At 09:33 PM 6/27/2000 -0400, Jack Levy wrote:
>I've recently purchased a 57 MGA and I'm trying to find the chassis number
described in Malcom Green's MGA Restoration Guide see a picture of my
chassis plate
http://www.driveableclassics.com/images/mvc-181s.jpg
the engine number is 15GBUH40119 which corresponds with the year but I
would like to know what the original color was. Am I looking at the wrong
plate?
The plate in your picture is found on the heater shelf and is used to
display the Car Number and Engine Number. I'm not the #1 authority on
this, however, it is my understanding that the MGA 1500 series had the
complete car number and complete engine number stamped on this plate. You
can view an example of this here:
http://www.driveableclassics.com/images/mvc-181s.jpg
This is the original plate from my 1958 MGA 1500. I have had four MGA 1500
over the years, 1956, 1958, 1957, and another 1958, all with original
number plates attached, and they were all in this format.
The CAR No. is HDT43/36897.
H = MGA
D = 2-seater (body configuration)
T = Light Green (body color)
4 = North American Market
3 = Cellulose Paint
36897 = Serial Number of car (commonly refered to as the Chassis Number)
The Engine No. is 15GB/U/H/27054
15 = 1500 engine (1489cc)
G = MG
B = B-series engine (1500 series)
U = Center Gear Change (shifter on top of gearbox)
H = High Compression (all American market cars)
27054 = serial number of engine
The chassis number may also be found stamped on the top or side of the
frame member just ahead of the seat on the right side of the tunnel (maybe).
The body number is generally found an a plate riveted to the vertical
bulkhead above the heater shelf between the fuse block and the right side
bonnet hinge. In my case this is 47302.
My best guess in your case is that there is something amiss with your
number plate, as the note "SEE ENGINE" for the engine number wasn't used
until the start of production of the MGA 1600 model in May of 1959 (or
maybe just a little earlier). When I see this on a 1500 I immediately
suspect that there has been an engine transplant, and that there was a
different number plate stamped at that time.
Another suspect feature comes from your number itself, 18896. If that was
really the serial number of the car it would be early to mid 1956
production, as production started in August 1955 with car number 10101, and
average production rate of the 1500 model over 45 months was about 1300
cars per month (maybe a little slower in the early months of production).
This in itself does not preclude the possibility that it may have been
originaly sold to the first owner of title several months later and have
been first titled in 1957 (but it is my understanding that they generally
did not sit in stock that long during that period, exceptions excepted).
Also your engine number, 15GBUH40119, is in a number range to be a late
1958 MGA ngine number. However, I am happy to defer to anyone with a more
definitive answer to the production period of these numbers.
End of speculation. Next?
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://www.ntsource.com/~barneymg
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