8 replies to this topic

[Hendred]

Hi all, I am sure a couple of years ago I saw a post on here telling you how to look at your VIN and see where it was built. Anyone got a link to the post or know what characters on the VIN is the factory? Ta, John

[nicklouse]

mini mainia have a vin decoder.

[Hendred]

👍the last letter of the VIN before the final digits is the code for location on Minis 1980 and after, not sure on earlier ones

[nicklouse]

mm so why not inform us of what year your car is then we can help.

 

or even your vin number. even though some people think it is a bad idea even though most VINs can be read easily on any car without needing to open a door.

[Itsaminithing]

IF it's a UK pre-Jan '68 Mini this will tell you which factory it was probably assembled in - http://www.love-mini...numbers/classic

 

Morris Mini production at Cowley was stopped in Jan 1968 & all subsequent Minis were only assembled at the Longbridge (Austin) Mini production facility.

 

Don't get confused by post Oct 1969 V5 documents stating Morris or Austin -that's just reliant on whether the car was sold by a Morris or Austin franchised dealer.

[62S]

Morris Mini production at Cowley was stopped in Jan 1968 & all subsequent Minis were only assembled at the Longbridge (Austin) Mini production facility.

That is not correct. During the 1970's some Mini's for the UK market were built in Belgium.

There was overseas production in Australia, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Spain.

There was CKD production in Malta and New Zealand.

[Itsaminithing]

 

Morris Mini production at Cowley was stopped in Jan 1968 & all subsequent Minis were only assembled at the Longbridge (Austin) Mini production facility.

That is not correct. During the 1970's some Mini's for the UK market were built in Belgium.

 

Thanks for the info -i wasn't aware that the UK imported Seneffe built cars to make up for insufficient UK Mini production.

http://www.aronline....history-part-2/

 

(It might explain why a friends 1979 was sold by the dealership with Innocenti headlamp rims).

Would the Seneffe built cars have had any way of identifying them, or would they have been fitted with standard UK VIN plates?

Edited by Itsaminithing, 08 December 2017 - 10:28 AM.

[nicklouse]

 

 

Morris Mini production at Cowley was stopped in Jan 1968 & all subsequent Minis were only assembled at the Longbridge (Austin) Mini production facility.

That is not correct. During the 1970's some Mini's for the UK market were built in Belgium.

 

Thanks for the info -i wasn't aware that the UK imported Seneffe built cars to make up for insufficient UK Mini production.

http://www.aronline....history-part-2/

 

(It might explain why a friends 1979 was sold by the dealership with Innocenti headlamp rims).

Would the Seneffe built cars have had any way of identifying them, or would they have been fitted with standard UK VIN plates?

 

yes they had the factory letter on the VIN like my Mini Special did. cant remember the letter of the top of my head.

[62S]

The Seneffe built cars have a slightly different font on the chassis plate and a 'B' at the end of the chassis number. They seemed to suffer from rust much worse than UK built cars of the same period.