commision plates

[johnno23]

Hi all, just query? does any of you knowledgable mini fans out there know if MK1 cars had a commission plate fitted along with the chassis plate. I can find the fixing holes for the vin plate on the rad cowl but cant find any for the comm. plate.
thanks all in advance,
Johnno.

[Pete]

In a word : NO

[bmcman.ie]

oh dear! you havent bought something you shouldnt have, have you?

[Smiffy]

Coz it's spot welded on or at least my Mk2 & 3 are.

[Gray]

As Pete says mk1's don't have commission number plates.

[Smiffy]

As Pete says mk1's don't have commission number plates.

I stand, corrected.

[johnno23]

Hi all,thanks everyone for your input. I now don't have to search for info. to have one made up.
Johnno

[Chalkie]

What are the commission plates for?

and what year did they stop? and where should they go? mine was on slam panel and car id on drivers side inner wing :S

[1071 S]

They have body numbers - or is it a chassis number ??? The one on the bonnet slam panel?

Cheers, Ian

[Pete]

What are the commission plates for?

and what year did they stop? and where should they go? mine was on slam panel and car id on drivers side inner wing :S

Commission numbers came in with Mk2 , so a Mk2 will have a traditional chassis plate still self tapped to the top of the rad cowling ( relocated to slam panel on later Mk2), a body number plate in raised characters spot welded to the slam panel forward of the horn (on early Mk2) and above slam panel stiffener (on later M k2) and a commission plate riveted to the O/S inner wing (flitch panel) , relocated to slam panel on later Mk2. Add the FE number and the floor number into the mix and you've got more plates than a Greek wedding !

[Chalkie]

My commisson on slam Vin plate on drivers innet wing and FE number above rad grills on passnger inner wing

[mab01uk]

Commission Plate:
This was fitted to cars 1969-1980 in addition to the chassis plate as an extra way of identifying model and detail changes. It is not a vital part of the identity for legal purposes, and no records exist of the numbers with the original manufacturers. If you want a plate done to restore the car to as original as possible and you have lost the original, we can supply a plate and put on a number that would be approximately right for the age of the car according to our researches.
http://www.minimail.co.uk/chassis-vin-plates/

"There are plenty of odd numbers on Mini shells as we find that many of the manufactured parts that make up the car had their own identities. For instance, all cars would have the whole Front End built up as an assembly, which would be joined onto the main part of the bodyshell at the bulkhead. For the first 20 years or so the Front-End assembly would have a number applied just above the radiator and obligingly this would start with the letters FE. The series of digits following would not be significant once built and were not kept on record. When the bodyshell was complete the Body number would be applied. This number changed in style but was always evident."

"After 1967 on Mk2 cars, BMC added a new internal identifying method. This was the Commission Number and was to help identify production changes and was noted on a red on silver plate rather than black on silver for the chassis plate. Thereafter, if some engine parts were changed, which meant a different replacement type of spare part was necessary; engine number would still identify the point of change. But if there were parts changed that related to elsewhere on the car, then the commission plate would be used -although the chassis plate could also be used".

"By the 70’s rationalisation was creeping in on identity plates and any specific make had gone out of the window and the chassis plate had an X to denote the manufacturers name rather than A for Austin and so on. By 1979 regulations covering the manufacture of cars had advanced to such a level that an entirely new marking system was introduced, the VIN number. This coincided with the Commission number being dropped. The rectangular shaped plate that identified not only the car details, but also eventually the European Type Approval Number for the type of model but also the Manufacturers Code number as well as the axle weights and even the trim and paint code. The most significant change was that for the first time on UK produced cars, the VIN number was stamped into the bodyshell in the gutter along the rear edge of the bonnet aperture. This number should match up with the number on the plate and latterly starts SAX (Austin Rover’s code letters as a manufacturer) The introduction of this style of plate came coincidentally half way through the production of the 20th anniversary model - the Mini Special 1100. Early cars have the old style chassis plate with a commission number starting J20S to identify the type. At the rear edge of the bonnet, they have a length of foam in the channel to keep the rain out in time-honoured 1959 fashion, but the later produced cars have the bonnet seal clipped on the rear edge of the bonnet and the VIN number was stamped in the gutter there and this matched the number on the rectangular alloy plate. By this stage there was hardly anywhere else producing Minis under licence to BL, but the Belgians still produced cars at this point and the VIN number was stamped in the bootlid gutter just to be different. The VIN plate itself lived on one or other side of the front edge of the inner wing depending on the year, but as a final aside, the last generations of Japanese specification cars had got so crowded under the bonnet that the VIN plate was reduced to living in splendid isolation on the boot floor near the washer bottle which itself had been banished some years previously, just by the battery. Although the VIN number eventually got inscribed on the glass."

Here is an article that throws some detail on the history of ID plates , especially on Minis
http://www.minimail.co.uk/chassis-vin-plates/

[CooperTune]

Just to make things interesting Mokes must have had commission plates earlier than sedans. I'm thinking mine is a 66/67 UK haven't sent for Heritage Cert yet. Steve (CTR)

[Simon776]

They have body numbers - or is it a chassis number ??? The one on the bonnet slam panel?

No, they have the commission number on them.

Coz it's spot welded on or at least my Mk2 & 3 are.

No it would be riveted on.


Each model has its own commission number prefix e.g. 250S for a Mk 2 Cooper or S, N20D for a Mk 3 S, S20D for a 1275GT etc.

On most Mk 2 Mini's they are mounted vertically on the right hand inner wing.

Talking Mk 2 Cooper and S, some are recorded in the production records.

As far as the Mk 3 S goes they are a much better indication of the build sequence of the cars than the chassis number is.