-
Hi Guest!
You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
T-Series matching v.i.n. #'s ?
- Thread starter bluecoat
- Start date
Share this page
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Nope! Engine numbers are totally different from VIN's...& don't get excited about the commission number - it doesn't mean anything anymore!
Also depends on how you interpret the phrase "matching numbers". To me, for something like an MGB, Triumph TR, Healeys, etc., it simply means that the engine is the same one that came with that particular car (you can usually ascertain that engine #4536783 came with VIN# or Body# 98768576 through manufacturer records). And personally I don't think it matters all that much to me, as long as the engine is right for the car.
For something like an old Corvette, Plymouth Superbird, GTO, or pretty much any American muscle car, it means something entirely else. These cars came with all sorts of options, far more than any British or other foreign sportycar. And all of them had numbers, and were recorded on a sheet of paper or three that accompanied the car down the production line. On '63-'67 Corvettes, a copy of it is pasted to the fuel tank. On some Dodge Challengers and Plymouth Barracudas (1970-74 vintage) they can be found taped to the outside of the glovebox, hidden under the rear seat, or taped to the back of the dashboard. In any event, they list every single option that was added to that particular car. So, having found that document, you may find that the Tor Red 383, four speed, Dana'd 1970 'Cuda on Rally wheels of your dreams would have to be converted to a Tawny Gold with Gold Leaf Metallic roof, slant six (the smaller one at that), automatic, steel wheeled, bench seated grocery getter to have matching numbers.
Then there's date coding, which is something I've only seen as being truly important in Corvette restorations. All-or lots of- the ancilliaries have their date of manufacture stamped on them somewhere, and when the GM engine plant in Hamtramck was putting together the 327 for your '65 'Vette, it put a starter motor with a date that corresponds really closely to the date your engine and car was built, usually to within a month for common engines, a bit longer for something special-ordered like an alloy blocked 427. When you go to the parts department at Local Chevrolet to buy a replacement starter, it's dated for whenever it was made......possibly several years after your car was made. When the concours judges see that, you lose points.
Which is why I like British roadsters-they are usually easier to get "right"!!!
-William
For something like an old Corvette, Plymouth Superbird, GTO, or pretty much any American muscle car, it means something entirely else. These cars came with all sorts of options, far more than any British or other foreign sportycar. And all of them had numbers, and were recorded on a sheet of paper or three that accompanied the car down the production line. On '63-'67 Corvettes, a copy of it is pasted to the fuel tank. On some Dodge Challengers and Plymouth Barracudas (1970-74 vintage) they can be found taped to the outside of the glovebox, hidden under the rear seat, or taped to the back of the dashboard. In any event, they list every single option that was added to that particular car. So, having found that document, you may find that the Tor Red 383, four speed, Dana'd 1970 'Cuda on Rally wheels of your dreams would have to be converted to a Tawny Gold with Gold Leaf Metallic roof, slant six (the smaller one at that), automatic, steel wheeled, bench seated grocery getter to have matching numbers.
Then there's date coding, which is something I've only seen as being truly important in Corvette restorations. All-or lots of- the ancilliaries have their date of manufacture stamped on them somewhere, and when the GM engine plant in Hamtramck was putting together the 327 for your '65 'Vette, it put a starter motor with a date that corresponds really closely to the date your engine and car was built, usually to within a month for common engines, a bit longer for something special-ordered like an alloy blocked 427. When you go to the parts department at Local Chevrolet to buy a replacement starter, it's dated for whenever it was made......possibly several years after your car was made. When the concours judges see that, you lose points.
Which is why I like British roadsters-they are usually easier to get "right"!!!
-William
chris roop
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
It is kind of nice to have the number that is stamped on the right side frame rail above the crossmember match the one that is on your aluminum "VIN" tags.
Rick
Member
Offline
One idea you might be interested in is acquiring the British Motor Heritage Certificate for your car. I did this about a year ago and it's nice to have the information from the factory record. It includes engine number, body number, VIN, original colors, options fitted, gearbox number, dates of manufacture, and etc. I just find it nice to have. Here's a link to the website to order one if you desire: https://www.heritage.org.uk/archive/trace.htm