1968 only colors?

[HBChris]

Dash area looks like Nevada.

[Conserv]

On 12/4/2018 at 12:51 PM, mccusername said:

 

For those who were interested in this color conundrum, I have a few pics I took as the car was being stripped. This is under shop lighting but it shows the original paint behind the dash and back seat. It definitely has a green tint to it but not Florida. I'm guessing it's probably Nevada but that's not a color I have seen a lot in person. Why the (altered) VIN in the engine compartment and the (unaltered) VIN on the steering wheel cover say it's Bristol is still a mystery.

 

+1^

 

Nevada. (OK: the area under the rear seat has some Bristol tendencies.)

 

The steering column clamshell — top and bottom components — with metal VIN tag attached, takes all of five minutes to move from car A to car B. That steering column VIN tag began its life on car A and is now attached to car B.

 

Thanks for keeping us posted.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by Conserv

[02Les]

As noted before, it appears the 5 on the stamped fender VIN is not original, however, the other 6 numbers probably are. So the real VIN is 1667408 to 1667498 but not 1667458.? (that's a definite maybe!)

[Conserv]

9 hours ago, 02Les said:

As noted before, it appears the 5 on the stamped fender VIN is not original, however, the other 6 numbers probably are. So the real VIN is 1667408 to 1667498 but not 1667458.? (that's a definite maybe!)

 

Assuming, of course, that the final “8” was always an “8” and not a “3”....

 

Any ambiguity, in your opinion, about the “4”?

 

Well, step one should be to ask BMW Group Archives for the data on VIN’s 1667408, 1667418, etc....

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

Edited December 5, 2018 by Conserv

[mccusername]

Switching the clamshell is easy. However, what are the chances that the serial number that was on whatever clamshell someone had lying around is only one digit off from the chassis of the car they switched it to? If the car was stolen, the thieves should receive credit for being exceptionally well-prepared.

 

Given that the engine block has no number, or it was ground off, do we assume it was part of this grand scheme? Or just a replacement block? Is there any reason the factory would alter the VIN? There doesn't appear to be a serious effort to hide the alteration.

 

I've taken everything I need from it and what's left is a very straight Nevada-ish roller with rusty body panels and an engine in need of a rebuild. Given the light weight and questionable past, it would make a great track car. If anyone is interested in it, let me know. It's going to be disposed of one way or the other pretty quickly.

 

Michael

 

 

[Conserv]

If something happened, I don’t believe it had anything to do with traditional car thieves. Here’s a hypothetical:

 

It’s 1985.

 

Joe Blow owns Car A, a 1969 2002 with a rusted-out body. It does, however, have a clean title. Joe Blow happens across Car B, a 1969 2002 with a VIN very close to Car A. But Car B has no title, a salvage title, or an abandoned car title. Joe thinks, “Who’s going to care if I apply Car A’s VIN to Car B?” Car A, a rusted out Bristol car with a title, is worth $200 — it’s 1985, for heaven’s sake. Car B, legitimized with Car A’s title, would be worth all of $1,000 — it’s 1985, for heaven’s sake!

 

The inner fender VIN tag is transferred over. The steering column VIN tag is transferred over. A small patch and a little work “fixes” the inner fender’s chassis VIN.

 

Car B’s engine is good but, darn it, has its original engine number. Joe grinds off the engine number, grinds off the casting date from the head — he’s not a concours judge and not exactly certain what he’s doing.

 

Et voila! Car B has assumed Car A’s title. Life goes on just fine, until 2018, when a bunch of overly-critical old-car nerds start examining Car A, or should we refer to it as Car B?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by Conserv

[ray_]

Who's to say there's not a 5 under that 5?

 

 

As you know, Steve, I found a VIN on my ugly car, stamped in the rear seat bottom support left side, under the carpet that folded over that ledge.

 

Cheers,

[Conserv]

8 hours ago, ray_ said:

Who's to say there's not a 5 under that 5?

 

 

 

As you know, Steve, I found a VIN on my ugly car, stamped in the rear seat bottom support left side, under the carpet that folded over that ledge.

 

Cheers,

 

Hmmm...

 

I don’t suppose you have a photo, Ray? I haven’t seen this in other cars, but maybe I just haven’t looked closely.... ?

 

Below is the only photo I can find of the left side of that seat support, laid bare, for either the ‘73 or ‘76. This happens to be the ‘76. Am I looking at the correct spot? (There do appear to be four numbers stamped into that upper face — 8736? — albeit they don’t seem to relate to the VIN — 2742541, in this instance.)

 

An extra VIN stamp certainly would be useful in some instances!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited December 6, 2018 by Conserv

[VWJake]

I can confirm the existence of VINs on the rear seat support. One of my 3 has it (can’t recall which at this hour of the morning).

 

What’s to say that Fritz didn’t have too many Beirs at lunch and just stamped the 5 upside down. Helga in QC exclaimed, “dumkopft!” and made him “fix” it. 

 

I say grind the damn thing off and let’s see what’s under there. Sounds like it’s not going to matter what it is going forward anyway.

[ray_]

And yep, that's the spot, Steve. The numbers were/are stamped individually on mine. Not straight at all. I'll take another pic this weekend. 

 

Cheers,

[Conserv]

Ray, Jake, and anyone else who can provide a photo of a VIN on that rear seat support, please provide the car’s manufacturing date, if you have one — and provide the car’s VIN if there is any ambiguity to the stamping.

 

At present, we have no real sense of whether this extra stamped VIN is a function of the car’s manufacturing date, or what....

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

[HBChris]

Don't most all early cars have a four or five digit number stamped in front of the radiator near driver headlight?  My 69 did and it isn't the VIN.  1664169 vs. 86227 in my case.

[Conserv]

16 minutes ago, HBChris said:

Don't most all early cars have a four or five digit number stamped in front of the radiator near driver headlight?  My 69 did and it isn't the VIN.  1664169 vs. 86227 in my case.

 

I’ve also seen these on the older cars, Chris. Perhaps the 4 digits on my ‘76’s rear seat support are a replacement for these radiator support apron numbers?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve