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Midget missing VIN tag....what to do???

76Capri

Freshman Member
Offline
I am looking into buying a MG Midget and would like to know how to identify the year of the car by the VIN. Please help. The car has no title and the owner is claiming it is a 65 car. It's almost rust free so i find that hard to believe, especially in NY.
 

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Give us the VIN and we tell ya all about it.
 

kcbugeye1275

Jedi Knight
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Go to VictoriaBritish.com in the Sprite &
Midget catalog and find page 10. There is everything about about vin no.s and motor no.s you'll need. Check the motor no. and if it is the later no., that is a good thing because quite a few of us have changed to the later motor. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!
 

Bugeye58

Yoda
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

The VIN should fall between GAN-3-25788 and GAN-3-45905 to be a '65. '66 kept the GAN-3, and VIN's went up to 52389. Engine number should begin with 10CC to be a big crank 1098, only used in '65-'66. A'64 won't have roll up windows, and the engine # should begin with 10CG.
A '67 will have a fold down top, rather than the stick built top frame of the earlier models.
Jeff
 
OP
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76Capri

Freshman Member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

[ QUOTE ]
Go to VictoriaBritish.com

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. I'm going to take a look at the car tomorrow. It's actually my brother-in-law that has the car. He has no title for the car.

It's solid and runs but has no interior to really speak of. It has the wire wheel knock off rims so I suspect it's pre 1970 as it does not have the Rostyle wheels.

I'm actually considering making the car a Sprite clone. My dad had driven a 62 or 63 Sprite in his youth in Europe. I thought it would be a neat an inexpensive way for him and I to have a little fun together and for him to recapture his youth a bit.

Does anyone in NY have experience with titling cars like this when no title is available? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
 
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76Capri

Freshman Member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Here's the engine and chassis numbers:

Engine 12CC-DA-H12216
Chassis GBE 057854

From what I can tell I have a 67 car with a 67 motor in it. This is the engine most people want in their cars...right? High compression and the better cranks?
 

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

The first generation 1275 was the 12CC, Oct 66-Jan 68. Well yea it is a 1275, however the early one which this is was improved with a later casting that was more ridget, etc etc. However, that said it is still a 1275 and seems to have lasted quite a few years.

However, I have no clue what you identify as the Chassis number it should be a GAN5-XXXXXX.
 
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76Capri

Freshman Member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

[ QUOTE ]
However, I have no clue what you identify as the Chassis number it should be a GAN5-XXXXXX.

[/ QUOTE ]

The plate was found on the B pillar on the driver's side door.

Whoops... that's the body number....I'll have to get the chassis number when I get the car to my house..
 

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Ahhh Haaaa
 

kcbugeye1275

Jedi Knight
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

The one thing that sets a 67 apart is the single slave master cylinder for the brake master. Sounds like you are going to have fun, enjoy.
 
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76Capri

Freshman Member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Well, it's home! Despite the car is for my wife I'm actually feel a little bitten by the british bug!

Bad news. The car has no titel and no chassis plate!!! Uh oh.

Good news...it was free....

It looks like it is indeed a 67. Here's the specs as far as I know them

Disk brakes (these were available in 67??)
wire wheels
Single master cylinder
1275 engine
mirrors on fenders
 
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76Capri

Freshman Member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

I keep chaning the post header as to not clog the forum with too many posts...

OK, now I have a free 67 Midget with no chassis tag and no registration....

What to do?? Perhaps I should find someone with a wrecked or parts 67 with a good title??
 

Biff

Jedi Trainee
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

The VIN# is stamped on your car in two places. The number won't have the GAN part but will have the number portion of the VIN. If the passenger floor pan hasn't been replaced look just in front of the crossmember, the VIN # should be stamped there. You can also look just behind the passenger side shock and find the VIN number stamped there. Add the GAN part to that and if you know where it was last titled you could do a search through that state DMV and try to locate the last titled owner and get a copy. There are title companies who for a charge will provide you a title.
 

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Oh really, now that's an intresting concept. Think I will try that.
 

drooartz

Moderator
Staff member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Didn't know the VIN was stamped on the car anywhere. Now I'll have to go check..

And don't worry about to many posts on this forum. You'll never be able to catch up with Jack and Tony, so post away! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Ha, no little car folks where I live so I come here to feed my pasion.
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

[ QUOTE ]
The VIN# is stamped on your car in two places.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting! MGB's didn't have the VIN stamped anywhere on the car (even though people say they did) from the factory...I didn't realize Midgets did. The cars initially came with the Pressed Steel body number that was used until the car reached Abingdon...then the Commission Numbr was used to build the car at Abingdon....&, finally, just before it rolled off the assembly line the VIN was attached....after the VIN was attached, the Commission Numbrt & Pressed Steel number were irrelevant.....& the car was complete before the VIN was affixed so there was no way a VIN could be stmped into it along the build process.
 

Taz

Jedi Trainee
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Also by the Pasanger side bonnet hinge. on the flat piece of sheet metal just above the hole for the right hand drive brake-clutch cut out. the body # should be stamped there. This should match the tag on the door frames.
 

Biff

Jedi Trainee
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

Bugeyes did not have the VIN # stamped anywhere except on the VIN Plate. They had a number close to the VIN stamped on the top of the passenger footwell. The latter square bodied spidgets had the VIN # on the right front shock mount and in the passenger floor pan just in front of the crossmember.
 
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76Capri

Freshman Member
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Re: Midget VIN decoding

[ QUOTE ]
If the passenger floor pan hasn't been replaced look just in front of the crossmember, the VIN # should be stamped there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Inside the car??? The floor is there and original, but itlooks like the number might have rusted off.

[ QUOTE ]
You can also look just behind the passenger side shock and find the VIN number stamped there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Could you be more specific here??

Knowing where it was last titled might be tough. It's been through two owners who didn't have titles...
 
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