I'm considering purchasing a Mark II and I need some help decoding the data plate numbers. I am checking to see if I can get a title as this one is long gone. The owner is disabled and his neighbor is selling for him. If I can get the last registration, I can get a title which brings me to my question. Where is the VIN number on the car? Is the VIN the car number? Here is the data I have. Any help would be appreciated:
Car # P180660
Body EO66601
Engine KJ10085-8
Gearbox JC 5167
Thanks in advance, Mike.

Submitted by bob.mightyroar… on Thu, 02/20/2014 - 10:28

Michael, if the commission plate is missing, the car# (VIN) is repeated on the bonnet latch scuttle just in front of the radiator top tank on the right hand side as you look at the open bonnet. The body number is repeated on the left rear underneath the bumper. I've been unable to locate this number on several cars though.

The sticky problem comes when the engine# has been used on the title for whatever incorrect reason and the engine has been replaced since the title was cut. Now you have a car with a different engine number and no other number on the car matches the title. In my state this situation is remedied by having a state VIN inspection done.

Submitted by jpgarbani@comc… on Wed, 02/19/2014 - 22:39

The P# is the chassis number (car number for Jaguar) and the one used in the title. I have an early Mk2, number P210884BW (BW denotes a Borg Warner transmission, DN a manual with overdrive. If you don't have any suffix after the number it's a simple manual gearbox), and this is the number used in the car title since it was new (I have the original CA title).
JP

Submitted by MikeEck@optonl… on Wed, 02/19/2014 - 16:13

Before 1981 there was no standard VIN so the different states used whatever number they wanted. Usually it was the Chassis # or, in your case, the Car #, so I would try that first. .

Submitted by SW05-50996 on Wed, 02/19/2014 - 16:12

If the data plate was properly interpreted back in the day, P180660, the chassis #, should be the one on the title. I have a '56 MK I that lost its data plate somewhere in the past, so they used the body number. If you get no results on the chassis # you may have that as a fall-back source.

Steve T.

MK 1 #S940061