Correct VIN Plate clarification

[parentevan]

All,

I've come across a Matching Numbers '62 Cooper 997 LHD for sale. It has a Heritage Certificate that matches the engine number plate.
Weird thing is the VIN on the Heritage Certificate is C-A2S7-L/123456
The State Title and reprinted VIN tag both state the following VIN A2S7-123456 so the numbers do match aside from the "C". We're trying to find where the owner put the original tag, probably in a drawer somewhere.

Does this sound right? I thought all Austin Coopers started with C-A2S7.

Can anyone give some insight?

Thanks,
Evan

[BruceK]

Yes.  All Mk I Austin Coopers started with a C (and Morris Coopers started with a K). 

So if it's really a Cooper it's possible the original VIN plate was somehow damaged and the first character was missing during a rebuild.  Or perhaps obscured under dirt or something at some point when the car was registered at some point in the last 58 years.   

Me?  I'd have a genuine plate made with the missing C character - so a complete duplicate of the real original plate - and affix it to the car. Then along with the Heritage Certificate I'd use that to ask the DMV to correct the title to add the missing character.   Should be pretty simple. For cars built before the adoption of a standardized 17-digit VIN 40 years ago, there are often mistakes on old titles  that need to be corrected.

[94touring]

I had a title changed last year on a innocenti that was missing the proper information.  I just took in documentation and some old registration I found online from the UK and they made the appropriate changes. If you need the C added to the title, I'd think the heritage certificate would suffice. Though it does depend which agent you get and how helpful they want to be. I went to a couple before I got one who knew/took initiate to have it corrected.

[MiniDave]

I agree, get a new tag made up and just have the title corrected.  77.gif

[BruceK]

I once had a title issued for a Mini and instead of "Austin" the state used "Aston Martin".

I had to go to the DMV for a correction and convince them I was not James Bond.

[MiniDave]

Mike Guido at MiniSport USA can provide the tag and get it embossed for you.

[BruceK]

Oh, and welcome to Restoration Mini !!   Hope you stick around.   Show us some photos of your car and tell us how you found it.

[parentevan]

Thank you MiniDave. I'm very familiar with Mike Guido. He's been very helpful. I'll go bug him!