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MG MGA - Date of manufacture?

As my A is a 58 I was wondering when to throw a 50th birthday party.

Is there a way to use the chasis number to find out when she was built.

Thanks

Russell
R Egge


Russell,

You can order a certificate from the British Heritage Motor Industry Trust. It cost about $75.

Check out www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

Jeff Bennett

Clausager has a list of chassis numbers and dates in his book. It is mainly to show when minor changes were introduced, but could narrow it down to a month or so. If you don't have his book, post your number and I will look it up. I think the Heritage certificate is the only way to know exactly.
Jeff Schultz

Russell

Tell us the chassis number and someone on this site will give you an idea, certainly to within a month. As the Jeffs point out above, there are ways to find out exactly.

My car is also 1958. This is the detail you can get from the British Heritage Motor Industry Trust: http://www.mgaroadster.co.uk/heritage_certificate.htm

Steve
Steve Gyles

Jeff Schultz - do you know what the number is for the last 1500? I would be curious to know. Thanks
Jeff Bennett

Hope someone can help

VIN HDR4331327


Thanks

Russell
R Egge

That number dates the car to about Nov/Dec 1957. You may have missed its birthday!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
I think you neglected to drop 43 which is the class and paint type. H=MGA, D=2 seat, R=white, 4=North America, 3=celulose paint. The chassis number is 31327 which would put it closer to May of 57. (29935 was April 57 and 40857 was Oct 57)

Clausager's book says that the last 1500 was 68850 in May 59. First 1600 was 68851

Jeff
Jeff Schultz

Some states used to title the car to the year it was first registered. Yours is a 57 that must have hung around till 58 to get sold. Could have been the dealership owner's wife's car.
R J Brown

I recently recieved my British Heritage certificate for my '59, March 7th to be exact. Turns out that my car turned 49 the day before. The certificate also listed the options for my car, but unfortunely not the engine number. I will need to narrow that number down through Clausager's numbers.

John
jjb Backman

Jeff S

Quite right. Basic error on my part. Even worse for Russell's anticipated 50th party than I thought!

Steve
Steve Gyles

To further RJ's statement about registration date, My 1500 was built in Sept of '56 and is registered as a '59. It must have been lonely on that sales lot for 3 years! Maybe a dealer thrashed it around a track for a couple of years and then decided to move on. Maybe they upgraded to a 1600 and then just sold this one?

Someday I may get it corrected, but for now, it just doesn't seem to matter to me.

Chuck
C Schaefer

My '58 1500 coupe, HMT43/53731, was built June 27th - July 3rd, 1958, and shipped to a dealer in the USA in July. So its 50th birthday is in a few months. You can join us if you bring a cake.
Regards, Peter.
P. Tilbury

This thread was discussed between 25/03/2008 and 26/03/2008

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