It would appear that the data plates moved around some. I’ve seen the Jxx labels above and below the data plate numerous times. Do not believe those screws were factory installed, only rivets.
pauls
pauls
the screw heads are so consistent that it seems like one entity(distributor) installed them.
I do believe Hornburg installed them but do not have the facts.
pauls
As an example I submit a Chrysler Corporation Car Production Broadcast Sheet I found under the rear seat of a 1966 Dodge Charger I once owned. Note the top line lists a “Vehicle Identification Number” which consists of 13 characters.
I later owned a 1971 Ford which had a vin of 11 characters; 1X10X132136
Also here is a 1978 Mississippi title that shows the use of the term “Vehicle Identification Number”
Out of curiosity I just looked at a bunch of 40’s and 50’s car titles on which the identification blanks were labeled “Engine No.” and “Serial No.”
Paul,
That’s most useful - a confirmed/pictured J66 tag. And if I see it correctly, yet another format - J66. which is a little different from the Haddock/Mueller pictured J-62 and J/62 formats.
But I note this tag is affixed to Car No 1E10262 - a November 1964 built LHD OTS. Similar age E-types appear to have been dispatched to Jaguar Cars Inc (NY) in late-Nov/early-Dec 1964 so presumably onforwarded to West Coast Distributor by early 1965 at latest. You have to wonder why then a J66 tag and not J65 ? Could well be as previously suspected that tags were not fitted until a retail customer order had been received - for sales/marketing purposes - so before Distributor ships E-type to Dealership, they then fit the appropriate latest tag-year, so buyer was then receiving a new 1966 Model Year car. So totally then a ‘marketing’ issue, as I am not aware of any regulatory issues with USA 1966MY versus USA 1965MY(or versus anything earlier) - and not like from USA 1968MY onwards, where there was many legal requirements re safety and emissions to sell/market an E-type as a 1968MY, or 1969MY and later car.
Roger
Well done John.
I actually had a look at the WIKIPEDIA entry, rather than just refer to Tom’s quoted extract, and I was a little unkind saying it was “pretty light-weight”. There is in fact a LOT of information and detail, albeit I still say not necessarily accurate/reliable.
(I actually checked the reference it gave to our Australian Design Rules, which of course I KNOW intimately, having been the Principal Certification Engineer for 10 years, and the Wikipedia detail given is just so wrong, its laughable)
But I did wonder about the reference that “VINs were first used in 1954.[1] From 1954 to 1981”, given the [1] suggests there may be a source/reference to their quoted 1954 first date. But no nothing. But as before, I have no doubt that all sorts of terms may well have been used by various manufacturers, and indeed various State Regulatory bodies, such as the examples provided - Chrysler in 1966, the quoted 1971 FORD 11-digit identifier (is that actually called a vin by Ford or something else), and of course the post regulated SAE VIN introduction, 1968 Mississippi label. Presumably there will be additional examples to be found, and Wikipedia suggests back as far as 1954.
But the initial subject at hand - exactly when did the State of California start referring to all these various manufacturer identified Chassis Numbers, Car Nos, Serial Numbers, pre-standard Vehicle Identification Numbers, and so on with their apparently required J6x (format) prefixes as Vehicle Identification Numbers, and not still ID NUMBERS as per the J64 881824 example provided. I think there is no disagreement that it was only the State of California that required these additional J6x style prefix-tags to be added to the manufacturers own form of identification, so presumably also required for the 1966 Chrysler example also (if registered in California) thus now 16-digits.
Roger
Sorry to bring an old topic back to life, but this one is biting me. I bought a 69 S2 in California and transported it to Ohio. Ohio requires that for an out of state title, I get it inspected to confirm the VIN. Trouble is, the inspection report says 1Rxxxxx, while the VIN on the title says J691Rxxxxx, so the title office says they don’t match. I appreciate the picture above, but have searched around and do not see any additional tag with the J69 on it.
Original bill of sale from 1970 lists the vehicle number as 1Rxxxxx, but the registration in the car says J691Rxxxxx. So hopefully, this thread with the picture above, will help me explain to the Ohio Highway Patrol what is going on when I go to have the VIN inspection re-done.
my Cali 69 E does not have or had a J number.
Interesting. What is the VIN number on your title? Just the chassis number, which is approx 1R8000 to 1R12000 for 69 LHD convertibles.