Help me identify my unit

[ArtLady]

I just bought this vehicle and I'm not sure what
year it is. I have 2 ID serial # from under the hood. Right hand inner fender wall GHN3L/111107
Left hand inner fender MGB096572. Third number
on a metal plate (loose in trunk) HZA 4832 - All
made in UK.
Please help

 

[Steve]

Firstly, welcome to the forum! From the numbers you have quoted, it would appear that you have a vehicle that was made in 1966. The 'G' indicates an MG, the 'H' that its engine is between 1400 and 2000cc,'N' for a two-seater, and the '3' shows that it was a Mk1 model. 1967 production started in January of that year with the number 111418. Since yours is prior to that, in should indicate a build date in 1966.

 

[ArtLady]

Thanks Steve for the welcome and the info. The previous owner thought the car was a 61-63 and that someone changed the motor and put in a 67 engine which you seem to confirm, the number you
are responding on is screwed on right inner fender. The second # is attached with rivets.What are these other #'s. Do you recgonize anything to confirm body year.?? I have push button doors that someone told me didn't come about till 64-65 and
has 14" wire wheels. Does any of this help.

 

[mts3]

I believe that 1966 was the first year for push button door handles. Also, all MGBs had 14" wheels from the factory. Wires were an option for all years. Sounds like Steve's sources are correct.

 

[Steve]

The car itself will be from 1966. The push-button door handles were first introduced in 1965. None of the numbers you quote seem to relate to an engine number. The first number you gave is the car #, or VIN# as it is refered to today.

The engine number should be on the passenger side of the engine, stamped on a plate, riveted to the side of the block just below the spark plugs. That number will tell us when the engine was produced.

The second number you quote is the "body" number. There should be two body numbers, which is typical of the bodies built in Coventry at the time. There should be a commission number stamped on a red-bordered plate which is riveted to the hood lock pate at the fron of the car. This starts with G23N, then the number, followed by the letter 'F'.

I can't find a reference to the HZA 4832 number you gave, so this may not even be connected with this car, especially since you found it loose in the trunk. See if you can find the engine number, it would tell us a lot. Good hunting.

Steve

 

[ArtLady]

Thank you for the info & for heading me in the right direction. Located the # on the block
(1 8GB-U-H 63794) I did not find the hood
number and while looking discovered that the latch
attached to the hood for propping it up is modified (badly), maybe not the original hood.
The discovery process is turning out to be alot of fun. My first parts manual EVER to arrive any day
now.


Total Novice might be a more appropriate name for me rather than ArtLady, but what a great support base out there. thanx

 

[Steve]

Okay the plot thickens! Engine # 18GB-U shows that you have a five-bearing crank in your engine, correct for the year, the 'H' designates the high-compression engine. The rest of the number indicates that your engine was made between 1964 and 1967. It seems to have been made towards the end of that series of engine, and may even be the original engine for your car!

You say that the strut seems to have been modified. Please tell more! a couple of photos would be nice. They did change the hood (bonnet) strut during the production run, but not until later. You should have a steel rod, which clips into a metal bracket on the left side of the car from where you would be standing, looking into the engine bay.

 

[Kim de B]

Welcome to the MG world!

I've also got a 1966 MGB, and am happy to see another female owner on this board. (Assuming that "ArtLady" is an accurate indication of your gender...)

Anyway, I don't believe "commission numbers" came on early Bs. You should just have the car number and an engine number, both of which you've found.

I'm guessing the weird "MGB" number is a club registry number or something, since it begins with MGB. (No car manufacturer would be so obvious in assigning numbers! Gotta use designations like GHN3L . . . )

How big is the plate you found in the trunk? Sounds like a marker plate (license plate) number to me. It's probably not that big (because you'd know if it was a license plate), but maybe it's a reminder tag to put on a key ring or something. Just a wild guess!

Welcome to the club!

Kim de B.

 

[Steve]

The number refixed "MGB" is a body number. According to the "Original MGB" book, bodies produced at Coventry had two body numbers attached, the MGB # being Coventry's own number sequence. This was not recorded in the production logs. Typical BMC logic!

Artlady, your hood should be made of aluminium. If that's the case, then it's original, if it's steel, then it was changed.

 

[ArtLady]

Good news! The hood is aluminum, damage to it repairable. I've got some pictures that I hope to post with the sketchy history of it's last 13 or so years. Part of the history is no keys.(Ignition, Glover Compartment Trunk, Doors) Am I right to assume there will be 2 keys required and that contacting a locksmith is the way to go.

 

[Steve]

Regarding the keys, probably not. It may be more cost-effective to replace all the locks than to pay a highly-skilled and very expensive locksmith by the hour to sort this out for you. I had a whole bunch of keys in the UK, which would get me into and driving any older car. Highly illegal unless you were a police officer, which I was! But I digress.

I seem to remember that the keys for a car of your vintage are the FS or FT series. There wasn't a steering lock fitted, so you are in good shape here. Those nice people at Moss Motors will charge you less than $10 for a new ignition barrell with two keys, $18.95 for an ignition switch which you may not even need, and $62.95 for a master set of two door locks, 1 trunk lid lock, 1 glove box lock, all matched two two new keys. www.mossmotors.com Good luck!

[ 06-06-2002: Message edited by: Steve ]</p>

 

[Kim de B]

I agree with Steve. I don't have any experience taking the door locks out, but the other three (ignition, trunk and glove box) are a cinch to remove and replace. And a lot of people don't bother locking B doors anyway, with the theory that if someone wants something inside the car and the doors are locked, they'll just slash the top.

Sounds like your car has a mysterious past, indeed. Since you don't have an ignition key, I take it this isn't a car you're driving around right now?

 

[ArtLady]

Thank you both very, very much. My Beauty. Rescued 8 days ago today.

I have been made aware of the past 2 owners. The first, purchased and started the restoration with new seats,carpet, bonnets,& bibs. Other than a real cheezy steering wheel (racers) the rest appears to be original. He added mirrors to the fenders & an additional sent of lights in the front, as well as upgrading the motor etc. He has an accident (driver fender-complete) and sells the car. It was driven out to this farm some 12 - 15 years ago and has never run since. I don't think there is much rust damage. It has other bumps & knicks, but seeing beyond those and the fender, just the clean up alone has transformed Her, we spent alot of today together.
Thanx again Paso & Basil.

 

[Basil]

Ok, here is Artlady's MG! paso sent it to me and I placed it on my server:

 

[TFG]

Hi,
Most of the above is correct.

GHN3.
G= MG. - H= Leyland Engine. - N= 2 seater. - 3= type/serial (5 Bearing type 1).

18G and 18GA had three main bearings. Yours has 5.

18GB-U-H.
18= 1800cc. (1798cc). - G= MG. - B= Type. - U = Standard. - H= High Compression (8.8 : 1 and 160lb per sq inch compression pressure).

 

[ArtLady]

Thanks TFG,
I'm not real familiar with engines, but have been
told that the generator in the car is larger than original size and that it is a GM part. I will get more details.