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British Motor Heritage 'confirmation Of Build Date' Letter?


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#1 taffy1967

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 05:30 PM

Just a quick message (at least I'll try to keep it short) to say that I recently emailed the British Motor Heritage people at Gaydon with regards to the cost of a 'Confirmation of Build Date' letter for my 1990 Mini Cooper.

I know that via the date stamps on the inner door panels and windscreen washer bottle that I've worked out it was built some time during October 1990 (it was first registered in November 1990).

Okay I know they don't do full Heritage Certificates for any Minis built after 1969, but going by their FAQ page here (i.e. the fourth question/answer down): -

Click Me

They claim they can provide a 'Confirmation of Build Date' letter for post 1969 built Minis. But this is the reply I got from them this morning: -


Dear Mr Turner,

I'm afraid the Rover Mini build records were never passed to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust for safe keeping and as a consequence did not survive the collapse of MG Rover. Therefore we are unable to issue any documents for the Rover Mini Coopers.

Regards
Richard Bacchus
Certificate Officer
BMIHT Archive


So does that mean they can provide a letter for non-Cooper models, or just non-Rover Minis in general? i.e. Should there be a 'Minis built after 1969 but built prior to 19XX' FAQ answer instead?

Well I'm confused and so I've sent this reply: -


Hello Richard,

Thanks for the swift reply. I knew my 1990 Mini Cooper wasn't legible for a full Heritage Certificate, but going by the FAQ's page on your website: -

FAQ's link: -
http://www.heritage-...services-faq.do

As it's a post 1969 Mini, I assumed I could get a 'Confirmation of Build Date' letter for it instead?

Best wishes,


Anyway I'll let you all know if I do get a reply and as my Mini will be 20 years old this year, I would have liked to have known it's exact birth date.

Edited by taffy1967, 08 February 2010 - 05:33 PM.


#2 Bungle

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 07:32 PM

i would of been interested in knowing the date of mine as well as it's a early one

i first viewed my mini in October 1990 and bought it about the middle of November

#3 taffy1967

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 07:40 PM

Well there are date stamps stamped into the door skins (their to be found behind the door trim panels if yours still has it's original doors anyway). Plus if you look closely the windscreen washer bottle has a strange date stamp like clock face branded on to it too.

Anyway the latest date stamp I could find on mine was on one of the door skins and it was some time in October 1990. Mine was then first registered in November 1990, so it got built sometime around then.

Me and my misses had a bit of a quarrel earlier over the wording on the Heritage website (we're always arguing over daft things). i.e. the post 1969 bit and I was just pointing out the fact they state they can produce a build date document for all post 1969 Minis. But then I get that e-mail saying they can't because no records got passed on.

So they should say 'may be able to' in their FAQ's perhaps?

Edited by taffy1967, 08 February 2010 - 07:41 PM.


#4 Bungle

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 07:44 PM

my original doors are long since rusted away

although Mr Rover did buy me some new ones just before the mini reached it's 6th birthday

#5 taffy1967

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 07:46 PM

Mine are still on it's original doors, even though they could do with a re-skin. But 6 years? What did you do, pour salt into them?

I think the most I did to my doors was squirt some Waxoyl from a small can up through the rain drain holes back in 1996.

Wish I'd fully Waxoyled them now.

:)

#6 Bungle

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 08:16 PM

i got 2X bumpers 2x sills and 2x doors out of Rover

well they were silly enough to guarantee minis against rust for 6 years :)

i did fill everything up with waxoyl after that and the doors are still rust free, although i will need a new front end soon as i'm getting bubbles on the Wings and under the head lamps

#7 taffy1967

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 08:49 PM

They guaranteed Minis against rust for 6 years didn't they?

Mine had a new front end several years ago too and I really need to get it Waxoyled.

#8 mk3 Cooper S

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 09:13 PM

If the dates for tax exemption are after 1969 how can they date car accurately to confirm the build date then?

I am confused too.

#9 taffy1967

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 09:22 PM

If the dates for tax exemption are after 1969 how can they date car accurately to confirm the build date then?

I am confused too.



This link should help: -

Click Me

So if it's a post 1969 Mini, I guess you'll be able to get a 'Dating Letter'?

#10 The Reverand

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 09:38 PM

Thanks for posting this thread.

My car is a 73 Austin Mini 1000... :)

gonna check the chassis numbers now I think.

#11 The Reverand

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 09:49 PM

Righto.

I think I got this right. On their website it says under the mini section (Mini - 1000 saloon X-A2S1-N 833314-A)

now mine is X-LA2S1-N 622***-A

does this mean I quialify for exemption?

#12 mk3 Cooper S

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 10:02 PM

Righto.

I think I got this right. On their website it says under the mini section (Mini - 1000 saloon X-A2S1-N 833314-A)

now mine is X-LA2S1-N 622***-A

does this mean I quialify for exemption?

Checked both of my 73's and they are both after X-A2S1-N 833314-A

It may well mean your is tax exempt? Centainly worth a fiver to find out!!

My Aug 71 car is well before that and interestingly before your number if it helps?

Edited by mk3 Cooper S, 08 February 2010 - 10:03 PM.


#13 The Reverand

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Posted 08 February 2010 - 10:04 PM

Thanks for the advice mate.

I'll drop em a fiver tomorrow. :)

#14 taffy1967

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Posted 09 February 2010 - 12:38 AM

So perhaps by post 1969, they just mean they can provide a build date to help Mini owners whose cars may be tax exempt.

So anything later than the mid 1970's and there's no information at all?

#15 Ethel

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Posted 09 February 2010 - 01:00 AM

The "dropping them a fiver" bit is probably key. Even so, if they have some production records then there must be a date at which they end?

It is odd as presumably all this info was held by Rover until it went belly up, I wonder if a swap to computerised record keeping has something to do with it?

It was a nationalised industry for much of its existence so you could have some fun 'n try demanding your records under the freedom of information act :thumbsup:




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