The number prefix on a commission number was the manufacturing plant designator
when the
car was not made in Coventry. It just identifies the car as being made in a
plant outside
the UK. There is no way it would have been stamped by an assembly worker with
the port of
arrival in mind. Shipping space was not booked until the commission number had
already
been issued. Some CKD cars left coventry with plates already fitted, some loose
within the
kit itself. Some plants stamped their own plates others used Coventry made
plates to which
a later separate number was added when the car was completed. Malta would
almost certainly
have been in this latter category and would probably explain why the "font" of
the 5 is
different to the rest of the number. It was probably a locally made Maltese die
used for
the purpose.
Jonmac
Current Book: IN THE SHADOW OF MY FATHER
http://www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/triumphbook
New Book: THE CROCUS AND A CORNFLOWER http://www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/crocus
The SLOW progress with 'Canley Girl': http://www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/
Triumph Charity Run in 2000 (in UK): http://www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/stories/
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