The Story of the BMIHT Certificate!
(Ok, since the Scout popcorn is still in the garage, I thought I would again go back deep into the archives of previously-published information on the car..... ;-) First published in August of 2003 on my web page)
I purchased this car in August of 2000, and as soon as I knew the chassis number (but before I had picked up the car), I sent off to the BMIHT for the build certificate. I was very curious as I knew the car had pull-handle doors but had been told by the PO that it was a 1966 - hadn't thought that perhaps it was just titled as a 1966. So, I sent the form and my $40.00 off, and waiting. After 10 days or so, the certificate arrived. Didn't think much about it until I picked up the car in September of 2000.
Once I got the car, I noticed that the engine number was indeed a G-series engine - I had originally thought that the PO had left out an 'A' or a 'B' in the engine number, as I knew based on the build date of October 26 - 27 of 1964, this car should have had either a GA or - more likely - an early GB-series engine. Definitely not a 3-main, though.... The engine number in the car when received was 18G-U-H 1815, apparently a pretty early 3-main engine. I had sent in this information with my certificate request. Apparently, all the BMIHT folks did was take this number off of my rquest without checking the records to see what engine actually came with the car. Or so I thought....
So I faxed a request back to BMIHT and asked that they recheck the production records, and explained my reasoning why I felt that the engine had to be a GB-series (all taken from 'Original MGB' by Clausager). They in turn sent me back a new certificate along with a response indicating that the engine prefix was not indicated in the production records! They also added that they assumed the correct engine number was a GB-series, based on chassis number of my car, and amended the new certificate to read 18GB-U-H 1815! I hardly think it is possible that the original 18GB-U-H engine, serial number 1815, was replaced at some point with a 18G-U-H engine of the exact same serial number! Doesn't seem likely, does it?
The only open switch is the identity of the engine in the car - is it actually a 3-main, G-series engine?? The number plate appeared to be original, but I guess I will not know for sure until I remove the engine and open it up.
At any rate, I have obtained 2 GB-series engines, one of which will be rebuilt to power the car.
I purchased this car in August of 2000, and as soon as I knew the chassis number (but before I had picked up the car), I sent off to the BMIHT for the build certificate. I was very curious as I knew the car had pull-handle doors but had been told by the PO that it was a 1966 - hadn't thought that perhaps it was just titled as a 1966. So, I sent the form and my $40.00 off, and waiting. After 10 days or so, the certificate arrived. Didn't think much about it until I picked up the car in September of 2000.
Once I got the car, I noticed that the engine number was indeed a G-series engine - I had originally thought that the PO had left out an 'A' or a 'B' in the engine number, as I knew based on the build date of October 26 - 27 of 1964, this car should have had either a GA or - more likely - an early GB-series engine. Definitely not a 3-main, though.... The engine number in the car when received was 18G-U-H 1815, apparently a pretty early 3-main engine. I had sent in this information with my certificate request. Apparently, all the BMIHT folks did was take this number off of my rquest without checking the records to see what engine actually came with the car. Or so I thought....
So I faxed a request back to BMIHT and asked that they recheck the production records, and explained my reasoning why I felt that the engine had to be a GB-series (all taken from 'Original MGB' by Clausager). They in turn sent me back a new certificate along with a response indicating that the engine prefix was not indicated in the production records! They also added that they assumed the correct engine number was a GB-series, based on chassis number of my car, and amended the new certificate to read 18GB-U-H 1815! I hardly think it is possible that the original 18GB-U-H engine, serial number 1815, was replaced at some point with a 18G-U-H engine of the exact same serial number! Doesn't seem likely, does it?
The only open switch is the identity of the engine in the car - is it actually a 3-main, G-series engine?? The number plate appeared to be original, but I guess I will not know for sure until I remove the engine and open it up.
At any rate, I have obtained 2 GB-series engines, one of which will be rebuilt to power the car.
posted by Dan DiBiase at 3:16 PM
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