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MG MGB Technical - how to identify the age of a roadster

ive been offered to by a 1964 mg roadster that's not seen the light of day for over 40 years.

the problem is ive phoned up the dvla and they have no record of the car, so i would have to reregister it.
i have the reg number but the chassie plate is missing.

the dvla have told me i need to prove the age of the the car so how can i prove its a 64 car?
s truman

It will be a narrow transmission tunnel car. Should also have banjo rear axle, and 18GB engine
Stan Best

i know the cars the genuine age but i need to prove this to the dvla so i can get a age related plate for it.
i dont think the lady in the dvla is going to know what a narrow tunnel or banjo axles are lol
s truman

There seems to be a disconnect here. Stan has provided some of the characteristics which would be found on a 1964 roadster. Your response was, " know the cars the genuine age but i need to prove this to the dvla so i can get a age related plate for it". From this statement, you seem be asking us what your DVLA people would need to make an age determination of the prospective vehicle. That being the case, you need to ask the DVLA people what they consider acceptable proof of age, not us. We can provide some guidance, which you have dismissed in Stan's case, but only the DVLA can tell you what they want as an acceptable form of proof. When you know what they want, then would be the time to come back here and ask for help in obtaining the required proof(s).

Les
Les Bengtson

yes i see what you and Stan are getting at, what they asked (dvla) me was some kind of paper work to prove the age of the car.

to register it i will have a valid mot and this paper work.

imagine going through all that work of rebuilding the car and not being able to get it on the road.

so i ideally i need to have it in righting before i start building the car.
s truman

Okay, now we have a little information to work with. You need a piece of paper giving some idea of the age of the vehicle. Will a book do? If so, Clausager's "Original MGB" might be worth looking at. Probably the most indepth book on MGBs available, it should allow a governmental agency to make a determination as to the probable period of manufacture. (I have used this with our state inspection agency and they accepted the statements made about a car based on Clausager's book.)

If a book is not acceptable, and you do not have the plate showing the car number, you are left with trying to research the body number, engine number, etc. to try and produce some form of proof of age. The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust has all of the records available for MGs and other vintage British cars. Contacting them, preferably in person, would allow you and they to discuss what assistance they might be able to provide in your search and how to focus your research.

I agree with your that, if one is to invest time, money, and labor into an automobile, one should have a clear ownership document before beginning to do so.

Les
Les Bengtson

Would the DVLA accept a signed letter from the MG Car Club or Owners Club verifying that the vehicle is of that age? Certainly BMIH Trust is well worth a call as Les has suggested.
Mike Howlett

A lot of the parts are date stamped.
First if its a 64 it will be pull handle doors, so it has to be made before 65.
The wiper motor,door locks and boot lock(not the chrome external section but the mechanism in the doors and boot lid),dash switches,headlamp foot switch will all be stamped something like 3/64 meaning march 64.
This is presuming that these havent been changed but all of them to be changed would be very unusual.
It will not have reverse lights in the rear unless the rear wings have been replaced.

Ste
Ste Brown

I have had my 1963 MGB since 1968.

Early MGB bodies brought to Australia had the car number additionally stamped at the front/top of the left side chassis leg and also on top of the left side bulkhead where the windscreen washer bottle was originally mounted.

I assume the numbers are not replicated anywhere on the UK models.
Ian Buckley

Look on the inner wing panel and on the bonnet slam panel - there SHOULD be additional plates with a number prefixed MGB and one without prefix - the one without prefix is the body number and will be listed in the factory production records - give as much information as you can to the BH Museum at Gaydon and you may be able to get a Heritage certificate for the car which DVLA will accept.
Chris at Octarine Services

Hi S

As Ian said, there should be a number stamped on top of the left side bulkhead where the windscreen washer bottle is.

As you are in the UK this web page gives body numbers and year of manufacture.

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/MGB/mgbchassis.html

Maybe this is sufficient for the dvla.

Herb
H J Adler

According to Clausager, and much as Chris says, early cars whilst not having a commission number plate similar to the chassis number plate did have two body number tags, one screwed and one welded, the latter at least being painted body colour. BMIHT should be able to comment on the welded one without the MGB prefix, and other sources such as clubs and repairers with access to similarly early cars may at least be able to show the other number ties in. If these numbers like the chassis number plate are unavailable then it remains suspect, no matter what mechanical components may say as to age, as they could have come from any number of other vehicles.

The list Herb makes reference to is of *chassis* or car numbers which the original poster doesn't have, not body numbers which hopefully he does. And according to Clausager the UK didn't get the number stamped into the body until very late in production, and although the US and possibly Canada are supposed to have had them from very early on I don't think I have ever come across an American owner who has found one. Speculation at one point was that when Clausager referred to "inside the front right-hand side-member in the engine compartment" it must have meant actually inside the box-section, which would be impossible, not to say ridiculous. Australian cars being 'completely knocked down' into kits for local assembly differed in a number of respects from cars assembled at Abingdon for other markets.
Paul Hunt

You will not find a welded on body number anywhere on an early car,nothing was on the slam panel at all,the only body number was the mgb number on the plate directly between the air filters on the inner wing.
I think the dvla are asking for a heritage certifacate as the paper work.
the heritage cert will only give you a limited amount of info as the early car numbers for the axle and the gearbox were not marked down on the records.
If like you say its been stood for 40yrs it could only have been on the road for 5 years max so most parts will be original so if it has no chassis,body or engine number to go by then it will have to be by the date stamp method.
If a cars parts are all say 3/64, the car was that month and year,not a mix of other cars due to them been month stamped.
Check also the glass as its marked up as well with dots under and over the triplex stamps.
Ste Brown

ok thanks guys there's lots of imfo i can start out with there.
been up to have an anther look at the car today, cant find ad other numbers or tags.

the car its self is in a very sorry state plenty of rust it looks to have been used as a supply of parts at some point in its life

has wires fitted not been able to look underneath it yet as all four tyres are flat and the brakes are locked on so haven't been able to move it or get under it.
s truman

On my february ´63 MGB there is a spot welded plate with the body number without prefix on the inner wing, but on the opposite side of the air filters. It is probably hidden by the wiring loom, and is of course painted body colour. I got the correct chassis number for my car from BMIH based on this plate, but you have to give them some idea what months the car was probably built, as I understand it is quite a job going through the records looking for a body number.

Tore
Tore

Tore
on my 63 there was no welded plate which was a one owner from new car,but overseas cars may have had it on but i have not seen it on any of the cars ive viewed in the uk.
this is the only body number on my car.


Ste Brown

I appreciate that the early Australian cars were numbered differently, but I just thought I would add this in case it helps someone and for the archives.

Plus I happen to have the original id plate for my car handy.

I photographed where the 'car no.' is stamped when I was repainting the car a few years ago. You probably won't be able to read the numbers from the photograph, but you can see the locations.

My Car No. as stamped on the id plate is 31949 1262

The 1262 is stamped on the bulkhead near where the pedal opening is for a left hand drive car. (of course my car is RHD)

The 31949 is stamped on the top of the left front chassis leg.

The engine number was 18GAUH1411.

In the photo ignore where I have changed the radiator mounts to install the V8, it is a 1963 car.


Ian Buckley

All early cars had the spot welded plate on the right hand inner wing - as Tore notes. You don't say whether the engine number is still there?
Chris at Octarine Services

If your saying all had the welded number on the body,where was itas mine did not have it and i stripped the car completely ,why would they then put another plate on the other side thats riveted/screwed on as it makes no sense.
my body number was incorrect on the car to the records as they stamped it as a 6 instead of a 9.
Ste Brown

I think the welded plate went on when the body was built at Pressed Steel and this number was recorded in the Abingdon factory build records. I have no idea at what stage the rivetted "MGB" number tag was added, but as it is painted body colour it must have gone on before the body arrived at Abingdon. Chassis numbers were allocated in blocks and which number went on which car was quite random. So the order in which they came off the line was not sequential in chassis number.

Early cars had the welded plate on the right hand inner wing, the riveted plate on the left hand inner wing.
Later cars had the riveted plate on the LH inner wing in front of the rad panel and the welded plate on the slam panel in a recess near the safety latch.

Why they had all these numbers - and the commission number - is unclear to me! It is quite possible that there are cars that left the factory without one or more of these plates - it was BMC, after all!
Chris at Octarine Services

It seems that MkII roadster bodies built at Coventry could have *four* tags, as they still had the two 'body numbers) plus the Commission number used from the start of MkII production. I can understand three of them up to a point as the bodies were shipped between three separate plants (body assembly, paint and trim, final assembly). The spot-welded and painted one would almost certainly have been applied at the first, the screwed alloy tag at either the first (would have been painted) or the second (could have been painted or unpainted) and the chassis number at Abingdon. The commission number plate may have been inteded to replace the second 'body number' tag, but once people get into a habitual way of doing things, and there is a supply of tags, they will keep fitting them!
Paul Hunt

I know there was also a plate under the rear seat left side on my 67 GT. It was painted over, but I believe it also had vin and other numbers. Not sure if there is one in the same location of the roadster.
Bruce-C

Just to answer the question from Chris. There was no plate welded on my car anywhere except the Pressed Steel plate by the battery cover.

My engine number was stamped on the block and not rivetted.
Ian Buckley

Ian
Mine was the same no plate other than the big plate on the left hand side by the battery box.
Please can someone tell me the exact position of the welded plate.
The other thing is are people getting mixed up with the pull handle MK1 and the push button MK1 shells.
As Chris says some could have got through without the plate but in all the pull handle ones ive seen i have never come across one but then again i would not be looking for one unless it is quiet blatent.
I know the new heritage shells have 2 chassis plates welded to the body.

Ste
s p brown

Hi
I have added two images taken today of my 65 B Roadster that I have owned since 1984. Original bodyshell.

The picture ending 09 shows a view across the engine to the body number plate welded to the inner wing on the drivers side (RHD car) just behind the radiator. You will also see part of the top hose and the Kenlow fan control. This plate is normally hidden by the wiring loom - I have pulled down to reveal the plate for the picture. THIS is the body number in the BMIHT records. All early bodies had this plate. The only reason for it not to be there is because the inner wing panel has been changed at some time - the plate never gets transferred.

The picture ending 10 (see second entry on subject) shows the plate on the nearside often screwed in as in this case, with a MGB prefix. When I obtained a Hertitage Certificate for my car back in 1987 I had a long correspondance with Clausger over the correct number as I thought then the MGB prefix number was the body number. Wrong. The body number is the one in picture 09. No one really knows even today whatthe realorgin of the MGB number is or what it means. It is not recorded in the records.

There are two other plates on my car's body.

One found on the driver's side on the inner wing in front of the radiator which gives the chassis number GNH3/6xxxxx. The other found by the battery boxes is the Pressed Steel plate giving details of the patents used when manufacturing bodies but no individual body detail.

Without either the correct body number or chassis number is it impossible to date the body from BMOHT records and thus satisfy the DVLA.

George


G R Wilder

Second picture attached could not both together

George


G R Wilder

"No one really knows even today whatthe realorgin of the MGB number is or what it means. It is not recorded in the records."

For early cars.

According to Clausager from 1969 roadster only had the MGB number, recorded by Abingdon, until 1972 at least.
P Hunt

Paul
Quite correct in your statement for 69 to 72 cars,
my notes only apply to early cars. As Mr Trueman is trying to "date" a 64 car the notes should be applicable.
George
G R Wilder

George
Is your car a pull or push utton handle model as its on the cross over with that number?
Is it not possible that the welded tag was put on when BMC bought pressed steel in 65 but not on before then.
I got my car from the original owner who bought it in 63 and it had not had a single panel,he just parked it on the drive and got a new car.
that tag is blatant and i would have seen on of those on the cars ive inspected.
When i was buying my car i rung up about the chassis number to heritage as it was stamped with an L meaning it was a usa car but he told me it was a miss stamp just like the mgb number as he told me that the 6 was a tartan car and the 9 was a green car so that was a miss stamp as well.
He never asked me for any other number as that mgb number was the body number for my car.
I also notice on georges car that both the tags have different numbers for some reason.

Ste
Ste brown

Ste
My car was started on the line on the 30th of April 1965 - a Friday - and finished on the 3rd of May. Stood there half completed over the weekend. So much for Friday cars this one has survived. This was before BMC took over Pressed Steel.

According to the records the first push button handle handle car was body (note not chassis number)57989 in April 65. My car is body number 60217 with push button door handles. That is the number on the welded on tag and tallies with the records for my chassis number.

I will comment that this tag is usually well hidden behind the main wiring harness and in fact I could not find it until Clasager suggested I look else where - see extract from his letter below - and is usually well painted over too.

How observent of you to note the two different numbers. According to Clausager the unprefixed numbers ie the one on the welded on tag which is the recorded body number, started at 1. The prefixed numbers started at 101.

In his letter to me dated June 87 Clausager states " The number prefixed MGB found on many Mk 1 mgb roadster shells is not the body number recorded in the records. By careful examination of the bodyshell you are likely to find another tag with the number 60217 stamped on it possibly preceeded with another three letter prefix. - While we do not know exactly what the MGB number indicates, it is likely to refer to the bodyshell, and I believe that they may even be referred to as the "body number " in the Service Parts List for the model. These MGB prefixed numbers are not recorded in the records."

The MGB numbers could have been fitted at Pressed Steel in Swindon where the main pressing and intial sub-assembly took place or at Morris Bodies in Coventry where the parts were completed into bodies,painted and basically trimmed with windscreen, hood etc before transport to Abingdon.

In early cars I have seen, which have not be repaired, the tag can usually be found.

None of this explains why your car does not appear to have a body number tag in the normal place. Do you have a Heritage Cert for its chassis number? Does that give a body number? Is that the same as on your tag? Could it be elsewhere?
George
G R Wilder

George
Heres where the difference could be as most people have the push button shells but the 64 one and mine and Ians are all pull handle cars so may be different?
I have a heritage cert which was taken off of the chassis and the MGB body number and i was given my car from them two numbers only and not asked for any other tag number.
My cars are fully stripped and it would be impossible to not see that tag so maybe pull handle cars didnt have the tag or a few had it missing so the records just took the MGB number instead.
All good fun this is and prob never get a correct answer.

Ste
Ste brown

Ste
I will ask Don Hayer when I next see him to see if he can throw any light on the subject.

When you next look at your shell(s) have a good look at the offside inner wing just behind the radiator mounting to see if there any signs of spot welding - it could have just fallen off.

I think Ian's car in Australia is a red herring as body kits were sent out to be built there which may well not of received any number from Pressed Steel.

As you see from my body numbers there is quite a difference between the two - does this order of diffence explain the difference btween the MGB XXXXX number on your car and the Heritage Certificatenumber originally given?

There could be many reasons for this difference. Some bodies were not built into cars but used for test and others may have been damaged beyond repair in production and transit.

By the way the push button production did not start until April 65 so there are pull door handle 65 cars out here - and some with 10 gallon tanks and a few with 12 gallon tanks.

George
G R Wilder

George

My shell had no tag there and never did as it would have left a square paintless patch as it will have been attatched before it was painted.

Thats the reason why i asked you if yours was push or pull as it was the cross over year,if you also look at the 65 pull handle doors you will see that the door shell had been changed to acceptthe quarterlights with the front foot.

Your car is over 44000 cars different i body number so who knows what went on in 2 years.

I have judged concours for over 10 years at the northern national mg shows and others so i would have noticed if i saw a plate like that before as the loom is not wide enough to hid it.
Surely there must be owners out there that can take a pic of the plate attached to a pull handle car.

Ste
Ste brown

My ´63 is of course a pull handle. The body number tag I mentioned is exactly like the one in George´s first picture, but if I remember correctly it is placed a bit higher. As he says it is normally hidden by the wiring loom.

When I found the body number I estimated that the chassis number must be two or three hundred higher or lower, and based on Clausager´s "Original MGB" I told BMIHT they should look in the records for February and March ´63. It worked, the body number on my car is 6904, and the chassis number is 7256. Reasonably close.

Some other things indicate that my car is quite early. Like only two grease nipples in the front suspension, "jan 63" cast into the original cylinder head and a chrome finisher on the inside of the instrument hood. Also the original colour is stated as Tartan Red in the BMIHT certificate, and this is obviously right.

The car was despatched for USA on 26th March 1963, but of course no one knew that at the early stage when the body was built, so it should make no difference. For some probably suspect reason every other identification had been removed from my car, so I was happy to find this plate.

I will try to persuade myself to go out in the cold to take a picture of it.

Tore
Tore

Ste

In my village in North Essex is a largely unmolested but very untidy 63 B. I know the owner so will take my camera at the weekend and have look around for tags welded and screwed and any other plates. I will move the harness as my body number tag is very difficult to see with the harness in its natural position.

If Clausager is correct and the factory did not record the MGBxxxxx numbers but another number for body identification in the production records I wonder where it is on the body?

There are a number of early Bs in the MGB Register - I will pose the same question to them via their forum.

Mine is only the third one I have had in 27 years of continous MGB ownership the other two being early ones a 63 and 64 but long gone (more tan 25 years ago) so I cannot refer to them.

George
G R Wilder

Here is the tag on my car. In exactly the same place as the one on George´s car. I removed the green paint to make it possible to read the number.

Tore


Tore

Closer


Tore

Tore
Thanks for the confirming pictures. John Watson reports that his Nov 64 B - the Iris Blue that always appears in aricles/books etc (mainly because John lives near Abingdon and is a very very keen enthusiast) has both tags.
I note too thatyours is a very early car which helps to establish that these tags were fitted from new.
George
G R Wilder

Well it looks like you say that mine and a few others didnt have it on either it come off before spraying or it just wasnt there and that is why i have never seen one as i wouldnt look for one no matter how keen an eye.
Tore
does your tag match the mgb tag or dont you have one due to all the plates been missing when you got it and heritage not listing the mgb number on the records.

As you can see in my pic i would have noticed it as i was taking reference pictures.

My car even though it was an aug 63 still had the grease nipples missing and it had a chrome surround and had a 7 blade fan on,but people say that they fit what ever was to hand and sometimes odd bits were at the bottom of bins.
Must admit the 7 blade fan kept my car cooler than the 3 blade one and was quieter.

Ste


Ste brown

Ste,

As you say the MGB tag is missing on my car, only two holes where it once was. Obviously deliberately removed. Guess the other tag was overlooked!

Tore
Tore

My new race car project is using a push button narrow tunnel shell, which is pretty much original, suprisingly!
This has no sign of the welded tag, but has the MGB plate, and the Pressed Steel Fisher plate by the battery cover.
Also no chassis number!

Colin
Colin Parkinson

Tore
On one of my early cars, I think the 64 one, I removed the MGB tag and left the screw holes. Innocent then, but I did not take off the welded tag -sold it on without the MGB tag.

Colin
Will you need toprove its age for FIA spec racing etc?
George
G R Wilder

Colin

My '67 narrow-tunnel car has the body number plate welded to the very fron edge of the RH inner wing, immediately behind the grille.

You might try looking there.


Dave O'Neill 2

Now the Tags moving,But its showing that nearly all cars had the tag somewhere on the inner right had wing.
Dave does your number match the MGB plate number?.

Ste
Ste brown

According to Clausager the MGB tag was originally screwed to the inner wing *behind* the radiator panel on the carb side, the welded tag was in a similar position on the alternator side. On Mk2 cars the MGB tag moved to in front of the radiator panel. Looking for an unpainted patch would only be relevant on unpainted cars ...
P Hunt

George, for FIA it does not have to be pull handle, so basically any narrow tunnel shell can be used. You do not have to prove it's actual age. So mine is a 1965, with push button doors, 12 gallon tank. At least I think it is 1965!!!
We are doing an old 911, and we can build it as a 911 S E or T, as long as it has all the correct bits for that model. You just have to tell the FIA scrutineer what model it is built as to get an HTTP. If you want the full FIA papers, then it must have proven period race history, and then you must also prove it's age.

Dave, I will have another look, but I do not think it is there either!

CP
Colin Parkinson

Ste

No, it doesn't match the MGB number.
The MGB number on mine is riveted to the LH inner wing, in front of the radiator panel. The chassis plate is in the same position on the RH inner wing.
Dave O'Neill 2

There is a dicast plate behind the wiper motor and on that plate will be stamped the made by date for the car. Its not dead accurate for kit cars like Australian assembly as the date for them is the kitted date and not the assembly. On my MK11 the date is 10 /68 but the car was not put together until 7/69. Denis
Denis4

References to left and right are confusing, it all depends on your point of view. Clausager says "when looking in the engine", but unless you say that (or the alternative) every time it could be either side, which is why I've used carb or alternator side.

And the two body numbers *were* different, which is why Clausager says the factory only recorded one of them!
P Hunt

Colin
I too have 65 narrow tunnel push button door handles 12 gallon tank (definately according to all sources)intresting to know the FIA needs.

I have today been to see the 63 roadster which lives in my village registered June 63. It has both body number tags. Using Paul's method of describing which side to look at (or a simple variation upon)on the dynamo side is the welded on tag in the photo below and on the carb side is the MGBXXXXX tag screwed in place. Exactly the same as my 65 roadster and the pictures added earlier in this tread.

The welded tag appears to have a small spot weld at each end of the tag on all the examples I have seen - not just the two mentioned in this thread - as I have on several occasions now had to point out the body number to those who had just acquired a Heritage Cert and found the body number did not match the MGBXXXXX number.

One can only think that those early shells without welded tags lost them because of repairs, because they fell off because of poor spot welding or because they were removed for some reason.

Picture of 63 welded tag - the owner holding the torch did not know it existed but kindly scraped away the old paint that has been plastered over the engine bay in the past. The car is awaiting a rebuild.
George

PS What is the longest thread on this BB?


G R Wilder

George, and everyone, I have had a look again, and will take pics when I remember my camera. The welded tag is found!!

It is on the alternator side at the front of the inner wing, right on the edge, between the 2 bolt holes, and runs vertical.
For info it is 90533 and the MGB number is MGB 091079.

So what does that tell us ??

CP
Colin Parkinson

Colin
90533 will be the body number recorded by Abingdon and in the reoords at Gaydon.
From experience the body number is always similar but not the same chassis or car number. As the 1966 roadster production started with no 79362 your shell will almost certainly be a 1966 build. The MGB nummber tells us nothing as we do not know their orgin neither are they recorded.
George
G R Wilder

Colin
It tells us your car is more likely a 67 as george is april 65 with 60000 number and yours is 91000.

Paul the tag will be on before it was sprayed so if it fell off there would be some kind of squarish patch there so more likely it wasnt there to start with.
I only give my mgb number for the heritage cert so if ss george says they didnt record the mgb number on the records my car must NOT have had the tag at the factory for the number itnthe records on my car to be the mgb number,They must have put this number down on the records as no other number was there to record.

Ste
Ste brown

Hi Colin

Using the table at the website I previously posted, I found that your car falls in the 1966 range. First car made in 66 was 79362 and first car in 67 was 111418, so interpolating yours would be April 66.

Herb
H J Adler

Herb

I think you are confusing body number with chassis number. My March '67 car has body number 99***, whereas the chassis number is 1*****
Dave O'Neill 2

"the tag will be on before it was sprayed so if it fell off there would be some kind of squarish patch there"

I meant to write 'on un-repainted cars'. On these you may just be able to see the spot-weld marks by very close examination, but seeing as how even the tags have been missed, and if the spot-welds were so weak the tag simply fell off, then probably not. If the factory recorded your MGB number then it *is* more likely it was never there, rather than having fallen off.
P Hunt

This is the weld tag..................

CP


Colin Parkinson

And this is the MGB tag, rivetted not screws.....................

CP


Colin Parkinson

So all cars had the welded plate and it started to move during production so roughly 62/65 they were behind the radiator on the opposite side to the carbs,then in 66/67 they seem to have moved under the slam panel by the 2 bolt holes.
So where are they on the 68/69 then on the 70/74 models.
We know they went onto the slam panel on the carb side on the rubber bumper models.

Any ideas?
Make a good page for Pauls web site as well.

Ste
Ste brown

I have it in mind Ste, which is why I've been saving the pictures posted by Colin and others :o)

Summary from Clausager, on UK-built cars:

The MGB tag was originally alloy, screwed to the inner wing behind the radiator on the carb side, not recorded by Abingdon, and started from 101.

The unprefixed tag was originally spot-welded to the inner wing behind the radiator on the dynamo side, was recorded by Abingdon, and started from 1.

On Mk2 roadsters the MGB tag moved in front of the radiator.

From 69, roadsters with Swindon/Cowley bodies just had the MGB tag, which was now recorded by Abingdon.

Mk2 roadsters for North America had body tags prefixed MGBU, and those for Germany and Sweden from 69 to 74 were GBSN.

I'm pretty sure my 73 (in a remote garage at the moment) is in the same place as Clausagers 1969 picture i.e. a vertical rivetted MGB tag just in front of the radiator on the carb side.

Rubber bumper cars had the body number on the slam panel.

GTs, MGCs, V8s were different, and Australian kit-built cars were *very* different.
P Hunt

Looks like Clausager is wrong on when he indicates the MGB number only moved to in front of the radiator with Mk2 cars. Both Dave and Colin have narrow tunnel i.e. Mk1 cars with it in front, and the unprefixed tag moved as well. *By* Mk2 maybe, not *at* Mk2. George's dates to Apr 65, Colin's to May 66, so it moved between those two dates. GT production started in Sep 65, could it have been then? Any UK-built roadsters close to chassis number 72000 like to chip in?
P Hunt

Stu Brown (So where are they on the 68/69 then on the 70/74 models), i have checked on mine, which is a 1969 , but a GHN5 car, and is as the day it left the factory,as it has never been touched, my body number is in the same place as the one on Dave O Neills 67 narrow tunnel car. A.T
andy tilney

is it possible to get a v5 with just the commission number?
s truman

Paul

Ive just had my 68 MGC sandblasted today and the body number is in the same place as the 67 cars so i will take a pic for your records.

S truman- the 64 would not have a commision plate and the dvla wouldnt give a logbook out on that alone.

Ste
Ste brown

Ste
Your car.
You said at he beginning of this thread that you know the registration number of the your 64 car but DVLA do not know of it.

Have you checked to see if the registration record for the car still exists with either the the original registration county records office or the Kithead Trust. From these old records one can trace the chassis number. I had a friend do it this way round for a MGA.
If you are not sure let me have the registration letters (XXX leters are all that are needed intially) and I will research if the records still exist - if so I can guide the rest of the way having done this myself for a motorcycle.
It is a pity you cannot find the body number because armed with this you could search the production records at Gaydon - they generally only search by chassis number for Heritage Certs.

George
G R Wilder

paul, ive deside to give up the 64 at the moment.

George there,s a shell on ebay with no i,d just the commission number.
s truman

I always thought that OZ assembled MGBs only had the alloy plate for Body No. Paint etc in front of the radiator baffle. Today while removing the air box from the carby (the engine is supercharged so the carb is at the rear) I find a very well stamped number on the top of the footwell. The number is the same as the alloy plate.


Denis4

And the alloy plate


Denis4

Denis

The stamped number on top of your left side footwell (bulkhead) you refer to on your Australian car is the same location I refer to in my contribution on 22 November above.

I also included a photo of my stamped on number.

What year is your car?
Ian Buckley

"there,s a shell on ebay with no i,d just the commission number"

No problem with that, it would take the chassis number (ID) of the 'donor' where all the mechanicals came from. There are DVLA rules, though, on how much of the original has to be present to retain the original identity, but no-one would be any the wiser if the original shell of the donor was verified destroyed, and it would be wise to move all the tags across.
P Hunt

but what i was asking would it be possible to get a v5 from the dvla with just the commission number?
s truman

No, they have no record of that. If you had a donor of at least two major mechanical components you would use the ID of that and keep its registration. If you were building up a 'bitsa' i.e. a car with a body and mechanical bits from all over the place it would have to pass an IVA or SVA, be registered as a kit-car and have a Q-plate. Don't know what would happen as far as a chassis number goes in that case. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/DG_10014246
P Hunt

Ian Its a 10/68 build, first registered 7/69
Denis
Denis4

Denis

I thought the Australian numbering system was only for the first few years. It is interesting to know that it appears to have continued into Mk II.

Ian
Ian Buckley

Hi- EZ to tell the age- the newer the cheaper. I got a stock, running 1980 Roadster for $600, 7 years ago. Oh yes, the higher the ID # the older that baby.....VEM
vem myers

This thread was discussed between 21/11/2009 and 22/12/2009

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