The Unipart 18-22s - A Challenge

[vulgalour]

I'm pretty sure these are two cars, not the same car redone in different livery. They also look to both be pretty low trim options with the Austin/Morris front end (it's unlikely either of these are Wolseleys give the lack of stainless trim on the sills and C pillars) and in the case of the Team Unipart car a very early example being on an M making it 1973-4.  The Unipart Racing car I've no idea of the year of but would assume it too is an early car as it would have ideally been brand new for promotional reasons.

Here's the challenge: find me the number plate on any Unipart liveried 18-22 or Princess.  These are the only two pics I have and in both the plate is obscured.

The prize on offer is the unequalled knowledge of being right on the internet.

[HMC]

is it ——-7M or 7N?

edit looks like an N on this image

[vulgalour]

You're right, it does look like an N... that's still really early being 74-5.

[quicksilver]

We know the launch 18-22s were registered in the GOM 1xxN series. I'd take a wild guess that might be GOM 107N, which was a white 2227cc Austin last taxed in 1983.

[High Jetter]

Is it ...37N?

[Dobloseven]

Don't know about the Princesses,but those jackets and that transporter........wow!

[EyesWeldedShut]

Google AI was very* good* at identifying the car in the back of the Dron picture

All I found was the arse of the transporter - nice lights....

[Dobloseven]

The transporter still exists apparently,restored,with a more upright rear end.It was quite old by then,being built around 1959.

[eddyramrod]

13 hours ago, quicksilver said:

We know the launch 18-22s were registered in the GOM 1xxN series. I'd take a wild guess that might be GOM 107N, which was a white 2227cc Austin last taxed in 1983.

I can't agree.  The square grille was only used on Morris-badged models; Austins had the famously swoopy lower bonnet line that later was adopted for all the new "Princesses."

[HMC]

Ive had a good look expanding to googling images of relevant years “tour of britain” where the team competed hoping for it lurking in the background.

Similarly been looking at photos of the f3 paddock in the 1970s. Bit of a rabbit hole.

Fave photo so far is actually f3 / 1970 monaco. Unlikely lancia flaminia berlina support barge ftw

 

apologies for thread drift

[quicksilver]

4 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

I can't agree.  The square grille was only used on Morris-badged models; Austins had the famously swoopy lower bonnet line that later was adopted for all the new "Princesses."

True, but things can be very inconsistent with BL cars of that era and a Morris licensed as an Austin wouldn't be unheard of. The rally cars used to swap between being Morris and Austin depending on who was driving them so anything is possible.

Another possibility is GOM 137N. No DVLA record for that one but it's in the middle of that big BL block so it could well have been a Morris wedge.

[quicksilver]

Thanks to @cms206 posting some other press cars in the Wedgister thread I think I might have narrowed it down to two: HON 397N or HON 407N. It appears to have been part of a batch (396 to 412) as everything still on the DVLA system in that block is a white Morris 1800. None made it beyond 1987.

Looking again, the N seems too close to the end of the plate for it to have a 1 in so it probably isn't a GOM, more likely a HOJ or HON.

[adw1977]

C pillar without vinyl means it's a base, only available with 1800 engine.

The Austin and Morris badged cars were 1800 base, 1800 HL and 2200 HL.

[LightBulbFun]

On 11/05/2026 at 16:27, quicksilver said:

Another possibility is GOM 137N. No DVLA record for that one but it's in the middle of that big BL block so it could well have been a Morris wedge.

 

 

its worth keeping mind that a while back now, the DVLA 1st party changed so even vehicles with just scrapped markers (but not CoD's) which used to show up just fine, are now artficially hidden from view, like vehicles with CoD's are

but like vehicles with CoD's the DVSA's own checker pulls them up fine, so while you cant see when such vehicles where last taxed any more sadly, you can at least glean a bit of info on what they where  

[adw1977]

So GOM137N was registered 3 days before the launch of the 18/22 series, which would fit with it being one of BL's own.

"Austin 1800" could be landcrab or wedge, unfortunately.  Clearly the blue colour doesn't match, but could have been changed later.

EDIT: I just realised this doesn't fit because we're looking for a Morris! Working nights this week, so the probability of me posting drivel is higher than usual.

[quicksilver]

50 minutes ago, adw1977 said:

So GOM137N was registered 3 days before the launch of the 18/22 series, which would fit with it being one of BL's own.

"Austin 1800" could be landcrab or wedge, unfortunately.  Clearly the blue colour doesn't match, but could have been changed later.

I don't think it is GOM137N and that was just a wild guess. HON397N and HON407N are much closer matches being white Morris 1800s.

[bnseven]

Just as a related aside HON517N is pictured in the eye catching Black and whites page as a Milk Race control car and appears to be a white wedge