Registration BMA 139

[darcher121]

I understand this registration is currently on a white audi. It was the original registration on my almost finished Austin Seven from 1934.

does anyone have knowledge of this audi? I would love to talk to the owner to see if there would ever be a possibility of getting it back? I fully understand that the current owner has full rights of ownership and that I have none whatsoever! But it would be nice to ask the question. Thanks! David

[cliffcoggin]

The chances of the current owner of that plate reading this forum are almost zero. Have you asked the DVLA if it will pass on your query to him?

[Magnet]

Hello David,

As you say, BMA 139 is currently on a 2019 A5 with probably 50k miles on it now. May have been placed on the car as recent as Feb. of this year, or the car may have changed hands at this time. 
Sorry Cliff, DVLA will no longer pass on correspondence. 
Regrettably David, there is a hard set of economics to contend with here, and buying the number back would probably cost you a significant chunk of the car’s value, and would not be an economic proposition. 

I take it you bought it after the number had been sold, and a previous owner has reaped the benefits. What I would say, with plenty of experience of dealing with cars of this age, is to keep in mind that the value of bread and butter pre war cars is plummeting, mainly due to those who were interested in them having fallen out of the tree and the demand is on its knees.

Ask me how I know!! 

I would be wary of spending too much on this car, since regrettably the (even DIY) outlay is likely to render it uneconomic. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
p.s. BMA 139 would have been registered in Chester around August 1934. 

 

[Magnet]

Any of this any good to you David? 

[darcher121]

Yes this is all useful, and much as I suspected. I have been sent copies of the original registration entry which was indeed Chester. The Austin Seven Ruby I am restoring is extremely original and is the earliest known example still to survive. The money spent will never equate to any future sale price, as is usual for old car restorations these days. A very similar reg is available for £2k and I suspect that if I ever did contact the current owner of BMA139 it would cost at least that or more to purchase.

To have the original reg back on the car would be the icing on the cake but most likely will never happen and I couldn’t afford it if it was ever possible. But I do feel the need to make every effort to at least try to locate it. I did say it was a shot in the dark!

I am very grateful for all the replies and comments. 
 

And I might yet get lucky one day.🤞

 

[Magnet]

Thanks David,

Yes, bad news in some respect, but at least you will appreciate that reuniting the original number is more a dream, rather than an aim, since you state you couldn’t afford it even if were offered to you. - so a pointless quest really-?  
It sounds like you are now fully conversant with the fact that prewar bread-and-butter cars are dropping like stones, so I would repeat - spend as little as possible on it, particular if you could not afford to buy the numberplate if offered. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
p.s. Do you know who supplied the car new in Chester?