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Somebody buy this owner's manual before I do

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Fairview said:
I spotted a good deal for a BJ7 owner's manual. I'm tempted to buy it as another spare, but I don't want to be seen on a TV show about hoarders.
Just passing it along. I'm sure some of us can use it.

AH 3000 to BJ7 ebay manual
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Anyone who has an owner's manual that is original to their car should make sure they make a note of the VIN in it. A manual without such a number is just a generic manual, but with the number it is a part of its original car and can be returned if it is ever separated from the car. The BJ8 Registry has been able to reunite two original manuals with the cars they belonged to, and there are several others that are resting in the registry files, just waiting for the cars to turn up again. Another one is in a book collector's possession (a Healey enthusiast, too), and the only thing preventing returning it to its car is the asking price for the book.
 
That's a great price, they usually go for at least $50.

Steve.

If you want to use your powers for evil instead of good, start buying up BJ8 drivers manuals on eBay, contact owners in the registry and offer to sell them their "original" owners manual that was returned to the registry at an exorbitant fee and when you get a bite, write the appropriate chassis no. in the blank book. I'd do it, but I know I'd get caught out by the various editions Tongue in cheek, of course.
 
HealeyRick said:
That's a great price, they usually go for at least $50.

Steve.

If you want to use your powers for evil instead of good, start buying up BJ8 drivers manuals on eBay, contact owners in the registry and offer to sell them their "original" owners manual that was returned to the registry at an exorbitant fee and when you get a bite, write the appropriate chassis no. in the blank book. I'd do it, but I know I'd get caught out by the various editions Tongue in cheek, of course.
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Rick, I'm always looking for ways to use my powers for evil. Thanks for the suggestion :yesnod:
 
HealeyRick said:
BJ8Healeys said:
Rick, I'm always looking for ways to use my powers for evil. Thanks for the suggestion :yesnod:
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Just think how much more you could get with a "genuine" DMH autograph :devilgrin:
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Several years ago a guy bought a BJ8 off eBay and it came to him with an owner's handbook signed by DMH. In my never-ending effort to identify all of the BJ8s in the world, I was scanning through some old AHCA Chatter magazines from the '70s (looking for "for sale" ads that also identified the VIN) and saw a photo of a group of people including DMH sitting in Walt Blanck's backyard during the AHCA organizing session in 1976. Visible in the photo (and identified by name) is the guy who was the owner at that time of the BJ8 in question. When I tracked him down, he told me he took his handbook with him and DMH signed it during that historic meeting. The current owner of the car was very happy to get that photograph to add to the book.
 
BJ8Healeys said:
Several years ago a guy bought a BJ8 off eBay and it came to him with an owner's handbook signed by DMH. In my never-ending effort to identify all of the BJ8s in the world, I was scanning through some old AHCA Chatter magazines from the '70s (looking for "for sale" ads that also identified the VIN) and saw a photo of a group of people including DMH sitting in Walt Blanck's backyard during the AHCA organizing session in 1976. Visible in the photo (and identified by name) is the guy who was the owner at that time of the BJ8 in question. When I tracked him down, he told me he took his handbook with him and DMH signed it during that historic meeting. The current owner of the car was very happy to get that photograph to add to the book.
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Great story, Steve! :cheers:
 
I'm a bit confused,I have the handbook that came with my '63 BJ7 & '67 BJ8. So after reading these post I got them out of my old secretary & looked at them. I don't see any Vin #'s, were these owner inscribed? I also have sept '53 &4 others w/no notations that for various 100-6's & 3000's. Am I missing something? Or just getting old(both). By the way, DMH did sign my Commemorative Proogramme(1976) & my '67 MKIII parts handbook(wrote hope you never need this). Maybe someone can clarify the vin# thing for me. Thanks Genos2
 
BJ8Healeys said:
... Anyone who has an owner's manual that is original to their car should make sure they make a note of the VIN in it. ...
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Not everybody has done this, so a lot of the books are without a VIN. Until we start following BJ8Healey's advice :smile:

Hans
 
I hate writing on any books or publications, where do owners put the Vin#'s? Maybe a sticky label, just curious as what people are doing, thanks
 
Genos2,
The books did not come with the VIN number already noted in them. My recommendation was that anyone who has a book should write the VIN of their car in the book. That is really more important for books that are <span style="text-decoration: underline">[/u]known</span>to be original to a car because it links them to the car. Otherwise, one book is like any other. Putting the VIN inside doesn't matter so much with replica books such as those from Moss Motors.

The BJ8 registry has two original handbooks and the cars they belonged to are known because the VIN is written inside. If the cars ever turn up again, I'll return them to the current owner. A third one is known, but the holder wants an exorbitant price for it as a "collector's item" that the last two owners of the car haven't been willing to pay.

Original drivers handbooks had a plastic cover into which was inserted the warranty booklet "Passport to Service" which did have the name, address, and other information concerning the original owner, as well as the VIN of the car and the dealer's name and address. Also, there was a small rectangular metal plate with scalloped edges inserted into a pocket in the warranty book that had the owners name embossed into it.
 
Genos2 said:
I hate writing on any books or publications, where do owners put the Vin#'s? Maybe a sticky label, just curious as what people are doing, thanks
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There isn't much point to putting the VIN on a sticky label or other removable format in the book. The idea is to give the book a permanent identity and link to the car it originally belonged to. Again, this is really only important to a book that is known to be original to its car. If your book isn't original to your car, don't worry about it.

One of the original books I have in the registry files has noted in pen handwriting inside the front cover: "Paul Riffel 879-2267". On the flyleaf is written: VEH ID# 66HBJ8L34530. LICENSE # 309 VUZ
ENG # 66HBJ8L/34530.
Obviously a mistake was made in the engine number because it is the same as the VIN. It was a peculiarity of cars registered in California to have the two digits of the "year" prefixed to the actual VIN. That, and the license plate format suggests to me that the car was original to California.

Someone found this book in an old book store and was gracious enough to send it to me for safekeeping, pending re-appearance of HBJ8L/34530. I was unsuccessful in tracking down Mr. Riffel, and the car still has not turned up.
 
Saniloc, that is very interesting information! I have written to the person who posted the ad. Since it is from 2008, the chances of getting a response are probably not very good.
Yes, it sounds as if the car has been parted out and no longer exists.

Thanks for letting me know!

Would you believe that 36666 was built in 6/66? The Healey from heck!
 
Because I never had this manual to start with when I purchased my BJ8 Mark 3, I purchased one marked as "Mark III"and is on its way.

However, After making the purchase, the seller shows some additional sample pages from the manual and what appears to be an example of the type of dash and side curtains for the earlier models, yet the cover of the book is clearly marked as "Mark III".

Did the Mark III Edition show older design photos as well, or must I now be hopeful the seller just accidentally assumed the pictures posted were, in his mind, typical of all editions?

I guess I will know once it arrives.

Again, I never even had seen one of these manuals so I have no idea what to expect.

Paul
 
My MarkIII issue only shows the dash with glovebox.
It starts with a advert on the second page so I assume its not an original version

Hans
 
I have an original manual copyright 1964 (publication number AKD4094A), as well as a reproduction from Moss Motors that is "copyright 1966" (AKD 4094B). Both of them show only the BJ8 dash and roll-up windows.

The original manual has a folded supplement (Publication AKD4094A/1) inserted separately that is titled "Modified Lighting Supplement To be used with Driver's Handbook AKD4094A". This includes the wiring diagram for "Separate pilot, stop, tail and direction indicator lamps 1965".
 
my MKIII,AKD 4094D manual only has pic w//roll-up windows.on the other hand AKD 3915 HAS 2 & 4 place side curtain pics & MKII Sports Convertible (Series BJ7), while AKD1102C shows pics of BN7 &BT7 &A 300 MKII. Amazing how many different handbooks were published.My 100's is No.996, Sept 1953. Kinda strange, huh?
 
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