[Spridgets] VIN number issue

[Rick Fisk]

Well Bob, sounds like something got mixed up somewhere.  First off there were a little less than 49,000 Bugeyes made and there were no '61's, unless you count the CKD Australian and Italian cars.  The last fully assembled Bugeye was built in November 1960.  However, the car in question could have been built earlier and sold and titled in 1961.

The last car with a 4 digit chassis number would have been built very early in 1959.  My Bugeye was built in May 1959 and has a chassis number of 15,XXX.   

On a Bugeye the only other place where the true chassis number would appear is in crayon on the underside of the bonnet and under the hardura cover over the rear axle. Probably not still there today.   There is a body number tag on the right side door pillar that can be used by the British Motor Heritage people to give you the factory build record information for the car.  But it costs about $75.  There is also a number tag on the left hand door pillar, but it is not in the factory build records.  

Rick
'59 & '61 Sprites 

Sent from my keyboard

> On Mar 23, 2015, at 9:30 PM, Bob Spruck via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
> On a Bugeye I am interested in, I have discovered an apparent anomaly in the year and VIN. The car has no VIN plate but is considered to be a 1961 Mk1 and has been registered in two states as such. However, the VIN is listed on both registrations as AN5L xxxx. Since they made, what, 59,000 Bugeyes and ended in 1961, a car considered a '61 should have a five digit number, somewhere approaching 59,000. If the four digit number is correct, it should be, I expect, maybe a '59. 
> 
> Is there any other place that the VIN appears? Or any other way of determining the true VIN number or true year of manufacture?
> 
> Perhaps I should just leave well enough alone?
> 
> Bob Spruck
> Sharpsburg, GA 
> 
> '72 Midget
> '67 Midget Vintage Racer
> Maybe a '59 or '61 Bugeye
> 
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