Help Identifying Manufacture Year Of My Dodge Wayfarer

[v8dren]

Evening everybody, I'm new to these pages. 

In 2011 I purchased a what i was to presume a 1951 Dodge wayfarer, having 99% restored it and it's been driven on the roads here in the UK, we've now started a new law, anything built before 1960 is MoT exempt, sounds easy.

 

Problem i have, is my car was imported and registered back 1967 and as "manufactured unknown" so subsequently registered as 1967, for me to change the build date back to the correct date I have to find and supply  evidence of its build date in US from 1952?

 

I've managed to find that my Chassis number dates from 1952 and is a D41, but i need more proof or a document to support when it was really built, can anyone help?

[1940plymouth]

Do some searching on this site, you'll find the address for Chyrsler and you'll be able to send them your vin number and they in return send you a build sheet for your car.  Cost is 45 dollars

[Plymouthy Adams]

order the history documentation form Chrysler Historical Society.  However, I would ask your local prior to paying the money as to whether or not they will accept that as proof.  Matter of fact you did not list what your authorities WILL/DO accept as firm documentation...get that from them and then proceed..anything less could be waste of time, resources and money..

[v8dren]

Thanks guys, need to dig deeper, will find out what our DVLA wants as proof of build

[BobT-47P15]

Do you have a parts or repair manual for the car?   I think they explain a couple of those tags that come on the car.....

perhaps the one on the firewall from Briggs Body Co who made the body and also the one on the drivers door post.

 

When new, these cars used the number on the side of the engine as the "VIN" number on the title.  If your engine

has been changed from original, that number is stamped into the side of the frame just a little before the left rear

wheel.  Will likely need a wire brush or wheel to expose the number. 

 

####I  I just scrolled back up to your original post.......which sounds as if you found the frame number.

In the front of my Service/repair manual there are pictures of the various models of Plymouths from 1946

(P15) thru 1951 (P23), 

[BobT-47P15]

<p>Link to a site listing Dodge models.............<a href="http://www.classiccardatabase.com/postwar-models/Dodge.php">http://www.classiccardatabase.com/postwar-models/Dodge.php</a></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here's a picture of the 51 Wayfarer grille (taken from an internet article)........</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The grille is very similar on the 52 model      (silver car).</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I can see the bumper guard uprights are different for the two years.</p>

<p> </p>

<p> </p>

Edited April 12, 2013 by BobT-47P15

[wayfarer]

Are 'those' people so dense that they cannot simply look at photos of the various years and make a logical decision as to the model year?

Yeah, best get their list of 'official' and 'acceptable' documentation. Geesh

[Plymouthy Adams]

while that makes sense to us, you have to remember you the English have cars that were produced from late 40's through the 70's basically unchanged in design and appearance in England..so they could assume other companies/countries are similar.

[v8dren]

Not necessarily true, most of our models retain the same model name, but they do change quite dramatically through the years, you could tell the difference between a 40's car and 70's, I can agree that our technology wasn't so luxuriously as your models say from 1940's to 50's where as the US cars had electrical goodies galore, most ,if not all ours were manual.

 

Personally I can't see the difference between a 51 and 52, I'm sure to the trained eye there are subtle changes, I'm the owner of what i thought was a 51 and continued to trace parts for a 51 model, now having found the VIN number to be within a listing for 1952, that now answers a few niggling questions to trim not aligning after i'd purchased it thinking it was a 51, unless because i'm an oversea buyer the seller didn't send out the correct parts every time.

 

Having had a few good responses to my question, I'm now armed with some more facts to find out more of where stamping are to be found on the body and chassis, i only thought(from UK cars) the engine and VIN number was found within the engine bay area or around the front chassis.

 

Thanks guys for your help

[Plymouthy Adams]

Morris Minor.....other than a low light, split glass..hard to tell the difference..at a quick glance to the unknowing...you would think it is the same all the way through..the subtle changes are not enough to be dramatically different.  1948 through 1972...long run for certain...the Mini ADO15 series is yet another example and we will not get to the Morgans...