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MG MGA - I D Plate

GDay , could someone tell us how Old English White was stamped on Australian ID plates? O E W ;O E White; Old English White; or ? Thanks Bob
Bob Walker

Hi Bob, Australian assembled CKD MGA's were never painted Old English White. The nearest offering was Bardiman Grey for 1500 and early 1600's replaced by Nurburg White for later 1600's and 1600Mk2's. What model do you have? I can supply photos of how these were stamped if you like. Regards, Garry
Garry Kemm

Thanks for the reply Garry, we have restored a 1960 roadster. The original colour was Nurburg white ,which we changed to Old English White. I assume we have the original plate. We purchased a replica plate and wanted to stamp it with the correct abbreviation. Thanks Bob
Bob Walker

Bob,

With classic cars it is becoming more important for both Concours and for a better selling price to retain original "matching numbers".
I would suggest that you use the original VIN plate with the Nurburg White marking.
If it is now Old English White that should not change the original VIN plate. A "falsified" plate will be a disadvantage in the long term.

Mick
M F Anderson

Gday Mick,the changes we have made to the car have probably destined it to not score well in Concours or be sold from our family for generations.In attempting to put old English white on a new ID plate was to explain(announance)what colour it is now. Thanks Bob
Bob Walker

Bob, I do not doubt the sincerity of your motives, but I would highly recommend keeping the I.D. plate unchanged as a reference for far-future enthusiasts. I have come across I.D. plates (mostly TF -my area) with both colour and engine number changed to reflect the current status and it simply leaves a bad taste in my mouth knowing that the history is no longer there for all to see and that the car has lost a fair degree of its originality, even to the point (in other cases, not yours) of being deceptive. Just my 2 cents worth.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Probably not what you want to hear, but I'm of the same opinion as the others. I'd keep the original plate, absolutely without hesitation.
My Australian built Mk II was originally "Katoomba Grey". A previous owner repainted the car black, and fitted a UK style plate. Fortunately I found the original plate at the bottom of one of several boxes of bits that came with the car. So I replaced the wrong plate with the original. So I now run a black MGA with a plate saying the car is grey! But I'd still rather have the original plate sitting there than the wrong one.
With just a variation in the shade of white, as is the case with your car, I can't understand the reason to replace the original plate anyway.
And what's more I bet it would be surprisingly difficult to reproduce the untidy way the Australian assembly guys at Pressed Metal managed to stamp the plates! They mostly look like the job of stamping the plates must have been left for a hot afternoon, after a liquid lunch (of the brown and frothy variety).
T Aczel

Thanks for your comments, we haven't gone one way or the other as yet. BW
Bob Walker

This thread was discussed between 21/09/2014 and 24/10/2014

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