African Muscle Cars - Forum

Hi ,I’m a new member having just imported a Mk1 3.0gt Capri from South Africa to the uk and have come across a problem I’m hoping someone out there can help me with , I cannot seem to find a VIN plate which I need to prove the vehicle year before registration in the UK , I have looked everywhere in the engine bay , doors, under carpet etc , all I have is the chassis number on the top strut , would there be a VIN plate on a SA Capri or is the year donated by chassis number , the vehicle documents state that the vehicle was registered in 1978 but the vehicle is a 72 !! Hope someone can point me in the right direction, chassis number is TPA940603121029 can I ascertain the year by this number ? Thanks is advance for any help Regards Paul uk

Psr42 wrote: ↑

Tue 23 Apr 2019, 10:55

Hi ,I’m a new member having just imported a Mk1 3.0gt Capri from South Africa to the uk and have come across a problem I’m hoping someone out there can help me with , I cannot seem to find a VIN plate which I need to prove the vehicle year before registration in the UK , I have looked everywhere in the engine bay , doors, under carpet etc , all I have is the chassis number on the top strut , would there be a VIN plate on a SA Capri or is the year donated by chassis number , the vehicle documents state that the vehicle was registered in 1978 but the vehicle is a 72 !! Hope someone can point me in the right direction, chassis number is TPA940603121029 can I ascertain the year by this number ? Thanks is advance for any help Regards Paul uk

What I am going to say may not be too helpful and if you are loosing sleep this may contribute more to it.

The vin plate is in the engine bay, if its not there then there is no VIN plate, what sometimes happens in this instance is a VIN is assigned to the last owner because he would have had to take the vehicle through police clearance in order for that VIN to be assigned, all vehicles registered in SA have to have VIN numbers but not all have VIN plates.

The fact it was first registered in 1978 is a concern, why would this be? Even back then I cant see how it wasn't registered for 6 years. Please post pictures of the car, perhaps someone here will recognize it? Where in SA is the car from? Do you have its original SA number plates?

Personally I take a very dim few of car exporters in SA.

Hi Paul,
I wonder if the car has been re shelled and given a new VIN upon re registration.
That is a long chassis number for a Mk1 Capri, all the ones I have seen including my own only have a five digit chassis number on the strut top.
Where in the UK are you? I'm ex S.A. in Southampton.

paulusvrotius1 wrote: ↑

Thu 25 Apr 2019, 14:51

Hi Paul,
I wonder if the car has been re shelled and given a new VIN upon re registration.
That is a long chassis number for a Mk1 Capri, all the ones I have seen including my own only have a five digit chassis number on the strut top.
Where in the UK are you? I'm ex S.A. in Southampton.

I was also thinking the VIN is very long, not uncommon though if the shell had no VIN on it and was stamped at police clearance.

One thing though, to export one apparently needs police clearance....

That's right Jacques, I had to get police clearance to bring my own Perana over to the UK.

paulusvrotius1 wrote: ↑

Fri 26 Apr 2019, 07:56

That's right Jacques, I had to get police clearance to bring my own Perana over to the UK.

Which is why I am somewhat interested in the difficulties the OP is having.

TPA940603121029 is not a Ford number

In 1978 there still would have been a Transvaal Provincial Authority = TPA.

My guess is that the car was stolen and recovered. When stolen all Ford numbers removed or obliterated.

In this case when that car was returned to the rightful owner the Provincial Authority would (and still do as far as I know) stamp a new VIN on the shell so that it can be re-registered. That would explain a 1978 (re)registration, and the TPA prefix.

If you have the South African de-registration document, that should be enough to register it with the DVLA.

That makes sense John, I didn't think of stolen/recovered.