Information Supplied By Neil Cairns

Chassis and engine numbering follow standard BMC practice, as used on all its cars & commercials.

There are five 'types' of engine fitted to our M.G. and Riley Farinas.

1. 15RA= 1489cc Riley 4/68,(cable drive tacho.)
2. 15GE= 1489cc Mk3 M.G.
3. 16RA= 1622cc Riley 4/72 ,( .. .. .. )
4. 16GE= 1622cc Mk4 M.G.
5. 16GF= 4/72 with impulse tacho, and Mk4 M.G., both cars used the same engine in early 1966, (at about RHS3 22000, and GHS2 29000.)

Using your engine number, the following can be noted.

• First number 15= 1489cc 16= 1622cc 48G= Gold Seal recon.
• Second letter G= M.G., R= Riley, AMW or AA= Austin/Morris/Wol.
• Third letter is engine type, ie 'A', 'E' or 'F', ( 16GE or 15RA, etc.)
• Fourth letter U= floor gear change, A= Automatic. D= diesel.
• Fifth letter, H= high comp 8.3 to 1, l= low comp 7.2 to 1.
• The next group of numbers is the engines number.

If the new engine had an undersize crankshaft fitted as new, or had to be rebored, the engine numbers would have letters after the number.  This is very rare, but the letter codes are as follows:

• DD= +020" oversize bore or -012" undersize crank.
• FF= +030" .. .. or -030" .. ..
• HH= +040" .. .. or -040" .. ..

Most engines if so modified went into the Gold Seal reconditioning system, and not new cars. Though if supply was low, a new car was fitted with a 'reclaimed' new engine.

Chassis and engine numbering follow standard BMC practice, as used on all its cars & commercials.