Birdcage conundrum

[henk4]

This is for the specialists...

A regular visitor of the Monterey Historics is the yellow Tipo61 Birdcage Chassis #2467 and engine #2467.
I have seen the car in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In 2006 there was a red T61, #chassis #2473, and engine #2467....
It has been the only year that I saw 2473...

All this according to the standard plates fitted to the dash.

Any suggestions?

[henk4]

what I did find out though is that the last T61 made, carries number 2472 (the car now in the Panini museum, which I saw in April). So a number 2473 is already suspect by itself.

here are the two plates

[henk4]

let's add some more confusion....

[cmcpokey]

it looks like all of the plates other than the last one you posted aren't original. so maybe there were some errors when the plates were reproduced.

[henk4]

it looks like all of the plates other than the last one you posted aren't original. so maybe there were some errors when the plates were reproduced.

probably none of the plates is original, and swapping engines was not uncommon. However two engines with the same number should be easily spotted. I would assume that all Birdcages are somehow properly documented.

[cmcpokey]

well maybe this year, if the suspect one is there again, you could pry around in the engine bay and find the serial on the block itself.

[henk4]

well maybe this year, if the suspect one is there again, you could pry around in the engine bay and find the serial on the block itself.

sure, and for a proper understanding we are talking about two different cars in post #3 than the ones in #1 and #2. The cars in post#3 might be at Goodwood later this year....

[cmcpokey]

right.. i followed that.

didn't maserati have some issues with repeating serials as well? or was that ferrari?

[henk4]

right.. i followed that.

didn't maserati have some issues with repeating serials as well? or was that ferrari?

well, if it possible to have two different engines with the same number, then, yes.

[Ferrer]

what I did find out though is that the last T61 made, carries number 2472 (the car now in the Panini museum, which I saw in April). So a number 2473 is already suspect by itself.

The Tipo 61 #2473 is apparently a replica built using original parts.

[henk4]

The Tipo 61 #2473 is apparently a replica built using original parts.

but using an engine that is also fitted in another car.....

[Ferrer]

but using an engine that is also fitted in another car.....

Don't know if that helps or actually makes everything more confusing, but there were actually more Tipo 61 engines than chasis produced. #2475, #2476 and #2477 were only made as engines and not as chasis.

[henk4]

Don't know if that helps or actually makes everything more confusing, but there were actually more Tipo 61 engines than chasis produced. #2475, #2476 and #2477 were only made as engines and not as chasis.

that is quite normal, but on the other hand it is strange to see the number of the same engine in two different cars, and not only once, but twice....