Re: Same year engine but not original to the car.

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2016/2/5 20:41:14

Yes. I've been allowed to tabulate and/or scan perhaps 2000 or so, these are the dealer's copy from only 6 different dealers. These are mostly between 1936 and 1951. There are more out there in other private collections though in all very few. It appears that 3 of the 5 copies went to various locations at the factory, one to the factory branch and one remained with the selling dealer.

If you tabulate data for a particular year and model, for example 1937 120, and index lowest to highest on theft-proof number alongside the corresponding motor numbers, the correlation is very strong though not perfect. Early cars have early motor numbers as you would expect, and likewise all the way thru to the highest numbers. In those cases where I have data for consecutively numbered bodies or vehicle numbers, motor numbers may correspond perfectly or may not but will usually be within just a few numbers.

I've posted images of these cards several times here, do you want to see one again?