I think thats a pretty fair explanation. Despite what many think the factory's assembly process (especially the main assembly building) was highly organised and automated, so they new in advance what exactly what was was being built where and when. A good friend of my fathers who also worked in Engineering bought a Cooper S from the factory. They were able to let him know when the car was being assembled if he wanted to come down to the factory floor and watch.

So getting the plates pre-stamped (for that day?) is quite possible, and I guess if they did know what engine was going into a particular car, for whatever reason, then of course why not get the lot stamped out.

Would be interesting to see the machine they used. I have noticed on other Special Burgundy cars the 'P' in 'SPEC" almost always hangs down below the other letters, like a dodgy typewriter.

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

Thanks for the information Winabbey. Look forward to seeing the register one day.

Linton

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95628962@N04/14431776885/

Here is a picture of my ID plate. I hope I have done this correctly.

What do you think?

Linton

My two owner numbers matching Cooper S has all the letters stamped from the reverse the same as yours. It is just 259 numbers away from your car and is completely original. Most owners who have their car ID plates stamped in this way seem to be from around 1966-1967. I am of the opinion the factory may have been a bit more organised during this period somehow with the engines being allocated prior to the stamping of the ID plate. No science, just my 2c worth.

Not the case sorry.

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1970 Cooper S ex-Bathurst & ATCC
1964 Austin Cooper S ex-Group C race car
1967 Morris Cooper S ex-Group B
1962 Mini Speed sports sedan
1968-71 ex-Peter Manton Shell car

Yes, sort of thought that!

My biggest concern is that the car is genuine. I would like to get the restoration process under way soon. The car itself seems legitimate and it has been good to hear form others that have ID plates that are similarly stamped.

Thanks for all the help,

Linton

I have been doing a little more research and came across this paint identification thread, viewtopic.php?f=25&t=66469 - very helpful.

My ID plate specifies the colour of my car was all over Toga White. It is interesting to note that Toga White was not an option for 1967, the year my car was manufactured. Was this normal for the paint colours to cross into other years? My car was white but according to the charts it should be Snow White?

Justminis had a theory that his ID plate, engine number was stamped from the back due to his car being a special order black car.

If the available BMC colours did not cross into other years, but you wanted to order a previous colour or special colour, for what ever reason, that this constituted a special order and thus may have led to having an unusually stamped ID plate?

A question to those that have seen rear stamped engine number ID plates, are the colours stated on the plates unusual for the year of the car?

Obviously if BMC were painting cars in any year model paint this theory is squashed.

Thanks,

Linton
South Coast NSW

That's a very interesting thread. (sorry to hijack)

I have a Toga White car I thought was a 1967 and now it shows it's a 1966.
I also have a Snow White car I thought was a 1968 and now it shows it's a 1967.

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Justin

You can't trust the years in the Dulux paint books. They are only a rough guide.
Dulux was not the main paint supplier to BMC but they were the main supplier to the repair industry.

With regards to the stamping of engine numbers either from behind or in front, plates seem to have the engine prefix e.g 9F/Sa/Y stamped from behind and then the number 00001 stamped from the front in a different font to the rest of the plate. I have also seen some however where the engine number prefix and number is all stamped from the front and the font is different to the rest of the plate. Is this normal or would it imply a re stamped plate ??

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1972 Leyland Mini Clubman
2000 Honda CBR929RR

You say that the engine number is stamped as 9F/Sa/Y this is normal for the ID plate , but the engine block should be stamped as 9F/SA/Y

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1965 Morris 850
1966 Morris Mini Minor
1967 Morris Cooper 'S'
1977 Leyland LS

Thanks AJ I got that bit. I have seen a plate where the engine number both the alpha digits at the start and the number digits at the end are all upper case and stamped from the front, just wondered if that was ok

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1972 Leyland Mini Clubman
2000 Honda CBR929RR

Yes the early Cooper and 850 are stamped like that .....

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1965 Morris 850
1966 Morris Mini Minor
1967 Morris Cooper 'S'
1977 Leyland LS