| Which 
number do I need to find for my registration with the V8 Register? If 
you are registering a Factory produced MGBGTV8 you will need the Car 
Number which is located on the small plate attached to offside inner wing 
close to the oil filter (see the diagram in Box 1 below) from which you can read 
off the Car Number. It is in the format GD2D1-NNNN G where "NNNN" 
is a three of four digit number. Alternatively the three or four figure number 
is usually set out on the Vehicle Registration Document (VRD) or the new Vehicle 
Registration Certificate (V5C) in the EU format issued by DVLC Cardiff or 
on the original Log Book for the car if you still have that in your possession.
 
 If you are registering an MGBV8 Conversion or Costello V8, then you 
will need the GHD number (MGBGTV8 Conversion) or the GHN5 number (V8 Roadster 
Conversion) because there will be no GD2D1 plate fixed to the offside inner wing.
 
 
  
 Identification 
numbers and locations
 
 1. 
Car Number - a three or four digit number stamped on a plate secured to the 
right hand inner wing adjacent to the oil filter with the prefix GD2D1 
except for early LHD cars which have a prefix GD2D2. More
 
 2. Commission number - stamped on a plate secured to the bonnet 
locking platform. From around GD2D1 2710 G the Commission number was dispensed 
with and the Body number started with "040". More
 
 3. 
Engine number 
- stamped on the right hand side of the cylinder block located directly behind 
the left hand cylinder head. This can be difficult to find - see large 
location diagram.
 
 4. Gearbox number - stamped on the 
right hand side of the gearbox casing. More
 
 5. Overdrive unit number - stamped on a plate secured to the 
underside of the overdrive main casing. More
 
 6. Rear axle number - stamped on the left hand side of the 
rear axle tube near the spring seating. More
 
 What 
does the Car Number mean?
 The Car Number comprises a series of letters and numbers presenting in code the 
make, engine type, body type and the series plus of 
course the serial number of the particular car. So 
for an MGBGTV8 with the Car Number GD2D1-1089 G, the explanation of the 
would be:
 G = MG, D = 3,000cc and 
over, 2 = two door, D = GT body, 1 = 1st series or 2 = second 
series, and finally 1089 is the serial number of the car.
 
 Source: 
Parts Catalogue MGB, Tourer, GT and V8 up to Sepetmber 1976 AKM0039 February 
1977 1st Edition supplied by BL, page 108 - A10. The table of data on that 
page is incorrectly headed "not V8" but that is a mistake.
 
 V8 
Register records
 How are the V8 Register records arranged? 
Well at an early stage we found it necessary to give all non-factory MGBV8s an 
artificial Car Number to provide some rational structure for the V8 Register, 
and adopted the following arrangement.
 
  
 | From 
Car No | . | To Car 
No  | Model/type |   | 0095 | - | 2903 | Factory produced 
MGBGTV8s |   | 3000 | - | 3999 | MGBGTV8 Conversions |   | 4000 | - | 4999 | MGBV8 Roadster 
Conversions |   | 5000 | - | 5999 | Costello MGBGTV8s |   | 6000 | - | 6999 | Costello MGBV8 
Roadsters |  | Back 
to Registration 
 MGBGTV8 
production
 Most authors of publications covering the MGBGTV8 quote 
2,591 as the total production of the model. That output was spread over 5 years 
ending with GD2D1 2903 G.
 
  
 | Year | Output |   | 1972 | 3 |   | 1973 | 1,069 |   | 1974 | 854 |   | 1975 | 489 |   | 1976 | 176 |   | Total | 2,591 |  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The 
deliveries were 2,584 to the Home market and 7 exports. There were no exports 
to the USA.
 
 Production batches
 The production of the chrome 
(CB) and rubber bumper (RB) MGBGTV8s was in batches. The Car Nos (or VINs, using 
the present day term) of the batches provided by the late Geoff Allen (former 
V8 Historian) are as follows:
 
 
  
 | . | From Car 
No  | To 
Car No |   | CB | 0099 | 0095 |   | CB | 0101 | 1956 |   | RB | 2101 | 2632 |   | RB | 2701 | 2903 |  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 But 
is the 2,591 production figure correct?
 Most authors of publications covering the MGBGTV8 quote 2,591 as the 
            total production of the model - but is it correct? Well as information 
            has gradually come to light, the longstanding V8 Register Historian 
            & Archivist, Geoff Allen, believed there were more than 
            2,591 V8s! Geoff was at the Abingdon MG Plant for over 27 years, much 
            of it in Rectifications Department, so was particularly well placed 
            because during the weeks before the final close, he made a handwritten 
            copy of the production control and despatch books. Geoff examined 
            various records maintained at Abingdon and believed there were in 
            fact 2,600 MGBGTV8s. If you add another MGBGTV8 that came to 
            light back in the early 1980s - GD2D1 100 G (which Geoff was unable 
            to trace in the records he had studied) then there could be 2,601 
            MGBGTV8s! See 
            Geoff's note as V8NOTE300
 
 What 
are the names of the body colours used for MGBGTV8s built at Abingdon?
 See our checklist
 
 What 
were the body and trim colour combinations?
 This note is part of 
the V8 Workshop Notes series of maintennace and spares information contributed 
by members of the V8 Register of the MG Car Club.
 V8NOTE313
 
 Comparative weights of MGBGT, MGCGT and MGBGTV8
 
 
  
 | Comparative 
weights
  
 | Model | Year | Weightlbs
 |   | MGBGT | 1973 | 2,380 |   | MGCGT | 1968 | 2,615 |   | MGBGTV8 | 1973 | 2,387 |  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 So 
the MGBGTV8 was virtually the same weight as the ordinary MGBGT but much lighter 
than the MGCGT - in fact much lighter by some 228lbs or just over 16 stones 
(103.4kg). That is equivalent to the weight of a heavy person in the car 
- and in the case of an MGC, most of that excess weight is up front!
 
 |  Comparative 
BHP/Ton
  
 | Model | BHP | BHPper Ton
 |   | MGBGT | 84 | 79.06 |   | MGCGT | 145 | 124.21 |   | MGBGTV8 | 137 | 128.56 |  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 So 
the MGBGTV8 has 3.5% more BHP/Ton than the MGCGT and a huge 62.6% more than 
the ordinary MGBGT. We all recall the extraordinary sensation the first time 
we drove an MGBGTV8, particularly if we had driven an ordinary MGB before! This 
BHP/Ton increase helps to explain it - plus of course the smooth eight cylinder 
torque.
 |  Copyright 
reserved by the V8 Register
 
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