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MG MGA - Name that engine?? HELP

I just purchased a car that is supposed to be an original 1959 model with it's original 1500 engine. Can anyone verify the car's year model or engine by their numbers? Any help would be greately apprecaiated.

Serial # HDK43/67972
Engine # 15GB-U-H 43444
Danny Thomason

The chassis number 67972 is very near end of 1500 production in April-May 1959. That should have a GD series engine with high starter, and gearbox with flanged output and two-piece prop shaft. The early 1959 car should also have the bump in the right side of the tunnel (in the passenger compartment) to clear the high starter inertia drive.

The 15GB-U-H-43444 engine would be from June-July 1958. Looks like not the original engine. Correct engine for your chassis number would be somewhere around 15GD-U-H-6900 +/-100 or there about.
Barney Gaylord

Thanks Barney. That's what I needed to know. Kinda' suprises my though. This car is SO original and does not show any other signs of ever having been altered. The previous owner had it since the early 70's, and said he bought it from the original owner. Both of them stated that it was the original engine.

Anyway,...thanks again,
Danny
Danny Thomason

Although Barney is technically correct, my car is also from the same period as yours. It too does not have a high starter gearbox, and also has a propshaft with splined output from the gearbox. Maybe they were using up some parts left over from earlier models.
dominic clancy

Danny,

I've got the reverse with a 1958 1500 car with CHASSIS # 52315 but with a 1959 ENGINE # 15GD U H 5262.

To further confuse matters the car is registered under the body number 56171 (fortunately still 1958) and for more confusion it has the early 1956 speedo and tacho (ie from before CHASSIS # 14090).

I see it as all part of the delight of discovering the car's history.

Ken Taylor

My 1959 coupe is also a late production car, number 61479. The engine number is BP15GB-19191, which is a very early 1500 engine. I don't really know the history of the car so I suppose it could not be the original engine. I have the flanged output transmission. Maybe the engine was replaced, but given that there are other examples like this, maybe we're uncovering another piece of MGA history. Any other late 1500 owners out there with early engines?
George
G Goeppner

Well not an MG A. I have an 80 MG B that was built in March of 80. The car has very few miles, 15,000 and the hose clamps are a mis match of various types, the whole car apears to be built of left over parts. I have found that MG and other B.L. names were rather famous for using what ever they had to build the cars. If it was near a change i.e. 1500 to 1600, then they would just use up what every they had on hand. I have seen well documented cars that had chassis and engine numbers that were not even close to each other and yet the engine and chassis had never been touched other than from the factory.
JP Jim

This thread was discussed between 18/05/2008 and 20/05/2008

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