MGA Forum

Was getting insurance from Haggerty's for my new to me 1958 MGA Coupe. Ins representative said the VIN came up as a 1957 roadster?!!
Are there any explanations other than someone swapped the VIN plates, OR this was a factory mistake, or it was common to sell 1957 A's late into 1958, hence 1958 in the title?
But, Roadster???

Any insight?
Is there an MG registry or official site where this can be pursued?
Thanks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-21 06:42 PM by baloo.

1st:- What is the VIN?
2nd Identify the chassis #
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/buying/buy101c.htm

Yep… shoot us the vin and we can tel you., wouldn’t trust the DMV for info anyway.

For a Coupe your recorded VIN should start with "HM"; if its "HD", that's for a roadster!

Yikes, it is "HD" (roadster)! VIN Plates swapped!
It is HDK 4329034

Sounds like someone had a coupe with no vin so put a roadster vin plate on it so they could get a title. Not legal and not a factory mistake.

If its the car in this out of focus photo, it's a Coupe with a roadster Car Number Plate, and the plate is also not the right style as it should have an engine number on it. "SEE ENGINE" designation came along a bit later on in 1957. Not unusual to see VIN's being reused but very odd to see a roadster VIN on a Coupe. There is a hidden VIN on the cross member on the right side, just in front of the seat. Most of these disappear due to rust and repairs, but it may be something you'd want to check out to see if it has survived. Second pic shows approx location.

It is common for a late '57 production car to be registered as a '58 )mine is), because before 1968 the title was created (applied for) on the day the customer bought the car (which was often after end of year).

Also, the factory did make mistakes and sometimes stamped the wrong body type code o the Car No. plate. There are quite a few examples of a Coupe plate being stamped with roadster code letter.

See if you can find the chassis number stamped on top of the frame cross member about 6-inches to right of the tunnel. Often obliterated from weathering, it is more likely to survive in a Coupe than for a roadster. You may send the chassis number to the Heritage Trust at the British motor museum to request a Heritage Certificate.

And yes, it is not unusual for someone to have attached a Car No. plate from a different car in a past life. So now you have to tell your insurance agent that you are insuring a roadster? Good luck with the picture. Cross your fingers and hope this is a factory stamping error.

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Barney Gaylord - 1958 MGA with an attitude - http://MGAguru.com - barneymg@mgaguru.com - Ph: 630-946-3841
(Please email me direct, do not leave a PM on the public server).

Nick, I am not concerned about Concours details, BUT I am concerned about the legalities of having the wrong VIN plate on the car. EVENTUALLY, this will blow up and I do not want to be the idiot who just rubber stamped it nand hoped to get away with it -- because I cannot deny that I never knew the difference.

No, I do not think that the red car in the pic is the same, HOWEVER, difficult to prove. I bought this red coupe off BaT just this week.
Sunnovagun.

The reason I posted the pic is that HDK 43/29034 comes up on the Holland MGA Register as that red Coupe. The body number on this car is listed as 32401. Do check your body number and if they're the same, then its the same car; if not, then there are two Coupes with the same VIN. Body number is on the firewall, next to the right side bonnet hinge.

You have legal recourse then, especially through BaT. They're pretty good about helping someone in an odd predicament like this...

Whaaaa!!???
Wow, you might have saved a load of litigation and heartache! -- WELL, NOT NECESSARILY... The seller has had the car over 30 years, and that is probably when he posted the VIN with the Holland registry -- so the title was never questioned since then (or before then)

I have not moved the car from point of purchase to home, so cant check the chassis number......
But, you say the roadster HD VIN is assocd with that red coupe!
I wonder where/when that pic was taken?
Also, body # is on firewall? What is the number that supposedly is inside the cabin, to the right of the trans?

Thanks.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-22 01:09 PM by baloo.

That plate looks very crisp… little too crisp. But the wonky stamping seems par for the course.

Let’s not get SY in a tailspin here.

Little more info is needed. Go back to the BAT folks and see if they can do a little digging for you.

The body number is on a tag spot welded to the body near the right side hinge. That'd be difficult to swap. But, to the best of my knowledge, the exact body numbers were not recorded by BMC. It is usually possible to guesstimate the typical range of expected body numbers associated with a VIN.

The digits that were stamped on the frame crossmember in front of the right side seat became the digits of the VIN.

More info here: https://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/buying/buy101.htm
Body Number: https://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/buying/buy101b.htm
Chassis Number: https://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/buying/buy101c.htm

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Eric Russell ~ Mebane, NC
1961 MGA #61, 1981 Alfa Romeo GTV6, 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider, 1991 Honda ST1100

On second exam of the red coupe pic, i believe that was this car when the seller 1st got it, about 30yrs ago. Supposedly, the VIN plate was already on it....so i imagine he registered it backcthen with the Nether Registry....hence showing up.

But, still not legit. Legally, if i knowingly have a car with the wrong VIN plate, i am liable and wrong, despite decades of the farce being perpetuated.
No, the Law is not there to protect you: it's there to find you guilty of something, no kidding!