Finding history

[timsmini]

Had a phone call today from a chap that had bought a mini with no documents, he was asking if we knew a way of finding out about the car off just the VIN number as there are no plates with it either. Basically he wants to find out the reg and year of the car.
He had already been in touch with the DVLA who told him they couldn't do anything but the car could go on a Q plate.
The only advise I could think of was BMH, does anybody know of any other way to find it out ?

[dai9fxey]

Does the Mini have any other ID, IE; Body Number, chassis plate.??
By looking at the shell you should have a rough idea what MK it is, 1, 2,3, 4 etc.
Tell tale signs like Floopan, tunnel, holes in the boot area inner wings etc.

[timsmini]

All it has is it's square plate on the inner wing.
I think he wants to find out the reg number so that he can get a logbook

[dai9fxey]

Hmmm. If it's the plate above the rad cowling which is spot welded, then it'll be the FE number, which i beleive doesn't amount to much in way of identifying the shell.easily.
I beleive the factory didn't log those numbers down.

[kelz]

U could try genes reunited ;D

[taffy1967]

Has he got the Vin number? If so check it against this: -

www.minimania.com/web/SCatagory/General/DisplayType/Technical%20Information/DisplayID/1489/ArticleV.cfm

Just scroll down to the bottom if it's a later model which will come under 'View Part II: 1980 - 2000'.

Does it have an engine number? If so try running it through this: -

www.guess-works.com/Gearbox/Technical/engine.htm

If anything it might narrow it down to a model/year?

[taffy1967]

BMH don't hold all the information for post 1970 cars though, well at least not the original build date anyway.

It seems BL wasn't bothered about keeping the records in order so they didn't get passed on.

[taffy1967]

Jan 2, 2009 22:42:20 GMT 1 Phil J said:

Or if its after 81 it will be on here,

www.motoverse.com/tools/vinDecoder.asp

Well that doesn't even work for my VIN number. Has it worked for anyone else?

I just got this message: -

I could not find an exact match for this VIN in my database.

[taffy1967]

Well it's not having it with my Vin number and I've tried it in upper and lower case too.

[daddypig]

I think the guy maybe knackered without doing a huge amount of leg work I restore various vehicles and here's an example of why:

The DVLA do not keep cross reference records, i.e., engine number / VIN / registration for public access; trust me I have tried on numerous vehicles and a bike I only had the frame number for.

The Police can access this but it is a real pain, I have a mate in the force and he would not do it for me (some data protection thing) and could lead to "did you know this vehicle was stolen". When I tried with the bike frame the Police eventually checked and would only tell me it was not recorded stolen (phew!).

I eventually wrote to Honda (Japan) unlike BL, Austin and the like, they keep very accurate records. Gave me the info I wanted (£36) which as we all know allows for an age related plate.

dai9fysay is right, he should start by looking at the body first and sourcing other ID on the car.

as given above

www.minimania.com/web/DisplayID/1489/SCatagory/General/DisplayType/Technical%20Information/ArticleV.cfm

The DVLA also hold records of organisations /owners clubs that hold dating / identification information which maybe of help, PDF is here:

www.dvla.gov.uk/search.aspx?keywords=clubs

Secondly a car with nowt on it could be suspect anyway.

[taffy1967]

I thought that if the age of the vehicle could be proved, i.e. it's not a mis-match of parts and stuff and is in fact a precise model, like say a 1985 Mini Mayfair etc, then it could at least receive an age related numberplate?

I'm pretty sure this is the case for older Mini models that have been restored/resurrected many years after the DVLA computer system was installed back in the 1970's?

That way an original 1960's Mini Cooper gets an age related numberplate even if it's original numberplate is lost?

A 'Q' plate would normally be issued if the age of the vehicle cannot be proved and the car has a non standard engine, interior, running gear etc, etc?

[daddypig]

Yes, if he has a VIN on the car that indicates age, etc, he will avoid getting a 'Q' plate, but he will have to obtain a letter from the manufacturer or DVLA recognised source (club, etc) verifying the VIN plate and age before they will accept this.