TR2/3/3A How Authoritative is the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust?

[60TR3A]

My BMIHT Certificate states plainly that my car was built in November, 1960 and despatched to Canada on Dec. 12, 1960 but somehow the car's Canadian motor vehicle registration shows the car as a 1961 model. In order to import the car through US Customs, our customs entry has to match the Canadian registration so it will be entered as a 1961. It's possible the car was registered as a 1961 because it arrived in Canada in 1961. When the car gets to Florida I will register it in Florida and want to then point to the BMIHT Certificate to prove that a clerical error was made in Canada and I want to correct it, but I need to be able to establish the BMIHT's bona fides somehow. Does anyone have anything to suggest?

 

[RGK]

In my experience cars built near the end of the year usually are next year models. The build date does not necessarily show that. My MGB was built Dec 1971 and is registered as a 1972, my E-type was built 11/69 and is registered as a 1970.

 

[60TR3A]

I've thought about it some more and it's really a non-issue: It entered Canada in 1961 so they considered it a 1961 model year car; when I register it in Florida I will simply use the bill of sale that shows 1960 and that should suffice to get the car registered as a 1960.

I also answered my own question by Googling it: The BMIHT is part of the UK's National Archives so that's about as official as it gets.I

 

[CJD]

Triumph were frequently titled under the year they were sold. Florida will not know or care, especially since the Triumph VIN does not match the modern standardized format. All parts are purchased based on the TS number, so year is not that important.

I guess I am trying to say that nobody will care but you.

 

[Geo Hahn]

My 64 TR4 (built in Sep 64) was registered in Hawaii as a 65. Probably because it was first sold in 1965. When I registered it in Arizona I was able to get it changed to a 64. That person at the DMV/MVD desk has a lot of power -- a smile and courteous behavior may be all it takes.

By 1970 things were less loosey goosey as cars were built to meet requirements of a specific model year, in particular emissions. My 71 E-Type was built in June of 1970 and delivered in August of that year but is identified on the car as a 1971 and that is how it was registered.

 

[smaceng]

I bought a 1966 TR4A, but the title had a 66 as a prefix on Commission number. I used the Heritage Certificate as well as well as a Car Document Inspector's report to change the title to the correct one (CA DMV).

 

[Darrell_Walker]

I bought a 1966 TR4A, but the title had a 66 as a prefix on Commission number. I used the Heritage Certificate as well as well as a Car Document Inspector's report to change the title to the correct one (CA DMV).

Same thing with my 66 TR4A, first registered in California. When moving to Washington, they registered it using the commission number without the 66 prefix.