Reply to: RE>>"SB" and "X" designators
I have a copy of the Rootes Vehicle Identification Schedule publication
#6601336 second issue (January 1969) and on page vi it states -
For many years it was our practice to build into the numerical chassis number
an indication of model and year of manufacture, e.g. A1300001. A=1950-1959,
1=Hillman Minx, 3= 1953.
Whilst this practice is still in use, many changes to the original model
number coding have taken place. For this reason therefore, it is recommended
that the first two digits of any chassis number be ignored for the purpose of
model year of manufacture identification, and that the whole be treated as a
manufacturing serial number.
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THESE DIGITS MAY BE FOUND TWO "ALPHA" GROUPINGS.
Where two "aplha" groupings appear the first group indicates:-
B. W. - Borg Warner Automatic Gearbox
P. O. S. - Power Operated Steering
E. - Easidrive/Automatic Transmission
O. D. - Overdrive Trans.
L. - Low Compression Engine
H. - High Compression Engine
M. - Manumatic Trans.
HP - High Performance
SB. - Sealed Beam Headlights
F. E. - FORD Engine.
I think this information is posted on the web site. If it is not I will send
in a copy of pages from the Rootes publication. Does anyone have an earlier
version (First issue November 1966) of this publication? It would be
interesting to narrow down when they started using the SB code. Tom
--------------------------------------
Date: 9/10/96 7:08 PM
To: T Wiencek
From: Scott Christie
So far I have gathered for my Series 3 registry over 20 VIN numbers. Almost
all
of them have SB, and the others I'm checking on. One of the cars is
French-built, and I'm very interested to find out if it has SB too. SB can't
mean special-bodied in terms of ex-race cars, prototypes, or show cars,
because
so far most Series 3s have it. If it doesn't mean sealed beam, then what?
I've
thought about this and nothing else comes to mind. Currently Tom Wiencek is
collecting VIN numbers with SB in them, so let's see if Tom can make any
conclusions.
Scott Christie
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Date: 10 Sep 96 11:09:00 EDT
From: Scott Christie <103226.3155(at)compuserve.com>
To: "INTERNET:OldeAlp(at)aol.com" <OldeAlp(at)aol.com>
Cc: Alpine subscribers <alpines(at)autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: "SB" and "X" designators
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