46 replies to this topic

[beardylondon]

Regarding the fact it should have a B plate, back in the 1960s the local councils were a lot less strict than the DVLA is now. It has been reported that many councils used up left over 3 letter 3 number regs which obviously are non year specific and registered them on 63 and 64 cars, so this is what may have happened.

 

 

Mike Brewer's dream car Mini Cooper S is featured on the cover of the September 2019 Mini Magazine:-
https://www.facebook.com/minimagazine/

 

He believes this '64 Cooper S was re-shelled probably in the 1970's into an earlier '61/62 shell but is planning to rebuild it into a new Heritage Mk1 shell as a car for him to keep forever.
"I'm not one of those aficionados that want to get the exact matching code on everything! People out there obsess over this stuff. I just want a car that I can enjoy every day and drive every day so that's what I bought!"

I noticed that the car has a "numbers first" registration which a lot of local councils used when they ran out of "letters first" plates in 1961/62. (By just reversing the ones they had already issued),

But, if the car is a 1964 it should have a seven digit plate with a "letters first" and a "B" suffix. Unless it took the registration of the 61/62 shell that replaced the original. Does that mean that if the shell is replaced again it will need registering again?

Also nowhere in the article does it mention the engine size. The S came out in 1963 with a 1071cc engine and was not changed until August 1964 when the 970cc and 1275cc came out, so could be any of these.

 

[Cooperman]

Numbers first registrations came in around 1959. My first Mini was 1961 and it was 7489RO.

[DeadSquare]

I was 21 when in the Autumn, the A suffix was added to the registration plate.

 

It was assumed by an awful lot of people that this would mean that all the previous combinations would be re issued, followed by "A", and presumably, in due course the same thing would happen, followed by "B" .

 

We were quite surprised to find that in January, new cars were carrying "B".

[Compdoc]

I was 21 when in the Autumn, the A suffix was added to the registration plate.

 

It was assumed by an awful lot of people that this would mean that all the previous combinations would be re issued, followed by "A", and presumably, in due course the same thing would happen, followed by "B" .

 

We were quite surprised to find that in January, new cars were carrying "B".

The prefix letter started in August 1983 and the "A" plates only lasted until January 1984 when the "B" plate was issued. I must admit, using all the available combinations before moving to prefix "B" would seem like a good idea. But by then the car manufacturers had seen the advantages of showing the year of manufacture and that your pride and joy wasn't new any more.

[Bobbins]

 

I was 21 when in the Autumn, the A suffix was added to the registration plate.

 

It was assumed by an awful lot of people that this would mean that all the previous combinations would be re issued, followed by "A", and presumably, in due course the same thing would happen, followed by "B" .

 

We were quite surprised to find that in January, new cars were carrying "B".

The prefix letter started in August 1983 and the "A" plates only lasted until January 1984 when the "B" plate was issued. I must admit, using all the available combinations before moving to prefix "B" would seem like a good idea. But by then the car manufacturers had seen the advantages of showing the year of manufacture and that your pride and joy wasn't new any more.

 

 

That's not correct. The prefix letter started with A in August 1983, B in August 1984, and so on every August until the change to the current system in 2001.

[Cooperman]

I do seem to recall that in esrly 1964 there were still some numbers first plates.
My new 998 Cooper was CUR999B and that was in June '64.
Brewer's car might have been a 1071 registered in late '63. It looks a nice car though.

Just noticed that his plate looks like a personal plate not in any way age related.

Edited by Cooperman, 20 August 2019 - 11:46 AM.

[beardylondon]

What is personal about NOH, it is just an ageless plate!

[1984mini25]

 

 

I was 21 when in the Autumn, the A suffix was added to the registration plate.

 

It was assumed by an awful lot of people that this would mean that all the previous combinations would be re issued, followed by "A", and presumably, in due course the same thing would happen, followed by "B" .

 

We were quite surprised to find that in January, new cars were carrying "B".

The prefix letter started in August 1983 and the "A" plates only lasted until January 1984 when the "B" plate was issued. I must admit, using all the available combinations before moving to prefix "B" would seem like a good idea. But by then the car manufacturers had seen the advantages of showing the year of manufacture and that your pride and joy wasn't new any more.

 

 

That's not correct. The prefix letter started with A in August 1983, B in August 1984, and so on every August until the change to the current system in 2001.

 

 

Correct. As I have a July registered A plate mini 25 (they were released on the 2nd of July 84, with mine registered on the 6th) Hence why all the ones registered from August onwards are B's

[DeadSquare]

I was 21 when in the Autumn, the A suffix was added to the registration plate.

 

It was assumed by an awful lot of people that this would mean that all the previous combinations would be re issued, followed by "A", and presumably, in due course the same thing would happen, followed by "B" .

 

We were quite surprised to find that in January, new cars were carrying "B".

 

 

I am alluding to the SUFFIX, when seven symbols first appeared on registration plates.

 

What has the prefix got to do with the change from six to seven symbols ?

[Cooperman]

If you were named Norman Oliver Harvey, then 300NOH would be a great plate to have.
After so many years it doesn't really matter unless the car has significant history in its own right. I once had 666PDV on a car, but when I sold it I didn't transfer the plate to my rally Mini as it had won many events with its own original identity.

[beardylondon]

maybe Mike should change his name 

[Bobbins]

It's a typo, it should 300 NOB

[Homersimpson]

The chassis number of the car seems to be KA2S4SS2??? which seems to point to it being a genuine cooper identity even if the rest of the car might not be..

[mini-mad-mark]

 

The other thing I think is funny is when they have a car without the engine having ever run, no interior and a load of wiring to be done and just a few hours to do it before the 'reveal'. Then, as if by magic, the restored car is presented the next day fully completed and, presumably with an MoT, driven on the public roads by the owner and his/her family. In all the restorations I have ever done, there are always a few small snags to be ironed out once the resto is complete and the car is running.

 

FantomWorks is quite good with project timescales, they'll often have people who've waited a year or so for their car to be finished, even if appears it was all shot in one episode.

 

 

Anybody watch/like Kindig Customs (or Bitchin' Rides as it maybe is/was called) - i think possibly we haven't had all the episodes so far on UK cable?

 

A bit of knobbing about, but the tech part is quite interesting as they do some pretty clever stuff and some of it looks top notch in terms of quality even though I am not a particularly big fan of American cars (too big and anyone ought to be able to get 500bhp from 5 litres....)

 

On their website I see they have done a mini (one of the "missing" episodes maybe?) but it doesn't look all that special - guess they were out of their "sweet spot" of the normal yank tanks. 

 

They never mention money - guess its the old "if you have to ask you can't afford it" 

[Furyan]

 

 

The other thing I think is funny is when they have a car without the engine having ever run, no interior and a load of wiring to be done and just a few hours to do it before the 'reveal'. Then, as if by magic, the restored car is presented the next day fully completed and, presumably with an MoT, driven on the public roads by the owner and his/her family. In all the restorations I have ever done, there are always a few small snags to be ironed out once the resto is complete and the car is running.

 

FantomWorks is quite good with project timescales, they'll often have people who've waited a year or so for their car to be finished, even if appears it was all shot in one episode.

 

 

Anybody watch/like Kindig Customs (or Bitchin' Rides as it maybe is/was called) - i think possibly we haven't had all the episodes so far on UK cable?

 

A bit of knobbing about, but the tech part is quite interesting as they do some pretty clever stuff and some of it looks top notch in terms of quality even though I am not a particularly big fan of American cars (too big and anyone ought to be able to get 500bhp from 5 litres....)

 

On their website I see they have done a mini (one of the "missing" episodes maybe?) but it doesn't look all that special - guess they were out of their "sweet spot" of the normal yank tanks. 

 

They never mention money - guess its the old "if you have to ask you can't afford it" 

 

 

Short video of it here

 

Nothing too fancy at all for guys of their talent, but this

 

is just brilliant, and Brewer is a t what, nice Mini though.

Edited by Furyan, 21 August 2019 - 09:46 AM.