Small identification plate by l/h headlamp.

[supercass]

I wonder if someone could explain to me the significance of the small plate adjacent to the l/h bonnet hinge, visible above the l/h headlamp when the bonnet is open. What information is contained thereon, and should this be present on all cars, or just pre Solihull? Can anyone advise me what the number is on the part of the frame that bears the door hinges. It appears to be six numbers, three lots of two. Many thanks. supercass

[john 215]

Hi,

This question has been asked a number of time's, I assume you mean the body number. I think this was used in production before the chassis number was assigned. I posted on a BL forum a few years ago, that has a lot formal employee's on it, and thats the best they could come up with too.

Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

[supercass]

<font size="1">Hi,

This question has been asked a number of time's, I assume you mean the body number. I think this was used in production before the chassis number was assigned. I posted on a BL forum a few years ago, that has a lot formal employee's on it, and thats the best they could come up with too.

Cheers John</font id="size1">

I thought it might be, but according to the Moss catlogue the body number is contained on a plate above the fan cover to the centre of the bonnet. I shall see if I can find the relevant B.L. forum. Would this plate be on all cars? Regards.

[Odd]

Not on the last ones. Say Solihull built or so...

[TR Tony]

As John has mentioned, I think you are referring to the body number plate. AFAIK it was used on Speke & Canley built cars, but not Solihull (where BL were using the VIN system & had the VIN stamped into the boot rain gutter channel as well).

The location of the plate is usually on the left side of the bonnet hinge panel, although some diagrams seem to show it located more to the centre of the hinge panel (like Moss do).

Some cars seem to have 2 plates, the only explanation I have heard for this is that one refers to the bare shell, & the second refers to the trimmed shell before it went for mechanical assembly on the line. No one seems to know for sure!

I have never seen any explanation of what the numbers actually mean.

Tony

<font size="1">1981 2L FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 3.5L V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow</font id="size1">

[trickyx12000]

hi. as am exrover/ austinrover/ rustinover / austin morris / apprentise/employee. you really have to be carefully with this stuff. i have been round most of the midland (bristish leyland) sites. there is no holy grail of how it was done most of it was skin of your teeth stuff. my car has a id plate next to the head lamp pod havent looked if it matches the vin number yet. but just because the BIW.thats body in white left the body build area with one number dont mean thats its build number.. when we were doing black metros ( which is the hardest colour factory wise) A1 bodies were put to one side for a black paint run with no order on numbers just body quailty. some of the stuff people hold in hi regard is just a fluke of production...
over the years i have thought about doing a little book on a spike milligan theme " the british motor industry and my part in its down fall"

[john 215]

Hi,

Cant remember what model car it was but some had body tags welded on the boot floor, poss Metro or Maestro / Montego.

Later Rover cars had a build sheet in them when we got them delivered for PDI, but this didnt stop cars coming through with for example blue trim on the drivers side and red on the N/S as i once saw on a MGF

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">over the years i have thought about doing a little book on a spike milligan theme " the british motor industry and my part in its down fall"<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Do it [8D]

Cheers John


LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!

1976 Speke FHC Beauty

1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

[trickyx12000]

just to put the spaniard in the works...

As John has mentioned, I think you are referring to the body number plate. AFAIK it was used on Speke & Canley built cars, but not Solihull (where BL were using the VIN system & had the VIN stamped into the boot rain gutter channel as well).

my solihull built spider has a random body tag by the l/h head light. and the vin number stamped in boot gutter.

[Beans]

If you are referring to one of these ...



That indeed is the body number.
I have found these on Canley and Solihull cars.

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[Neil_W]

Since I have moved onto a Stag but still pop into the TR7 Forum - thought this would interest folks from the 'other side'
Scan not too clear but screw your eyes up & zoom in to read the data