Post by johnr on Mar 4, 2023 13:50:45 GMT
Here is an update on this old girl. Maybe she ought to be referred to as 'the infamous limo'. The purpose of this post is to try to give an update on the state of play with her.
She is now back in the U.K, and owned by me (a glutton for punishment) I bought her in December 22 from a dealer in Northants, he got it from a dealer in Snaith, I 'Think' he got it from whoever bought it from the Bonhams auction in December 21, when it was unregistered in the U.K having been brought back from abroad.
I say abroad because having traced its ownership back to 2006 in the USA, the last owner (recorded) bought from a dealer in Missouri. The buyer was a national of Kuwait, who by all accounts put it into a museum. He paid 14,900 US dollars for it. I do not know if the museum was in the USA or Kuwait.
In the Bonhams auction it sold for £2000 plus fees.
When it was registered with DVLA in March 22 it was declared on import to be a 1967.... This is where the fun starts. Everybody knows it just cant be for an absolute multitude of reasons, which are covered in the numerous threads on various forums here and abroad.
When I started doing my research into the old girl I found that my efforts had been done several times before by previous owners. Although I maybe ought to have been annoyed by repeating somebody else's searches I had to laugh as they had done most of the stuff I had, which they evidently thought would solve the year issue, but not quite all.
So for anyone who has seen and been involved in postings about the old girl, this is ALMOST the final solution. There is just 1 piece missing which somebody in the U.K can answer.
The 'identity' all revolves around the car I.D number, WHS367653. Many posters said this isn't the correct number. I can tell you most certainly that it is.... The format & sequences comes up in a Unipart microfiche. fiche number B01, introduction. On the same page the commission number 2WD17S023991/A is in accord with the vehicle I.D plate as is the engine number
The decoding of that I.D number is as follows
W = Wolseley
H = Horizontal (transverse engine)
S = Saloon
3 = series (mark 3)
The remaining numbers ought to be a sequence, but I have an alternate theory which I am still testing. That is why this is ALMOST the final answer.
Everything on the car screams, 1974 engine serial sequence, triplex window markings, wiper motor, carb numbers, distributor type / model and more. So how did it come to be 'dated' as a 1967.
I put in an archive request to BMIHT, quoting car number WHS367653. What I got back was a record from a 1967 Wolseley..... BUT not the right one. It was a for a 16/60. None of the numbers matched, the 16/60 would have been the Farina style so a totally different car.
But just SO easy to see how somebody has made an enquiry and got that same information and assumed it be be correct, particularly if they were in the USA and not familiar with the models.
The body builders, Woodall Nicholson have been bought and sold multiple times from 74 to now, and after repeated contact I was finally told the old records relating to this period have been destroyed.
So just one last enquiry, for anyone who can help. I have found on search 4 others that look the same, looked up on DVLA and all are SORN. But a couple appear to have had new V5C's issued in the recent past so maybe still out there.
I would like to hear from anyone who has one of these, or even has access to its remains so I can check my I.D number theory against their car.
She is now back in the U.K, and owned by me (a glutton for punishment) I bought her in December 22 from a dealer in Northants, he got it from a dealer in Snaith, I 'Think' he got it from whoever bought it from the Bonhams auction in December 21, when it was unregistered in the U.K having been brought back from abroad.
I say abroad because having traced its ownership back to 2006 in the USA, the last owner (recorded) bought from a dealer in Missouri. The buyer was a national of Kuwait, who by all accounts put it into a museum. He paid 14,900 US dollars for it. I do not know if the museum was in the USA or Kuwait.
In the Bonhams auction it sold for £2000 plus fees.
When it was registered with DVLA in March 22 it was declared on import to be a 1967.... This is where the fun starts. Everybody knows it just cant be for an absolute multitude of reasons, which are covered in the numerous threads on various forums here and abroad.
When I started doing my research into the old girl I found that my efforts had been done several times before by previous owners. Although I maybe ought to have been annoyed by repeating somebody else's searches I had to laugh as they had done most of the stuff I had, which they evidently thought would solve the year issue, but not quite all.
So for anyone who has seen and been involved in postings about the old girl, this is ALMOST the final solution. There is just 1 piece missing which somebody in the U.K can answer.
The 'identity' all revolves around the car I.D number, WHS367653. Many posters said this isn't the correct number. I can tell you most certainly that it is.... The format & sequences comes up in a Unipart microfiche. fiche number B01, introduction. On the same page the commission number 2WD17S023991/A is in accord with the vehicle I.D plate as is the engine number
The decoding of that I.D number is as follows
W = Wolseley
H = Horizontal (transverse engine)
S = Saloon
3 = series (mark 3)
The remaining numbers ought to be a sequence, but I have an alternate theory which I am still testing. That is why this is ALMOST the final answer.
Everything on the car screams, 1974 engine serial sequence, triplex window markings, wiper motor, carb numbers, distributor type / model and more. So how did it come to be 'dated' as a 1967.
I put in an archive request to BMIHT, quoting car number WHS367653. What I got back was a record from a 1967 Wolseley..... BUT not the right one. It was a for a 16/60. None of the numbers matched, the 16/60 would have been the Farina style so a totally different car.
But just SO easy to see how somebody has made an enquiry and got that same information and assumed it be be correct, particularly if they were in the USA and not familiar with the models.
The body builders, Woodall Nicholson have been bought and sold multiple times from 74 to now, and after repeated contact I was finally told the old records relating to this period have been destroyed.
So just one last enquiry, for anyone who can help. I have found on search 4 others that look the same, looked up on DVLA and all are SORN. But a couple appear to have had new V5C's issued in the recent past so maybe still out there.
I would like to hear from anyone who has one of these, or even has access to its remains so I can check my I.D number theory against their car.
