Tracing the untraceable? Goulburn area land rovers

[LRO53]

Hello All,

Thought i might post up here as i've been researching the missing engine from my 48 LR R860855. The vehicle spent it's life in the Goulburn area and was found in the area around 1988-1995.

The vehicle is orgional apart from the missing 1948 side plate block and head. It still has it's complete 48 Early Flywheel, Flywheel housing, Dynamo, Dizzy and carb.

The engine in it's place is a 1954 2.0L engine. I have since had the engine traced to a vehicle

1954 86" 47600074 that was allocated to Claude Smith and Sons (Coffs Harbour) on the 24/11/1953

Writing to the RTA giving them the engine number i managed to get infomation that the vehicle was.


1955 Land Rover Green in Colour - GTS 938 - Rego Cancelled 17-March 1984


Now here are few facts about this engine.


Reconditioned in 1958 by a South Australian Firm Angas Engineering
Hole in side of block (Threw a rod at one point of it's life with Rods being numbered 1 3 3 4)
1948 dated Half Pennys as core plugs exhaust manifold side
Whole engine painted in white
Broken Corner of Head
Chunk missing out of side of block
Sump beaten to death!

Here's a few known details about the vehicle


Worked on the Estate of A.A Dalglish Feb 1949 - 1954/1958
Worked on the Estate of J.E HUNT of GOULBURN Unknown - Unknown
Found close by to Goulburn airport on a large acreage / farm 1988-1996
Rear of Vehicle painted in same white paint as engine
Passenger and Drivers doors off late 1950-51 as is tailgate
At the Local Dealers stand at the Royal Goulburn Show 1949 (I've looked everywhere for pictures)

Is there anyone in the Goulburn area that can recall any series one collectors or possibly people in the past known land rover dealers?

There is alot of facts about this vehicle that if someone knew it would not forget.

The 86" Vehicle 47600074 - Had a hard life has the engine and sump suggests. The gearbox crossmember and bell housing crossmembers on 855 are mint with no damage or very very little. Which suggests this engine was put in purily to keep 855 on the road for little cost as possible. At the time. It was a good converstion with all the correct 1948 bits being retained.

If anyone has access to NSW rego number sequences and could tell me when the GTS sequence was issued that would be a great help.

I only have the sequences up until 1951.

Anyways Enjoy the read ! I may never solve this one but there is no harm in trying.

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5682/img0001hvn.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3058/img0002xl.jpg

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/9739/img0004yc.jpg

[101RRS]

If anyone has access to NSW rego number sequences and could tell me when the GTS sequence was issued that would be a great help.

My Dads 69 Valiant's number started with A, my 1971 Morris started with B, my Galant bought new in October 1974 started HDD so i guess GTS would likely be in 1973.

Garry

[LRO53]

My Dads 69 Valiant's number started with A, my 1971 Morris started with B, my Galant bought new in October 1974 started HDD so i guess GTS would likely be in 1973.

Garry

As per 1951 it starts at A as the wiki article suggests with


1951 OX725 - ADH ###

The nasty Yellow plates started 1952. Your dads Valiant being a reissue of the earlier 50s series. On a side note what model was your dads valiant?


From Wiki... I answered my own question but your post confirms it.


From 1951, plates were 3 characters and three numbers (as per the Federal scheme): AAA-000 to FZZ-999, issued on a yellow background with black lettering, with "NSW" insert on the top of the plate. From 1968, cancelled numbers in that range were reissued, but this did not last long, so the Department of Motor Transport DMT (now RTA) needed to fill in unissued plates containing I and Q on the 2nd and 3rd letter characters (e.g.: AIA-123, AMQ-123).
By 1972, NSW had reached the limit imposed by the Federal scheme: a new series started at GAA-000 and ran to ZLF-999 in July 2004. The "NSW" insert was struck from the top of the plate to be replaced by a state-personalised branding (or slogan) during this time.

[101RRS]

The nasty Yellow plates started 1952. Your dads Valiant being a reissue of the earlier 50s series. On a side note what model was your dads valiant?

VF Regal 160HP. You are correct about the reissue of number plates - the VF started with A - the previous 160Hp 68 VE we had started with EUV and the previous 145Hp AP6 started with DYE

Garry

[Bigbjorn]

Around 1965-66 a workmate bought a new Morris and quite by chance got plates with his initials EAG. Around 1970 another colleague went to get replacement plates following accident damage. At Rosebery then they just issued replacement plates from a stack of surrendered plates behind the counter. Again, quite by chance, he was handed EEH-179. Wasn't he chuffed.