Morris Minor Owners Club

On our Morris Minor 1000 the NMP plate has these 2 numbers
Z36055 and 519664. Is it possible to date the body shell from these numbers?

That really requires a Morris Minor Archivist, or a nerd/expert who has owned minors since they were a small child ....

Joking aside, there are a couple of people who come to mind that have a long association with such details, whether their knowledge or resources are as detailed as you would need.... who knows.

To what accuracy and why do you need to date the body shell?
The numbers on the little plates at the top of the engine bulkhead might also be of use....

Are you not happy with the Morris ID Plate and the Car Number ??

I used the Z number off my body plate and spent a day at Heritage Museum archive Gaydon and went through the books until I found it, a long winded process
You have to prebook your visit.

Chris Stevens (Pommreg) will be able to assist

We just want a year really.
The NMP plate (only found it after stripping the engine out) looks original but the VIN plate on the bulkhead is fastened by 3 different screw types. It's starts FBA1 which I believe is a black 2 door RHD domestic market. Our Minor is Maroon the outside is a nice 2 pack whereas the bulkhead/interior is probably a cellulose paint but maroon as well as inside the boot.
I'm just interested to find out if she is original?
She has also had a goldseal engine replacement that's a 1098cc if the flywheel is correct
Maybe a day at Gaydon.

The data I have from Chris is that that Z number was used on 2 doors from 8/65 onwards.

Thank you.
Looks like it's a bit of a ringer then. A later body shell or more likely a crafty switch of VIN plates and reg pre 1983 when all the records and receipts I have start.
It's still a nice vehicle though!

Don't forget that every Lucas electrical item on a car is dated and so is every piece of glass, so dating a car isn't that difficult generally. Bits and pieces naturally get changed over the years but seldom is everything changed at the same time. The specification of these cars also changed regularly so a quick look at things such as electrical items, lights, wiper pattern, dashboard layout, heater, seatbelt mountings, body colour......all sorts of things provide clues. The chassis number is stamped into the bodyshell as well, but that may have been removed.

If the original body colour of your car is Maroon then the car was built post October 1967, as that is when that colour was introduced.

Per POMMreg's data Z36055 is 8/65-11/70 2 door saloon. That's all that number will tell you. For the other number I found 515261 dated 19/5/70 and 518232x but no date.

Geoffers68 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2024 12:37 pm Thank you.
Looks like it's a bit of a ringer then. A later body shell or more likely a crafty switch of VIN plates and reg pre 1983 when all the records and receipts I have start.
It's still a nice vehicle though!

Don't worry about it if its been like that for years so just enjoy the car for what it is.
DVLA Don't care about body numbers or type 2 or 4 door.and you could end up with a Q-plate if you try to change things.
As long as you know purely for ordering spares.