13 replies to this topic

[Anchoright]

Hi! Sorry I'm new, and I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right location.

I have a 1984 Austin Mini Mayfair. It was imported from England to the USA, and currently I'm trying to get it registered in California.

In California they want to see two locations on the car that has the VIN number, I've only ever seen one - the one on the radiator side of the engine compartment. There is a second tag but that is the motor ID number. That tag is on the front lip above the grill and where the bonnet closes down.

Is there a second VIN tag? If so, where is it?

Edited by Anchoright, 23 August 2016 - 10:05 PM.

[AgentHubcap]

I have one on the body in the channel under the scuttle panel.  It is painted over and difficult to see.

[nicklouse]

The one on the scuttle is stamped. If you don't have it. I forget the year that they started with a stamped VIN you could always have the number stamped yourself.

[Anchoright]

Thank you! I'll check it out and see if I can find it!

[FlyingScot]

Standing at the front of the car it's on the left side of the gutter section of the scuttle panel just off from the centre.

FS

[nicklouse]

I would say more central.

[Anchoright]

Found it! I had to remove some of the paint.
Thanks for your help! I've put way too much money into this car for it to be declared a "grey vehicle" on me!

[colinu]

Registering a 1984 in CA is normally impossible (needs to be1973 or older)... unless you've found a loophole (maybe the AC50 electric engine that your profile implies is that loophole???)

[Anchoright]

Yeah, $20k loophole. But the car is pretty sweet now.

Usually in Southern California you need to take the car to a referee, who refers you to George (who has veto power) and George charges $6k to install a special catalytic converter and give it a WEEK long smog test including locking the car in a shed to see if gas evaporates and all sorts of insane testing. Not only is it expensive but it takes George months to do this catalytic converter installation.

So I decided to convert it to electric instead. It's more reliable and about three times the horsepower.

Before 1973 you don't need to do this because smog isn't an issue.

Edited by Anchoright, 25 August 2016 - 06:27 AM.

[nicklouse]

Yeah, $20k loophole. But the car is pretty sweet now.

Usually in Southern California you need to take the car to a referee, who refers you to George (who has veto power) and George charges $6k to install a special catalytic converter and give it a WEEK long smog test including locking the car in a shed to see if gas evaporates and all sorts of insane testing. Not only is it expensive but it takes George months to do this catalytic converter installation.

So I decided to convert it to electric instead. It's more reliable and about three times the horsepower.

Before 1973 you don't need to do this because smog isn't an issue.

 

now you are going to have to start a thread covering what you have done,

[Mini Manannán]

Yeah, $20k loophole. But the car is pretty sweet now.

Usually in Southern California you need to take the car to a referee, who refers you to George (who has veto power) and George charges $6k to install a special catalytic converter and give it a WEEK long smog test including locking the car in a shed to see if gas evaporates and all sorts of insane testing. Not only is it expensive but it takes George months to do this catalytic converter installation.

So I decided to convert it to electric instead. It's more reliable and about three times the horsepower.

Before 1973 you don't need to do this because smog isn't an issue.

 

 

 

Yeah, $20k loophole. But the car is pretty sweet now.

Usually in Southern California you need to take the car to a referee, who refers you to George (who has veto power) and George charges $6k to install a special catalytic converter and give it a WEEK long smog test including locking the car in a shed to see if gas evaporates and all sorts of insane testing. Not only is it expensive but it takes George months to do this catalytic converter installation.

So I decided to convert it to electric instead. It's more reliable and about three times the horsepower.

Before 1973 you don't need to do this because smog isn't an issue.

 

now you are going to have to start a thread covering what you have done,

 

 

 

I agree.  That sounds really interesting, get a project thread up please!

[colinu]

You need to bring that up to NorCal for Mini Meet West next... would attract a lot of interest (certainly from me!).

[Anchoright]

Will do. It was a fun job and it will be fun to do the thread.

[Anchoright]

I've started a project thread. It might take me a while but here's the link:

http://www.theminifo...gdor/?p=3413957