To mark this highly auspicious occasion (i.e. the 40th Anniversary of, if not actually the birth, but the start of production of the MGB at Abingdon, we decided to list for you some of the more significant (and certainly some of the less such) dates and happenings/changes which have taken place during "our" model's illustrious history to date. Many I'm sure you will already know; some you may not.

Let's make a start, then, with engine types. I'll give you a range of dates, followed by the prefix number of the engine types being fitted at the time; and any other small bits of gen you may like to know

Legend: *USA; + EC; ~ Canada; # USA Federal' " California All the rest UK.

Now for the other list, this time of dates significant in the production life of the MGB/MGBGT, reduced to an absolute minimum; well, almost absolute:

-1/1960; Ch. No. ADO23/270 - allotted to first prototype.
9/1960: /797 2nd prototype; /801 3rd prototype; both with 1 6 GA engines and LHD.
5/1962: Production starts on 22nd; GHN3L 102 first off. 11 cars built to end of month.
6/1962: 138 cars built.}
7/1962: 181 cars built.} All but 2 were LHD, 1798cc
8/1962: 96 cars built.} engines 18GUH/GUL
9/1962: 20th was official launch date.
10/1964: Oil cooler standard.
3/1965: Larger fuel tank.
4/1965: New push-button door handles.
9/1965: MGBGT (RHD) introduced - Salisbury (tube-type) rear axle; front anti-roll bar standard.
11/1965: MGBGT (LHD) introduced.
8/1966: Front over-riders standard.
11/1966: Front anti-roll bar standard on Roadsters.
12/1966: Black hoods standard.
3-4/1967: Reverse lamps, seat belts standard.
7/1967: Roadsters get Salisbury axles.
11-12/1967: Factory Commission Nos. introduced. 4-synchro. gearbox, new overdrive. Automatic box option. 6AC alternator replaces dynamo. Emissions control equipment on 18GF (USA).
?/1967: "G" (="built in MG factory, Abingdon") added at end of chassis no. Often shows incorrectly as "6" or "9" on V5 document.
8/1968: Octagonal wheel nuts on home-market wire wheels.
11/1968: New front wings with side/indicator lamps moved closer to grill; l6ACR alternator; auto rear axle ratio raised to 3.7:1; (NA) roadsters have three wipers. Heater standard (except Australia, Puerto Rico and Hawaii).
3/1969: Thermostat 82C standard, 74C or 88C optional.
4/1969: Heater standard in Australian CKD kits.
?/1969: Aluminium bonnet discontinued.
By 10/1969: BL had plans to drop the MGB series in favour of the (as yet unannounced) TR7! Continuing (indeed increasing) American demand for the MGB ensured the models carried on for ten years plus; but the cars had to conform to ever-changing US requirements over the passing years.
9-10/1969: GHD5/GHN5 prefixes - 1970 model year; too many mods. to mention - the most notable noticeable) being the new recessed grill (dubbed by some "Black Hole of Calcutta") along with Rostyle wheels.
12/1969: Ashtray standard on Home cars (!).
2/1970: Servo optional on single-circuit brakes.
4/1970: Head restraints optional on Home cars.
6/1970: Radiator drain tap deleted (grrr!).
12/1970: Steering lock universal.
1/1971: Factory-fitted seat belts standard on Home cars (charged extra).
6/1971: Chrome wire wheels deleted from options. (Hmmm.)
8/1971: Start of lgV engines.
3/1972: Cigar lighter (!) and radial tyres standard on Home GT's.
8/1972: New front springs (half-inch longer) all cars; new grille in cross-hatched plastic; heated rear window standard on Home GT's; radial tyres standard on Home roadsters.
12/1972: (NA) 7-blade plastic fan; also on non-NA autos.
8/1973: Automatics discontinued; hazard lights standard on Home cars; inertia belts on GT's; brake servo standard on Home cars.
3/1974: Plastic fan standard all markets.
9/1974: First "rubber-bumper" cars (all production to conform with US legislation on height and impact protection. So many mods. it's practically a new car. Anti-roll bar deleted on roadsters, which also have GT-type 7-leaf rear springs; single 12-volt battery. Vastly increased weight led to some reductions in panel thickness in an attempt to offset.
12/1974: Last GT to NA spec. due to their coming into a different category in the USA emission control regulations i.e. they would have needed a different test from MGB roadsters. BL decided to withdraw the MGBGT in favour of the TR7, which was due to be announced there in Jan.'75.
4/1975: "Jubilee" GT's for Home market (751 - of which 1 destroyed in advertising accident). The colour was "New Racing Green", BL code BL VC 25, I.C.I P030 - 7895. Rover MG Jubilee Green I.C.I. WV8 1.
5/1975: Lighter-weight bumper armatures.
6/1975: Overdrive standard on Home cars; NA cars have exhaust catalyst.
9/1975: Roadsters back to 6-leaf springs.
3/1976: All lead-loading (i.e. filling) on bodies ceased for health reasons.
6/1976: Electric fans standard; roadsters regain anti-roll bar; rear anti-sway bars fitted; o/d switch in gear lever knob; halogen headlamps with built-in sidelamps on RHD cars.
5/1977: RHD cars get dual-circuit brakes.
9/1977: RHD cars get new (quieter) front silencer to conform to EEC noise regs. stipulating 82db max.
12/1977: BL badge on front wing deleted (nearside only since 5/1972).
3/1979: NA "LE" in black with silver tape stripes, alloy wheels.
5-6/1979: Cast alloy wheels option on RHD cars, after mods to hubs made in 3/1979.
6/1979: US cars have 85mph speedos. Home cars get rear fog warning lamps. "VIN" plates replace chassis no. plates. GVADJ1AG for roadsters; GVGEJ1AG for GT's; GVVDJ2AG for NA roadsters.
10/9/1979: BL announce Abingdon closure to be in 1980.
10/1979: VIN no. stamped in RH side member of boot floor.
1/1980: Front cross-member mod, to take '0'- series engine. Intensive tests at home and in the USA had proved the viability of the 'O'-series unit in the MGB but the idea was dropped. There are still some of the AD023 cars about which took part; but alas not wearing an 'O'.
3/1980: Seat belts modified to become both EEC- and US-compatible.
8/1980: Home "LE" production starts.
23/10/1980: Last 2 cars leave Assembly Line 'A', 223001 and 223002, bound for the Gaydon Museum. Few smiles, no speeches (although at least one was written), no member of the BL directorate present. MG had been at Abingdon since 1929.
Total production: Roadster 386,961, GT 125282, total 512243, including CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits for assembly in Australia, Belgium and Eire. The Register has not yet been able to track down where, along the way, over 10,000 chassis numbers seem to have gone missing (just the numbers, not the cars!); or how the last two mentioned above derived their numbers.

NOTE: For the vast majority of the above information I am indebted to Anders Clausager's "ORIGINAL MGB"; I am also grateful to "MGB" by the late Wilson McComb; "MGB including MGC and MGBGT V8" by David Knowles; and to Geoffrey Simpson.