Section : Bodywork and Interior

Vin Chassis Number Location?

Posted By : Chris Lilley, 10-Oct-2006, 12:49pm

• Vin Chassis Number Location?

  Posted By : Chris Taylor, 10-Oct-2006, 02:22pm

  There is no VIN number (a much later designation) and the chassis number (IF you can ever find it, under the sump on the front crossmember I think) was never quoted as part of the cars British ID. (May have been different in Germany?)
  What you need is the Commission Number which is stamped on an aluminium plate pop rivetted to the passenger side bulkhead, just behind the bonnet catch. This will also detail the paint and trim colurs of the car. The Commission number is what should appear on your log book, as well as the engine number. (The engine number of a genuine Vitesse engine should also start with HB or HC, but KC from a GT6 is not uncommon nowadays.MB, MC etc are 2000 saloon engines.For a complete list of prefixes see the Canley Classics website).
  For a Vitesse 1600 the commission number will start with HB, for a 2 litre with HC. After the numbers, the suffix DL denotes a saloon, CV a convertible, and an O after either denotes a car which left the factory with overdrive. DLRS denotes a saloon with sunroof, and L before DL or CV denotes left hand drive.
  Simple really! There is some limited data about the numerical number of each car type produced at the beginning of each year, and some major changes are "from vehicle number xxxx" which are also dated so you can get some idea of when it was built. For precise details though you need a BMHT trace which can tell you the precise date and specification of your car.
  As long as you do have details of the commission number, if the plate is missing or illegible, you can buy replacements and stamp the correct number on them. I would however not make it look too obvious a replacement as it might take only one unscrupulous "ringer" or other fraud found by a vehicle inspector to place ALL our cars under suspicion where the ID plate can be so easily altered and changed on the vehicle.
  Details of where the relevant ID numbers are (there is also a body number) is also shown on the IVR leaflets. Go on, fill one in while resolving this MOT problem!

  • Vin Chassis Number Location?

    Posted By : David Bowers, 10-Oct-2006, 02:30pm

    Thats wierd Chris
    
    I just got a letter from the DVLA on my newly MOT'd Vitesse. I have a look at the certificate and it looks like the MOT'er never added CVO to the commission number on the certificate. The form has been filled in and sent away, so we will see what happens.
    
    Thanks
    David

    • Vin Chassis Number Location?

      Posted By : Chris Lilley, 10-Oct-2006, 06:08pm

      Thanks for that Chris. I'll hunt for the Chassis number at the weekend!! I guess there will be a few more of us getting letters from the DVLA by the sound of it. Phoned them up to find out the problem earlier & by the sound of it, they just have to dot the i's & cross the t'ees!