Vin plate in German

2

2549andy

Member
The VIN plate on my 1974 3500S is in German. The registration document shows the dates of first registration and first registration in the UK as being the same, and there is nothing the suggest that the car was ever left hand drive. Anyone have any idea why?
 
Harvey, I've not seen anything that was obviously German spec, but I probably wouldn't recognise it if I had.

Nick, chassis number is 48108148C.
 
2549andy said:
Harvey, I've not seen anything that was obviously German spec, but I probably wouldn't recognise it if I had.
Click to expand...

Not really my area of expertise, but ISTR German spec cars had protectors for the rear bumper ends, two seperate number plate lamps on the bumper, and different glove box lids. I'm sure there are more things though.
 
'481' is UK RHD 3500S, so your car isn't to export spec., at least on the surface.

Maybe it's a UK Forces car that went to West Germany....but they usually turn out to have export chassis numbers....

Mystery! :)
 
harveyp6 said:
2549andy said:
Harvey, I've not seen anything that was obviously German spec, but I probably wouldn't recognise it if I had.
Click to expand...

Not really my area of expertise, but ISTR German spec cars had protectors for the rear bumper ends, two seperate number plate lamps on the bumper, and different glove box lids. I'm sure there are more things though.
Click to expand...

I gotta ask. How can a flat bit of upholstered plastic - aka the glovebox - be different ? How, why, would I like one?

:D
 
a15htn said:
I gotta ask. How can a flat bit of upholstered plastic - aka the glovebox - be different ? How, why, would I like one?

:D
Click to expand...

They have extra cushioning next to the centre console to protect your knee in the event of a shunt.
 
The car was registered in Germany somewhen during its life, and most likely it was brought there as a used car.
And probably not by a member of the forces, since those retained British plates. Rather by one of the many Britons who went to work in Germany
in the early Nineties.
What you see is not a VIN plate, it's a 'Type' plate, which was required for each vehicle registered in Germany before the 17 digit ISO VIN was born.
The plate was fitted when the car was registered in Germany.
 
harveyp6 said:
2549andy said:
Harvey, I've not seen anything that was obviously German spec, but I probably wouldn't recognise it if I had.
Click to expand...

Not really my area of expertise, but ISTR German spec cars had protectors for the rear bumper ends, two seperate number plate lamps on the bumper, and different glove box lids. I'm sure there are more things though.
Click to expand...

They also lacked the pegs on the front side lights, must have had dual wing mirrors if they were not equipped with a heated rear screen (from 1973), speedo and mile counter in Kilometres, rear fog light and control lamp in red (from 1975), and reflective red squares on the rearward faces of the doors.
 
... are we allowed to drive Jimmy withOUT those lids ?

Boy, do I hope that German police is not firmer on that one than your average TUEV-inspector !
:roll:

(Oh, yes: Please keep on being "kind to those Germans" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:wink: )
 
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