(10-11-2020, 05:27 PM)Hedd_Jones Wrote: Even without a visible chassis numbers, there are mechanisms to allow for this. You get a club to date it based on its features, which to be fair is easy as on an Austin 7, and it gets allocated a date as per the youngest component. Then allocated a DVLA generated VIN (which has to be stamped on - sometimes by some approved 'garage', - sometimes inspected - and sometimes any old numbers obliterated). Then an Age related plate is issued.
Even if the body was new when the car was restored, I would bet that there isn't anyone in the world who could accurately date a 10 year old body once the paint is on it.
I also cant believe there is no engine number, if its been ground out, I'd be very surprised there isn't a hole in the crankcase!.
Did anyone actually lay eyes on the car?
The vendor quoted the number 13163, which dates reasonably correctly to 1925. It was initially quoted with an extra digit so looked early 30's (despite being a mag crankcase) which fooled some keyboard warriors on social media.
I didn't look, despite it being not too far. I expect that either the purchaser will turn up here or we'll see it advertised elsewhere, as is the tendency.
c
PS - comes with a Norfolk Club dating letter so not a risk