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AH 100 Identification - Car number

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oslo100

oslo100

Freshman Member
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Hi,

First of all, thanks for a great forum. This has helped me a lot during my first 5 months as a AH100 owner.
I have read a bit during this time and was a bit puzzled when I had a look at the number plate on the bulkhead of my car stating: BN2L 151774. The engine number is 1B207204. The car is (at least that is what I thought I bought) a 1954 BN1, LHD 3-speed . I thought all the BN2's had a 228047+ number (according to B.Piggott's 100 in detail). I realise that the bulkhead could be from another car, but the combination of letters and numbers doesn't make sense to me.

Any Ideas?

Georg
 
Hi Georg,
You indeed do have some confusing numbers.
The engine number 1B207204 is consistent with a build date of around April 1954.

As you say, I believe the first BN2 car/engine number would be around 228047 in August 1955.

I suspect that the engine number is closer to the actual car's date. The number plate stating BN2L151774 is likely an incorrect substitution.

There should be another identification plate on the car. On the BN1's the location varied. Sometimes in the LH side footwell, sometimes on the RH side frame rail just ahead of the foot box. On late BN1's it could be an additional plate mounted just above the questionable bulkhead plate.

The body numbers, different from the car/chassis number could possibly be used to more closely identify the car. These numbers were often stamped into the back side of the cockpit surround moldings, on the front of the front bumper gravel shield, on the trunk lid stay bracket attaching tab, & on the left side of the hood lip near the back.

Hopefully, Editor Reid, this forum's moderator, who is quite expert on these matters, can add further identification information.
D
 
Hi Georg and Dave,
Wow! Oslo Norway! What an exotic location for a Healey 100, I hope the heater works!
Dave, wouldn't there also be a rectangular plate on the bulkhead, above the voltage regulator, crudely stamped with the four digit Jensen batch number followed by the four digit body number?
My 100, built in July '54 is body number 4426. My engine number is 1B214566. These numbers have been verified by A.D. Clausager
 
Hi and thanks,
I'll have a look this weekend. Guess this is a common problem due to change of parts and fake (M-spec) numbers?

Georg

P.S. And no, the heater doesn't work. I tried it last sunday for the first time, opened the valve and had a tiny Niagara fall onto the gearbox tunnel. It doesn't really matter as the heat generated from the engine is sufficient at least down to 0 degrees Celsius. With the tonneau on half and a good scarf this is fine, and I still of course have the option of raising the hood... The main problem now, apart from winter closing in, are speed cameras. I've spent some time improving the the fuel and timing since I bought the car in June and the 100 is a fast car! Great fun.

G
 
Pan,
I believe I mentioned the second plate in the message above.

Quote:
"On late BN1's it could be an additional plate mounted just above the questionable bulkhead plate."
D
 
oslo100 said:
Hi and thanks,
I'll have a look this weekend. Guess this is a common problem due to change of parts and fake (M-spec) numbers?
Georg
G
Click to expand...
All but the earliest BN1's & all BN2's had an M suffix on the engine number plate. This did not denote a 100M engine.

An M on any of the other numbers would be bogus.

As I mentioned above, look for the body number marked in several other possible places. It will be the most likely clue to the real identification.
D
 
Dave Russell said:
Hopefully, Editor Reid, this forum's moderator, who is quite expert on these matters, can add further identification information.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, but I think you covered it well.

Of course my first source on any of these matters is the original records, an abstract of which may be obtained from the BMIHT.
 
Managed to sort things out, mainly by coincidence.
Two days ago I picked up a lot of parts from the previous owner who had a lot more spare stuff than I expected (M distributor, 6 wheels, complete gearbox etc. lots of goodies - a car load). This load included an old number plate, of which I forwarded a picture to the swedish motor authorities. I also sent this picture to a member of the Swedish Healey club who has his own web site https://www.lellesgarage.com/) including a full list of previous owners of his 100, as I knew the car came to Norway from Sweden in he 80's.
This afternoon I had my final drive this year and drove to a garage I borrow during winter time. Before I tucked the car in, I remembered to have a look at the cockpit trim strips as suggested by you.
Back home 2 hours ago I got I reply from our Healey friend in Sweden saying that he couldn't recognise the number plate and he asked whether I had the chassis number. I forwarded the new-found car-,the engine- and the mysterious chassis nmbr + the response from the motor authorities saying that this number plate was used from 1960 until 1972.
The reply was fantastic and a bit scary. This is the car he has spent quite some time to trace without success, as his father bought it in 1958. At that time in Sweden they registered the digits only (151773) and it was wrongly registered in Norway as a BN2.
The question now is whether I should update the chassis badge or keep it as a good story.

g
 
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