Early Sprint Chassis Plate?

[GrahamFountain]

I've found the part number UKC7820 for the BLMC commission plate.

Has anybody got any info on the date range and applicability for that part number?

Graham

[xvivalve]

This is the earliest plate I have easy access to, would have been built early to mid ’74


From memory, ANB is about 2000 before that one, I’ll have a look when passing the lock up...

[GrahamFountain]

That disproves the theory that the change was aligned with the company name change in mid 1975 at least.

Graham

[maitretjak]

This is the plate in my August 1973-built LHD sprint.

[Robert 352]

I don't really understand why this is so important to some but here is a photo of the plate off VA 1254 DL. The photo has been cropped out of a photo which I took of the engine bay while it was sitting looking very neglected in an open field. The car was too rough around the edges for me to consider restoring.

[GrahamFountain]

I don't really understand why this is so important to some

Because the BLMC ones are a tenner cheaper?

I don't think it is that important. But the weather's too crap to go out and do stuff, the pubs are all shut, and I'm bored of AoEII.

Graham

[Len Hughes]

Hi Graham,

Sorry I'm a bit late to respond on this.

The one in your original post is an exact replica of the one on my early 73 car VA369.

Len

[TrustNo1]

They changed vey late in production when the VIN numbers changed to the then newer style 13 digit I believe.

[GrahamFountain]

Hi Graham,

Sorry I'm a bit late to respond on this.

The one in your original post is an exact replica of the one on my early 73 car VA369.

Len

I've come to the conclusion that the early Sprints did have the British Leyland UK Ltd plates, and its not restorations using a later, similar plate.

However I still don't understand why that's so with the 1972-3 1850s having the BLMC plate and the company name not changing from BLMC to BL UK till 1975 after Sir Don Ryder's National Enterprise Board took majority ownership for HMG - intending to spend just under £3 billion (allowing for expected inflation) doing it up and ending up spending more like £12 billion by 1980.

The BMM are supposed to be getting back to me on their understanding of all this in the new year. If anything meaningful comes of that, I'll pass it on.

Graham