MG Midget Forum

So I bought a 1967 mg midget.from Michigan. When I bought it I was given a clear title that match The vin plate on car. When I tried to register the car in Maryland the MVA claim there's a problem with the title. I put the vin in a vin search the car comes up saying its a 1966. My vin number is GAN 3L48073. Any help under standing this would be much appreciated.thanks

Get a birth certificate from the BMIHT in the UK for your car.
my midget was registered in 1977 but the certificate shows it came off the production line 1976. you could have the same problem !

WHAAAA!!! I am going through this exact same scenario with a 1958 MGA Coupe!
There are extensive and diverse opinions what to do (if anything) voiced by MGA owners (see the discussion at https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mga-forum.2/1958-mga-coupe-comes-up-as-a-1957-a.4787656/ )

While the title for my car is clear and matches the "afternarket VIN plate), when the Haggerty insurance agent called up the VIN, she said it says the VIN is for a 1957 MGA ROADSTER, not a 1958 coupe!
Indeed, the VIN is for a Roadster -- the coupe having a distinctly different beginning 3 letters!

I personally visited the Texas DMV, and she told me that they simply repeat what the previous title says. I asked if they call up the VIN to check, like Haggerty's did, and she said they do not have a database for that. She said that the State Inspectors do that, and whatever they say, the DMV goes with.
I then went to 2 different State Inspectors, and both said that since the car did not have the 17-character VIN (17 characters began in 1981 IIRC), the computer tells them to enter the info from the insurance card!! (Haggerty Insurance entered the same info as on my title (1958 Coupe)..
In other words, all these lower-level state employees have the power of God over titles -- and they say not tow worry about it.

HOWEVER, as you obviously are concerned about the ultimate legality, THESE SAME PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE THE POWER to back you up if the title is challenged -- no matter that you simply were passing on what the previous owner passed to you, and no matter what the DMV employees informally told you. It's something akin to being an accessory in a crime -- even though you were not the one holding the gun, PLUS that old "ignorance of the law is no excuse".
To be bulletproof, you need it in writing FROM the DMV.
So I inquired about that: herein is the BIGGER PROBLEM. The central State DMV said to take it to some special inspector (state police) who would have to examine the car and issue some special permission. I can see this becoming a tarbaby, involving much time, many other bureaucrats, and more money -- JUST BECAUSE I ASKED!

Maybe feigning ignorance and going by what the lower levels of govt say, might be the best path???
Maybe not.
I might take this one more step IF I ACTUALLY HAVE THE CAR delivered down to me. It is in a holding pattern (more tlike a standoff) with the seller -- who does not want to give me my money back!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-25 01:06 PM by baloo.

Hi Kevin,

Your VIN shows that your car was built sometime between March and June of 1966. It was probably sold and registered in 1967, hence the confusion. Like Bev says a build certificate may help resolve your issue. The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust people have the original factory build records and for a fee will provide you with a certificate that lists all of the details in the records.

https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive/heritage-certificates

Rick

What's really bizarre is. I just joined this mg group today hoping for some answers. I just happened to browse the mg registry on this site. I thought maybe someone elses vin would be similar to mine. I actually found the exact same care that I bought on there. I think it's the lady who sold the car to the guy I bought it from. Talk about a small world.

Kevin,
Yes, welcome to the small (and helpful) world MG Midgets / A-H Sprites. Rick has suggested the best and most authoritative answer. For a reasonably modest fee, BMIHT will give you a certificate based on the factory records that they have.
A simple question that you can answer without looking under the bonnet (= US hood) - does your hood (= US top) come off and the supporting frame pull apart (= Midget MkII = GAN3...= March '64 to September '66), or is the top fastened to the back of the cockpit (= Midget MkIII = GAN4... = October '66 - July '69)?
BTW, have a look at https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2014/03/12/a-conversion-guide-to-british-auto-terminology, if you wish to confuse your friends by speaking British English when talking about your Midget, rather than North American English.
Graeme.

Regarding this, I may have to go through that "special" process myself. If I do, I'll update this post with my experience.

Several years ago I had a title that had letters transposed. I took the moss motors parts catalog with me to the MVA in Glen Burnie. It shows proper years and order. They corrected the title. I gave them the info to get other British car catalogs from Moss for their reference.