In a message dated 11/30/2000 11:46:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
chull@pacbell.net writes:
> The title to my wife's TF says 1955. After doing a little research, it
> looks like the car was manufactured in October of 1954. When I have gone
> and registered old motorcycles here in California, I have been able to
show
> documentation on when the bike was manufactured, and have the new title
> show that year. Would this be a plus or minus for this car? Any
> thoughts for or against?
Chuck, just a couple of thoughts. Certainly almost any American car built as
late as October 1954 would have been considered to be a 1955 model year car.
And along those lines, it's likely that your October 1954-manufactured TF
didn't even reach the US until very late in that year or possibly January or
so of 1955. As cars back then were routinely titled (sometimes "leftovers"
were even retitled) in the year it was sold, I be content to leave things as
they are if it were my car.
To me, it's all part of the history of that particular car. One of my cars is
(forgive the blasphemy on an MG-T list) a 1960 Triumph Herald, built in April
of that year. But the build certificate shows that it was picked up as a
"Personal Export Delivery" in England and given a British registration.
Although otherwise built to US specification, it apparently was equipped with
all the "home market" specification lighting, including left dip,
bulb-and-reflector headlamps. Presumably the car was used in England for some
time and then brought home to the States.
What's interesting (at least to me) is that the car has always been
considered a "1962 Triumph" by New York State's Department of Motor Vehicles.
I have to assume that was the date it was first registered in New York. Over
the years I've thought about "correcting" that, but more and more I've come
to view this discrepancy as part of the history of the car. And now it's more
than old enough that the age doesn't matter to qualify for collector
registration or insurance.
--Andy
Andrew Mace, President, The Vintage Triumph Register, but a BIG fan of
MG-TD's in particular!
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