Jaguar Heritage Trust, useless, or have I misunderstood something?

[No Quarter]

On my first project, 63 FHC, the seller had got a Certificate from Jaguar Heritage Trust. Engine and gearbox were from other cars, not numbers match, and the certificate stated that. Fine. When I during restoration got to the VIN plate, I found it damaged and patina'd, gearbox number was unreadable, but I had the certificate, so I could order a new correct VIN plate from Martin Robey.

Now I'm on project 2, 64 OTS. This has been taken apart by American owner years, perhaps decades, ago. He died, the family sold the project, most things are there, but some are missing, like the VIN plate. So again, I have to have a new one made. So I wrote to JHT, but to my surprise, they have changed their terms and conditions, so while I had the correct VIN, body code and engine#, my gearbox number was not original. And they wouldn't tell me what the correct gearbox number for my car was! They just wrote on the certificate: "Number supplied by enquirer is not original". I asked for (I thought) them to dive into their archives to tell me about my car when it was new, but all I get "you have incorrect gearbox". That's of very limited value to me...

I doubt many people will use their services with this new method, it's only worth doing if you're pretty sure your car is all numbers match. Would you agree?

And what do I do now, others in the same situation? Should I leave that area blank? Should I put in the gearbox number I currently have in the car? I don't want to claim a numbers match gearbox when I know it isn't?

I don't think JHT has thought this through...

[mgcjag]

Yes you have mis understood....Heritage will only confirm numbers that you give them....they will not tell you number.....this is to prevent cloning and re stamping numbers....its been this way for many years......Steve

[paydase]

Many threads and discussions on the issue on Jaglovers also.
I raised the point myself there trying to liaise with the owner of the car supposedly having the original body of my car from JHT. No way...
https://forums.jag-lovers.com/t/jdht-ce ... /378011/67

[No Quarter]

Well, I sent documents to JHT that confirm my ownership, the Title and a contract and pictures. If they then won't give me the information about my car, that's just plain stupid.

Clone risk? Well anybody can take a picture of the plate when parked with bonnet up at a show. But to deny the certified owner the information, if that can be used for fraud, it goes beyond my perhaps not crooked enough thinking, and regardless, a JHT Certificate is now useless IMO

[mgcjag]

As it stands you have a non matching numbers car.....if someone was dishonest and Heritage Trust gave them the original gearbox number then they could stamp this on a gearbox and then sell the car on as matching numbers.....this is why they only confirm numbers you give.....Steve

[No Quarter]

1. Yes I have a non-matching car, and I don't care about that (I know some people do), and I hope nobody thinks I'm trying to change that. If that was the case, then I probably wouldn't have discussed it here...

2. OK, suspicious minds thinks potentially everybody is a fraudster, so JHT won't give out information like before. But what is the certificate for then? I see no value in it

[mgcjag]

I'm answering your question.....and not implying that you are dishonest.....but there are people that are.....in my opinion the Heritage certificate dosnt offer much other than confirm numbers that you already have..and were or not on the car when it left the factory....it does give original body and interior colour and delivery info.....it does not prove ownership .....Steve