Aha! So that's the problem. The serial number plate should be on the
inner wing valance, forward of the radiator, on the left hand side when
viewed from the front of the car looking back under the bonnet. Look
beneath the diagonal radiator diaphragm support bracket. The serial
number is labelled "Car No.".
If you see two little screw holes but no plate, well, you can always look
for the body number, which is not much better documented than the
commission number, but at least has a slightly predictable numeric
relationship. One position for the body number plate is supposedly on the
opposite inner wing valance. On my 66 roadster it is located on the
(driver's left hand) inner wing, just forward of the rectangular opening
opposite the rear carburetor. The plate is a slender strip and the number
is prefixed with the letters MGB (or GBUD for GTs?). The body numbers get
much higher than the serial numbers due to the fact they re-started the
series every year at a convenient, higher number (even 100,000s).
The Moss catalog chart shows the body numbers for 72 GTs starting in May
71 at GBUD/620101, ending 8/72 with the first 1973 car, GBUD/720101.
There is a slight chance that you have a serial number stamped into the
body structure. Some export cars had it stamped inside the front right
hand side member in the engine compartment just behind the front engine
mount, adjacent to the starter motor. Some cars had it stamped in the
floor pan in front of the right hand seat. And others had it stamped in
the floor of the boot. US cars also had a plate in the left hand door
sill area, and one on top of the dash, readable through the windscreen.
If you think the car has the original engine, the engine number would be
a valuable clue. 1972 model year Bs (roadster & GTs) begin with
18V/584Z/L101 (non-overdrive) or 18V/585Z/L101 (with overdrive).
One thing I'm curious about is where you got that commission number. My
reference suggests that for a 72 GT it should be in the format
G23D######Z, with a 6-digit number, not a 7-digit number (which massively
exceeds the total number of MGs ever made). 72 GTs theoretically began
with 047002.
That about exhausts what I can contribute on the subject. Hope it helps...
David Hill had this to say:
>Hi Max,
>
>I'd be happy to tell you what the serial no. is---if I knew where to
>find it.
>The car has arrived without its registration document, which is due to
>arrive soon.
>However, the engine number is on the car but the commission plate has
>long since gone-I found the comm # on the MOT certificate.
>So, I'd be immensely grateful for your telling where to look for the
>s/n.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Dave Hill
>
>Max Heim wrote:
>>
>> The commission number is not very useful for identification,
>> unfortunately. The factory stopped recording them in 1971, according to
>> Clausager. However, the serial number should pinpoint the date of
>> manufacture within a few months. What's the serial number?
>>
>> David Hill had this to say:
>>
>> >Hi, fellow MG freeks,
>> >
>> >Any historians out there?
>> >
>> >I still haven't received the logbook for my '72 BGT but I now have the
>> >commission number.
>> >Can anyone tell me when GHD 5278685 was built?
>> >
>> >MTIA
>> >
>> >Dave Hill
>> >
>>
>> --
>>
>> ===============================
>> Max Heim
>> mvheim@studiolimage.com
>> Studio L'Image/San Francisco
>> 415 643 9309 : 415 643 9307 fax
>> Studio L'Image/New York
>> 212 242 3366 : 212 242 3399 fax
>
>
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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