What part of the hardtop are these numbers on? Can they be visible with out taking anything apart, or only once you start stripping it?
Mine is LRXFE and was purchased without the hardtop but the hardtop was purchased a year later , maybe the hardtops were on back order I think the O was for special factory options rather than the X designation. The stamped numbers (7668 on mine ) as already mention are on the right hand upright and is covered by the quarter light hinge
The factory chassis coding system distinguished the European export version of the Tiger by using the chassis number suffix LROFE – Export (LHD), Roadster, Standard Specification, Ford Engine. As opposed to LRXFE where the 'X' denotes – non standard specifications ( North America ). The LROFE were called “Alpine 260” as there was a copyright issue in Germany and France with the “Tiger” name.
The same hard top was used starting with the series 3 Alpine and continued to be used until the end of production. There were a couple changes that included changing the size of the button on the quarter windows and the addition of the two tabs to secure the soft top cover straps of series 5 Alpines and MK1A and MK 2 Tigers. No one seems to know what the numbers mean and no one seems to have asked the Archives what they are. Could the number have designated the build sheet that told the color of the top and which car it was intended for or could the number show it to be intended for dealer stock? Tops were painted either black or white unless ordered to match a particular car color such as series 3,4 and 5 GT cars. All tops had a white head liner so that wouldn't have come into play.
All non GT supplied and non special order tops were Black. White tops were not a standard issue option.
The facts are that they were all the same except for a couple changes and they were painted many colors and used on several series of cars. What's your explanation for the numbers stamped on the tops?
Robert what "facts are"?
Think about this old proverb. "He who makes no mistakes has done nothing!
Robert... You must have been super busy
That is my understanding as well. Unless you specifically ordered the hardtop with the car. (from the factory) it would be black. This is clearly stated in the print sales literature I have seen. I have seen three methods of numbering, or identifying the hardtops over the years. Numbering on the bottom center of the pinch weld at the rear window, Have two of these in the shop right now, one marked with letters and not numbered. 2nd type numbered on RH vertical hinge mount for qtr window AND #1 above. 3rd type numbered only on RH qtr window vertical hinge mount. There is no correlation with chassis numbers
I'm very busy! I have a life, family, a couple businesses and many other things going on. Some folks find it hard to understand why I do it.
I'm having a hard time understanding why a series of numbers that are never seen once the windows are installed has become such an issue. Especially since it looks like no one has a clue why these numbers even exist. If folks live in the rust belt then the chance of numbers existing in the metal are next to nothing. Several of us had this conversation as well as a few laughs at the TE/AE get together at Cincinnati this past Saturday.