Opinions on 1953 Austin-Healey

[vmg]

Victor - before I purchased my 1953 100 it did not have the chassis number and was registered on the engine number. I was able to get the chassis number from BMIHT but had to provide proof of ownership - bill of sale and photos of the engine number and the body numbers stamped on four pieces of cockpit trim, The body numbers also are on the the tab for the trunk/bootlid support, the left side of the bonnet and the left side of the front bumper valance where it meets the front shroud. Do you have the batch and body number tag on the firewall?

Once you have the chassis number and the BMIHT certificate you can have reproduction chassis tag and the plastic tag with vehicle data that is fitted to the driver side (LHD vehicles) footwell kick panel - at least that was what I did - but again you will have to provide proof of ownership for that to happen.

Batch Body no sits next to voltage regulator on firewall

View attachment 85616
View attachment 85617

Body number on trunk/boot support rod tab

View attachment 85618!

Thank you, Guido!

If I get it correctly your car must be an early one. I read somewhere on the forum that the first 700 or so cars had black engine compartments. Is this the case with your car? Is it possible to see some general pics of the engine bay?

I will take good care to look for batch and body numbers. I remember I saw a couple but did not make a note or take pictures. It will have to wait till my next visit to see the car.... or till I get it. Whatever happens first!

Thanks again,
Victor

Victor

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Supposedly, some of the later BN2 100Ms chassis' were painted black from the scuttle/firewall forward. Our BN2 was but, unfortunately I didn't realize it before painting white. I have a set of restoration photos of a concours-grade 100M resto packed away somewhere, and they show the forward chassis painted black.

Also, found this in the Anderson/Moment resto guide:

'In August 1954, the emblem on the trunk[sic]was changed from "Austin of England" to "Austin-Healey" ... At about the same time--though the the change point is not documented--rear reflectors mounted on pods were installed on the rear shroud.'

 

[vmg]

IMHO, without a VIN number you need to look at all the parts that are supposed to be body numbered. If they don’t match, walk away. If the engine is missing its number plate, the engine number is nothing more than an unproven allegation.

If you can find body numbers on the panels and then use then to obtain a certificate from the Heritage Trust you will then know what the correct VIN and engine number were for the body panels. Then you can investigate a bit with the keepers of the 100 registry as well as some state motor vehicle registries to find out whatever happened to the car with the VIN on the heritage certificate.

Maybe the car was broken down for parts. Maybe the engine was scrapped or replaced. Maybe the car was stolen. Who knows what chassis all the body parts and engine are bolted to?

Why does this matter? Well, if you are planning to spend a lot of money purchasing and restoring this car, you want to make sure it is legal so that someday the rightful owner doesn’t show up with the police to take it back. And if you ever want to recover your investment when you sell it you will need to have the correct VIN at least. Right now this car is highly suspect and not worthy of a big investment.

Thank you, Legal Bill:

There is a handful of this cars down here... not likely that the car was ever parted or made from several cars... but I will take care to look for numbers hoping everything matches. I can't add much mroe now, till I get to see the car and check properly on everything. I will admit I saw it briefly and did not take care to make notes on number and did not even know where to look for numbers when I went.

I will report my findings....

 

[vmg]

Supposedly, some of the later BN2 100Ms chassis' were painted black from the scuttle/firewall forward. Our BN2 was but, unfortunately I didn't realize it before painting white. I have a set of restoration photos of a concours-grade 100M resto packed away somewhere, and they show the forward chassis painted black.

Also, found this in the Anderson/Moment resto guide:

'In August 1954, the emblem on the trunk[sic]was changed from "Austin of England" to "Austin-Healey" ... At about the same time--though the the change point is not documented--rear reflectors mounted on pods were installed on the rear shroud.'

Thank you, Bob. I will have to do some archeology, look for numbers that will confirm that the car is indeed a 1953 and matches the paperwork and if so, I will take care to look for the "Austin of England" emblem and remove the extra pods.

Victor

 

[Legal Bill]

Thank you, Legal Bill:

There is a handful of this cars down here... not likely that the car was ever parted or made from several cars... but I will take care to look for numbers hoping everything matches. I can't add much mroe now, till I get to see the car and check properly on everything. I will admit I saw it briefly and did not take care to make notes on number and did not even know where to look for numbers when I went.

I will report my findings....

Things like cars get stolen in the US and taken to Mexico. Be very careful. That’s all I’ll say.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Be careful indeed.

 

[vmg]

My late friend, important collector down here, had the car for at least 25-30 years, and it has proper government papers, so I am pretty sure the car has been here for a looooong time. I am betting that it was originally sold here. Up until 1964 we had a lot of imports sold directly, and many of them assembled here, but then the government issued some kind of law that in order for a car to be sold here it needed a minimum percentage of locally made components. Importing a car, let's say between 1965 and about to 1998-2000, was next to impossible or you needed to have contacts and pay huge taxes. Then the border opened for "classics" and other imports, still paying about 75% taxes, which is pretty much the case yet, depending on where you import from.

Anyhow, I will check on numbers and report. Thanks!