This page describes vehicle identification for home and export markets, but not identification of the CKD cars such as those exported to Australia. For identification information on the Australian cars click here.
Vehicle Number
 Engine Number
Car Number Location
 Engine Number Location

Stamped on a plate secured to the left hand inner wheel arch

Stamped on a plate secured to the right hand side of the engine block
Body Number (Mk I)
 Body Number (Mk II - IV)
Body Number Location
 Body Number Location

Stamped on a plate secured to the front right hand door pillar. Similar plate on left hand pillar is of unknown relevance.

Stamped on a plate secured to the front left hand door pillar
Engine Numbers
First Prefix: Engine Size, Make & Type (e.g. 12CE)
9 - 900cc to 999cc 10 - 1000cc to 1099cc 12 - 1200 to 1299cc C - Austin Healey Sprite / MG Midget Additional letter (if present) donotes series
Second Prefix: Gearboxand Ancillaries (e.g. Da)
Da - Close Ratio Center Change Gearbox U - Mk I only, also designated Close Ratio Center Change Gearbox, may have denoted the "smooth cased" boxes used on the early cars.
Third Prefix: Compression (e.g. H)
H - High Compression L - Low Compression
Full Example: 12CG / Da / H101
12CG - 1275 AHS or Midget engine series G Da - Close Ratio Center Change Gearbox H101 - High Compression, serial number 101
Note. An Engine series letter change often denoted major changes to the internal components of the engine. For example, the 1098cc units were either 10CC (Early Cars), or 10CG (Later Cars). This series change included a modification to overcome a problem with crankshafts breaking in service: The main bearing size was increased from 1.75" to 2".
Vehicle Numbers
First Prefix Group: Make (e.g. A)
A - Austin G - M.G. H - Austin Healey YH - Austin Healey (Australian CKD) YG - M.G. (Australian CKD)
Second Prefix Group: Engine Type, Body Type and Series (e.g. AN10)
A - A Series Engine (was also used on 1500 M.G. Midget) N - 2 Seater Tourer
  • 3 - M.G. Midget Mark I
  • 4 - M.G. Midget Mark II
  • 5 - M.G. Midget Mark III or
  • 5 - AH Sprite Mark I
  • 6 - AH Sprite Mark II
  • 7 - AH Sprite Mark II (1100cc)
  • 8 - AH Sprite Mark III
  • 9 - AH Sprite Mark IV
  • 10 - AH Sprite Mark IV (Post face-lift) or
  • 10 - Austin Sprite Mark IV
Third Prefix: Overseas Models (if not RHD)
  • U - USA & Canada
  • L - Left Hand Drive
Fourth Prefix: Model Year (USA & Canada M.G Midgets Only following the U)
A - 1970 through to M - 1980
First Suffix: Assembly Plant
  • G - Abingdon (M.G. Assembly Plant)
  • M - Cowley (Morris Assembly Plant)
Full Example: A-AN10 - 87268 G
A - Austin AN10 - A series engine, 2 seater tourer, producrion series 10 (Sprite MK IV) 87268 - Car number 87268 G - Assembled at Abingdon
Notes:

British built Mk I Sprites did not have the first prefix H at all and were simply labelled AN5, however the equivalent Australian CKD cars all carried the YH Prefix.
Car Identification
Austin - Healey Sprite
Model Starts Finishes
Sprite Mk I Announced: 20/5/58 Engine No: Car No: 9C / U / H101 H-AN5-501 9C / U / H49201 H-AN5-50116
Sprite Mk II Announced: May '61 Engine No: Car No: 9CGDa / H 101 H-AN6-101 9CGDa / H36711 H-AN6-24731
Sprite Mk II (1100) Announced: October '62 Engine No: Car No: 10CG 101 H-AN7-24732 10CC 21048 H-AN7-38828
Sprite Mk III Announced: Mar '64 Engine No: Car No: 10CC / Da / H101 H-AN8-38829 10CG / Da / H163000 H-AN8-64734
Sprite Mk IV Announced: October '66 Engine No: Car No: 12CC / Da / H101 12CE / Da / H101 12CG / Da / H101 H-AN9-64735 12CC / Da / H163000 Not Available Not available H-AN9-85286
Sprite Mk V (IV) Announced: October '69 Engine No:Car No: 12CC / Da / H101 12CE / Da / H101 12CG / Da / H101 H-AN10-85287 12CC / Da / H163000 Not Available Not available H-AN10-86403
Austin Sprite
Model Starts Finishes
Sprite Mk IV (V) Announced: January '71 Engine No: Car No: 12CE / Da / H101 12CG/ Da / H101 A-AN10-86804 Not Available Not Available A-AN10-87824
(c) Mick. S. Maguire M.I.E.E.E