Original Engine Number

[firedrake1942]

I had a gold seal engine fitted in my 948 cc 1957 4 door saloon in 1978.I have the original log book which gives the original engine number but is simply 5 digits with no letters. 68**1

Can anyone tell me what would have preceded the 5 digit number in terms of letters forward slashes etc. I have searched the various thread etc and the tables with some information but none of it makes a lot of sense.

Ta muchly

[philthehill]

Taken from the Morris Minor wksp manual general information issue 2. 37720.

1st prefix group..................9............950cc.

1st prefix letter...................M...........Morris.

2nd prefix letter..................A - Z......Used for the various engine types.

2nd prefix group.................Gearbox and ancillaries...............U....Centre gear change.

3rd group...........................Compression and serial number........H..High Compression...L...Low Compression.

CODE EXAMPLE

9M..............950cc Morris
/
U................Centre gear change.
/
H................High Compression
/
12345.........Engine serial number.

[firedrake1942]

Cheers Phil, is there likely to have been an engine type marker in there ie 9MA -U-H 12345 ?

[philthehill]

Can you please enlarge on what you mean by type?

For the 948cc engine there were only high or low compression types of engine.
Only the later engines had variances in type relating to other issues - for example sealed breathing system.

According to the BMC code the second letter 'A' indicated automatic gearbox and the Minor was not factory fitted with an automatic box.

[firedrake1942]

Ta ordered a new one!

[philthehill]

It has to be remembered that the Gold Seal engine fitted has its own history and is part of the cars overall history. Therefore personally I would be reluctant to try and rewrite history. Fitting a new engine serial number plate with the original engine number does not automatically make the Gold Seal engine the original engine.

[firedrake1942]

Yep I know, and the absence of the 950 plate or embossing on the NS of the lump gives it away, but it is now painted that lovely BMC green and I just wanted it to match the original log book. I will of course tell the DVLA or maybe not as they ignored me in 1978 when I tried to tell them about the Goldseal number !