Hi all,

this probably stems from my history of restoring older (pre 63), Corvettes in the way past but I have always been fascinated w/number of models built, dates of build, rarity of certain models etc.

My 97 XK8 has a build date of June 1996. Based on a list I found in these very forums it shows there were only 13 XK's in total made that month, but my vin seems "high" for an early production of that model.

My coupe is certainly not a very rare XK, (say compared to 61 corvette fueli), but it piqued my interest to see how few were made that month...first year of production...(according to the aforementioned chart.

AM I reading the VIN correctly? the last two numbers of my vin are higher than the production total of the first two months of the 97 model.

 

How did you find your vehicle build date? I thought only Australia required production completion date to be stamped on the vehicle.

The engine build date (and time) can be determined from the engine number but a.f.a.i.k. VIN has no similar correlation with completion date.

Graham

 

US cars typically have a data plate on the inside of the drivers door, on the B pillar.

This has date of manufacture along with other Federally required tidbits that mean nothing to most of the population

 

Thanks for the info.

I wish UK had a similar requirement. We have a sticker on the LH B pillar with paint / trim codes and EU (European Union) type approval but no build date.

Graham

 

Here is what the US sticker looks like:

This is from my own car.

 

.......and here is what the UK one looks like:



Nowhere near as informative.

Graham

 

Ok KWesta, your vin ends in 5921...does that mean your car is the 5,921st built that model year?

oh and BTW


GO SU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My 97 has a mfg date of 10/96 last 6 of the VIN is 005562. So I don't think the number relates to the number built.

 

MRomanik,

Thanks,

You'd think they would be sequential but I guess not.

 

I think they ran out of numbers, hence the "A" to start the last six. I don't know if it is just XK8/XKR or all of Jaguar in the numbers.

Graham, what is the top line of numbers on your sticker? The e11*95/54*0061*

 

Keith,

It's the European CoC (Certificate of Conformity) number showing the vehicle has type approval for use in EU countries. The equivalent of the US type approval section on yours stating 'This vehicle conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety, bumper and theft prevention in effect on the date of manufacture shown above'

One of the forum members has a LHD XK8 which was re-imported to the UK from the US. He's now moved to France and is having a very difficult time re-registering the XK8 in France because it has US and not European type approval.

Graham

 

Having restored and shopped for several 70's/80's Maseratis I found out that the federal data plates recognize date of manufacture as being the date the vehicle was passed by inspection for Federalization, and not the original build date. We found some cars dated up to 2 years newer than they actually were, because of this faux paux. We bought a car thinking it was an 85, only to find it was an 83 according to the European VIN and equipment types. Back checking with Maserati our assessment was proven correct. We were told that some of the cars brought in actually sat in a customs warehouse for up to 2 years before they got federalized. Hence the erroneous build dates on the plaques. It meant that the Maserati dealers could sell them as current year models. Don't know how THAT worked, but it is what it is.

 

CBXsage:

I still wish I had my Khamsin! Not the highest regarded Maser but i loved the look.

Your info is, as you stated, correct but I don't think you can relate the "intricacies" (to put it delicately), of Italian shipping and certification for a cottage manufacturer like Maserati in the 70's to 80's with a mid 90's Ford manufacturing and distribution process.

Say what you may about Ford's involvement with Jag, (I think it was terrific), but they know how to move product through the channels.

...and payola doesn't end in a vowel by accident!!..(I'm Molisano so I can get away with that!!!).

All that being said, Topix and a few other sources do confirm the "manufacture" date of my car as June...

 

Is anybody able to advise build date for my XKR [2003] with the following Vin:-
SAJAC42R443A36894 and engine number
3BO3O5200851.
Many thanks.
Morgo.

 

Your engine number gives the time it was completed - May 20th 2003 at 08:51 but this just refers to the engine.

I thought Australia was the only market where build date had to be stamped on the vehicle? Is there not a build date plate in the luggage compartment next to the battery, somewhere near where the VIN is stamped?

Graham

 

Ford ETIS gives a build date of June 13 2003

 

13.06.2003

FordEtis home page

 

I hope morgo isn't superstitious. That was a Friday.

Graham

 

Thank you one and all .You have been most helpful.
Morgo.

 

Don't know about "only market" but certainly mandatory for many years in Australia. Present on all of my Jags and not to be confused with A or B pillar labels. Even privately imported vehicles (I have 2 such Jags) must be inspected and a similar Australian compliance plate then fixed. Earlier cars all models, these were fixed to firewall or engine bay wings. Later years of most models, they were moved to wheel well areas.

For us in Oz, this has a surprising advantage. Jaguar Australia holds (and can supply owners) all the build spec sheets for all Jaguars originally sold here. Also, they will access and update their database for subsequent private imports. In all cases here, "build date" matches the actual Jaguar Coventry factory records.

By comparison, and sometimes causing confusion, some markets date their cars from the date of local compliance, which can be many, many months after manufacture. Finally, all VINs were sequential, but only when viewed with the preceding letter codes as well as final numbers ie N00001 came after M99999.

Cheers,

Ken