[Andrew]

It occured to me one day that it would seem like Ferrari is the only marquee where people track and collect the Serial Numbers of the cars. Why is that?

It also occured to me that if everyone were to combined their knowledge into one project all SNs could easily be accounted for. The end result would be that everyone benefits, yet this is not the case as many keep their list secret.

[Dj Dirk]

not true

there are a lot of people spotting other marques aswell, like one of the top other marques is Aston Martin. i write down every aston that i see :wink: or try to at least.
same thing with every classic (race) cars
especially like Bugatti's, Maserati's,...

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Dj Dirk

not true

there are a lot of people spotting other marques aswell, like one of the top other marques is Aston Martin. i write down every aston that i see :wink: or try to at least.
same thing with every classic (race) cars
especially like Bugatti's, Maserati's,...

Dirk,

Thanks for sharing that bit. I never realized others did this. Good to know.

[Dj Dirk]

even every decent classic car book from any other marques list their chassis numbers

for instance:
- From Passion To Perfection: The Story of French Streamlined Styling 1930 - 1939 by Richard Adatto
every car listed is sorted on s/n
- The Bugatti Type 57S by Bernhard Simon & Julius Kruta
every type 57S listed by s/n
- Jaguar at Le Mans by Paul Parker
every Jag that ever raced at Le Mans with s/n

and so on and on and on,....

but if you ever run into a thru Aston Martin fanatic then he also speaks in s/n language just like the big Ferraristi nuts

[250lm]

Many other cars are traced. Most of the time the exclusive low-production run cars like Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce and Maserati, but also classic Alfa Romeos and specific typs of cars. Most are registry clubs that track them. I for one also write down DeLoreans because that is some sort of youth sentiment;-)

Also Ferrari is most popular to all other marques in general and they started to print readable s/n early on (from 1980) on all their cars and not only to the US cars. Porsche for instance only started to do that in 1992.


Niels

[Dj Dirk]

Originally Posted by 250lm

I for one also write down DeLoreans because that is some sort of youth sentiment;-)

Niels

ooh yeah
very sweet cars, they where crap, but very sweet

[250lm]

...and very easy to spot:

Exterior color: only delivered in stainless steel
Interior color: choice between black and grey
Transmission: choice between Automatic and 5-speed

Don't know how to uncoded the VIN of DeLoreans yet but they all seem to start with SCEDT26T so the S most probably stands for Ireland and the C would probably stand for DMC.

Niels

[evandaalen]

Niels, is the VIN of a DeLorean visible from the outside? In July I saw one in Holland with plate YK-37-JN ...

Originally Posted by 250lm

Don't know how to uncoded the VIN of DeLoreans yet but they all seem to start with SCEDT26T so the S most probably stands for Ireland and the C would probably stand for DMC.

S = Great Britain
CE = DeLorean Motor Cars Ltd. (Antrum, North Ireland)
D = represent the car line / type
T = represents the serie (there was only one, I guess ...)
2 = represents the body style
6 = represents the engine
T = represents the restraint system
Then followed by the check digit (= complex calculation)
Then the model year (B = 1981, C = 1982)
Then a "D" (representing the assembly plant)
Then the sequential production number

(Source: NATB Guide 1985)

Sorry .... but I couldn't resist ....

[Dr. Bob]

Originally Posted by Enzo250GTO

It also occured to me that if everyone were to combined their knowledge into one project all SNs could easily be accounted for. The end result would be that everyone benefits, yet this is not the case as many keep their list secret.

A lot of people keep different info, and sensitive info shouldn't and most probably will not come out, which is a good thing I think. I think it is a good thing if more people were interested in s/n, because that would wipe away the sort of ban that is now on it sometimes, but the question is where do you put down the line of interesting info and personal info.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Dr. Bob

wipe away the sort of ban that is now on it sometimes, but the question is where do you put down the line of interesting info and personal info.

Easy, just leave out the owners name. If car X was in race Y that is enough. Or just use aliases. It is also very easy to restrict the info for the viewer but still have it recorded in a database. Take carfax for example. You can verify some stuff but you don't get the whole 9 yards. That is what you are recording, the car's history not the owners life. I'd love to see owners submit details like oil changes, engine rebuild etc (some do) then the register would show car X had this color year Y and engine repair year Z and so on. Saying car X was owned by owner Y doesn't add a whole lot of value in my opinion.

[Dr. Bob]

If you keep things like oil changes etc it will have effect on the resale prices so that won't happen. Also, I don't think oil changes are that interesting anyway.

BTW, there is also a bunch of weirdos writing down trains in England. So they have a full overview of which trains were driving at which place, at what time. Crazy guys, but hey, so am I (and a lot of other s/n spotters)

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Dr. Bob

BTW, there is also a bunch of weirdos writing down trains in England. So they have a full overview of which trains were driving at which place, at what time. Crazy guys, but hey, so am I (and a lot of other s/n spotters)

Trust me, my parents consider me a weirdo when I get a book full of nothing but SNs in the mail. They couldn't figure out why anyone would track a bunch of numbers for a car. In many ways I can see their point.

[4kids3fish]

Originally Posted by Enzo250GTO

Trust me, my parents consider me a weirdo when I get a book full of nothing but SNs in the mail. They couldn't figure out why anyone would track a bunch of numbers for a car. In many ways I can see their point.

Yup, DEFINITELY a wierdo!
:lol:

[evandaalen]

Originally Posted by Enzo250GTO

Saying car X was owned by owner Y doesn't add a whole lot of value in my opinion.

If a certain car was owned by a celebrity, the value will go up quickly. So, sometimes the names ARE important ...

Besides that, publishing information about things like crashes, thefts, modifications, restorations, rebuilds, repaints and so on, may result in stupid lawsuits, because some people will always claim something else. There have been too many of those lawsuits (lots of money involved!) and that certainly is one of the reasons why certain info won't be published ......

[Dr. Bob]

Even recording color could be a problem then because if you say the car was originally Red, and the car is Yellow, and the owner says he did not repaint it, well, there is a problem.

[250lm]

Thanks Edvar for the VIN info! I do not track them very intensively now, but will later. I might want to try to get most of the 8500 produced. Ebay is a good source, cause most DMC12s went to the US. There was indeed only one serie as far as I know and all had the same V6 from Renault I believe (not 100% sure, should have to check that) so the SCEDT26T makes sence! I also have some Ds for the production year so there are several 1983 models too. The VIN is readable on all DeLoreans I have seen so far and are located on two places as far as I know: a plate on the dash (like the Aston Martin cars have) and in the doorpanel which can only be read if the door is open (like the Enzo). The plate you mention is not yet famaliar to me.


Niels

[250lm]

Although I did not check the info I have myself, I have one DMC12 with SCEDT25T and one with SCEDT21T. These can be typos ut otherwise, several engine types were available!


Niels

[evandaalen]

Originally Posted by 250lm

Thanks Edvar for the VIN info! I do not track them very intensively now, but will later. I might want to try to get most of the 8500 produced.

Hi Niels! You will be sorry that you ever said this! See my private mail to you :green: :green: :green:

[250lm]

Edvar,

No, I din't regret that !!!! :green: