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MG MGA - TC Engine question

I'm rebuilding a TC, and I'm wondering how many motors the factory made. They built 2111 cars, but did they make more motors.
Thanks,
Don
D.M. Black

Don, That's an interesting question-- Clausager talks about Twin Cam engines getting a no vacuum advance at engine number 2223 and engine number 2251 started the lower domed pistons and a compression ratio of 8.3- 1
All of which begs the question if the engines started with number 1 and went in sequence-- if they did, I guess we could subtract your 2111 number from the 2251 and get at least 140 spare engines.../ gil
gil

Gil,

Fitted Twin Cam engines started at number 101 and we do not know the number of the last engine.
Even we had that final engine number it would not help calculate the number of engines built. The latest engine number fitted as shown in the factory records was 2270. This was not in the last vehicle built, which had a lower number.
The main difficulty is because new spare engines sold by BMC Dealers did not have engine number tags. I had to buy a spare Twin Cam engine from a BMC Dealer in 1964 after a massive blow up. It came fully crated from factory new stock. It had no engine tag fitted.
Also, we don't know if BMC built engines before #101 for stock, during vehicle production, or after ceasing vehicle production. Or possibly all three.

Mick
Mick Anderson

Mick,
Ahhh-- I see the problem.
Thanks--
/ gil
gil

As a further bit of trivia,
There are two engine prefixes.

16G and 16GB, the cutover point to 16GB is thought to coincide with the introduction of the 1600 pushrod engine prefixed 16GA.

The latest reported 16G engine appears to be 1055 and the earliest 16GB appears to be 1020.

So no distinct cutover date or number.

If you have a twin cam engine out there in this range, please email me a photo of the tag number for the registers records.

Cheers <MARK>
Mark Hester

Mark,

This is a very little known point about the engine serial number prefixes. I believe this just came up on the Twin BBS. It seems every single publication on MGA's lists only the 16GB. (even the most recent, "Call IT MGA") I have a 16G and its registered with the Yahoo group.

Paul
Paul Hanley

This thread was discussed between 13/05/2006 and 15/05/2006

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