Austin Healey 3000 BT7 1960 VIN chassis STAMP location

[Smooth]

Hi,

I'm looking for the VIN number stamped in the chassis of my Austin Healey Mark 1 BT7 from 1960.
I've looked on the right front shock mount where it's placed for later cars (BJ7/BJ8) but apparently this BT7 doesn't have that. So it should be somewhere else?
Anyone have any idea? Perhaps it's a plate attached to the chassis? (I'm not talking about the plate above the motor under the window..)

Thanks in advance!

With kind regards,
Joe

 

[DerekJ]

No, there is no stamping on the chassis. Have fun with the Belgian vehicle registration office. Bureaucrats love this kind of thing!

 

[Smooth]

Hahaha, thanks!

I know where to look when it's a BJ7/BJ8 (it's on the horizontal upper piece of the shock mount, on the outside, you have to turn the wheel and scrub till it appears).. So I figured it must be somewhere else? Or did they just introduce that after 1960? Seems odd..

Anyone else have any experience with this? Thanks!!!

 

[Brinkerhoff]

There is a number stamped in the shock tower area but doesn't seem to be related to the VIN , from 3 early 3000s I've seen. There are no other number stampings on the chassis like Derek said.

 

[BJ8Healeys]

There is a number stamped in the shock tower area but doesn't seem to be related to the VIN , from 3 early 3000s I've seen. There are no other number stampings on the chassis like Derek said.

The number stamped on TOP of the right-side shock tower (forward of the shock absorber, at least on BJ8s) was apparently put there by the manufacturer of the frame (either John Thompson Motor Pressings, or Jensen Motors, I'm not sure which). I would assume it was a number that was useful to keep track of the production of the frames, but no cross reference to the chassis number of the car exists, to my knowledge. In many cases, the number has been partially obscured by weld beads and no longer legible in toto by the time the frame has been completed. I guess its usefulness was finished past a certain point in manufacturing.



However, there is a subject for everyone in the Healey world to be interested in, and there is someone who has a particular interest in these numbers and collects them. He says that the numbers apparently started over when a significant change was made to the frame. Anyone who wishes to contribute these numbers to the effort to understand them can submit theirs to Rick Regan. I know of his interest, but I don't know if he wants his e-mail addressed published to the world, so contact me and I'll help you make the connection with him.

It is my understanding that the VIN stamped into the shock tower is only there for BJ8s (and not BJ7s, but then I do not collect data for BJ7s). Some BJ8s have also been found with the complete VIN or only the chassis number stamped into the passenger's side (LHD cars) floor, just in front of the seat.

 

[Smooth]

Hi Steve,

The number you are referring to is on the 'inside' of the shock mount, this has nothing to do with the real VIN or 'chassis number'.. I've read somewhere this number was for company puroposes, in case you lost the badge, they could look it up back in the days.. Not sure if this is true..
But there is another number on the 'outside' of the shock mount (the above horizontal piece), turn the wheel and if you scrape off the paint you'll find the VIN number..
But it seems this is only for BJ7's or BJ8's.. (BJ7's deffinitely have it too) Normally all cars should have the VIN number stamped in the chassis.. Somewhere.. Just couldn't find it for the BT7 yet.. But if the messages above are true a BT7 from 1960 doesn't have a chassis number stamped (I'm not talking about the badge on the fire wall)..
Perhaps other BT7 owners have more insight into this matter, or can confirm the total lack of a chassis number stamp.

 

[healeyblue]

You basically just said what Steve said. He definitely knows about the VIN stampings on the BJ8's. You can stop looking for the VIN stamp on your BT7. It's not there, never was. I have pictures of various other stampings on our BN4 in those areas (shock towers) and other areas and I believe they may be some kind of QC stampings during assembly.

 

[vlust]

Hi Joe,
I own a Healey 3000 Mk.1 BT7 from 1959. I have the same discussion with the Dutch Road Traffic Authorities ('Rijksdienst voor het wegverkeer') Probably the Belgian authorities tell you they can not determine the originality of the car because the Vin number is on a plate screwed to the firewall. I have done extensive research on the matter and agree with the other members that there is definitely no numbers or whatsoever stamped on the body of the Mk.1 Healey. Back in the days they just did not do that. According to Gary Anderson & Roger Moment, Authors of the standard book “Austin-Healey 100/100-6/3000 Restoration Guide”, page.67 :“the chassisnumber was stamped on a plate screwed to the firewall, and is theone generally used as the vehicle identification number(VIN) for governmentregistration…….The car’s chassis number was not found anywhere else on thebody on the six-cylinder roadsters.” If you want to know more please send me a pm.

 

[fogol11281]

Buona sera io ho una bj7 e ho stampato nel telaio davanti a destra vicino all'ammortizzatore un numero di 4 cifre ( 4584 ) che non corrisponde a nulla dell'heritage in mio possesso. ho lo stesso problema perche' devo immaricolare l'auto in europa proveniente dagli USA e spero di arrivare in fondo.
Qualcuno puo' dirmi dove posso cercarlo?
saluti
alberto - italia

 

[NutmegCT]

Alberto - come vedi nel posto no. 6, di Smooth -

"Ma c'è un altro numero "all'esterno" del supporto dell'ammortizzatore (il pezzo orizzontale sopra). Gira la ruota e se gratti via la vernice troverai il numero VIN .. Ma sembra che questo sia solo per BJ7 o BJ8.."

Alberto - as you see in post # 6 from Smooth -

"But there is another number on the 'outside' of the shock mount (the above horizontal piece), turn the wheel and if you scrape off the paint you'll find the VIN number.. But it seems this is only for BJ7's or BJ8's.."

Tom M.