Hi all,

Just got my car (3 door) back on the road after fitting Escos rims/215/40/16 Front and 225/45/16 on rears/Koni suspension, was worried about offset etc but its running like a dream no problems
The next thing I hope you guys can help me with is my Vin Number-WFOEGBBEGR93388. Does this look right to you???

Cheer s TB

 

Looks about right but it's missing 2 letters, heres mine:
WFOEXXGBBEGR93320
Oh and make sure it is stamped up and not down.

 

dont think it matters what way its stamped, sure a read something on here about it.

maybe do a search and see if anything comes up

 

I was always told its only a genuine shell if it is stamped up.
But feel free to correct me, anyone?

 

Yeah, mine carrys the XX to I was told by the previous enthusiast owner that stamping(above/below) has no relevance on weather its original or not ,but the reason to why this was done I don't know! Anyone????



TB.

 

Big can of worms!! I personally would not be too worried there are too many people that have the chassis up and down to be a major concern. as long as the car is in good condition and you are happy with it!! cos at the end of the day thats what counts!!

 

all cossie chassis numbers should be stamped upwards my mate has confirmed this as he is a ex ford engineer so if yours is stamped down yours might be a ringer

 

^
Yep, I've read the same info too

 

Thats what I was told as well

 

Well you had better ask your mate what is the case when they are stamped down then if he used to work for them, as I know of a good few cossie's that are stamped down!! and they have not been reshelled since leaving the showroom!!

I am getting sick of this whole subject to be honest there are people who claim to have info, proof of this but nobody has ever backed it up with proper evidence! If you have it post it up for the rest of us to see otherwise shut the fook up!

This is not meant to be a Secret Squirrel Society

 

^
So it's a safe guess your Chassis Number is stamped down then mate?
I've read a few different articles on the fact that the numbers were stamped up.
There's a small sentence in here at the bottom of page one that says

http://www.rsownersclub.co.uk/CosworthBuyersGuide.pdf

I know where you're coming from though Nick500, I've yet to see any orinal ford documentation about this subject mate

 

Snow, I am not alone in this issue as I am sure you have gathered but it has been going on for a lot of months now and have heard a good few people saying they are going to submit evidence that proves the cars have been reshelled or are unoriginal! Personally I bought my car because it was something I wanted, then finding out it was a prototype was a bonus but the history of the car after it left Fords hands is well documented and it has not been reshelled! I have yet to hear if Ford did it before it was sold on but in my opinion this would not difer from the cars originality it is still an RS500 as all the numbers match.

 

ive been working on this chassis number thing for a number off months now there are to many so called experts on this subject matter i for 1 dont think the full truth will ever come out after all these years.
and i will only beleive it when i see with my own eyes a ford "FRANKED" document not just a letter head stating fact..
ive been a rs owner since 1986 and been a member of the rsoc since 1989 in that time ive owned over 20 rs's
including
2 rs500's
3 4x4 saph cos
1 2wd saph cos
1 esc cos
4 were up and 3 were down
the 3 that were down were fully documented history wise and all old mots aswell..
2 more thing for you lot to think about

1
one of my cars with the chassis numbers down was inspected by vosa ...the vehicle inspectoate
the reason it was inspected by them on behalf of the dvla was
when i bought it it was on a private plate the car had been off the road for a couple off years
i had a agency who wanted to buy the plate off me for good money so i spoke to the relevant rs register who advised me to see if i could put the original plate on the car if i did sell it as there was some history attached to the car with the original plate ..
so i asked the dvla about this ...they said i could have the plate back if i was willing to have a full inspection to satisfy them the car is what it was ..
i went to the manchester area vosa depot at the time it was called the vi "vehicle inspectoate" now called vosa
full turn out including... slam panel vin plate,chassis stamp,engine number and full document check inspection..including putting the car on a ramp to check the underside
they were fully satisfyed that the car was 100% ok and gave me dvla letter head to prove ....
2
my uncle worked for ford from 1984-1991
and in that time went to halewood and dagenham to witness how things were done he even worked at halewood for a time
and in his words he saw on the production line, failure of certain mechanical items including the chassis process..
ive no proof of this but why would he lie ??
darren barber rs member 15400
but he also said these failures were put right when they were inspected at the end off each process by hand ........some food for thought i think

 

Very good points Darren I share your views on this as you already know, I think it has been blown up to the point it has put a lot of people off ownership.

I believe a search of the numbers on the 3 door cars would show a very high number of them stamped down as well! this would show why a number of the 500's ( which were after all only 496 3 doors stashed away to be converted ) are this way as well!!