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MercianRover



Member Since: 07 Apr 2022
Location: Culworth
Posts: 141

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Java Black
Asset plate on a Series One
Hello!
My 1958 Series One 88" Land-Rover has a nice neat lid to the LH glove box

Click image to enlarge

with a brass asset plate screwed to it, stamped as follows:

Click image to enlarge

V/A (aircraft) Ltd
515 / 11

Assuming that V/A is Vickers Armstrong?

The glovebox lid is formed from aluminium so has the same profile as the instrument panel.

What else do we know?
Apparently the registration "HF" is a Wallasey registration code - Liverpool area, there was a Vickers-Armstrong wartime "shadow" factory in Blackpool so not too far away, or it could have been the Broughton site.

Any ideas of what/where else I could try?
Post #999012 7th Jul 2023 7:18am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17310

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I would suggest that you splash out for an Heritage Certificate (see here), since this will almost certainly tell you where the vehicle was despatched to when it left the factory. If it was directly supplied to a corporate user you may get your answer. If it went via a dealer, then possibly not however there are some (but very few) dealers who do still have records.

It is possible that V. A. (Aircraft) Ltd is Vickers-Armstrong, but I cannot find any evidence that Vickers used that style at any time. It could alternatively be an entirely different company.

The panel is an interesting period piece and rather attractive, definitely non-standard (I've never seen one like that before) but an aircraft manufacturer/repairer would of course have the capacity to make sculpted panels like that very easily.

How is the panel held shut? Clearly the holes in the top corners are involved.

It is a very nice period feature, of that there can be no doubt.


Last edited by blackwolf on 7th Jul 2023 1:58pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #999025 7th Jul 2023 9:02am
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MercianRover



Member Since: 07 Apr 2022
Location: Culworth
Posts: 141

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Java Black
I am pretty sure there is a heritage certificate for it because there is a discrepancy between it's VIN and actual VIN which I checked elsewhere and was advised to let sleeping dogs lie. This discrepancy resulted in a question from the BMIHT because the VIN was way higher than the number of 88" built in that year.

The VIN recorded on the VIN plate was actually it's engine number....no idea how that happened.

I'll have to find the certificate.

The panel used to have two bolts with nice square aluminium heads, I think we only have one now so I put it safe and use magnets instead.
Post #999074 7th Jul 2023 1:42pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17310

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I don't want to nit-pick but it is a Series One and therefore doesn't have a VIN, is has a chassis number.

A VIN is a new-fangled thing that is more than a simple, old-fashioned chassis number, and there are people in collectors circles who will take severe exception to you calling it that! Rolling with laughter

On a Series 1 88" as I recall the definitive chassis number is stamped on the outer face of the rear nearside spring hangar (that is certainly where it is on my 86") and ultimately that is the number which matters. The bulkhead plate should match, assuming that it is the original bulkhead plate.

If the number on the chassis doesn't match the number of the heritage certificate it may be that the certificate doesn't relate to you vehicle.

There are vehicles around now where the chassis number (on the chassis) has been lost due to rust repairs, the bulkhead plate has been replaced (or taken off something else) and the V5 doesn't match anything. This is a problem, and I hope isn't the case with your vehicle. It is not unknown when a vehicle has been rebuilt or reregistered for the engine number to be provided by mistake instead of the chassis number, but if the incorrect chassis number is recorded at DVLA not only is it an incredibly difficult situation to rectify but it can have very awkward consequences.
Post #999078 7th Jul 2023 2:09pm
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defender9



Member Since: 12 Mar 2016
Location: Fylde Coast
Posts: 1629

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
Like blackwolf, I haven’t seen such a cover on a Series One but it is a nice thing and well worth keeping.
The chassis number on the late Series Ones could also be found on the O/S front dumb iron unless due to corrosion it has been cut off and replaced.
Post #999170 8th Jul 2023 8:54am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17310

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
When did it move from RNS to FOS?
Post #999175 8th Jul 2023 9:14am
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gcc130



Member Since: 05 Jun 2015
Location: Wiltshire
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I think the change was from 86” to 88”, so 1956.
My ‘58 88” has it on the dumbion.
Post #999223 8th Jul 2023 3:42pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17310

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
That makes sense, as I recall the numbering scheme changed for the 1956 model year, so the first digit no longer equalled the year. From 5... To 1... as I recall.

Seems reasonable that the number moved at the same time.
Post #999238 8th Jul 2023 5:07pm
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gcc130



Member Since: 05 Jun 2015
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 734

My chassis no. starts 1118 and I think ‘57 starts 1117 (for rhd88”)
Post #999240 8th Jul 2023 5:21pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17310

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
My 1954 but MY55 was in the first 250 of the MY and is the old-style 5710xxxx, number on RNS spring rear hangar.
Post #999249 8th Jul 2023 6:25pm
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MercianRover



Member Since: 07 Apr 2022
Location: Culworth
Posts: 141

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Java Black
The car number on the transfer box instruction plate was the one submitted to the BMIHT in the 1118 series (88" home market, 1958 model year) and the number was in excess of 4000 - apparently they only build 1900 or so 88" in 1958.

I checked both sides of the front right dumb iron and haven't yet found a chassis number which is what should have been stamped as the car number. No idea why the two got mixed up but it was the ever-helpful LRSOC who provided some evidence for me.
Post #999403 10th Jul 2023 6:46am
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strang



Member Since: 16 May 2012
Location: Happy Valley
Posts: 1380

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Galway Green
This is a photo copy I received when I wrote to Land Rover Traceability (service no longer available as it has been farmed out to Gaydon) which shows the kind of information you need. You will also note that the chassis numbers were recorded incorrectly and then amended, so it is possible that yours was recorded incorrectly too many years ago.


Click image to enlarge
 Euro-Leafing to infinity and beyond.....
Post #1000426 16th Jul 2023 6:36pm
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MercianRover



Member Since: 07 Apr 2022
Location: Culworth
Posts: 141

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Java Black
While documenting some dates related to the Land-Rover I followed the Series One Club link to records from 1995 show the chassis number and engine number have been transposed. At some point after that the IOE 2-litre engine was removed and replaced with an (unusual for the UK) 7:1 CR 2286 petrol engine.
Post #1000467 17th Jul 2023 7:13am
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defender9



Member Since: 12 Mar 2016
Location: Fylde Coast
Posts: 1629

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
I wouldn’t say the later 2.25/2.5 petrol engines in a Series 1 was unusual in the U.K. as it was a common fitment when the old Series 1 engine was worn out. I have one in my ex Aussie 109 partly due to the original engine block was badly cracked but also I wanted to fit the ACR head and a few other mods so the old girl could happily keep up when on a Motorway.
Post #1000476 17th Jul 2023 8:41am
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MercianRover



Member Since: 07 Apr 2022
Location: Culworth
Posts: 141

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Java Black
The 2286 isn't unusual - the 7:1 CR is, being an export-specification engine (as I was told by a reliable source).
Post #1000491 17th Jul 2023 10:08am
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