Getting To The "Rootes" Of The Matter...

[Aladin Sane]

My car currently has an MGB steering column. I will be replacing it with a modern tilt column. I also have a nice looking wooden 14" steering wheel to mount on the new column.

 

[alpine_64]

I note the paperwork says series : LEM .... Usually that would be ALP or TIG ... For alpine or Tiger.... LEM.... Sort of implies Lemans .. which would have been a Harrington......

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

From a White Harrington to a Red Herring! The plot thickens! Thanks, fellas.

 

[alpine_64]

From a White Harrington to a Red Herring! The plot thickens! Thanks, fellas.

Not saying for certain... But seems odd the model designation is LEM ... And it's a SII vin.

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Mike, I absolutely agree. The evidence just gets stranger and stranger! The 2009 Iowa registration also lists the color as "WHI" and the body as "HT". My simplest guess is that an accident was had at some point and a VIN was swapped.

 

[volvoguys]

The OP really won't know what they wound up with until the car arrives but from what little is known it appears to have had a VIN swap. And tho that's illegal in every state, if the tag was moved from one body to the same body type, it shouldn't create too many problems. But in this case, it seems the VIN was affixed to a completely different Series and, as most of us know, there are many differences between Series II and Series 3 and most parts aren't interchangeable. So, what's our newbie to do if s/he is unfamiliar with those differences when getting parts? Example: say the car needs new brake pads and the now-owner calls Rick or Curt for parts for their S3. The VIN is requested (for accuracy) and pads for a SII are sent – but don't fit! For the unknowing and unfamiliar owner, the seemingly harmless VIN swap will create continual problems.

It's near-certain the VIN has been swapped. The seller (a woman according to the OP) said there was only superficial rust on the undercarriage and below one door. Yet in Scotty's earlier conversation with a man, he learned out there was some sort of (presumably) rust damage in the trunk and wheel arches. None of this was disclosed.

Frankly, I'm impressed Millennial is being such a good sport about this. If it were me, I'd be hopping mad and would already be preparing to file a complaint with eBay after the car arrives.

 

[65sunbeam]

Hard to say what your DMV will say when you try to get a new title for this Alpine. That is a Harrington Le Mans title and says it is a hardtop coupe. That chassis number does not show up on the Harrington registry which may be a good thing as my first thought when seeing that export stamping on the title was that it was sold back to the UK and someone else now has that car that matches your title.
You should try to find the owner in Iowa whose name is on that title to get the rest of the story. Good luck......

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

VG, thanks much for the compliment!

Having made many ill-advised automotive purchases in my life, I'm doing my best to cheerfully resign myself to having made another.
I didn't purchase from Ebay, but rather found a classified in Hemmings, and contacted the email address provided. I was hungry for a fun project, and I managed to talk the seller down a bit, so I was pleased with myself for having made a good bargain. Har!

I'm very grateful to you for your well-explained concerns about the likely difficulty in getting the right parts for a seeming crossbreed car like my new Frankenbeam. If I had known to cruise around this forum prior to purchasing, I would have found the existing thread about the car's dubious history and been warned off.

Eric, I'm harboring the same DMV concern myself. If I can't register the car, then I'll really have learned a lesson, won't I?

Oh well, nobody's fault but mine. Nothing to do now but wait for the car to show up and try to have a little fun when it gets here.

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

*The California Gal (who *should be putting the car on an Eastbound Hemmings trailer today) told me she had only owned the car for about nine months and had never registered it. She had run out of money for the project and was selling out. Sounds like a red flag to a normal person doesn't it?

 

[Warren]

No, Calunicornia imposes a huge penalty the keeps on going up if you don't pay sales tax within 21 days. That amount increases yearly at a amount that looks like Guido the loan shark...
I would expect the same head scratch at the DMV when they have seen Roots on a California title with me standing in the line. Today the car would likely be called remanufactured and get a state applied # and title. For this reason I have thought that all states should put their own non removable tag on. Mostly because 2 rivets and if you have an Alpine a block stamping is all that safeguards your car from identifying as another.....
My car recently identified as a trailer queen to a United

I can think of many reasons a owner would swap a tag outside of it being easy. My favorites are....
I told the lawyer I sold the Tiger in the divorce and kept the Alpine see here's the title....
I got a lot of parking tickets on the retagged car...
I lied to the insurance company for a lower premium on the Tiger...
And finally one I thought to use but didn't.
A wreck with matching drive train numbers, black plate, and history came up for sale close by for a car I affectionately called my LEGO car... All LEGO bricks but each was a different color that was painted to match
This one has bricks from Duplo and others.

I'd let the DMV process the paperwork and let them decide what to do. The worse case is likely that they'll send you to the Highway patrol who could take the car apart looking for a secondary stamping that they won't find.
It's almost comedic how a VIN inspection or inspector's shoos onlookers away while they search for something that isn't there......

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

"This one has bricks from Duplo and others..."

Har! Nice analogy, Warren.

Given that 2008 Iowa registration, the mysterious White Harrington may still show up in the local DMV system when I make my attempt (I'm an Iowa man m'self). That might make things easier... or harder!

One thing's fer sure, it'll be interesting to see what everybody has to say when the car finally shows up and I can share a raft of detailed photos! At this point, not much will surprise me!

 

[Aladin Sane]

Where are you located in Iowa?

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Not far from Missouri Valley!

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Well, I'm told that Hemmings Shipping may take a little more time, as they need to round up a smaller truck to accomodate the car for the journey! Never heard that one before... usually it's the opposite problem.

 

[jdoclogan]

There is no way this is any form of a Harrington. I conclude it is a Series II with VIN B9112356 (factory rivets used to attach original VIN Plate with verification on the right firewall body when car is received) making it fall into the build range B9112281-B9112435 occurring between 3/19-3/23 1962. It may have originally come with a hardtop and was considered a Limited Edition Model (Series) and Model 02 (We know as Series II). Note: the CYL 00 (maybe it didn't have an engine when titled) and the valve cover indicates a different Rootes engine has been installed.

 

[Aldave]

I hear Vermont title registrations used to be a popular option. There is a thread on it somewhere in here. Best Wishes!

 

[alpine_64]

There is no way this is any form of a Harrington. I conclude it is a Series II with VIN B9112356 (factory rivets used to attach original VIN Plate with verification on the right firewall body when car is received) making it fall into the build range B9112281-B9112435 occurring between 3/19-3/23 1962. It may have originally come with a hardtop and was considered a Limited Edition Model (Series) and Model 02 (We know as Series II). Note: the CYL 00 (maybe it didn't have an engine when titled) and the valve cover indicates a different Rootes engine has been installed.

Jerry,

Think you may have been missing some details in the discussion.

Nobody is suggesting the car is a HLM.... But there is a possibility the cars title does come from a HLM.

While the car has had a Rootes iron head motor swap the questions about ID are coming up as the car has a strange mix of series II/3 parts. The column and dash are series II...but the screen, doors, interior and soft top covers, roof are all series 3 (not the sII covers are not compatible with the later cars and vice versa without some re engineering.. same goes for B post mounts and the screen , soft top being able to fold down)

We really need to see a photo of the rear suspension and boot area to get an idea what it is.

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

And I promise, once the car arrives, I'll provide some! Should make for an entertaining discussion!

 

[jdoclogan]

Jerry,

Think you may have been missing some details in the discussion.

Nobody is suggesting the car is a HLM.... But there is a possibility the cars title does come from a HLM.

While the car has had a Rootes iron head motor swap the questions about ID are coming up as the car has a strange mix of series II/3 parts. The column and dash are series II...but the screen, doors, interior and soft top covers, roof are all series 3 (not the sII covers are not compatible with the later cars and vice versa without some re engineering.. same goes for B post mounts and the screen , soft top being able to fold down)

We really need to see a photo of the rear suspension and boot area to get an idea what it is.

Then this :
"LEM.... Sort of implies Lemans .. which would have been a Harrington......" Should be edited out.

 

[alpine_64]

Then this :
"LEM.... Sort of implies Lemans .. which would have been a Harrington......" Should be edited out.

Jerry, I saw you suggest LEM might stand for limited edition model due to having a hardtop, personally I find that less likely than it being the initials of the model listed.

Also Eric in his comment seems to suggest that he may have registration documents that have a similar code indicating a LeMans.

@65sunbeam can you confirm if you have registration documents with the LEM code for your HLM?