15 replies to this topic

[cbranco]

Ever since i bought my 1975 mk3 mini 1000, i have been trying to understand my VIN number and, so far, everything matches to the car i have got, except for the color (it was originaly brown, it was red when i bought it).

The only part of the VIN that i cant seem to understand is where it was built. My VIN ends with "ZS" and i cant seem to find out what country that code belongs to.

There were some minis assembled in Portugal, but i dont know what the code was on those minis. "El mini bastardo" was originaly sold in January 1975, so im not sure if it was assembled locally, because we had a revolution less than a year before and i was told that production had stopped about eight months before it was sold.

A spanish mini enthusiast told me that it looked to him like a spanish built Authi, because of some details, like the interior mirror that looked like the ones used in Pamplona built minis.

The words on the radiator cap seem to be in german, and that only confused me even more.

I was hoping that someone here could help me find out where my mini was built or assembled. That is the only part of my VIN that i cant seem to decode.

Edited by cbranco, 28 February 2023 - 03:31 PM.

[nicklouse]

It does not have a vin. It has a chassis number. Unless the Authi factory did its own thing. Minimania has a chassis number decoder if you want to work it out.

[cbranco]

Thank you for your help Nicklouse, you are right, i meant chassis number.

 

Im still new to the classic mini world and i still have a lot to learn.

 

On the Minimania site, the only references i could find were on the coments and only to the letter Z, as follows:

 

"Z is the catch all only telling you that the car was assembled somewhere other than all of the normal places"

 

"Z = Small plants not specifically covered"

 

Im still hopping someone knows what the S stands for or that combination ZS

Edited by cbranco, 28 February 2023 - 06:56 PM.

[gaspen]

Ever since i bought my 1975 mk3 mini 1000, i have been trying to understand my VIN number and, so far, everything matches to the car i have got, except for the color (it was originaly brown, it was red when i bought it).

The only part of the VIN that i cant seem to understand is where it was built. My VIN ends with "ZS" and i cant seem to find out what country that code belongs to.

There were some minis assembled in Portugal, but i dont know what the code was on those minis. "El mini bastardo" was originaly sold in January 1975, so im not sure if it was assembled locally, because we had a revolution less than a year before and i was told that production had stopped about eight months before it was sold.

A spanish mini enthusiast told me that it looked to him like a spanish built Authi, because of some details, like the interior mirror that looked like the ones used in Pamplona built minis.

The words on the radiator cap seem to be in german, and that only confused me even more.

I was hoping that someone here could help me find out where my mini was built or assembled. That is the only part of my VIN that i cant seem to decode.

 

Hello

 

I own a 75 Mini 1000 also and last letter in the chassis number is "Z" : it was assembled in Spain by Authi. I never saw "ZS" on an exported Authi.

 

(Cars which were not exported from Spain had a different style of chassis plate)

 

I am curious your car. Could you show some picture?

 

 IMG_20180825_093757.jpg   69.86K   4 downloads

[cbranco]

Hello Gaspen,

 

My plate is exactly like yours, but ends with an S

 

Edited by cbranco, 01 March 2023 - 08:31 AM.

[gaspen]

You should look for some little details on the car to decide if it is an Authi.

 

There was an anniversary model for the Belgian market called "Mini Jubilee"  These cars were painted brown by the factory and only 1000 pieces produced. Today just 2 or 3 species are known! Maybe this expains the letter "S" (?) I don't know the paint code but here is a picture of a Jubilee.

 

https://www.scribd.c...844/At-The-Helm

 

 

Some examples :

 

The glasses have this logo :

 

 IMG_20180825_094321.jpg   52.73K   0 downloads

 

The exhaust manifold has spanish text

 

 IMG_20181007_092148.jpg   67.11K   0 downloads

 

There is NMQ-BMC logo on some cast parts (Engine, carb, flywheel housing....)

 

 IMG_20200415_141355.jpg   62.3K   0 downloads

[Itsaminithing]

I think the ZS is for tax & duties purposes to differentiate between an imported Mini & one assembled in Portugal (by local workers with some locally manufactured parts).

Z = Small Assembly Plant        

S = Setubal  

 

In 1976 new Portuguese laws meant customers paid less for a 'dual purpose' vehicle than a normal one hence the Mini IMA  -5 seat family car/work van.
 

Edited by Itsaminithing, 28 February 2023 - 07:48 PM.

[cbranco]

Gaspen, i will try to check those details later, but i think the branding on the glasses are not the same.I will try to take some photos.

 

Itsaminithing, perhaps it really is a portuguese assembled mini, someone told me that the factory was closed for some months after April 1974, but it might have been assembled in early 1974 and sold in January 1975.

Edited by cbranco, 01 March 2023 - 10:11 AM.

[cbranco]

I took some photos of everything i could see with writing on it.

 

I cant see anything on the exhaust manifold

 

There is a NMQ-BMC logo on the flywheel housing

The glasses have a diferent logo, but the previous owner told me the car had been vandalized at some point many years ago, before he had bought it, so its possible the glasses were replaced. Covina is a portuguese company

All the lights are Lucas

Lockheed brake and clutch pumps

Smiths air intake for the cabin heater (The gauges are also Smiths)

The misterious german radiator cap

The french fuel filter

The air filter box

The carburator seems to have portuguese or spanish writing on it, i have to try and have a better look at it

 

It seems this car really lives to its name, el Mini Bastardo

Edited by cbranco, 01 March 2023 - 11:10 AM.

[nicklouse]

Got pictures of the inner and outer CV joints? As the Authi setup was special.

[cbranco]

I was looking at some photos of the rebuilt engine and the exhaust manifold does have the spanish text

[cbranco]

I will try to look at the cv joints, after i do a quick google search

Edited by cbranco, 01 March 2023 - 11:36 AM.

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

I found the following information from the tag number on your carburettor, please see the link below.

 

https://sucarb.co.uk...yl-1971-74.html

[Itsaminithing]

Nicely spotted (unfortunately someone at Burlen must have typed it up incorrectly.... they stopped making the UK MkII in 1969 & I think the Spanish & Portuguese manufacturers followed fairly quickly).

 

AUD509: HS2, biased needle type, Mk III and Clubman, manual, 1973-74. Also some export models 1971-74.

 

[nicklouse]

I will try to look at the cv joints, after i do a quick google search

Also what is this hole?

 A696F928-7019-4124-A4D0-A2AC192EE4E7.jpeg   37.25K   9 downloads

 

not normal for a UK casting.