At 10:41 5-01-99 -0600, you wrote:
<snip>
Can someone help
>decode them? =20
OK Rich, by now you must have been made aware, from the many responses that
have preceded this one, that there is a Clausager book. And you have been
informed=20
a zillion times about how to order it.
And yes, in my opinion too, it is a great book.
But still, I didn't see an _answer_ to your question.
Let me give a try here, based upon the practical assumption that, if you
need only ONE telephone number, you do't need to order a complete set of=
world
telephone directories...
(and yes, this info is from THE book...)
> Car Number (VIN):
> G H N 5 U E 3 6 6 4 4 3 G
GHN 5 is the model number. MGBs older than late 1969 may have prefix GHN3 or=
=20
GHN 4 since there were two major design changes.
GHD indicates a GT-model, GHN a Roadster.
U means 'special model for USA market' A bit oversimplifying, this means
'emission control, marker lights, special soft U.S. dashboard, Left-Hand
Drive, three wipers instead of two, etc'.
E is Model Year, in this case a 1975 model.
G means 'built in the MG factory at Abingdon'.
366443 is the actual serial number. The Book says Sep 74 - 359169 and
Dec 74 - 367901, so yours must have been built somewhere between.
> Build Date:
> 12/74
Need I say more?
> Commission Number:
> G 2 3 N 1 1 3 9 6 3 Z
G23N indicates, again, a Roadster as opposed to G23D for a GT model.
Z means 'Produced at Cowley', the body only, that is. Older bodies were
produced elsewhere, suffix F or P. Bodies were not made by MG but rather
ordered from a subcontractor, named 'Pressed Steel'.
Clausager does not write it but perhaps the commission number was assigned
before the VIN number had been issued, the VIN number being issued only
after the car had been readily assembled.
> Engine Number:
> 1 8 V 8 3 7 Z - L 1 3 6 8
For this, see another book. L means 'low compression' as=20
required for unleaded. At the time, there was no unleaded available in
Europe so there all engines were still delivered in high compression
version. =20
18 V 837 Z denotes an engine version, (there are many versions, depending=
upon
emission control/ manual or auto gearbox etc.)=20
The 837 indicates =F3verdrive gearbox', a 836 would have been 4-speed.
Two HIF4 carbs, 1974.5 (=3Drubber bumper) North America model.
I don't have more data now at hand.
1368 is the serial number (for this specific version).=20
Engine numbers ranged from 101 to 1504, lasted from Sep 74 to Dec 74,
were combined with car numbers 360301 to 367818.
In clear text this means that your car still has the engine that was
originally supplied with it.
> Mystery Number on the Bonnet Lock Platform (Radiator Header Panel):
> G U 2 3 T 0 0 5 5 9 P (this is next to the commission number).
This is the body number and has probably been painted over, so it has been
on the body before assembly of the car.=20
Clausager does not say it, but my guess is that this served to keep the
many versions apart and also for invoicing from Pressed Steel to M.G. Cars
Ltd.=20
GU23T indicates a North American rubberbumper roadster whereas e.g. GB23T
would have been a RHD model.
>
>I'd also like to know the purpose of the commission number, and the
>purpose / origin of the mystery number....
>
>Thanks!
>
>Rich
You're welcome.
I hope this is of more interest to you.
BTW it is possible to order a birth certificate for your car in Britain,
once you have the VIN number. This gives you very interesting info. I did
this about 10 years ago so my info on how I got one is probably not correct
any more, but undoubtedly someone else on this list can tell you more.
Greetings
Bert
Holland, Europe.
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