On Jan 30, 8:33pm, Kevin Klotz wrote:
> Subject: 79 looking like 78?
> Hello fellow enthusiasts!! I aquired what is titled as a 79 Spit a few
> months ago and I am in the middle of the restoration and the question is
> that it has the chrome front and rear bumpers of the 78. The manufacture
> date is listed as July 78, is this common, and why was it titled as a 79?
> Just a late 78/ early 79 I suppose, the commision number is FM91254U.
> Thanks everyone, keep the top down!! (it's easy here in Fl!!)
>
>
> Kevin Klotz
> 79 Spit
>
>
>-- End of excerpt from Kevin Klotz
Kevin,
Back in the old days, ie- pre 17 digit VINs, it was not unusual for a
car (especially those that didn't change from year to year) to be
registered with the current year instead of the year of manufacture.
For that reason, you might see a TR3 build in 1958 registered as a
1961.
As for the date of manufacture on the plate, I am not convinced that
Triumph didn't stamp up a batch of plates at one time and then build
cars with that date on them until the batch ran out. I have heard
arguments that it was because of the delay in transporting the cars
to the States. How then would you explain my Spit as being "built"
in April 1973 and being first registered in July 1973 in the UK?
Although it is possible that the car sat on the lot for a couple of
months, it was ordered by the original owner. (As many of the long
time members of this list know, I purchased my Spit in England although
it is full US spec).
The only sure way to know the date of manufacture is to have the
British Heritage search performed.
Doug Mitchell
'73 Spit 1500 FM4879U
dmitchel@ismi.net
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