Hi JFOX,
Ringo is right on target. The various manufacturers had their own ideas for the VIN plate. And regardless of their ideas, state motor vehicle agencies often had their own ideas.
In general, kit cars use the VIN from the donor vehicle. Although as Ringo pointed out, you will see exceptions. There’s no way I’ll speculate on how the ’84 Nissan VIN came to be used.
In my home state, NJ, if the kit used a complete chassis from a donor vehicle, the state DMV reused the donor car’s VIN. In these cases, there will be a VIN stamped into the chassis. On VW Type 1 (Beetle) the VIN is stamped in the chassis above the access plate to the gear shift rod/transmission connection. In an MG kit, this is right under the seat.
If the kit did not have a donor chassis, hence no VIN, the DMV assigned a VIN. I do not know if NJ DMV also provided a VIN plate. I think stamped the assigned VIN into the vehicle chassis. There might also be some requirement that the owner attach some sort of VIN plate to the vehicle.
Above is just NJ’s approach (or at least the approach in 1983 when I titled and registered my Duchess). Other states will probably vary.
Classic Roadsters provided a serial number plate. This was NOT in lieu of a VIN. I cannot find it mentioned in the assembly manual. But CR staff said it should go on the firewall, driver’s side, under the hood. Apparently Ringo’s is there too.
I drilled the rivets out of the VIN plate on my donor VW and attached it near the serial number plate. But that was my choice. There’s nothing in the assembly manual to provide any direction on this. And technically, this violates the requirement (I think federal, but may be state based) that a VIN plate be
visible from outside the vehicle, without opening any doors, hoods etc.
But I never had a problem, with DMV, inspection or police.
Since all the above was up to the builder, it is likely many MG kits have no VIN plate at all.
At the end of the day…”your mileage may differ.” It’s impossible to tell from here if your Fiberfab has a VIN plate or not, nor where it might be.
Hopefully, a Fiberfab owner will respond with some additional FF specific info.
I’m curious, why are you asking? Do you have a clean title for your car? The VIN should be on the title.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster
If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)