Engine numbers

[PDavies]

Would someone be able to find me some dates for these crankcase numbers please.

M151713

M158272

84669

Also what do the numbers stamped on the feet relate to , MS 30007 on front left foot ? And 14241 on the front right in front of the foot ?

Many thanks Paul

[Martin Prior]

M151xxx is March/April 1932, M158xxx July/August '32 and M84xxx April/May 1929.

[PDavies]

Martin
Thank you for taking the time to find the dates for me.
Cheers Paul

[Steve Bryant]

Hi Martin,
 would it be possible to date my engine also please?  M79673.
Thank you.
Stephen

[Martin Prior]

M79673 would be from around March 1929.

The simple way to find out is to look at the A7CA chassis register http://a7ca.org/chassis-register/ . Original engine numbers tend to run ahead ahead of chassis numbers - a difference of a couple of thousand by the end of production - but it's not hard and fast. For example, I know for certain that my '33 RP has its original engine, which is numbered about 200 below the chassis.

[Steve Bryant]

Thank you for this Martin. Trying to unravel my cars past history has been a challenge so filling in any bits of information is great to know.
Cheers,
Stephen

[Mark R]

If you're trying to look into the history of your car I'd further recommend looking on the link Martin has given, specifically the quote this number download. Many parts of the rear axle, dynamo, cut out etc can be dated.

Also the Kithead trust has a good resource for researching registration numbers and finding out if a local authority may still have records which may give your original engine number etc.

Martin, I'd be interested to know about your original engine, I thought the engines were around 1000 numbers ahead by 1933, is yours a factory anomaly perhaps where an older engine has been fitted?

[Steve Bryant]

Mark, the history of my car goes blank after it reached Australia as a chassis scuttle unit in June 1929. I was sent this information years ago from the archivist at British Heritage. It was as near as I can tell bodied as a chummy by Properts using steel pressings for the main body from Holden. The car was never registered in England.

Stephen

[Mike Costigan]

... Martin, I'd be interested to know about your original engine, I thought the engines were around 1000 numbers ahead by 1933, is yours a factory anomaly perhaps where an older engine has been fitted?

In general, original engine numbers are higher than chassis numbers, but it was not an uncommon occurrence for an engine to fail inspection and be removed for rectification; that engine would then be re-allocated to a later chassis and so may well have an earlier number than the chassis in which it finally ended up.

[Martin Prior]

Mike has summed up my own assumption. My RP is chassis number 166898 and has engine number M166679. I'm very fortunate in having the full set of logbooks for the car, back to its first registration on 1st February 1933, so I can be certain that it's had the same engine from day one. If the engine was indeed taken off the line for rectification, they must have done a good job; it's still in regular use with well over a quarter of a million miles behind it.