as it does look like the body number's been off at some point. Original floors too, shame some numpty slapped some oversills on it - N/S is probably OK under the sill but the O/S is shot. Still has a floor number tag in it too..

by the sounds of it, its had some 'updating' through the years, so it would have been a simple job to get a heater and what not from a scrappies - i doubt many hardy souls would have put up with no heater for very long!

a lot of deluxes didnt have "d" in the chassis number

i have 2 1960 cars and a 61 .that are deffo deluxes,,confirmed by heritage certs,,but theres no "d" in the chassis no,,so a casual onlooker would assume they are "basics"


these buggers catch us out all the time,,even 50 yrs later

a lot of deluxes didnt have "d" in the chassis number

I thought that system came in with the Super De-Luxe in 62?

I've never had a De-Luxe 59, 60 or 61 with a D in the chassis number.

bill-
the system is well erratic
my mar 62 built morris has a "d" in the chassis number,as well as my nov 61 austin seven .that has a "d" in it too,although the nov 61 austin seven is cowley built !!,,whether this makes a difference is anybodys guess.

even one of my 3 supers ,(2 morris and one austin) - has the "S" missing on the tag though its deffo a super,without a doubt..the other 2 supers have S in the chassis tag

ive been told by a moggy minor boffin,,the same went on with the minors too (didnt know there was a deluxe and basic moggy minor,,but there you go)

never seen a 59 60 or a pre sep 61 car with it in the tag though.....so bills findings are correct from what i have seen

guru_1071 wrote:by the sounds of it, its had some 'updating' through the years, so it would have been a simple job to get a heater and what not from a scrappies - i doubt many hardy souls would have put up with no heater for very long!

They're harder than me if they only decided to fit the fug-stirrer! From memory of driving some 18 years ago in winter, it was a pretty miserable experience!

Right, well it's been collected by Classic and Sports Cars Essex and taken in for quotation on panel and paint.

I'll start a rebuild thread once the angle grinder starts up