1979-80 Canley built cars

These vehicles have numbers in the VIN system. Each car has a Vehicle Identification Number with an eight character alpha-numeric prefix.

These prefixes (which are also found on Solihull built cars) may be decoded as follows:


1.	Make of car:	T=Triumph
2.	Model range:	P=TR7/8
3.	Specification:	A=UK or Europe
		K=Australia
		V=U.S.A Federal (49 states )
		Z=U.S.A California
		L=Canada
		J=Japan (not certain if used )
4.	Type of body:	E=Coupe
		D=Convertible
5.	Type of engine:	J=2 litre four cylinder
		V=3.5 litre V8 (ie. TR8 )
6.	Steering and Gear box:	3=RHD, Automatic
		4=LHD, Automatic
		7=RHD, Manual
		8=LHD Manual
7.	Major model change:	A=1980 Model Year
		*B=1981 Model Year
		*C=1982 Model Year
8.	Assembly plant:	T=Canley
9.		A=Solihull
		* Note:- Not used on UK Models.

The chassis number series for Canley built cars with VINs, from October 1979 to August 1980 is as follows: 200001 to 215080 (all models mixed in the same series)

Please note however that as mentioned above there were a few cars with numbers from 200001 upwards which still had pre-VIN style prefixes, notably TR8 convertibles type TCV.

Apparently a batch of 1981 model year cars were built from May 80 to June 80 as follows, 402001 to 402026. This fits in with the 1981 Solihull production sequence.

The official BL/Austin Rover figures for Canley production suggest a total production here from 1978 to 1980 of 30054 to 30375 cars.

Solihull cars largely follow the VIN system as set out above, but with a different chassis number series and on later cars, an additional three prefix letters.