This one's got me too. I keep looking ... and it should be getting easier
... but can't find one on my UK spec car.
If I ever do find it, I will post a picture so that everyone knows exactly
where on the car that one should look.
Robert Duquette
Ottawa ON Canada
http://www3.sympatico.ca/robertduquette
RobertDuquette@Sympatico.ca
'65 RHD BRG Sprite
-----Original Message-----
From Gerard Chateauvieux <pixelsmith at gerardsgarage.com>
To: Brad Fornal <toyman@digitex.net>; Wiedemeyer <boxweed@thebest.net>
Cc: Rich Hill <richard.hill@sri.com>; spridgets list
<spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: June 12, 2000 10:51 PM
Subject: Re: My '60 might be a '58!
>I don't know what year this practice began (probably MKIII or IV Sprite)
>but it definately does not exist on the Bugeye. I'm guessing it became an
>issue as part of the Federal standards.
>
>Gerard
>
>At 6:29 PM -0500 6/12/00, Brad Fornal wrote:
>>I looked on the 60 and didn't see it. I looked on the 65 and it is there,
>>right
>>behind the shock on the mounting plate.
>>
>>Wiedemeyer wrote:
>>
>>> Everyone's been talking about the serial # being stamped on the front of
the
>>> right front shock tower (although I've not been able to find it on any
of my
>>> '63s), so you might try looking here for the definitive # for your car.
>>>
>>> Bob
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Rich Hill <richard.hill@sri.com>
>>> To: spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
>>> Date: Monday, June 12, 2000 12:09 PM
>>> Subject: My '60 might be a '58!
>>>
>>> >We were filling out the form for the Heritage certificate last night
for
>>> our
>>> >Bugeye and found some interesting discrepancies on the numbers. There
are
>>> 4
>>> >numbers on the Bugeye body that should be close -- not the same, but at
>>> >least close. Our VIN is AN5L31698 (January 1960) while the numbers on
both
>>> >door posts (and the engine, actually) are in the 27400 range. I had
always
>>> >assumed someone changed the VIN for some reason and our car was really
made
>>> >in late '59 (corresponding to the 27400 range). However, the fourth
>>> number,
>>> >and the only number not held on by screws, is the one stamped into the
body
>>> >on the top of the passenger footwell. On our car, that number is 5180.
>>> >Horler says this was most likely stamped when the body shells were
produced
>>> >and is close to the car number. 5180 and 31698 are obviously nowhere
>>> close!
>>> >5180 would put the date of manufacture at around October '58. This
does
>>> >explain a few things about our car -- the apparent original primrose
yellow
>>> >paint (discontinued early '59), the lack of the big rubber standoffs on
top
>>> >of the inner fenders (added around car number 6000), and the long door
>>> >handles. Turns out the door post numbers (and the VIN of course) are
held
>>> >on by screws and one of them (the right door post) has one phillips and
one
>>> >flathead -- someone's been playing with numbers!
>>> >
>>> >I don't think any serious (i.e., front clip) bodywork has been done on
this
>>> >car. I've looked but haven't found any evidence.
>>> >
>>> >So, is there a definite way of determining if the body is a '58?
>>> >
>>> >How close should the number stamped into the body be to the VIN?
>>> >
>>> >Horler mentions a tooling hole in the rear crossmember added at about
car
>>> >6000 -- what am I looking for there?
>>> >
>>> >The change from 9 stud windshield to 2 was around car 5500 (more or
less).
>>> >Ours has two studs, but any bolt on pieces could have been changed
(hey,
>>> >someone changed the numbers!).
>>> >
>>> >Unfortunately, it looks like most of the early changes (box section
behind
>>> >the seats, etc.) were worked out before car # 5000 so those won't help.
>>> >
>>> >Thanks,
>>> >
>>> >Rich Hill
>>> >'58 AH Sprite (we think -- it was a '60 until yesterday)
>>> >'79 MG Midget (completely sure of that!)
>>> >
>>> >p.s. if it is a '58 now we have one from the first and last year of
>>> >Sprite/Midget production
>
>
>--
>
>G G Gerard Chateauvieux
> E A
> R R pixelsmith@gerardsgarage.com
> A A
> R G Pixelsmith on Duty
> D E
> S http://www.gerardsgarage.com
>
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