New VIN plate

[HEN3781]

Hi

New member here. Its good to talk to you all. I am looking to buy a series 3. I have found an interesting car to buy but it looks like it has a new VIN plate and I am wondering why? The VIN plate is so clean and has no corrosion it must be new. What reasons would a car have a new VIN plate? I wondered if it means the car has at some time had a new shell? Then is this a good thing or not? Thanks for any thoughts you may have.

[angelw]

Hello HEN3781,
I assume you're referring to the plate attached to the top, centre area of the firewall. If so, this plate often gets quite ratty looking and may have been replaced for that reason alone.

The permanent VIN number is stamped on the angled surface of the Left Hand side of the firewall. If the car you're looking at is RHD, you will find the stamped number close to and to the Left Side of the blanking plate that covers the hole that has been provided for a LHD pedal box. If the car is LHD, the number will be close to and to the Left Side of the pedal box and the blanking plate will be covering the hole in the Right Hand side of the firewall. If the car is LHD the VIN number will be hard to see and get at due to the Pedal Box and other bits of kit in the area.

The area were the number is stamped will be quite dented due to the application of the number with the number punch. Accordingly, if the area is really quite flat and undented, its slight evidence that the body may not be the original; Jaguar workers weren't too careful when applying the stamp.

Regards,

Bill

[mgcjag]

Hi Hen....welcom to the forum....whats your name........if you want some good advice in tne car your intetestec in then put up a link to it here so that members can look over it......dont wory about someone getting in and stealing it of you......most here have cars already and if tney are looking will have probably already seen tne one your looking at...unless its a private deal.....you could always look up the details on xkedata http://www.xkedata.com have you asked the seller why the new plate..... wise to be very cautious..especially with a couple of stolen cars recently

[christopher storey]

I am sorry to say that I have never seen a RHD car with numbers in the location angelw suggests. The chassis number is stamped into the horizontal surface of the right wing of the picture frame, adjacent to the top daper mounting . The body number varies but is usually on a soft metal tag attached under the trim on ( certainly in FHCs) the interior side of the left rear inner wheel arch

[christopher storey]

I am sorry to say that I have never seen a RHD car with numbers in the location angelw suggests. The chassis number is stamped into the horizontal surface of the right wing of the picture frame, adjacent to the top damper mounting . The body number varies but is usually on a soft metal tag attached under the trim on ( certainly in FHCs) the interior side of the left rear inner wheel arch

[V12 Epyte]

Series 3 cars are stamped as mentioned above by angelw
Earlier cars are stamped on the picture frames, Series 3 cars are not stamped on the picture frames

John

[angelw]

Hello Christopher,
Clearly you're confusing an S3 with earlier cars. The following pictures show:
1. the VIN on the tag riveted to the Left Hand windscreen pillar
2. the VIN (referred to as CAR Number on the Firewall Plate) stamped on the sloping surface at the Left Side of the Firewall
and
3. the absence of the VIN on the Right Side of the Picture Frame.

In the picture showing the VIN stamped on the Firewall, the aperture in the Firewall, visible just above the VIN, is for the mounting of the Pedal Box for a LHD vehicle. This is covered by a Blanking Plate when the car is RHD.

S3 cars also have a Body Number (not to be confused with Car Number) stamped on a small aluminum tag that is attached to the rear beaver panel, high up and roughly centre, width-wise, behind the rear registration plate.

Regards,

Bill

[christopher storey]

Ah, sorry, I did not know there was such a change for S3 cars

[HEN3781]

Hi
Thanks for all your helpfull comments. Yes I confirm I am talking about the VIN plate located top centre on the bulk head /fire wall.
Sorry I cannot provide details of the car at this stage because I do not own it yet.
There is no mention of the car on XKEDATA.
Going back to my original questions, what other reasons are there for replacing the VIN plate and are any of them bad. Then if it was because it's a new shell, what does that do to the value of the car i.e. increase or decrease.
Regards Tim

[chrisfell]

My car has a reproduction data plate. I don't have the original, it went along with all the rusty metal that was removed in 2002. One problem with it is the engine number, which matches the current engine, but not the original. As my car is a long way from concours I'm not worried. I have established enough of the car's history to be sure it isn't a ringer. Although it has a number of features that still require explanation.

[mgcjag]

Hi Hen.....the plate could be replaced for several reasons......it was lost on a prior restoration, it was in poor condition due ot age etc. Someone changed it to hide the original identity of tne car......the only one to be concerned with is the last one.....prove to yourself tnat its a genuine car.....whats its value are we talking about....30k....130k ? Check out tne Heritage cert and old docomentation....there are lots of cars out there that have had majour bodywork and replacement shells/panels......in my opinion it wont affect the value ...although a premium can be paid for unmolested cars......just becaus you dont own it yet dosnt meen you cant post it here......you will get much better advice...someone may know the car already for better or worse

[angelw]

Hi
Thanks for all your helpfull comments. Yes I confirm I am talking about the VIN plate located top centre on the bulk head /fire wall.
Sorry I cannot provide details of the car at this stage because I do not own it yet.
There is no mention of the car on XKEDATA.
Going back to my original questions, what other reasons are there for replacing the VIN plate and are any of them bad. Then if it was because it's a new shell, what does that do to the value of the car i.e. increase or decrease.
Regards Tim

Hello Tim,
If you can get to inspect the car, check the VIN (CAR Number) in the place on the firewall I've described in earlier Posts. It will be hard to see, because the heater box is in the way, but you should be able to get a look at it.

The body number tag is the ID that most overlook if another body has been used. This tag is located on the rear beaver panel, behind the license plate. Just remove the license plate and you should find it riveted to the body.

The engine number on the engine is found in a shallow rectangular pocket in the bottom of the V formed by the cylinder banks, immediately in-front of the Bell Housing. If it does match will not confirm if its the original motor, given that the CAR ID Plate has been replaced. You would then have to get the original numbers of the car via Jag Heritage.

Regards,

Bill