The 'E' Type Forum

Hi, well I am getting ready to try to register my car, but the rules over here are a bit different. Does anyone know where I can find the chassis and or body number of a Series III 2+2. I know it is on the aluminium plate on the bulkhead, but where is it stamped on the body of the car (if anywhere?). Earlier cars have it on the Picture frame, I can't see it on mine, but of course the picture frame is a different design.

Regards,

On the earlier cars it is indeed on the picture frame, above the right hand damper mounting. Sometimes, it gets filled in with paint / filler , or of course the frame may have been replaced . I do not know whether there was a change for the S3 . The body number may be on the left hand rear inner wing, underneath the trim, or it may be concealed by the rear number plate ( this was more usually on OTS rather than closed cars)

You will find the stampt number on the frame below the heater-fan.
You will need a torch and a dentist mirror to see the number.
I spend several hours trying to find it on my type 3 imported from the states.
Regards Kjelle
Sweden

Hi,

Well, many thanks Kjelle and Chris.

I have now found the number - you'd think that, having stripped all the paint off the bulkhead and repainting it myself, that I would have known where the number actually was! Just to clarify for anyone who wants to have a look at their own Series III, the car Serial number is stamped on the body, at the front Bulkhead, just below the heater. On my car, it is actually fairly visible and I don't (thankfully) need a dentists mirror to read it. It is actually located, not on the vertical part of the bulkhead (which is where I had already looked) but on the angled panel running over the passenger footwell. It is just inboard of the heater and whilst it is partially obscured by paint, it is legible. The location is confirmed in Richard T Russ' excellent guide to originality, but doesn't rate a mention in the Guide to Restoration by Haddock (which I am afraid I am not all that impressed by, at least as far as the Series III goes).

Earlier cars do have the number on the picture frame and this can cause all kinds of trouble here when registering a vehicle, since the picture frame is not integral with the body, it can be replaced with another (unstamped) frame or worse, it could be replaced with another picture frame, bought secondhand and stamped with another car's identity!

Thanks again for the help, now to go and locate some front and rear seatbelts legal in Australia!

Regards,