[Healeys] Chassis Numbers - Calif Reg...

[Robert Blair]

Listers, My practical experience on a BJ8 reg at DMV:

My car was off the road from about 91 [when it failed smog] until 2008 when
the resto was finally done.  Here is my case history:

I wanted vanity plates.  I ordered and paid for vanity plates - 65AHLY.
But when they were ready, DMV would then not give me my plates without seeing
the car in person, so they sat on my plates ad-infinitum - several years.
Finally when the resto was finished I showed up at local DMV with the car,
their forms filled out to register an old car that had been off the road for
almost 20 years.  I had the pink in hand signed to me by prior owner.  The car
plates were of course 'lost' by now during the resto.

I drove to the line.  The DMV guy asked about the car.  I confirmed it had
been off the road for almost 20 years.  Now it needed no smog [only 73 and
later in CA].  He looked around the car.  He looked under the hood for the ID.
I pointed to the rivited ID plate on the bulkhead.  He shined his flashlight
and read the numbers to himself.  I watched in silence expecting more
questions.  It matched the ID on the pink and the form I had filled out.  He
smiled and asked if I had restored the car - I said no.  He said fine, and
signed his paper and asked me to go back inside the DMV and collect my plates.
I did.

I left the DMV with the car, my new plates, and a smile.  There was zero
intent on the part of the DNV inspector to search for a chassis number stamped
in the frame.  He had probably never seen a Healey before, and was vey happy
with the riveted label ID on the bulkhead.

Robert N. Blair  Yellow 65BJ8  rnbmail at yahoo.com
   



--- On Fri, 12/11/09, Editorgary at aol.com <Editorgary at aol.com> wrote:

> From: Editorgary at aol.com <Editorgary at aol.com>
>
> writes:
>
>
> > As chassis number on the right front shock tower was
> mentioned I am a bit
> > puzzled. As far as I know, Jensen stamped in their
> production number
> > there,
> > but this is different to the real chassis number or
> even the real body
> > number.
> > As far as I can say its like this on my original 62
> BT7. The number
> > stamped in
> > the shock tower is different to body and chassis
> number.
> > Please correct me, if I am wrong.
> >
>
> I also believe that David Nock is wrong on this statement.
> Our statement in
> The Restoration Guide to the Austin-Healey, which was based
> on extensive
> research, is simply "The chassis number appears nowhere
> else [than on a plate
> screwed to the firewall] on the six-cylinder roadsters."
> Gary Anderson