The "That looks a bit odd" Thread

[UltraWomble]

Not at all would I accuse anyone of making or driving a ringer but sometimes you see a car and you think
That doesn't look right
Like this 1968 mini
With plastic lenses
Wind up windows

Reversing lamps ( Mk 3 rear lights) 
No door hinges visible

Anyone remember that 1984 MG Metro recently on eBay with late mk3 interior and shell?

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

[Supernaut]

I predict this thread will be full of Land Rover "Series 1/2/3s" with coil springs and TDI engines but old enough number plates to conveniently be tax and MOT exempt.

[Ghosty]

Black placca arches on the Mini too, didn't they come in with 12" steels?

[chaseracer]

RINGADINGDING!!!!

[eddyramrod]

RINGADINGDING!!!!

The only thing I can think of that would be less authentic than that Mini is me turning up on Strictly Come Dancing in Susan Calman's next costume to dance her next dance!

 

 

Eww, there's an image nobody needs in their head!

[barefoot]

Can one report such things?

[MrDuke]

Sure it's not just a private plate?

 

EDIT: Or maybe the owner just doesn't like early lenses and doors? Or they were missing and he's restored it on the cheap with whatever he could get? But yeah, you can see the dried kitten blood all over the front tyres.

[greengartside]

Checking that M.o.T history also reveals the speedo's been broken / disconnected for approximately 10 years.

[Dave_Q]

Can one report such things?

eBay give zero fucks, have reported the odd ringing kit (ie "Land Rover V5 and VIN plate for sale") and they don't bother to take it down, so an allegedly slightly dodgy car won't draw any action.

 

For that matter, the DVLA are clueless, a few years ago on e30zone there was a blatant one found for sale, a 92-93 neon blue convertible wearing the scuttle and VIN number off a D reg saloon.

 

Various people reported to the DVLA, (not me I should add, I'm not quite that sad) and they sent a man who checked the VIN matched the logbook and pronounced it fine.

 

I know they're cracking down on "coil converted M8 lol" land rovers a bit more, doubt it for minis as, as MrDuke pointed out, all these things could have been done to the original shell and it's harder to prove.

[dave21478]

I think the cracking down on Land Rovers and to a lesser extent Minis is largely due to people exporting "old" models to Trumpton.

I saw a report about some poor hard done-by septic whos import business was in the toilet after the authorities stepped in and crushed his entire stock of old Land Rover 90s that happened to have all been refreshed* with modern engines, chassis and panels.

[Aston Martin]

Any Ssangyong.

[sierraman]

Call me a sad cunt but I spotted a Mondeo, 51 plate with the later doors on, the ones without rubbing strips off the edge model.

[dougiefourspeed]

I once saw what appeared to be a Mk2 Astra GTE on an R plate, presumably it was a tarted up Nexia.

 

I think this was someone who had a rotten GTE and re-shelled it using a Nexia donor car.

[Ghosty]

Old Isle of Man registrations. They meant you could get all sorts of incorrect prefix and suffix registrations, I've seen a C reg Allegro somewhere before.

Also they use a wider range of letters which can be confusing/interesting.

[chaseracer]

But they're always MAN or *MN. 

[richardthestag]

Can one report such things?

 

I would kind of have to ask myself why?

 

I can spot them a mile off, most folk on here can. 

 

To try and report it to plod, doovla, ebay, whoever is likely to be a waste of effort. Apathy overload

 

Like has been noted above the Septics are amazing at condemning a 1991 Mini as horrifically dangerous to have on US roads but are happy with a 1980 car. thus confirming that the world has indeed gone mad.

 

fuckwits are arseholes exist the world over. The gullible in this instance are the victims

 

Caveat Emptor and all that

[richardthestag]

oh and in case of ^^^ Mini

 

Not entirely unreasonable nor illegal to have rebodied it in the 1980/90s with a brand spanking new shell. The rules allow for this

[mercrocker]

I haven't seen a completely kosher-looking pre-fat Mini for some years.   Worst offenders are often restorers or in some kind of Mini Club or other so it can be presumed fall under the "don't care" rather than "don't know any better" category.    If people spending the kind of money they make now don't know/care then I am pretty sure I don't either.  I thankfully had a lot of fun with these cars when they were £15-30 each and not one of those was factory spec.   They tended not to last long enough to remain original.

 

I do still point things out like this when/if the owner is getting up my nose, however.

[Ghosty]

But they're always MAN or *MN. 

 

Aye, first glances though...

I remember now, the Allegro was on eBay.

[dave21478]

I dont really care about low-level ringing. Someone doing a sly rebuild of old chod with a second-hand shell, or using two crocks to make one good car harms nobody and is no danger to anyone. Carry on quietly, dont blurt it all over the internets and all is good. The result still has to pass the same MOT as everyone else and there are not two cars on the road sharing one ID.

As usual, things only become an issue when actual money is involved...mass export of Defenders, people turning an old 1.3L into an RS2000 etc... and even then, does it really matter? If people are willing to spend large on a car like that its their lookout to check its above board....if there is any doubt there are always nerds on forums who will happily point out the incorrect size of rivits holding on the slats of the grill or some other tedious detail that gives it away.

Actual provenance only matters when it comes to Bentley/Ferrari/Bugatti etc etc, which I doubt many here will ever have to worry about.

[oldcars]

Just for info would a 1970's mini look like the one above? When did they start to look like that one?

[richardthestag]

seamless hinges came in late 60s I think

 

arches are retrofit for just about everything due to phat rimz

 

I could date a series landy of range rover classic to within a year or so because "I can haz do da resurch"

 

If I was looking for an early to mid 60s mini I would be looking for slidey windows, drop down rear numberplate, pull cord door handles and push button start on the floor for starters, just like I used to see my mates rocking around in the mid 1980s when they were worth buttons.

 

Oh and rust, cramped, bumpy ride, uncomfortable seats, steamed up windows and a speedo that thinks it is a Metronome

 

 

 

Fatha thestags mate bought a 90s mini honestly dressed up to look like a cooper but have some more creature comforts. he paid a lot for it, knew exactly what it was and is delighted with it

[Mr Laurence]

That red Mini looks like a total Bitsa:

 

-The shell is a Mk3 at the Earliest (1969-2000)

-The Grille is off a Mk2/3 car (so mid 60's to Mid 70's)

-The badges look like they're off an older car (the rear one looks like it's off a Cooper)

-The interior is from a late 70's Mk4

-The arch extensions are from at least 1979

-The rear lights with the clear section for the reverse lights are from some point in the 80's and onwards

-Stuff like the Weller wheels and roof rack looks like 80's/90's aftermarket stuff to me.

 

(I reckon I've missed a fair bit off as well)

 

In conclusion - it's probably a Mk4 with a few modifications and newer bits added on, which has then been rung, but we all knew that already.

[Kiltox]

Sure it's not just a private plate?

 

EDIT: Or maybe the owner just doesn't like early lenses and doors? Or they were missing and he's restored it on the cheap with whatever he could get? But yeah, you can see the dried kitten blood all over the front tyres.

Definitely not a private plate, shows on DVLA as 1968 registered

[noseypoke]

1969 mk2-mk3 mini saloons exterior hinges discontinued....only vans kept theirs till the end (sob)...and I will kick meself for posting that

and all my mates with early minis fitted the bigger rear light clusters and smaller steering wheels and wider road wheels + all the aftermarket gunge you stuff inside.

Could never figure why some fitted REAR WIPERS tho?

[chodweaver]

 

Could never figure why some fitted REAR WIPERS tho?

 

Out of sheer laziness or from having very short arms. It's the easiest thing in the world to reach out of your (sliding) driver's door window to wipe the rear screen with a sponge...

 

In a van though, I'd say it was justified, but I've never seen one with that mod.

[FakeConcern]

1969 mk2-mk3 mini saloons exterior hinges discontinued....only vans kept theirs till the end (sob)...and I will kick meself for posting that

Gun-----6573.jpg

and all my mates with early minis fitted the bigger rear light clusters and smaller steering wheels and wider road wheels + all the aftermarket gunge you stuff inside.

Could never figure why some fitted REAR WIPERS tho?

I fittrd a rear wiper to all my minis except the Clubman estate! For the same reason I like a rear wiper on a modern hatchback.

[Bren]

Rusty mk1 essy's for five figures - you are buying a ringing kit...

[cort1977]

I think the cracking down on Land Rovers and to a lesser extent Minis is largely due to people exporting "old" models to Trumpton.

I saw a report about some poor hard done-by septic whos import business was in the toilet after the authorities stepped in and crushed his entire stock of old Land Rover 90s that happened to have all been refreshed* with modern engines, chassis and panels.

 

Not sure if they're cracking down in UK but there are plenty of late model Land Rovers here that are in no way older than 25 years so it seems business is still thriving.   There have been several cases of importers getting in trouble but it still seems to go on.

 

Can't get too excited about ringing or provenance really unless done for fraudulent reasons.   On an old mini like that surely the powers that be have better things to do like checking unlicensed truck drivers like in that recent crash that killed 8 people on the M1. 

[sierraman]

Can't really see a problem unless you are trying to pass something off as genuine. Most old cars of that era will have had some serious welding to keep on the road so originality is questionable anyway.

 

A lot of the old Escorts, Cortinas etc won't be running the original engines, they were worn out by 100,000.

 

The mini is probably built round a new shell. Infinitely better than some patchwork somebody's learnt to weld on.