Vehicle Identification Plate

[Beans]

Beans - it's one of the last ones issued

According to the paperwork the car was built in January 1981 and first registered in June 1981, so not that late.

I had hoped for an explanation why it has SATPZ4185BA on the VIN plate instead of the normal 8 digit prefix
The "official" VIN number with the correct prefix for a Californian DHC was stamped in the RH side boot gutter

[rugbyref1]

S=Europe
A=U.K.
T=Triumph
P=TR7/8
Z=U.S.A., California
4=Convertible
1=2 litre four cylinder
8=LHD, Manual 5spd
5=Check digit
B=1981 Model Year
A=Solihull

408534 is the very last one so 403557 is very near the end

[FI Spyder]

I guess it's all relative, 5,000 and 8/9 months from the end.

[Beans]

Thanks for clearing that up, but any idea why they used two different prefixes on one car?
SATPZ4185BA on the VIN plate and TPZDJ8AA stamped in the body

[rugbyref1]

yes in late 1980 they changed the system to comply with new American & Canadian chassis number regulations which increased the length to 17 digits - my guess is that the body was stamped and painted just prior to the change over to the new system so the plate was stamped later.

[Beans]

Thx

[UKPhilTR7]

Yes supercass yes this is for the car that I have pictured in my signature, the one with CCK paint code.

@rugbyref1 where is the code meanings that you used to tell Beans what his vin equated to? I would like to figure out what mine means. As TP before the A (for UK) is a bit confusing.

I will look on the gutter for the number, think I remember seeing something there.

@Beans, so I have the correct VIN plate for my Canley or Solihull car, that is great news. Now I just need the get the one on the door. There was one on there on the old doors that I took off. The paint code that I currently have on the plate on the door is AAE.

[REX]

Hi Phil
For a full explanation of the VIN and paint codes go to website http://www.tr8archive.co.uk and all will be explained.Rex

[rugbyref1]

Here you go:

http://www.trdrivers.com/tr7___tr8_vin_numbers.htm

[Beans]

Here you go

In the link you supplied it says "ACG 1 to ACG4688 (June �75 to Oct �76) approx. 50 cars built"
That can't be correct can it? Because in that case my current project would be one of those 50 cars

[supercass]

UKPhilTR7, I stand to be corrected but I don't think there would have been one on your door originally. supercass

[rugbyref1]

no they have it wrong .... i have the complete list

[Beans]

no they have it wrong

Did seem strange to me as I know of at least 5 cars from that series that have been registered in the low countries

[UKPhilTR7]

I have now been able to see that my car is 1981 and built in Solihull which is nice to know from the VIN.

So it looks like there may not be need to be a plate on the door anyway. If I wanted one, would you be the man to talk to Beans?

[Beans]

... If I wanted one, would you be the man to talk to Beans?

I can only point you how I did it: http://tr7beans.blogspot.nl/2016/01/fhc-resto-nr-45-numbers-game.html
Involves a lot of time behind the computer