Model year based upon 11/18/54 manufacturer date?

[55modified]

My title says my Healey is a 1956 and was sold to me as a BN2 of that year. I got my body # and found out from British Heritage that my car was originally OEW with black interior and a manufactured date of Nov. 1954. So does that make it a 54' or a 55'? I am thinking 55' because they would have shipped it to USA and sold it in December or January as the new model year?

 

[HealeyRick]

It's not like US cars with "model years", where the '65 cars were released in the fall of '64. Your car is a '54, the year of manufacture. But once it got to the US, it probably was titled as the model year in which it was sold as no one wanted to be buying "last years model". Can't explain how it got titled as a '56, but maybe it was titled years later and not when new. At any rate, I'd probably let sleeping dogs lie.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it; my car is/was titled as a 1957 when I bought it in California in 1978, and about a decade later when I did a Heritage Certificate, found out it had been built May 14/15, 1958.

I still call it a '57, even though...

 

[55modified]

Title doesn't bother me I just want to get it straight so I don't perpetuate misinformation. I will consider it a 55' based upon my chosen handle for this forum.

 

[CraigC]

Is your chassis number before or after 228046?

 

[55modified]

221528

 

[Michael Oritt]

55--

More important than the year your car is titled is that it may not a BN2 but rather is a BN1.

My BN1 was built in December 1954 and its number is 222333. I know that back in the day cars were often registered according to the date they were originally sold but I don't believe that convention extended to changing the model!

There are several points of identification to determine if a car is a BN1 or a BN2--size of the front wheel opening, whether or not the fender swedge line continues past the rear wheel, and the number of forward speeds being the most significant. It will not be difficult to definitively determine what the model of your car is and depending upon the result you may want to have a conversation with your vendor.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Something is haywire if it's a BN2 with a manufacture date of November 1954. It's either a BN1 or it was not manufactured in 1954.

The year on the title isn't so important (as long as it is 1954 or 1955 for a car made in November 1954; 1955 would be most likely), but you have a mystery to solve. I take it that you used the body number to trace the car's history because the chassis number plate is missing?

And the chassis number is not reflected on the title? What's the VIN listed on the title? Did you learn the VIN/chassis number of 221528 only after getting the Heritage certificate?

 

[CraigC]

Is your chassis number before or after 228046?

221528

55--

More important than the year your car is titled is that it may not a BN2 but rather is a BN1.
.

Something is haywire if it's a BN2 with a manufacture date of November 1954. It's either a BN1 or it was not manufactured in 1954.

I take it that you used the body number to trace the car's history because the chassis number plate is missing?

And the chassis number is not reflected on the title? What's the VIN listed on the title?

This is why i asked about the chassis number. That number is in the BN1 range. This picture posted over on AHExp shows it is clearly a BN1, or it has all BN1 fenders.

 

[simon1966]

It is pretty clear that if that is the correct chassis number it is a BN1. Mine, BN1220871, as a build date of Oct 25th 54, so our cars rolled out of the factory within a few weeks of each other. Looks like yours was probably early to mid November? The Healey Data web site is fun place to browse around. https://www.healeydata.com/cars/results/?&page=12 Our cars also both ended up red, though mine is heading back to its original Healey Blue.

 

[55modified]

55--

More important than the year your car is titled is that it may not a BN2 but rather is a BN1.

My BN1 was built in December 1954 and its number is 222333. I know that back in the day cars were often registered according to the date they were originally sold but I don't believe that convention extended to changing the model!

There are several points of identification to determine if a car is a BN1 or a BN2--size of the front wheel opening, whether or not the fender swedge line continues past the rear wheel, and the number of forward speeds being the most significant. It will not be difficult to definitively determine what the model of your car is and depending upon the result you may want to have a conversation with your vendor.

Thanks, I knew it wasn't a BN1. Just wondering if late 1954 date would cause it to be considered a "1955" car. I can see a dealer selling it as a 55' if model changes. Personally I like having a "year one" car.

 

[55modified]

I take it that you used the body number to trace the car's history because the chassis number plate is missing?

And the chassis number is not reflected on the title? What's the VIN listed on the title? Did you learn the VIN/chassis number of 221528 only after getting the Heritage certificate?

Yes, I pulled the cockpit trim got # and paid BHT to tell me date, number, colors.

Title had some random # on it. And said 1956.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Yes, I pulled the cockpit trim got # and paid BHT to tell me date, number, colors.

Title had some random # on it. And said 1956.

OK, you own a BN1 made in 1954, that could/should be titled as a 1955. Since it was made in mid-November 1954, it's pretty unlikely that it made it to a USA distributor, and then to a dealer, and was then sold before the end of December (yes, it could happen, but such speed is really unlikely; some cars languished in the UK for weeks or even months awaiting export).

And even if it were sold to its first owner in 1954, it's unlikely that they'd call a car sold new in December 1954 anything but a 1955 model, following the American marketing scheme of introducing the next year's models in the fall (e.g., the 1955s were introduced in September 1954).

But the main takeaway of this exercise, for me, is that your Healey is a BN1.

 

[55modified]

Wonder if it's possible to trace where it was sold new? I suppose all those records are long gone. Always impressed with how the Shelby crowd can trace their distribution. I realize Ford is still in business and that these are not low volume sales. Still would be cool to have invoice, etc.