Hi everybody. It may be picky, but...some commission plate numbers are
not really VIN numbers. At least up through 1968, I'm not familiar with
TR6s plates. Some states use commission plates for vehicle
identification, but like american antique cars, the various numbers on
ID plates, engines and frames predate the advent of the VIN system
developed in the late 60s. These numbers were put on cars for the
purpose of part indentifcation, as there wasn't an uniform system of
whole vehicle identifcation. My state, Washington State, has a title
guarantee system (I believe the last state to do so) and therefore is
known for hassles with registration of antique vehicles, especially
those that predate the VIN system. Wa. State requires an inspection at a
state run State Patrol station for title purposes only. It has nothing
to do with safety or smog and the like. I once had an inspector
seriously question the lack of the special VIN rivets used on modern
cars on a 1931 Chrysler. He insisted using the number on the plate on
the door pillar which was a body manufacturer's identification plate and
the number was for that series body. The prior titling state had used
the engine number (which differed intentionally from the frame number)
as was common in the 30s. One of these inspectors I once discovered
looking for the "frame number" on a 66 Mustang I bought. When I told him
Mustangs were unibody and had no frame, (and therefore had no frame
number), he said, like inspector Cluseau, "I know that." Explaining that
the commission plates on the early TRs are not VINs is often a hard
concept for someone younger than the tires on the car. A few years ago I
bought a fully restored 61 MGA from our neighboring state, Oregon. The
PO had properly installed a new plate with pop rivets. I had to have a
"specialist" look at the car, who reluctantly gave his approval. On my
last restoration, a TR4A, I replaced the plate, and attached the old
plate in the glove box so the next owner would have it. This car came
from California in very sad shape. It breezed though inspection, likely
because the inspector thought no one would bother to change a VIN plate
on such a hunk of junk. Jerry Oliver, Olympia, WA.
David Massey wrote:
>
> Message text written by INTERNET:toad@storm.ca
> >Gentlemen
> re:TR3 Commission Plates
> What are commission plates?
> Are commission plates the brass plates that are attached to the engine
> compartment side of the fire wall?
> How many are there per car.
>
> Thanks
>
> Toad
> <
>
> These are the plates that list the Vehicle Identification Number that is
> used by the various local authorities for car registration and tracking.
> Each vehicle has a unique number and if a car is lost or stolen that number
> is used to verify a found vehicle is indeed the same one.
>
> The brass plate to which you refer is the body serial number. There is
> also a number issued to the engine and transmission. On some american cars
> these numbers match but on british cars the numbers do not match but the
> build certificate will reflect what the numbers were when the car left the
> factory.
>
> Dave Massey
> St. Louis, MO USA
> 57 TR3 (with working overdrive BTW)
> 71 TR6
> 80 TR8
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