Safety Fast! May 2020 by MG Car Club

VOLUME 64

NUMBER 5

M AY 2020

THE MARQUE OF FRIENDSHIP

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WELCOME THE MGCC 90TH ANNIVERSARY PHOTO COMPETITION

ittle did I know when we were sending the April magazine to press that most of the world would go into lockdown to help stop the spread of coronavirus. This has obviously put a stop to all events for now, and many of the Centres and Registers have either cancelled or postponed their events. Do keep an eye on the main MGCC website as it’s the quickest way of notifying people about this ever-changing situation. The various MGCC social media pages have been awash with people doing work on their cars or keeping them clean whilst at home, which is always great to see. Social media is a great way of keeping in contact with fellow MGCC members. Some of the groups have even set up ‘virtual car shows’ which have gone down really well with their members. For many of us, our MGs will be sat parked for extended periods of time. I’ve done a few things to mine to ensure it’ll be fine come the time I can use it properly again. One of those is to make sure the brakes are ok. Over time the discs can corrode, eventually leading to the brakes seizing. As my drive and garage are level I can leave the handbrake off and the car in gear, which helps prevent the handbrake sticking. I also roll the MG back and forth a few metres every so often. This also helps to stop the tyres developing flat spots. I’m lucky enough to have mains power in my garage so can run a battery charger and conditioner out to the drive to make sure the battery is kept in an optimum condition, ready for that once a week grocery shop I’m making at the moment, and hopefully the many MG events later on in the year! All being well we’ll be able to start using our cars properly soon and start getting out enjoying the events. As you would have seen, MGLive! has been postponed for now – we’ll obviously be bringing you all the details as and when we have them. Another event which is on the cards for October is the celebration of the Club’s 90th birthday; again, watch this space for more details. Until next month, stay safe. Andy Knott Membership Type

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The MG Car Club, Kimber House, 12 Cemetery Road, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 1AS Tel: 01235 555552 Fax: 01235 533755 E-mail: mgcc@mgcc.co.uk www.mgcc.co.uk

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As part of our celebrations, we would like to create a gallery of photographs, submitted by you the members, that truly captures our passion for MGs and the best elements of Club life. It could be a special photo you shot at an MGLive!, the first time you got behind the wheel of your MG, you and your mates at a Club Meet, or you working away in your garage or workshop– the options are almost limitless – the choice is yours! We want to focus on the people that make the MG Car Club. Because it’s the people that have made this Club what it is for the past 90 years. We’ll be collating the best 90 images for a special display at Kimber House in October and for the 2020 Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC this November. The images will also be used going forward as part of our advertising of the Club, where we shout about the great things your Club has to offer those who have not yet joined us. As well as that, we’ll be picking the top ten photos for a series of special prizes and we’ll be sharing some of our favourites online and in Safety Fast! in the coming months. The winner will receive a special award and their image as a canvas, but everyone who enters may see their amazing photographs in print, promoting your Club. All details can be found on our website www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 3

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JULY 2016 SAFETY FAST! 3 www.mgcc.co.uk

INSIDE REGULARS 7 Club Matters and Kimber House News 8 News 14 Products 16 Postbag 18 Young Members Branch 71 Race Torque 72 MGs on Track 73 MGCC Speed Championship 74 Centre Updates 82 Register Updates 91 Classifieds 98 Looking Back

NEWSLETTERS 48 Vintage Newsletter 52 T Type Newsletter 56 MGB Newsletter 61 MGC Newsletter An MG for all the family, the stunning and practical 1960s MG1100 photographed on a spring day in picturesque Oxfordshire. Photo: Auto Bild Magazine

FEATURES

10 SIR STIRLING MOSS A tribute to one of the greatest racing drivers in history

12 KEEPING YOU ENTERTAINED Ways to stay in touch with the MG Car Club during this difficult time

To celebrate 90 years of the MG Car Club, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re tracing our roots right back to the early 1930s and taking a look at the various publications the MGCC have used to communicate with their members. The front cover of this issue is based on the early 1980s issues of Safety Fast! Throughout most of the seventies, Gordon and Elsie Cobban maintained the status quo with membership at modest levels and finances tight. However, in August 1978 Gordon, Piers Hubbard and Anthony Littlejohn were entrusted by John Thornley to set up a Club Office. Sheila Laurence of the Lincolnshire Centre was appointed assistant to the general secretary (Gordon) and by December of that year the Club had established itself in Boston. John Thornley, however, was still unhappy, even frustrated, that the Club was not running harmoniously. As a consequence, in November 1979 he established a small group, which came to be known as the Think Tank. One of the members of this Think Tank was Peter Tipton who in June 1980, aided by his wife Christine, was appointed general secretary in succession to Gordon Cobban on a part-time basis following an advertisement in Safety Fast!. Of necessity this became full-time in January 1981. With a professional marketing man-and-wife team at the helm, the support of the Lincolnshire Centre and with the lease of premises at 67 Wide Bargate, Boston, the Club began to have some structure once more.

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20 AN MG FOR ALL THE FAMILY The story of the iconic MG 1100 and 1300

28 THE B THAT FELL TO EARTHâ&#x20AC;Ś The story behind a couple of MGBs that took an 8,000-foot plunge for television in 1973

36 THE TAMAR TRIO Tales from the MMM trials team in the West Country

44 ME AND MY MGS Paul Plummer and his pair of TFs

66 PROJECT JIFFY PART II After the showing of Jiffy the Midget at the NEC the strip down starts in earnest ready for the rebuild

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 5

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CHAIRMANS NEWS

have been holding back on writing these words this month in the hope that I could bring you some good news of a silver lining, but I fear I cannot. We are in a state of lockdown with events being postponed left right and centre, but we are still dreaming of wind-in-the-hair MG motoring. Plans are changing very rapidly at the moment, and on looking back to April’s edition we were advertising MGLive! in

June. Since then, the event has had to be postponed and we are trying to find a suitable date later in the year. Elsewhere in this Safety Fast! there is a full tribute to our most senior Honorary Member, Sir Stirling Moss, so I will just briefly say Rest in Peace to my boyhood hero. We are currently managing the Club by using virtual meetings on a regular basis, with most of the Kimber House team working from home. As you are probably aware, some of the Centres, Registers and Branches are due to hold their Annual General Meetings over the next months, which are now imposable to hold in the current circumstances. To overcome this problem, all the Centres, Registers and Branch committees have been issued with guidance no how to proceed when we are allowed to hold such meetings once more. Your Committees are staying in place as they are, so that events can be put together in the most efficient way when we are back to some sort of normal. The pages of Safety Fast! are being filled with stories of adventures had, and hopefully adventures to come. We have

been exploring different ways to inform and entertain you all. To that end, we have created a podcast – you can find this on the internet at www.mgpodcast.uk We hope this will be the first of many, but we can’t commit to a regular timetable, unfortunately. Our first one has interviews with Adam, David Whale, Chairman of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs on the Coronavirus’s impact on this year’s Drive it Day. Also, he gives the FBHVC low-down on the government position on E10 fuel. Also, the first of our MG members’ stories details the story of Frisky the MGA, as Charlotte Vowden shares the story of her Grandad’s MGA and the learning curve she has been on to keep it on the road. We are looking at ways of making the MG podcasts more accessible, but this is taking a bit of time to organise. We hope you find it interesting, and there is a comments box on the podcast site so please let us know your views and any subjects you might like to hear about. I hope you are all keeping safe and not getting too bored. Bill Silcock

A MESSAGE FROM THE MG CAR CLUB PRESIDENT The month of May in a normal year would have been a time of increasing activity, with all of us enjoying a new season out and about in our MGs. With a whole summer of Club activities to look forward to, the biggest problem would have been choosing what to attend. Unfortunately this is not a normal year, because I am sure you have all watched the spread of the Covid-19 virus across the world with mounting trepidation, especially if you have been unlucky enough to be infected by the disease. If you or anyone else in your family has been ill due to the virus may I offer my heartfelt and sincere concern for your safety and a speedy return to health. Even if you have not been ill, the government-imposed lockdown on all citizens has brought real hardship to most people and their families, one way or another. Club members I have kept in touch with during this time all mention how much they have missed the freedom to drive their cars, even though they know they are doing

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the right thing by observing the government restrictions. The popular press often mention that these are unprecedented times, and this is certainly true for the MG Car Club as well. In its 90-year history we have never experienced anything that has caused all Club activities and events to be postponed for the foreseeable future. I have confidence, however, that our government has the ability to get us out of this crisis, and when that happens I am equally confident that the MG Car Club family will rise to the occasion and pull together to get our activities going again. We are after all a club “For Members run by Members” and I know all the Centres, Registers and Branches are planning what they are going to do as soon as they get the green light. Your continued support is vital to the health of the Club and you can do your bit by participating in an event near you when we are able to start again. Every member is valued and your support is vital, so please keep up to date on what

is happening on the Club website or in these pages. Please also remember the staff members at Kimber House have been severely affected by the requirement to work from home. Like me, I am sure you have enjoyed getting your copy of Safety Fast! despite the lockdown, and this has been possible due to Editor Andy Knott and Deputy Editor Colin Grant working from home. Thank you, gentlemen, and please accept our sincere thanks for keeping us all in touch. My thanks also go to Chairman Bill Silcock and the directors who are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that our Club emerges from this difficult time stronger and better able to help all our members enjoy their MGs when the crisis is over. Until then I ask that you and your families keep safe and well and use this time to get those MGs ready for action. John Day MG Car Club President

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 7

NEWS MG MOTOR DONATES 30,000 FACE MASKS TO HOSPITALS IN THE UK AND IRELAND MG Motor has continued its support for the fight against coronavirus by supplying PPE face masks to hospitals in the UK and Ireland. The donation, which is one part of MG’s contribution to the international effort, will benefit hospitals in Birmingham, South Wales, Dublin and Cork. MG’s first donation of 10,000 face masks was delivered to the NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham, at the NEC, on April 20. The hospital, which was built in just two weeks from inception, has an initial capacity of 500 beds which can be increased to 2,000 if necessary. A spokesperson for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Nightingale Hospital Birmingham, said: “This donation of face masks reinforces our resources in the fight against coronavirus. NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham will give hospitals across the West Midlands extra capacity should they need it and we are grateful for the support of local businesses like MG Motor.” A further donation of face masks will be delivered to two NHS Trusts in South Wales, with each receiving 5,000 face masks. In the Republic of Ireland, MG is donating 10,000 face masks to hospitals in Dublin and Cork.

SCENIC CAR TOURS HELPING THE NHS Scenic Car Tours is delighted to join the amazing fundraising activities that are taking place across the UK to raise money for the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal to fight the coronavirus pandemic. We know how much you all like to collect the Rally Plates from the tours and events Scenic Car Tours run, so they’ve designed a special commemorative ‘Support Our Heroes’ Rally plate to raise money for the amazing job that the staff of the NHS are doing every day to combat Covid-19. Rally Plate cost is £10.00 + £3.95 postage and packing and Scenic Car Tours will donate 100% of the rally plate cost to the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal. Display your rally plate on your car or in the window of your house as a show of support for the NHS frontline workers! Due to the current Covid-19 crisis orders can ONLY be made ON-LINE and as the Scenic Car Tours team are working from home therefore orders may take a little longer than normal to process. To order your Rally Plate just visit http://shop.sceniccartours.com/

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING MOTS The Government has announced an extension to the MOT expiry date. All vehicles whether they be car, motorcycle, light van or other light vehicles MOT expiry date will be automatically extended by six months, if it’s due on or after Monday March 30 2020. This means your vehicle will still have a valid MOT certificate for an extra six months. This applies to all vehicles, including those that need their first ever MOT test. You don’t have to do anything for this to happen, but the Government statement goes to great pains to stress that you must keep your vehicle safe to drive. The Government example is if your vehicle MOT was due on April 3 this will automatically be extended to October 3. You can check to make sure it’s been automatically updated by going to https://www.gov.uk/check-mothistory This can take a couple of days to appear, so check back if necessary. There will be no new certificates issued to show the new date. You can tax your vehicle as soon as your expiry date has been updated. Be aware that it is your responsibility to make sure your vehicle is safe as you can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get three penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition. Also, be aware that if you are unsure about your car’s roadworthiness you can take it to your nearest open garage as the Government has allowed garages to remain open. For Further information go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronaviruscovid-19-mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-from-30-march-2020

8 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

MG CONTRIBUTES 100 ZS EVs TO NHS. On March 25 MG Motor UK announced that they will contribute 100 ZS EVs to NHS agencies across the UK. The cars will be supplied via MG’s nationwide dealer network for up to six months, completely free of charge, to support the national effort to overcome COVID-19. By providing additional transport capacity with low running costs to the NHS, MG and its dealers are doing their bit to support the national effort in these unprecedented times. The first six cars have already been supplied to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Trust by MG dealer Chorley Group.

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NEWS

MGLIVE! 2020 POSTPONED T MGLive! has been required to postpone.

he Covid-19 pandemic has developed rapidly, and with news that motorsport’s governing body, Motorsport UK, has suspended all organising permits and Certificates of Exemption for motorsport events until at least June 30, the MG Car Club has been required to postpone MGLive! 2020. We are currently entering into extensive discussions with Silverstone and our other event partners to find suitable options to reschedule the event. All entry tickets, camping passes and exhibitor bookings already purchased for the event, due to be held June 13-14 2020, will be valid for the rescheduled date. Adam Sloman, General Manager of the MGCC said: “We remain committed to following UK Government and Motorsport

UK advice. Therefore, in light of this updated guidance, we have had to make the very difficult decision, in conjunction with Silverstone, to postpone the event. This is an unprecedented situation and we will now enter into negotiations to secure a new date as soon as possible. We realise that the situation is far from ideal, therefore we ask for patience and understanding during this complex time.” Current government and public health advice states that all non-essential social contact with other people should be avoided for the foreseeable future. PLEASE NOTE: The MG Car Club asks specifically that, in the first instance, attendees booked to attend do not contact us regarding refunds at this stage. The MG Car Club will be in touch with each one of

those who have already booked and paid to explain, in detail, the options available to them. Anyone who is not able to attend the new dates for the event following their announcement will be issued with a full refund in due course. The MG Car Club wishes to thank all attendees for their patience whilst contingency plans are being put in place and we look to transition to a new date. A further update will be issued as soon as possible. Like many organisations, the Club’s offices at Kimber House in Abingdon are currently closed to visitors and much of the team are working remotely, so please be patient if calling the office or enquiring via email as the MGCC is experiencing a high volume of correspondence in the present situation.

KIMBER HOUSE NEWS In keeping with Government guidelines Kimber House is closed for the foreseeable future. Staff that can work from home will be doing so and will be contactable via emails listed on our website and in Safety Fast!. A skeleton staff will remain in the office to handle telephone calls and manage the post. It may take longer to deal with calls and return messages so please bear with us. Membership renewals and merchandise purchases are very important to the Club in these difficult times and we are very grateful for your continuing support. Renewals and purchases can be made via our webshop at https://shop.mgcc.co.uk/ We thank-you for your patience and understanding during this challenging period. We will keep you updated here, on our website and via our social media. For more updates and guidance, please visit: https://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg-car-clubcorona-virus-guidance/

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 9

SIR STIRLING MOSS, OBE 1929 TO 2020

Stirling Moss at Bonneville Salt flats with MG EX181 in 1957

Sir Stirling Moss and Zoe Heritage with BGS during the Mitsubishi Classic Marathon 1992

ir Stirling, all-round gentleman, sportsman and one of the greatest racing drivers to have lived and one of the Club’s most senior honorary members has sadly passed away, after a long illness bravely borne and looked after by his devoted wife, Susie. His passing loses one of our last direct links with the dangerous world of motorsport of the forties and fifties. Stirling’s competition motor racing career started in 1948 in a Cooper Jap; almost needless to say he won his first race. The early years were spent

10 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

barnstorming around Europe along with Alf Francis as his mechanic, latterly taking on the works teams with a privately run Maserati 250F. Later, Maserati offered him a semi-works drive. In the mid-fifties Stirling was invited to drive the allconquering Mercedes Benz cars alongside the incomparable Juan Manual Fangio. That included his amazing win on one of the last great open road races, the Mille Miglia, 1,000 miles, when along with Denis Jenkinson, Stirling averaged over 97mph for the entire race! Yes, averaged! For the whole race! Subsequently he had a halcyon time with both Vanwall and then Rob Walker’s privately owned cars, often defeating the manufacturers’ own teams, which gave Stirling great pleasure! In all, his record was a staggering 529 races entered, 220 with him taking the honours, an amazing record. That he never won the Formula One Championship didn’t weigh heavily – he often referred to preferring to be known as the person who had not won the Championship! It was, however, the manner that

he conducted himself as a competitor, that set him apart, exemplified by his testifying to the Portuguese officials in 1958 that Mike Hawthorn had not been on the circuit when he push started his Ferrari and therefore should not have been disqualified, thereby giving Mike the Championship points for finishing the race. That year, Mike won the Championship by just a single point from Stirling who never once ever complained or rued the day! Such was his international recognition that the standard phrase from a policeman on being apprehended for speeding was: “Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?” It is reported that on a number of occasions he was able to say “I am!” Stirling was game for any form of motor sport and regularly took part in rallies and speed events, as well as often racing more than one car at a meeting. Once, questioned about the difficulties of swapping from say a Grand Prix car to a Austin Healey Sprite, his reply was that it was far more difficult transferring from similar performance cars such as a Ferrari www.mgcc.co.uk

to a Aston, say, since the performance was virtually the same with slight variations in handling and engine output that could lead one astray, whereas the smaller cars were a complete contrast and therefore easier. Stirling’s involvement with MG began in a spirited fashion when he owned his third car which was a MG TB Tickford. Stirling, recorded later, said it was ideal for catching “crumpet”, but then Stirling lived in a less PC age! Stirling continued his involvement with MG in 1957 in the factory EX 181, the Roaring Raindrop, when at Bonneville in 1957 he set five new International Class F records, the highest speed recorded being 245mph, reportedly some 50mph faster than Stirling had ever driven before at the time! Tragically, in 1962, Stirling’s glittering career as a driver was cut short by an unexplained crash at the Easter event at Goodwood. For weeks the nation held its breath, with hourly and daily bulletins from the hospital. Slowly Stirling pulled through, but his front-line career was over, he feeling that the automatic reflexes that had been so important had gone. Privately, later, he admitted that he had perhaps called time too early. He, thence forth, concentrated on his property business and on Stirling Moss Ltd, always a professional and his word was his bond. In 1989 he was tempted by Philip Young to enter the Pirelli Classic Marathon, and had an MGB as his mount. His first

test drive before the event, within minutes, had him highlighting the B’s understeer, propensity to overheat, and that the steering wheel was too close to his chest… remember Stirling was the first of the post-war drivers to pioneer the leant back driving style! There were a number of other points requiring attention, but once you had his confidence he allowed you to solve any problems. But to be driven by him, or to follow him in a similar car, only emphasised how smooth his fluid style was and how to carry speed through the corner. He continued to compete in the Marathon events in MGBs and on one, with a shortage of the brake pads that Stirling particularly liked, he started with only one set, determined to make them last. His control of speed into corners without touching the middle pedal was just a joy to watch and he finished the event with more than half life left in the pads! With the Marathon running much mileage in Italy where Stirling had spent so much time when with Maserati, to travel with him was truly a delight. Having been stopped by police while in convoy with him for perhaps going a mite too fast, he was always recognised immediately and his autograph and a picture was the due paid; this, some near-forty years from his time with Maserati, spoke volumes of the respect in which he was held by everybody. More latterly he continued to use an MGB on the Tour Auto with Susie, his

wife, in the hot seat, while his motor racing, in historic races, was with an Osca sharing with Ian Nuttall. One of his last events a few short years back was to take part in the Retro Bahama Speed Week. Stirling had first competed in the Speed Week back in the early Fifties and, naturally, he was the guest of honour and was feted throughout! During his life Stirling felt that the manner of succeeding was more important than the success itself, that being a gentleman and sportsmanship was more, by far more, important. Always with a word for marshals, fellow competitors and spectators, a true gentleman We have been honoured to have one of the legends of motorsport, a true icon, as an Honorary Member of our Club. In the eyes of many the honour has been all ours to know him. Our sincere sympathies are to Susie, Elliott, Alison and the Moss family and the many, many, legions of admirers around the world. RIP Stirling. Ron Gammons

Stirling Moss at the wheel of an MGB at the Ontario Circuit, Canada 1965 www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 11

UPDATES

KEEPING YOU BUSY DURING THIS TIME As a Club we are adapting to the restrictions in place and finding new ways to deliver content to you in as many ways as possible. Let us know your email address! To help us keep you updated with all the latest Club information and news, please let us know your email address. We can then add you to our regular e-newsletter mailing list. You will also need to have an up to date email address on your membership file to enable you to log in to the new Members Area. If you believe your email address is incorrect or if you haven’t told us about your email address, please email our membership secretary, Liz Allsworth at liz@mgcc.co.uk with your name and membership number and we can add your email address. To login to the Members Area, please visit https://www.mgcc.co.uk/members/login/ There is also a detailed user guide to help you login if you need it. Here are just some of the ways you can keep in touch with Club goings on: Safety Fast! Safety Fast! continues to be produced and delivered during this time, however we have been made aware of some postal issues that are affecting some of our overseas members. Don’t forget, all members can also read Safety Fast! online in the Members Area. Membership Our membership secretary, Liz Allsworth, is keeping up to date with all our new members and renewals. If you need to renew your membership during this period, you can do so online via our shop – https://shop.mgcc. co.uk/ For any membership queries during this time, please contact Liz by email on liz@mgcc.co.uk Merchandise Our online shop is still open during this period for all of your MG needs. We have lots of new items in stock celebrating our 90th Anniversary so be sure to check them out – https://shop.mgcc.co.uk/ Online We are frequently updating our website with news, features and content to keep you entertained. Visit https://www.mgcc.co.uk/ articles/ to read previous Safety Fast! articles and features or visit https://www.mgcc.co.uk/news-events/ for the latest news Social Media Now is a great time to connect with the Club through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@mgcarclub) or join in the conversations

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taking place on our Centre, Register and Branch websites and social media. The contact hub for these can be found here https://www.mgcc.co.uk/contact-hub/. Podcasts

The exciting new podcast from the MG Car Club has arrived! Wherever you might be and whatever MG you might own, we are hoping that our new podcast will both entertain and inform whilst keeping MG fans in touch around the world. Visit https:// www.mgpodcast.uk/ to listen to all the episodes so far E-Newsletters We’ve been sending out regular updates to our members via our e-newsletters. If you’d like to receive it, please email Liz Allsworth on liz@mgcc.co.uk with your full name and membership number so we can add your email address on to our system. You can also sign up to the newsletter by visiting https://www.mgcc.co.uk/ contact-hub/#StayConnected Photo competition We are having an amazing response to the MGCC photo contest, so much so that we have been able to turn your entries into a virtual car show, viewable at https://photos.mgcarclub.co.uk/ 2020 marks the 90th anniversary of the MG Car Club. As part of our celebrations, we would like to create a gallery of photographs, submitted by you the members, that truly captures our passion for MGs and the best elements of club life. So, enter yours now! To celebrate our 90th anniversary, we are creating a gallery of photos that celebrates 90 years of MGCC life! You can see those that have already entered here, make sure you add yours. Fill out the form at: https://photos.mgcarclub.co.uk/ MG Car Club Coronavirus updates Keep up to date with all the announcements via our page updated daily which gives you the latest advice, news and also postponement dates for affected events as well as the links to the latest UK Government advice. Stay safe, stay at home! Visit https://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg-car-club-corona-virus-guidance/

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This page is a free service so if you have a product that would be of interest to our members contact Colin Grant at colingrant@mgcc.co.uk

MG AND AMC PARTS OFFER MG3 ECU REMAPPING MEGUIAR’S INTRODUCES THE NEW ULTIMATE SNOW FOAM

We are very pleased to be able to offer a full Stage 1 engine remapping for the MG3, giving a “substantial” performance increase across the gearing range, combined with an increased MPG. This is not an add-on part procedure but a true ECU internal software remap, being totally invisible. The test car was a 2016 model fitted with our 2” Stainless exhaust system and High Volume Air Filter fitted. Exhaust and Filter upgrades not essential though to achieve excellent results. Test results on the Rolling Road were initially 109.8bhp to 126.3bhp combined with appropriate engine torque increase, .

There are two options: Option 1. Send your ECU to us for the full remap service; just refit to your vehicle @ £150.00 (plus return p & p) Option 2. Alternatively bring your 3 to us and have the work carried out while you wait @ £200.00 Please feel free to contact us with any queries or for further information. MG and AMC Parts, The Smithy, High Street, Southwick, Hants.PO17 6EB Main Office Tel 02392-220222 Warehouse Tel. 02392-372648 Mobile 07454 006080 Emails roger@briscoe.net or enquires@mgandamcparts.com www.mgandamcparts.com

Trusted car care experts, Meguiar’s, has just introduced a larger size for their Meguiar’s Ultimate Snow Foam. This formula is engineered specifically towards car enthusiasts looking for the ultimate snow foam to use along with a foam cannon and pressure washer. Ultimate Snow Foam, with Xtreme Cling foam, is the perfect way to obtain a swirl-free wash that won’t compromise wax protection! It can be used in one of two ways: either as a pre-wash prior to using a traditional two-bucket method or used with a premium wash mitt. Then, wash the vehicle with your favourite car wash using two buckets: one bucket with your wash solution and the second as a rinse bucket with water to help keep your wash mitt clean and free of debris. Meguiar’s Ultimate Snow Foam comes in a 1.89L bottle and has an RRP of £28.00. It can be found in UK motorist stores and online from early April 2020. Meguiar’s provides high-performance car care products for every automotive surface. To learn more visit www.meguiars.co.uk.

NEW AIR-POWERED DETAIL POLISHER FROM POWER-TEC This new air-powered detail polisher from Power-TEC (part number 92559) is ultra-compact and lightweight, which makes it easy to use in confined areas. Ideal for all spot repair and touch-up work. Polish and finish areas that have previously been inaccessible: under door handles, the back of the door mirror, and areas adjacent to body fittings such as grilles, badges, etc. The polisher is super-slim and the backing and polishing pads are just 2530mm in diameter. This is a comprehensive kit that includes different grades, shapes and sizes of sponge polishing pads, wool polishing pads, and felt buffing mops. Reach for the kit whenever you need to polish and finish areas that have previously been inaccessible. Spare pads and mops are available. Contact Power-TEC for their best price and special promotions. Further details at www.power-tec.co.uk or call 01926 815000.

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POSTBAG THE THREE MUSKETEER CARS

APRIL LOOKING BACK In reply to last month’s Looking Back and the Twin Cam MGA 44FTO, the picture is of Mike and Pattie Froggatt (my cousins). Mike purchased the car in August 1959, and in fact the Club published an article by Nick Cox, a later owner, in the May 1989 Vol 33 no 5 issue of Safety Fast!, Mike did on occasions let me drive the car, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mike raced, hill climbed and rallied the Twin Cam successfully until he sold it to Nick. John Grant

MGA TWIN CAM – 44 FTO I was pleased you reprinted Norman McKee’s article in the April Safety Fast! The attached photo was taken the last time the car was used in anger by Norman before he became ill and passed away. I offered to ride shotgun on a Land’s End Trial (I am sitting in the passenger’s seat in the picture). It was not a good weekend. Norman was struggling, and the car was well down on power and we failed a lot of sections. The car is still in Cornwall as far as I know; it was sold to a Ron Henderson who lives in the Truro area.

Congratulations to the editorial team for the April issue – super spread of MG interest from 1930s to modern Zeds. Reference the MGA Twin Cam picture in your latest Looking Back feature in April’s Safety Fast!, in 1989 it belonged to Twin Cam Group luminary Nick Cox. Nick lavished a lot of time and attention on the car but was not against using it, seriously. I remember by chance he once overtook me on the A12 when I was driving my MG Maestro, I guess in the 1980s, and I had quite job catching and keeping up with him – fortunately there were no average speed cameras on the A12 in those days!

Alan Davis

Roger Martin

Aramis, 1937 works Musketeer team car

THE STREAMLINED Q The MG Q Type, QA0251 that was featured in the February Triple M Newsletter has got me intrigued. I’m getting on with the second edition of my Carbodies book and, with help from

Dudley Froy in the single seater Invicta which he drove in the 500 mile race 16 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

Invicta enthusiast Nigel Smith am currently working on the story of the cars of Noel Macklin. Nigel sent some cuttings from 1931, of a streamlined, single-seat S-Type Invicta. Apart from it being alphabetically sequential with the two Midget types that were written about, the significant connection is the name of the owner – Dudley Froy. He is none other than the man who had a streamlined body fitted to QA0251 for the 1934 season, if not earlier. One thing I noticed was the name of the builder of the Invicta’s body – Carbodies. The body was commissioned for the 1931 Brooklands 500, but was only completed in time for the 1932 race. Froy crashed it in practice and it was, reportedly, never rebuilt. Given the connections here between Macklin and Carbodies, I wonder if the body of QA0251 was also built in Coventry? Another streamliner that has been a puzzle is one featured in the 1933 K-Type advert (attached) with which I’m sure you’re familiar. The car was listed in Carbodies entry

The 1933 K Type Advert

for Olympia in 1932, but so far as I can see, no report appeared in any magazines, so possibly it did not appear on the stand, if indeed it was ever built. I discussed this body with Marie Tièche when she was working at the Beaulieu library and she knew nothing of it. That was over 20 years ago, so do we know if any more information has come to light, please? Bill Munro

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POSTBAG THE POOLE AND ENEVER MGS I was interested to read Simon Johnston’s letter (SF! April 2020) following the excellent article about Alec Poole (March SF!) and how very kind Alec had been to fix Simon’s’ TC at Booth Poole Ltd, Dublin, back in 1968. A spontaneous kindness like this is never forgotten. John Watson’s article mentioned, quite briefly, that both Alec and Roger Enever had started their careers as BMC apprentices and at the same time successfully raced 1275cc Spridgets in the early to mid-1960s. These Spridgets were important stepping stones as Alec and Roger’s giant-killing antics on the circuits against bigger cars were very much noticed, leading to the pair of them becoming professional racing drivers. It might interest MGCC members to know that these two well-known Spridgets are still around, Alec Poole’s Green Mk 1 Sprite TZA 238 and Roger Enever’s Black Mk 2 Midget 138 DMO. It is fitting and appropriate that their two Spridgets had registration numbers from where their Fathers came from. TZA is a Dublin number and DMO is a Berkshire (Abingdon) registration. On account of their connections with BMC, both these apprentices managed to acquire “inline” 1275cc XSP engines (from BMC comps department) for their respective cars while the road Spridgets were still being sold with 1098cc engines. I understand that Roger was the very first to have the 1275cc engine and in very early 1965 Alec followed suit. They were ahead of many others with their purpose-built lightweight racing Spridgets together with recently available wider and lighter Minilight alloy wheels. I have owned TZA 238 since buying it (initially sharing with my cousin, Edward) from Alec’s’ brother Arnie and Rob Cochrane in August 1970. TZA 238 was a Booth Poole Ltd painted and assembled car, having been shipped as a complete knocked down kit in primer, from Abingdon. The original colour was Irish racing green (a light very slightly metallic green) but it had changed to a darker green (Brooklands) after many years racing, and a few repairs by 1970. When undertaking a rebuild of TZA in 2012 a colleague, Kim Johnson (ex-Austin Apprentice) who was very much involved with the work, managed to find some small traces of the original Irish Green in one or two places inside the car. Alec confirmed this as the correct colour... I was unable to find records of the

138 DMO featured on the November 1968 Safety Fast! Front cover

mx ingredients from 1959/1960 but fortunately a local paint specialist skilfully matched and reproduced this unique shade of green. An Aston Martin Green is slightly similar but that is the nearest I have ever seen. Incidentally, at the same time as racing TZA, Alec Poole also competed in a rapid 1293cc Wolseley Hornet, naturally painted Irish Racing Green. Some years ago I saw a photo on the internet of the Oulton Park paddock in 1965 or 6 with TZA on Paul Ivey’s Commer flatbed truck and the Hornet behind on an open trailer. James Thacker

LOOKING FOR… Is there anyone who knows the owner of 1953 MG TD reg number SGF 67? It is apparently green and is currently taxed until July 2020. This car is the one built immediately prior to my one. Both cars were export right-hand drive cars. SGF 67 returned to UK in 1955. Mine returned in 1957. My suspicion is that

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they both were British Armed Forces cars that returned with their owners when their tour of duty was completed. I am wanting to contact the owner of SGF 67 in the hope that he has some knowledge of the early history of his car, especially of where it was originally exported. My car went to New Zealand in 1996.

I purchased it three years ago and have finished a complete restoration. It has just won the People’s Choice award in the NZ National Rally concours. If anyone can help, I can be contacted by email at ammoynagh@gmail.com Andrew Moynagh

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 17

YOUNG MEMBERS

Shaun Nelson shaunnelly@hotmail.com

A YMB UPDATE

f you read our previous article, you may have noticed that our opening statement covering some of this year’s top events has unfortunately aged rather poorly. Still, many of our members have taken this down time as the opportunity to dabble in a spot of car maintenance.

I myself, however, have my MG currently sitting in the ‘to do’ pile, as the family garage continues trading. Many motor factors are still delivering, so now is as good a time as ever to have a go at some DIY! I’d just like to finish by saying that, whilst this current period is one of stress and uncertainty, we are very fortunate to live in a time where isolation no longer means that we’re cut off from the outside world. The MGCC is a community, so for goodness sake feel free to reach out to us for whatever reason and through any means. Ask a technical question, or start a discussion on our Facebook – you’re more than welcome to. After all, we are in this together.

“The other day when I stepped into the garage to observe my GT Bertie, as that is all one can currently do, I looked at him and noticed for the first time that his door mirrors are different. This prompted me to delve into the other various quirks of my MG, and to purchase new parts! To cheer myself up, I’ve been fixing and altering the small jobs on Bertie that one can usually never find the time to do. This has included cleaning out the spare wheel compartment, solving the aforementioned mirror problem, fitting new mud flaps, fitting a new rear view mirror and touching up a couple paint inconsistencies. My current state of mechanical expertise limits my ability to carry out major work on my MG, but at the minute it’s especially important to find joy in the little things.” – Grace Pease

“Busy times with the MG. I’ve recently completed the conversion over to wire wheels, which has involved replacement hubs to fit and spinners. Quite handy when the company my Father works for manufactures them from scratch. Very pleased with the result and the look they portray. A new set of vented discs, pads, shoes and drums have also been fitted during the process. I’ve also taken on restoring the old ‘tin style’ rocker cover, which was in a bad shape when I purchased the B. After a thorough sanding and some beating, it’s ready for a coat of primer and paint along with its decals. Meanwhile, the condenser needs replacing after letting me know it’s given in!” – Keiran Reid

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 19

FEATURE

AN MG Small cars became big business in the 1960s and as BMC prepared to launch its follow-up to the all-conquering Mini, MG was naturally in the mix.

he arrival of the Mini in 1959 changed the way small cars were perceived. Created by BMC after an edict from Leonard Lord to take microcars and bubble cars off the streets, the Mini offered everything you would expect from a ‘proper’ car, albeit in a much smaller package. Fast forward three years to 1962 and the Mini had become an established and popular choice in Britain and Europe – fears in the trade about the Mini’s revolutionary transverse engine set-up had quickly been calmed as in practice the Mini was easy to work on, both for garages and dealerships, but also for the home mechanic. BMC and Sir Alec Issigonis had created something special with the Mini, and with this success still fresh in his mind, he set out to create something bigger, more innovative, and more sophisticated. Acting as a successor for the Austin A40, the car codenamed ‘ADO16’ would launch in August 1962 as the Morris 1100, but in the brave new world of the British Motor Corporation, variants of the ADO16 would wear almost every nameplate from the company’s stable. The first variant after the Morris (and arguably the most important for the likes of us) came just over a month later, at the end of September 1962 with the launch of the MG 1100.

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FOR ALL THE FAMILY

By Adam Sloman Photos courtesy of Auto Bild Magazine

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 21

An MG from Oxford Unlike the rest of the MG range at the time, the 1100 would be built at nearby Cowley, sharing production with the Morris version of the car. Priced at £758 for the two-door and £812 for the four-door (including purchase tax), the MG gained a traditionally styled chrome grille, not dissimilar to that found on the larger Farina Magnette, chrome stripes running the length of the car and circular indicators and sidelights. The MG would be offered in a choice of eight colours and in a move that drew further similarities with the Magnette, was offered in seven different ‘duotone’ finishes, allowing customers to choose a variety of colour combinations. Under the bonnet, the MG gained twin SU carburettors, and developed 55bhp, giving a top speed of 85mph and a 0-60 time of 18.4 seconds. Inside, the MG was equipped with a full-length walnut dashboard with glovebox (something absent on the Morris, which made do with a more utilitarian storage pocket) and a new strip speedo that was also home to the fuel and temperature gauges.

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THE 1100 TOOK EVERYTHING THAT MADE THE MINI SO POPULAR AND ADDED TWO THINGS THAT WERE ARGUABLY AT A PREMIUM IN THE SMALLER CAR SPACE AND COMFORT Innovative things come in small packages… The 1100 took everything that made the Mini so popular and added two things that were arguably at a premium in the smaller car - space and comfort. A family of four could happily tackle even the longest journey in the 1100, with extra space for luggage, all while riding on the ‘magic carpet’ of hydrolastic suspension. Hydrolastic had originally been intended for the Mini, only for BMC’s accountants to deem the system too expensive, and while it did briefly see application in the Mini, it was on the AD016 that it became best known. Developed by Dr Alex Moulton, the system swapped traditional springs and dampers in favour of more space-efficient displacers, connected by pipes running the

length of the vehicle. Similar to systems employed by the likes of Citroen, but was simpler in its implementation, but gave it genuine ‘big car comfort. The 1100 range underlined BMC’s credentials as a technically innovative manufacturer – the use of a transversely mounted engine with front wheel drive made the car incredibly space efficient, just like the Mini, and the addition of hydrolastic suspension gave BMC another big technological advance to promote the car with. Autocar put the car through its paces and was quick to praise the car: “Impressive though the straight-line performance may be, it is on corners where the MG comes into its own. On dry roads, the car could be hurtled through the bends at almost incredible speeds with almost no qualms.” High praise indeed.

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AUTOCAR PUT THE CAR THROUGH ITS PACES AND WAS QUICK TO PRAISE THE CAR

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They were less complimentary about the interior, including the dash which they suggested had a finish “more suited to a kitchen dresser.” They concluded their test by underlining the MG’s technical excellence, calling the car “difficult to fault” and stating that road-holding and ride comfort were in a class of their own. Their closing statement summed up the thoughts of any MG 1100 owner – “Even the most ardent, dyed-in-the-wool MG enthusiast would deem the 1100 a very worthy bearer of the Octagon.” With Britain’s continuing export drive, and the popularity of MG in the USA, it should come as little surprise that the 1100 would arrive stateside, a few months after the UK launch, in late 1962 at the MG Sports Sedan. It launched as the two-door, soon followed by the four-door version. Overseas success Like other MG products, it sold well in the US and so BMC followed it with an MGbadged version of the luxurious Vanden Plas 1100, dubbed the MG Princess 1100. Just over 150 MG Princess 1100s were built and in 1968 both the MG Sports Sedan and MG Princess 1100 were dropped from the US market to make way for the patriotically-named Austin America. www.mgcc.co.uk

BMC found themselves with a genuine sales success on its hands – the car went toe-to-toe with the Ford Cortina and for almost a decade was Britain’s best-selling car and ADO16s were on every street corner. The summer of 1967 saw the 1275cc A-series find a home in the car, and so the MG 1300 was born. Early cars boasted little improvement in power over the 1100, with 58bhp, but by the time the mk2 model arrived in 1968, power increased to 65bhp, lowering the 0-60 to 17.3 seconds. The strip speedo made way for a simpler, three-clock set up that was similar to the other members of the ADO16 family. As well as the larger engine, the 1300 saw the end of the four-door MG, with the two-door body style being offered through until autumn 1971, when the range was simplified for the 1972 model year. The arrival of the 1300 GT had eroded the MG’s place as ‘the sporty one’ in the ADO16 family and by the dawn of the 70s its time was done. Over 116,000 MG 1100s and MG 1300s were built between 1962 and 1971, but despite its sales success the MG 1100 and 1300, and indeed all the members of the ADO16, are relatively rare today. A perfect storm of rust-prone bodyshells and relatively complex construction compared to the Mini made MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 25

THE SUMMER OF 1967 SAW THE 1275CC A-SERIES FIND A HOME IN THE CAR, AND SO THE MG 1300 WAS BORN it a tougher car to repair and keep on the road, and those ever-popular 1098cc and 1275cc A-series engines were a popular, low-cost option for Mini owners looking for a Cooper-esque boost in performance. Why no MG Mini? Legend has it that BMC did indeed consider an MG version of the Mini, in the same vein as the Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet. David Knowles’ excellent book MG: The Untold Story expands the story. The variant, based on a standard Mini saloon was costed by BMC in 1961 and a single running prototype, based on a Morris Mini Minor, was built. The incredible success of the Mini Cooper put

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No race on Sunday, still sell on Monday With the likes of the Mini, MGB and Austin Healey dominating BMCs Competitions programme, there was no room for the 1100 and 1300 at the famous Abingdon Works. That said, an MG 1100 did contest the Monte Carlo Rally, driven by Tomorrow’s World host Raymond Baxter. The MG’s biggest success on the track came in 1962 when Andrew Hedges and Alan Foster won the 1300 class in the Brands Hatch Six Hour race. Supported with input from Stuart Turner, the MG completed 157 laps of Brands just weeks after the car had gone on sale. paid to any need for any other sporting Minis, and the project was shelved. The alleged prototype did survive for some time, but its fate today remains unknown. The unusual combination of standard Mini saloon and upmarket styling did

see the market eventually – South Africa saw the Wolseley 1000 arrive in 1967, combining the Hornet nose with the Mini saloon’s rear. Less than 500 were produced before the model was discontinued in 1969.

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FEATURE

THE B THAT FELL TO EARTH In 1973, a couple of MGBs took an 8,000-foot plunge for television, MG was still one jump ahead of the competition By Burton Hall, photos courtesy of Bob Burden; reprinted courtesy of Hagerty magazine

chingly slow, a twin-engine De Havilland Caribou cargo plane lumbered to 8,000 feet above a dry lakebed near Edwards Air Force Base in the high desert north of Los Angeles. In the Caribou’s vibrating belly, draped in shroud lines, a brand-new 1973 MGB shook as if foreseeing its fate. A helmeted driver stood close by, poised to push the MG out into space and leap after it. “Do it!” crackled a voice over the walkie-talkie. Below, on the dusty desert floor, the creative team of British Leyland Motor’s US advertising department craned their necks skyward like hungry hatchlings in a nest. Relegated to powerless bystanders afflicted with squinting eyes and clenched sphincters, they watched the drogue chute blossom from the open cargo bay. Once fully unfurled, it pulled the 1973 MGB out into space. This time it would work. It had to work. Oh, God, they prayed, please make it work. Months earlier, the so-called Parachute television ad, as it would come to be known, seemed so right. Bob Burden,

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then British Leyland’s advertising manager for MG and Jaguar, needed a “bust out” advertisement for MG, which by 1972 was facing increasingly tougher competition, especially from the Japanese. Dropping a car and a driver separately from a plane, and having them land together on the desert floor and drive off, was the sort of wacko high-concept frolic that could penetrate the fog of what in the 1960s had come to be known as the “vast wasteland” of television. A robust ad man comfortable with his role in the rough-and-tumble era of mid-century advertising, Burden loved the car business. In addition to possessing an

AGAIN, BURDEN ASKED: “WHAT IS THE SELLING POINT?” MAYHEW RESPONDED: “MG, STILL ONE JUMP AHEAD.” AND WITH THAT LINE, BURDEN WAS SOLD. www.mgcc.co.uk

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 29

astute feel for the marketplace, he had a great sense of humour and a resonant and ready laugh. After spending four years with the agency that represented Standard Triumph, Burden came to the British Motor Corporation, or BMC, in 1964 as European imports were breaking into the North American market. As Burden recalled in a 2016 interview: “Initially, I was in the BMC PR Department. In fact, I was the PR Department. That was my business card, ‘PR Department.’” After a few years, Burden’s boss was called back to England, and Burden was asked to look after the advertising at the US subsidiary’s headquarters in Leonia, New Jersey, until, he was told, “they can hire somebody competent to run the advertising.” As Burden puts it: “This being a British company, it never got around to hiring anybody competent, so I sort of evolved into that role.” From that point, the British car business grew and consolidated, with BMC joining Triumph and Rover in 1968 to become

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British Leyland, a government-led shotgun wedding that attempted to create a kind of British General Motors. With expansion came advancement for Burden, who was given the choice of running advertising in the US or running PR, but not both. Burden opted for advertising because, as he told then British Leyland’s US president, Graham W. Whitehead, “I don’t have to be as nice to as many people in advertising as I do if I’m in public relations.” Burden didn’t embrace the Parachute concept right away when creative director Marce Mayhew, from MG’s ad agency, Bozell & Jacobs, pitched the idea. A Canadian by birth and a graduate of Art Center College in Pasadena, Mayhew was a creative force in the age of “mad men.” During his 40-plus-year career, he garnered numerous industry awards. In assessing his longtime colleague, Burden says of Mayhew: “One of Marce’s great strengths was his meticulous attention to detail, and that went into everything. I’m not sure I ever worked with anybody who paid such

attention to all aspects of a photographic shoot as Marce did. Marce Mayhew ranked with the great creative directors of his time.” The need for the bust-out TV spot was glaringly evident to Burden. From his vantage point, MG’s in-house rival, Triumph, enjoyed a stronger market presence because Triumph had the dollars to advertise on television, thanks to a marketing scheme that harnessed funds from the dealers. With no dealer co-op money, MG historically did not have the budget, but that had changed. Efforts by Mike Dale, British Leyland’s then vice president of US sales, to enlist MG dealers in a co-operative advertising programme made this the right time to elevate MG’s advertising presence. But Dale needed a blockbuster TV spot to gain buy-in from the MG dealers and distributors who would be helping to pay for it. It was up to Burden and Mayhew to make it happen. Mayhew laid out the concept for Burden’s approval. “Fundamentally,”

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HE REASSURED WHITEHEAD THAT THE RAF DID SUCCESSFUL PARACHUTE DROPS ALL THE TIME WITH MILITARY VEHICLES. YEARS LATER, DALE WOULD CONFESS: “I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO PERSONAL BASIS FOR MAKING THOSE ASSURANCES.. Mayhew said, “we drop an MGB with a parachute out of a plane from a mile and a half up.” Recalls Burden: “Being the client ad guy in the room, I asked ‘What is the selling point?’” Mayhew explained there would be three competitor cars: a Datsun 240Z, a Fiat 124, and a Porsche 914 driving across the desert leaving plumes of dust in their wake. The MGB would land in front of them. A parachutist, who had jumped from the same plane, would land by the MGB, hop in, and drive away ahead of the competitors. Again, Burden asked “What is the selling point?” Mayhew responded: “MG, still one jump ahead.” And with that line, Burden was sold.

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After a discussion of costs, Burden met with Mike Dale. Equally excited, Dale set up a meeting with Whitehead, his boss. As a former Royal Air Force pilot and, as Dale said later, “the only RAF pilot in the room,” he reassured Whitehead that the RAF did successful parachute drops all the time with military vehicles. Years later, Dale would confess: “I had absolutely no personal basis for making those assurances.” Dale’s real source of confidence resided in the experienced advertising team of Burden, Mayhew, and Bozell & Jacobs account executive Tim O’Leary. In speaking of that team, Dale said: “They repeatedly brought fresh ideas to our task

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 31

of marketing ageing products, doing so in the face of strikes and other innumerable hurdles created by a British Leyland management determined to avoid selling anything at too fast a pace.” For his part, Whitehead responded to Dale’s pitch not so much with a vigorous approval of the plan, but more as a reserved yielding to Dale’s pleadings. For Burden and his cohorts, that was good enough. British Leyland’s management fortified Burden with an unheard-of budget of $45,000. That sum exceeded anything previously spent on any MG commercial by a factor of ten. The company then sent Burden off with best wishes and a hearty Godspeed. In the minds of Burden and Dale, the send-off included the unspoken message, “Or don’t bother coming back.” Filming would take place in the Mojave Desert of California over a dry lakebed near Edwards Air Force Base, site of Chuck Yeager’s first blast through the sound barrier in 1947. The area offered an expanse with no distracting backgrounds to detract from the spectacle that Burden and Mayhew sought to capture. Sweet light, golden light, the magic hour. Photographers have different names for the hour after dawn and the hour before dusk when sunlight softens and imparts its greatest cosmetic lustre. All vehicles photograph best in the sweet light, so on that November day in the California desert in 1972, Burden and the

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PRECISELY AS INTENDED, THE DROGUE CHUTE FUNCTIONED FLAWLESSLY, DRAWING OUT THE MGB. THEN…NOTHING. MG’s crew began to set up for filming around three in the morning to be ready to capture the drop at sunrise. Two red $3,695 MGBs from the company’s Los Angeles distributor were prepped to be the hero cars. Interestingly, the distributor, Ernie Rodriguez, had a son, Gary, who had recently graduated from the US Air Force Academy. Rodriguez volunteered Gary, who was home on leave, to be the MG crew’s technical adviser. The team had to address myriad details. One was that the US Federal Trade Commission, the agency that oversees advertising, insisted the action portrayed be authentic. It had to be a real car that landed and started up and drove away. If not, the spot couldn’t be aired as a TV commercial. So the MGB had to be able to absorb the impact without modification to the suspension system and then have a working lead-acid battery and sufficient gas in the tank to drive off. A small air armada gathered: two Cessna chase planes, a helicopter, and the Caribou mother ship. Responsibility for the primary camera belonged to the helicopter; a second camera was stationed in one of the Cessnas. As for the second

Cessna, it would fly above the Caribou. If by chance the actor jumping from the Caribou dived too fast and passed the MGB, a second jumper would leap from the Cessna above to be in the frame with the dropping MGB. He would then become the driver at touchdown. As the sun climbed in the sky, so did the fleet of aircraft. With the red MGB and actor aboard, the Caribou circled above the desolate desert floor completing its slow climb to 8,000 feet. Wind loomed as a major concern. Dropping a sports car from 8,000 feet suspended under a parachute, to a significant degree, qualified as an act of faith, but precautions were taken to ensure the car would land where it was supposed to. Mayhew had the Caribou do passes while dropping smoke bombs to gauge the drift and establish a target area. When all was considered ready, Mayhew, on the ground, counted down, then barked into the walkie-talkie to on-the-scene director Jim Jordan in the Caribou, “Now!” Hands tightly gripped binoculars. Faces pressed firmly to eyecups. MG’s advertising team silently, breathlessly, focused on a

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DAWN ARRIVED FOR TAKE TWO. CARIBOU LOADED. CHUTES RIGGED. PLANES SENT AIRBORNE. SMOKE BOMBS DROPPED. IT WAS A GO. winged dot in the sky. First, the drogue chute trailed behind the Caribou and could be seen opening. Its purpose was to pull the platform-mounted MGB with the main parachute out of the Caribou’s cargo bay. The larger main parachute, once free of the plane, would billow out to support the MGB in its gentle descent to earth. Precisely as intended, the drogue chute functioned flawlessly, drawing out the MGB. Then…nothing. Gary Rodriguez, possibly benefiting from his air force experience, instantly realised something was wrong. He uttered “Oh!” a split second before the MG team, as one, yelled “Sh*t!” The main chute failed to open. Viewed from below, the largely free-falling car gathered speed – if not exactly at a perfect 32 feet per second squared, then at a rate that would have been the envy of any land-bound MGB. Falling with a slowmotion grace, the MGB plunged tail down for about 7,000 feet before rolling over, shiny side down, with the platform on top. The car impacted upside down in a cloud of dust on the desert floor. The combined height of the wreckage measured about 30 inches. When Burden reached this metal pancake, crew members, Burden says, “looked for all the world like mourners at the funeral of an old friend.” Burden recalls that the loadmaster in advance of the drop was so proud of his rigging that he had volunteered to ride down in the MGB. Burden concedes that back then, at that moment, “I wished he had.” Years later, Mayhew remembered thinking that, if chromed, the wreckage would have made a magnificent base for a coffee table. Upon inspection, blame for the failure was attributed to droguechute lines that had snagged bolts on the

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From left, project director Jim Jordan, Marce Mayhew from MG’s ad agency, and British Leyland ad director Bob Burden are identified by their T-shirts

Caribou bulkhead, rendering the main chute inoperable. Burden now faced the unpleasant task of reporting the day’s events to Mike Dale, who was in New Jersey awaiting news. Mayhew and O’Leary spent the ride back to the motel fiercely lobbying Burden for the only solution they felt made sense: Try again with the backup MGB. Burden responded that he didn’t have a backup job. Mayhew countered that Burden could only be fired once, whether he destroyed one car or two. With that inescapable logic, Mayhew and O’Leary prevailed. Burden called Dale and explained what had happened and passionately advocated for a “take two.” Dale agreed there was no other solution, and take two got a green light. It also put Dale in an awkward position, as he was scheduled to have lunch with his boss, Whitehead, the next day, and surely, the first topic of conversation would be the Parachute. Dawn arrived for take two. Caribou loaded. Chutes rigged. Planes sent airborne. Smoke bombs dropped. It was a go. All eyes gazed skyward. All thoughts the same: Oh, please, work this time. From the Caribou’s open belly, the drogue chute exited, drawing with it the gleaming red MGB followed by the main chute, which blessedly deployed as planned. Burden’s hero car began its slow, controlled descent to the desert floor. As the filming was taking place, Dale, awaiting word from Burden, kept delaying his arrival at the executive dining room for lunch with Whitehead. Finally, Dale could

wait no longer and joined Whitehead. Unaware of take one’s failure, Whitehead seated himself next to Dale and inquired as to how the Parachute filming had gone. In that instant, as Dale relates, “I was about to start my confession when the phone by my elbow rang.” Excusing himself to answer, Dale heard Burden’s voice: “It worked!” The Parachute proved to accomplish all that Burden, Mayhew, and Dale desired. At the national MG dealers’ meeting, the Parachute received a standing ovation. It was picked up by media outlets across the country, won a US Television Commercial Festival Award, and was featured in an issue of Reader’s Digest. It elevated MG to the big-time, but only for a brief moment. As the 1970s wore on, MG’s static product line went from ageing to ancient as prices steadily rose. Newer competitors ate its market share and, in 1980, six years after the Parachute, the lights at MG’s US operation went out. Bob Burden went on to support British automobiles under the British Leyland banner until departing in 1980 to join legendary ad agency Doyle Dane Bernbach. Burden would later return to Jaguar as vice president of marketing, working for his old boss Mike Dale. The former RAF pilot worked in various positions at Jaguar until 2000, when he retired as director of Jaguar Cars after a 37-year career working in the British car industry. Somewhere buried in Dale’s upbeat report to Whitehead on the Parachute was this case of classic British understatement: “It took a couple of goes, but it worked fine.”

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FEATURE

THE

TAMAR TRIO TRIALS TEAM by Alan Davis

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n the early 1960s, having watched the Annual Land’s End Trial run by the Motor Cycling Club every Easter for several years, I was attracted to the challenge of this type of Motorsport. ‘Sit up and Beg’ Ford Populars were a common choice of vehicle. Some local events could attract a class of 30 Ford Pops at the time, making it a very competitive class. I purchased a suitable ‘Ford Pop’, carried out some minor modifications allowed by the rules, and entered my first Trial. Having cut my teeth on local events I

joined the MCC (Motor Cycling Club) and entered the first of many long distance Reliability Trials. The Club runs three major events in a 12 month period:The Exeter Trial in January The Land’s End Trial at Easter The Derbyshire Trial in October. My friend, Peter Moores, acted as ‘bouncer’ and navigator until he decided to enter a car himself. Another Ford Pop was purchased and we began to compete with both cars. Most weekends from September to April were spent competing at various venues throughout the West Country. Axles were the weakest part of the Ford Pop and frequently one of the cars would be towed home with a broken Crown Wheel and Pinion. Unfortunately, due to the design of the axles, if the half shaft broke the wheel would fall off, meaning a trailer recovery or roadside

repair. We mated up with other trialling enthusiasts, Barry Boundy and Nick Palmer, who shared the driving of their Ford Popular and we formed a team using the name ‘Tamar Wheals’. The Tamar Valley, the area we live in, is noted for tin and copper mining. Wheal is an old mining term and seemed an appropriate play on the word wheel. The Team enjoyed considerable success in local and national events. About this time David Miller, an avid MG enthusiast, moved to our village. He enthused about the history of MGs and their trialling successes during the 1930s. Inspired by Dave’s enthusiasm Peter Moores and I decided to campaign the MG marque. We joined the MG Car Club where we became friends with Norman McKee who encouraged us further. Pete purchased an MG J2 and I bought an MG TC in a completely dismantled state. The previous owner had taken the car to pieces ‘to do it up’ Even the instruments were dismantled and put in separate boxes with all relevant parts.

The Tamar Trio leaving for Derbyshire in 1976 www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 37

Finish of Derbyshire Trial 1978. (L-R) Jane Barnacott, Julia and Norman McKee, John Barnacott, Harry Oxenham, Colin Bird, Tony Bolt, Pete Moores, Jeff Hearn and Alan Davis

Eventually, both cars were up and running and Pete and I started to compete in them. We soon made friends with Colin Bird in his J2 and formed the Tamar Trio Trials Team in 1975. Apart from the three major events of the year, The Exeter, Land’s End and Derbyshire Trials, the Team travelled to Gloucestershire to compete in the Cotswold Clouds Trial, (the Cotswolds being a range of hills in that area). The cars were also entered individually in local events organised by the Devon and Cornwall Centre of the MG Car Club, Tavistock Motor Club, Camel Vale Motor Club, Launceston and District Motor Club, Holsworthy Club and North Cornwall Motor Club. Both J2s were fitted with non-original engines initially, Colin using a TC engine and Pete a 1500cc Z Type Magnette unit. They both aspired to fit original J2

engines and eventually enough parts were obtained to build up two competitive J2 engines using Phoenix cranks. Colin used his expertise to increase the power to 65bhp by supercharging. Alan’s TC ran with a standard TC engine naturally aspirated. All three cars performed well, were reliable and usually featured in the awards for their class. We became friendly with Barry Smith who owns an MG PB and has been competing with it since 1971. When trialling, as each competitor is competing against the course, there is always a great camaraderie. When someone is in trouble you can guarantee many helpers within minutes. One noteworthy event was the 1976 Derbyshire Trial. A friend of mine owned a large four-wheel trailer which could carry two Jaguars. We thought it would be an adventure to take the team to Derbyshire on this trailer, towed by Pete Moores’ Land

Rover Safari. The three cars would just fit with spare wheel removed from the centre car to give the required amount of room. We set off, well loaded towing the huge trailer, three cars and eight people in the Land Rover Safari, only to find the whole outfit became terribly unstable above 30mph. Having committed to the scheme we persevered and eventually arrived in Buxton Derbyshire many hours later. We completed the Trial and caused quite a stir when reloading for the long journey home, over 300 miles. Having done it once, we all agreed it was an experiment not to be repeated. These days, with more emphasis on towing weights, the outfit would be illegal, quite rightly so. It was very unstable with the combined weight of cars and trailer greatly exceeding the towing vehicle’s weight. Alan and his TC dropped out of the team during the early 1980s and Barry Smith in his MG PB joined Colin and Pete to keep the Tamar Trio intact.

The Tamar Trio at the summit of Putwell section Derbyshire (L-R) Colin Bird, Harry Oxenham, Alan Davis, Verona Davis, Pete Moores and Ann Moores

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Tamar Trio in Stroud competing in the Cotswold Clouds event

They put up very creditable performances all through the 1980s and 1990s, regularly featuring on the results sheet. In 1992 the Tamar Trio beat all other teams entered in the three big MCC trials of that year to become Team Champions. Unfortunately, Pete Mooresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; J2 suffered a major engine failure in the late 1990s. Since then, Colin and Barry have teamed up with various others to make up the team until 2005 when the Tamar Trio name was dropped, 30 years after its inception. Colin and Barry were still campaigning their MGs in 2014, competing in the major National events just as the team cars of the 1930s. Quite an achievement in vehicles

now 80 years old, especially as sections are more difficult now, an attempt to stop the modern purpose-made entrants. Colin Bird and his J2 has been competing for a longer period than the famous works teams, has covered more miles and has probably won more trophies. An outstanding achievement worthy of recognition. List of Awards:Alan Davis MG TC - 52 Trophies in total, including MCC - Class Win Edinburgh Trial 1978, four Gold Awards and one Silver Award.

Pete Moores MG J2 - 140 Trophies in total, including one MCC Triple Award, eight MCC Class Wins, 10 Team Awards, one Team Champions 1986, one Team Champions 1992, 15 Gold Awards, ten Silver Awards, eight Bronze Awards. MCC Trials Champion Trophy, seven times winner of MGCC Slade Trophy. Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s J2 has competed at Silverstone winning MMM Mary Harris Trophy (Racing), MMM Race 1990 and has won class wins at Wiscombe Park, Werrington Park and Babbacombe Hill Climb.

The Tamar Trio on the move. Alan Davis lead car followed by Pete Moores with Tony Bolt passenger, behind Colin Bird and Nigel Wood 40 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

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Waiting to attempt Beggars Roost

Alan Davis Mine Shop section, Crackington Haven, Lands End Trial

Cars waiting to attempt Putwell section Derbyshire Trial. (R-L) Austin Nippy, Dennis Nicholas, PA John Adams, PB Barry Smith, TA Cream Cracker Norman McKee, HRG David Uglow, TA Cream Cracker John Barnacott, J2 Colin Bird, J2 Pete Moores, TC Alan Davis and TA Nigel Wood www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 41

Above: Alan and Verona Davis competing in the Rallye International de Charente, France Left: Jon Moores tackling Simms section Exeter Trial 2016 Below: The Tamar Trio Lands End Trial 2012

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Barry Smith Mineshop Land’s End Trial

Colin Bird MG J2 - Over 200 Trophies in total, including one MCC Triple Award, ten MCC Class Wins, 20 MCC Gold Awards. 15 MCC Silver Awards, 20 MCC Bronze Awards, two MCC Team Championship Awards. Colin’s J2 has also competed and won awards at Silverstone, Wiscombe Park and Werrington Park Hill Climbs. It is regularly used on the road and has been driven to and from events in Germany and

Switzerland. Quite a creditable history, well worthy of recognition. Barry Smith MG PB - 57 Trophies in total, including eight MCC Gold Awards, 16 MCC Silver Awards, three MCC Bronze Awards, four MCC Class Winner Awards, two MCC Team Awards. One MCC Team Championship Award. One MMM Register Championship Award. Barry has also won awards at Wiscombe Park Hill Climb, won the MMM Register Slade Trophy and used the car extensively for pleasure and MG

events in the UK and on the Continent. In 2015 Barry with his wife Fiona enjoyed a trip through Spain and France in his PB, calling at Angouleme for the Race of the Ramparts weekend. Now in 2020, Colin Bird’s J2 is undergoing a major engine overhaul, as is Barry Smith’s PB. Alan Davis is still enjoying Classic Car events 50 years later in his MGB Roadster. Unfortunately, Pete Moores passed away suddenly in 2012 but his son, Jonathan, still uses his Dad’s J2 competitively in MCC Trials and so the story continues.

Derbyshire Trial. (L-R) Tim Watson with Barry Smith, Tony Bolt and Pete Moores, Colin Bird and Harry Oxenham, Nigel Wood with Brett ?

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 43

FEATURE

ME AND MY MGs by Paul Plummer. Photos by Colin Grant

hen I was a teenager I desperately wanted an MG T Type and went to view a TC with my father. I thought it was ideal, although my father took a different stance and advised me not to buy it. I then looked at a frog-eyed Mk 1 Sprite, which I bought and completely rebuilt, owning it for 10 years. Then the normal things got in the way: wives, dogs, mortgages, children, and of course careers, all came along and thoughts

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of an MG were abandoned. Fast forward 40 years with the children having grown up and left home and having the resources to fund an MG, I was able in 2000 to purchase a 1955 TF1500, reg SNN 517. 1955 MG TF 1500 Chassis No HDE13/8918 was built on January 17 1955 and registered by Nottinghamshire County Council on March 1 1955. After an unremarkable life, the car

was by the 1980s rather tired and scruffy and the then owner embarked upon a rebuild. By 1984 it was back on the road and looking good. During my ownership, I have carried out a full restoration including improvements to enhance the driving experience. The five-speed gearbox in particular makes it an ideal cruiser on motorways. I have now driven many thousands of miles, on MG runs and

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events both at home and overseas, and it has never let me down! 2005 MG TF135 Then in 2012 I purchased my modern MGTF. I felt that the F/TF was a fun car and likely to be the last sports car that MG ever made, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d better buy one. I had the opportunity to purchase a good condition, well looked-after 2005 TF135, now registered 25 JMH. When purchased,

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I was pleased to see that all the wellknown faults, such as the head gasket, had been attended to, and unlike its 1955 predecessor I have had to do no major restoration work. As with my other TF, I have travelled many thousands of miles both here and abroad, where it has given me trouble-free motoring. Driving Both are used regularly, at least once

a week, if only to go to the shops! So, what are they like to drive? The modern TF has all the features associated with a modern car of today, with the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handling and power-assisted steering and servo brakes, making it a joy to drive, whereas the 50s TF is from another era and therefore lacking in refinements and is a totally different driving experience, involving much more input from the driver.

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 45

On the Road The 50s TF moves away smoothly and pulls strongly with a harsh exhaust note especially when pushed; once rolling, the note settles down to an attractive burble. The ride is quite harsh particularly on poorly surfaced roads. The road-holding is pretty good for a car of its age and the modern, radial ply tyres give it good grip, whilst the steering is pin sharp, but is heavy at low speeds. Braking is rather poor by modern standards, but certainly adequate to bring the car to a quick stop when circumstances dictate. The 5-speed gearbox enables you to keep up with modern-day traffic at sensible engine revs. The performance is adequate, although to keep up with modern traffic you do have to get the best out of the engineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance, which has a top speed of around 80mph. The interior is basic but functional with good instruments, although somewhat cramped when two people are in the car. It has no heater and only limited storage space, having no boot. The weather equipment is prone to draughts, leaks and drips, but this just adds to the overall experience of driving an old sports car.

46 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

The modern TF, by comparison, does what you would expect by accelerating away smoothly and quietly. It steers and holds the road like a go-kart, has excellent brakes and is an ideal motorway cruiser, with its 130mph top speed having never been used. The weather equipment is water-tight even under the most inclement of weather conditions, and it has a heater! The boot is perfectly adequate for all normal loads and some items can even be stored under the bonnet.

Conclusion These are two very different cars, but both very likeable; the 50s TF has more character, with the modern TF being slightly bland by comparison as it just does everything so well. Because of my youthful desire to own one of the 50s T Types, the TF is the one I can most relate to and therefore am more emotionally attached to.

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NEWSLETTER

Peter Jones peterjones1880@me.com

WELCOME TO THE

VINTAGE NEWSLETTER Just to jog your memories, as I write this the weather has broken and it is a lovely sunny day – prior to this it rained practically every day for three months – the hood has never been up for that long before! Flooding, dams breaking and general sogginess everywhere. Before that, Victoria and I were in Scotland at the end of March when Covid-19 legislation started to come in, so we thought it better to return home quickly before we were marooned. It was like driving in the 1960s all over again – very little traffic, no hold-ups, near-empty service stations, all remarkably relaxing. We returned home to Bath in record time. Now as I sit here I am ‘self isolated’ because, apparently, I am classed as a ‘vulnerable older person’ an epithet I feel is rather insulting; however, the acres of time ahead has afforded time to write this Vintage Register newsletter. So what’s been happening? Well the answer is, alas, very little as almost all sport, meetings and much else by way of enjoyment has ceased. This includes the famed ‘MGs on Grass One’ (in early April) which Victoria graciously organises and would be ideal for vintage cars and could be fun if only there was more than one vintage entry each year… More importantly, the last in the current series of the ‘Kimber Classic Trial’. At which on one memorable occasion we once had 10 vintage entries and an 18/80 has been overall winner more than once. However it will now come to an end, due to the ageing organisers finding it so much trouble for a diminishing entry. New, enthusiastic, energetic, younger members much needed to organise and enter this, probably the oldest event still in the Club’s calendar. 48 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

A couple of years ago on the Kimber Classic - what is not to like?

On the positive side, we went to the South West Centre dinner and Presentation of Awards at the end of February and we invited Christine Stanbury as well as Tony and Val Blake to come and stay the night, as we live less than a mile from the venue. All our guests arrived, and we had a good catch-up time before setting off. It was agreed the we all should go in an MG and the only one big enough was, of course, the 18/80. So, can you get five mature adults in a tourer when it has the hood up? Well of course,

Still one more to squeeze in! getting ready to head off to the South West Dinner

Now if only I could shut the door…….

On the way to the Gala Dinner with ’six up’. By this time funds had presented themselves for hood and interior trim, very civilised www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER

Getting ready for the start of a busy Diepp Grand Prix, this gives you a flavour of the event.

but they do get to know each other very well on the journey. It was a dark, drizzly night and one misses not only the speed of modern windscreen wipers but also the beam width and illumination of the modern headlight when trying to navigate the winding country lanes in Somerset. In the far-off days when I tried my hand at rallying, it was regarded as de rigueur to have the offside headlamp pointing high and ahead and the nearside down at the kerb – probably frowned upon today. Aficionados of this periodical may well recall a photograph taken some years ago at the Dieppe Grand Prix, showing six aboard the 18/80 but this time with hood down giving better head room but making things much less cosy. The Dieppe Grand Prix was, and probably still is, a magnificent jaunt to France in the first week of September. When I was first invited by the Dieppe Chamber of Commerce, they were enthusiastic in their encouragement of cars to come over from England as lots of old cars was an attraction that extended

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the tourist season. Often the streets were full of people watching the parade of ancient machinery. Brittany Ferries had been persuaded to waive all charges for our crossing, I was able to arrange economical hotel accommodation. The entry fee was but £30 for car and two passengers, which included breakfast, lunch and gala dinner (and breakfast and lunch the next day every other year, when it was a two-day event) which made it very economical diversion. The idea was to parade around the original 1912 Grand Prix route (precursor to Le Mans). The oldest cars lead the way around the triangular course with police motorcycle escorts holding up traffic at junctions, allowing the majestic crocodile to pass. We stopped at every town and village en route where we were welcomed by Monsieur le Mayor who gave the driver a kiss on both cheeks and then by the ‘May Queen’ with repeat kisses and then she proffered a glass or two of calvados. As there were many towns and villages to visit on the way round, this became a very pleasurable experience as we progressed.

I once won a prize at the gala dinner. Having profoundly failed O-level French, I was not sure why I had won; was it for the ‘best open car’ or the ‘most open car’ (this was before I could afford a hood or any trim). I asked one of the French schoolgirls, who were drafted in to act as translators, why I had won and she looked at me, smiled sweetly and said in very accented English: “I think it is because you are English” - well, a prize is a prize after all, and as it was a coffee maker (donated by a member of the Chamber of Commerce) a doubly welcome one at that. On a different tack, after considerable cajoling by Debbie Brading, I finally booked for the May VR AGM and even gave my menu choices. Alas, Victoria couldn’t come this year so I invited Dave Mothersdill to join me. Alas, Dave has not used MG 1200 much this or last year as he is rebuilding his house and inadvertently had a few tons of assorted aggregates dumped in front of what passes for a garage. Not learning from this lack of foresight, he later erected scaffolding

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 49

NEWSLETTER

Side view of the acres of space around the engine. To start at the far right the aluminium cover encloses the timing chain, that drives a gear with the fan pulley on one end and, via a skew gear, the oil pump (below and out of sight) with the shaft going on to the distributer, dynamo and water pump. All very neat but difficult to access! The thin siver band just visible below the front bonnet clip is the jubilee clip for the bottom radiator hose…

around the house to work on the roof without first thinking of how he would gain entry, as he had, unfortunately, blocked both the doors – but that is another story. I have been having trouble for a number of years with the engine overheating. Living in Bath this is something of a problem, as wherever you

go each journey involves lots of steep hills. On the hour or so journey down to West Coker for the Kimber Classic it will overheat at speeds above 50mph, yet motor round the trial with no problems at all! I have appealed for solutions and the only one I got was from Peter Mace who suggested “Calgon” (a washing machine limescale remover). Unconvinced

Three bolts on the back of the water pump and two on the flange that joins the block. Easy or not? Well it all revolves round the clamp of the dynamo and its flexible coupling. See other engine ‘photo 50 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

but desperate as time was running short before the AGM, I popped in three or four tablets and drove around a bit. Keen to ‘reverse flush’ the cooling system but without risking clogging the radiator with detritus, I removed the bottom and top hoses and the water pump manifold and flushed away contentedly. Then came the re-fitting. I have often wondered why, bearing in mind all the acres of room under the bonnet, the manufacturers managed to get so much of the mechanism all in such small, inaccessible corners. The first problem was the hoses. These days it is difficult to get imperial rubber hoses so I got the metric equivalents, one of which was too big and the other just a bit too small (of course) but with lots of washing up liquid could be encouraged to fit. The difficulty was that it was nearimpossible to get them off again without dismantling the whole system. Another thing that I have often wondered about is how something that obviously fits perfectly when dismantled seems to stubbornly resist replacement, and so it was with the elbow into the block from the water pump. Much grunting and quite a bit of ‘heave-ing and ho-ing’ not to mention quantities of knuckle flesh later, it was assembled before being dismantled and re-mantled again to stop the leaks and the engine was ready to be tested. Alas, it then refused to start! The plugs were wet so petrol was getting through. I dismantled the plugs (mine are of the old mica variety that you can take apart) cleaned and re-fitted. It ran on a couple of cylinders for a revolution or two then stopped – plugs soaking wet. I tested for sparks (few and weak), changed the coil, wired it directly to the battery. I even went down to order some new points and much else, all to no avail. Next day (the day before the AGM) when fitting the new points, I noticed that with all the ructions the wire to the capacitor had come off! This re-attached, off it went like a sewing machine! I then went round with the grease gun, checked oil, water and tyre pressure, all was well – first routine maintenance for a

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NEWSLETTER number of years! Remembering Morgan Marshall’s instructions for setting the timing, viz “At idling when hot advance the distributer to the fastest tick-over then retard it a bit to save the bearings”. Much easier than setting the fly wheel to the “IO” position, etc. Then, when I came in to wash all the oil off, an email pinged to tell me that the AGM had been cancelled! Driving has been a bit curtailed of late, but on infrequent trips to get provisions the temperature gauge seem to be behaving itself, acceleration is exhilarating and all seems well. Was it the ‘Calgon’ or more inexact timing? I’ll keep you informed. Until then, stay safe and enjoy the quiet, empty roads (on essential journeys only, of course), luxuriate in the silent sky, drink in the cool unpolluted air and pause to enjoy the sight and sound of the wildlife that seems to have come out of hiding.

This at Brooklands with the younger Constant father and son enjoying the rather Spartan interior of the’ most open’ then recently restored Six

I’ll finish off my jottings this month with a few photos taken 10 years ago when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Vintage Register in Abingdon.

www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 51

NEWSLETTER

Paul Plummer 01926 854574 scribe@tregister.org

WELCOME TO THE

T TYPE NEWSLETTER Extraordinary and challenging times are with us and as I write these words, who knows what the situation will be in May when you read this piece? The T Register had to cancel the Rebuild Seminar planned for April 18 and the MG and British Marques on the following day at Brooklands. The T Party has been put on hold, but the Autumn Tour is

still scheduled to go ahead, watch this space. Kimber House is closed to visitors and MSUK have withdrawn Permits and Certificates. Many other non-MG events have been cancelled or postponed: Bicester Heritage Scramble, The Restoration Show, several F1 races and many more. Please do keep checking the Register website for all the up to date details www.mgcc.co.uk/t-register/

BRINGING HOME NEVILLE PART III…. At the end of part two the decision had been made to repaint the whole car and it was subsequently taken to Finishline UK at Graveley, Herts, where Chris set about stripping all the old paint off. During the strip back, layers of incompatible paint were found justifying our decision to do a ‘bare metal’ respray. The body was painted in BRG using Standox two pack. Following repairs to the various instruments, these were all refitted to the dashboard centre panel that had been colour matched to the original bronze. The rocker cover was repainted in silver to match colours in researched documents. All the bulkhead parts were removed to enable the external

The body undergoing repainting 52 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

Body repainted and resplendent in green

Door painted and ready to be re-hung

Rebuilt front suspension www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER paint colour to match throughout all visible areas. All the under-bonnet chassis parts were painted with Celli mix. Following painting, the windscreen and edge finisher were replaced, the rear wings were refitted and rear lights reconnected. The running boards were refitted and doors rehung, two worn hinges were replaced. The ‘lift dot’ fasteners were then very carefully replaced. A brand new original pattern steering wheel was sourced to replace the cracked and tatty one. The external clutch mechanism had been bodged and there was a lot of wear

in the various linkages. The clutch rod There are a number of general servicing and lever were replaced along with the items still to be done, including fresh trunnion and clevis pins. The wishbone gearbox and rear axle oils, before a road test inner bushes were replaced, and the and general shakedown to highlight any suspension checked and greased. remaining issues. The plan is to use the car The remaining jobs left at the time of for some reasonable length runs to get some writing are to refit the bonnet side panels mileage logged to ensure all is well before a and tops to complete the bodywork and final engine oil change and tune up, before refit the running board strips. offering the car for sale. The rear indicators still have to be During the time we have had the car sourced and fitted and the cockpit area and we have used social media to encourage carpets cleaned/replaced as necessary. The feedback and to date an older TF 1500 has hood is in good shape but will need work not materialised so we have to assume, to make it acceptable. A tool kit is being put unless challenged, that this is the oldest together with a few items still to be sourced. surviving 1500 still in existence.

COPPA DI HIMEJI Here we have a report from Japan of a historic car rally, in the region of the Harima Sea, south of Kobe, the ‘Coppa di Himeji’, where the story is told by Kenji Matsuoka, the President of the Kobe MG Car Club, driving a 1953 TD.

MG TD IN A RALLY In the past couple of years, Mille Miglia-type historic car rallies have become popular in Japan. A typical one is La Festa Mille Miglia which starts in Tokyo and runs through the north eastern Japan area for four days. It started in 1992 and then took a break for several years, recommencing in 1997.

Kenji in his 1953 MG TD www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 53

NEWSLETTER As in other historic car rallies, there are a series of Coppa rallies. This series started 28 years ago as Coppa di Koumi. Now this series has expanded, for example the Coppa di Tokyo, and in western Japan there are two rallies, Coppa di Kyoto and Coppa di Himeji. Each rally is held every two years, and Coppa di Himeji was held on December 7-8 2019. Himeji is famous for a beautiful castle, Himeji Castle, which is nominated as one of the Unesco World Heritage sites. This castle was built in 1346 and was enlarged in 1610. It has an elegant form and is known as the “White Hellon Castle”. A complete restoration of it was finished four years ago. In 2019 108 cars entered this rally, including seven MGs. The oldest MG was a 1938 MG TA. Other MGs were three TDs, two MGBs and one MG Midget. From the Kobe MG Car Club, four cars were entered, two MGs and two Jaguars. We left Himeji Castle at 9.30am, and the finish point of the first day was a hotel in Awaji Island after we’d covered approximately 200km.

On the way to Awaji Island, we had to pass several time controls. They were called ‘keep time’, prove cronometrate in Italian. The route book indicated how many seconds it should take to pass a certain length. For example, for the next 100m we had to complete it in eight seconds. Several entrants were equipped with high-tech tools, and they completed the 100m to one hundredth (1/100) of a second! As we were beginners at this kind of competition, it was very difficult for us to drive the distance in the correct amount of seconds. On the second day, we visited the epicentre of the Kobe Quake which hit in 1995. We passed several time controls en route and then returned to Himeji Castle. The winner of the competition was a 1952 MG TD. The driver and co-driver have a lot of experience and got a very good result. The position of our team was 80th – not brilliant but we enjoyed the event very much and can’t wait for the next one.

SKETCHES FROM JAPAN

Our second drawing from artist Shuji Umekawa features another T Type, this time a TB. The underlying differences from the TA can be clearly seen in this view. The narrower petrol tank and wider rear wings with the central ridge and the centre laced wheels.

54 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER CAR OF THE MONTH

Post war, the slogan was ‘Export or Die!’ and MG certainly did their bit, with many cars ending up in Commonwealth countries and the USA. To add an international flavour to this month’s offering our featured car comes from Australia. This TC is owned by Ian Buckley, Past President of the MG Car Club of South Australia, based in Adelaide; additionally, Ian is a member of the MG Car Club UK. This is the second TC that Ian has owned, having had TC 4253 for 14 years from 1974. TC 4083 was built on November 19 1947, imported into Australia and sold new by MG dealer, Motors Limited of Morphett Street, Adelaide on March 9 1948. The first owner was Mr E G Freeman, the second Mr Tim Ferris, and then the fourth Cairns Boag, purchased the car and kept it for 16 years until he sold it to Ian in 2012. The car has spent all its life in and around Adelaide. During his ownership

www.mgcc.co.uk

Car of the Month

May 2020

Owner

Ian Buckley

Model

MG TC

Year

1947

Chassis number

TC 4083

Engine Number

XPAG 4662

Reg Number

RPX 461

Years Owned

Cairns Boag carried out extensive remedial work, particularly on the electrics. Ian has carried out many rebuild tasks, including brakes, front wheel bearing and kingpins, and has fitted Roger Furneaux’s tapered rear axles and bearings. The car is in excellent condition, with its original engine, but not concours, and is regularly used on a weekly basis covering about 1,000 miles a year, running through the rolling hills and beautiful scenery of South Australia. Ian is an active member of the T Register of the South Australian club which holds regular meetings at various members’ houses and garages, where they recently broke the record for the number

of T Types, with 29 cars attending. Interestingly, this car is featured on the T Register’s TC sail flag. My thanks to Ian Buckley.

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 55

NEWSLETTER

David Broadhurst 01209 614704 newsletter-editor@mgb-register.org www.mgb-register.org mgbforum.mgb-register.org

WELCOME TO THE

MGB NEWSLETTER Everybody holed up with a suitable supply of Speckled Hen and getting under Management’s feet when not polishing the MGB and muttering darkly to yourselves, eh? I know the feeling. Having cancelled the AGM, scheduled for March 22, your committee grasped the nettle of new tech and held a virtual meeting on Friday April 3 using Zoom and wrote off any organised events for the foreseeable future. The AGM will happen… sometime! Sorry about that chaps and chappesses,

but keeping everyone safe is what matters. You could always use your B for the “essential” shopping trip, on bright days, perhaps coming home by another route, like the Three Wise Men, to give the battery a bit of a boost and keep everything moving as it should. Exercise, as the government directive says, is good for you. I have seen some worried comments about the proposed introduction of E10 fuel at the current 95 octane level which

the majority of petrol engine cars are set up for. This will be fine for modern engines, though mpg will worsen even as Co2 emissions are reduced. It is not good for the fuel systems of the 600,000 older vehicles on UK roads, which includes our MGBs. It is possible to rebuild the fuel system with resistant components and, doubtless, some owners will explore that route… if they haven’t already. However, the powers that be have said that a “legacy” fuel will continue to be available

The MGB Committee virtual meeting 56 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER at E5 standard. This will, almost certainly, be at a higher octane than 95. I run my ’67 on 97 or 99 octane, both of which are readily available and are close to what the engine was intended to use. The hint is that is what will be available to us. I will keep you up to speed on this issue as information comes to hand. See you all, Dreckly (Cornish dialect word meaning manana, but even more vague). Now, to other matters: I got this email from Tony Taylor recently. Amazing where MGB Bits turn up. Good Afternoon, David, Probably like several MG owners – in

my case, a B GT – I have the unfortunate affliction of never throwing away a part (or parts) removed and replaced on the motorcar. The reason: “They may come in useful at some time”. They rarely or never do! Around three years (!) ago, I replaced the incorrect front suspension springs. Last December, I finally got fed up with shifting the old ones around when doing the current job. I planted them - The result is on the attachment - “Spring Flowers” Do any other ‘B owners suffer similarly? Tony Taylor Spring flowers

OIL PRESSURE DELAY – 1967 MGB

Original ‘Teclamet’ Filter Assembly

Oil Canister Conversion Kit

Following an extensive engine rebuild back in 2005 I have always had a two- or three-second delay in the pressure rising on the gauge. This is prevalent when the engine is started from cold or having been left for a couple of hours. As you can imagine, this has led to concerns about bearing wear, not to mention the heartstopping three seconds every time I start it from cold, awaiting the gauge rising. The pressure once reached has always been around 60psi which is a good average for the engine, dropping to around 25psi when hot. My initial suspicion was that the original paper oil filter was of poor quality, but that together with an inspection of the ‘Tecalemit‘ Filter Housing for correct assembly and new paper filter produced no improvement.

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In desperation I removed the pressure relief valve on the nearside (UK) of the engine and checked that it was functioning correctly and not allowing oil to drain back into the sump. Again, no change. Could it be the oil pressure gauge itself? I happened to have a spare pressure gauge from an older classic which connected up to the flexible pipe at its junction by the pedal housing. Same delay was apparent. Next, I suspected that maybe the oil cooler was partially blocked, as although I flushed it during the original build it is possible that some sludge remained. A new Oil Cooler made no difference. Due to a need to replace the starter ring (another story), I decided to pull the engine thus giving me an opportunity to investigate the oil pump. Could it be that the pump was allowing oil to drain back into the sump? I checked the pump by removing it and leaving it filled overnight in a vice. There was no loss of oil. Incidentally, I checked the main and big end bearings and found there was no appreciable wear, so the delay to the gauge did not seem to have an adverse effect on the engine. The engine was reassembled with new gaskets, oil and filter, and fitted back in the car. The oil pressure delay still persisted!

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 57

NEWSLETTER

New Conversion Kit Assembly fitted

Whilst looking for other parts I came across an oil canister conversion kit supplied by MGBHive, suitable for MGAs and early MGBs (up to 1967). I suspect other retailers also supply this product. I am a stickler for originality but for my own mental health I couldn’t resist buying it and trying it out. The kit, as shown in the photo, consists of a replacement for the ‘Tecalemit’ filter housing which is first screwed into the oil filter protrusion in the engine block. A new seal ring is supplied to fit between them. Once the tab washer is secured the new disposable canister filter can be fitted. The oil cooler pipe is refitted to the new filter housing and that is all that is required. The only tricky bit is bending the tab washer as it is quite hard to reach in situ, unless

the engine is out of the vehicle. I managed it with long-nosed mole grips. Guess what, problem solved! The oil pressure gauge immediately springs to 60 psi on a cold start. My original filter housing is the hanging down type and retains oil without the need for a one-way valve. There are other models that have the same ‘Tecalemit’ filter housing but fitted in an inverted position that would not surprise me if they drained out to the sump over time. I suspect that I’m not the only person to have this problem, so I hope this article is of use to others. You live and learn. Graham Dix

FLYWHEEL WOES – 1967 MGB If from time to time I have left my B for more than a couple of months without starting her up, I always have the annoying situation

whereby I cannot select a gear because the clutch plate has ‘welded’ itself to the flywheel.

I’m sure this has happened to many of us over time and there is more than one solution, the most common being to bump start in gear and then ‘blip’ the throttle whilst disengaging the clutch. I have tried this and it works fine IF you have assistance, but invariably I don’t. Another solution, I have now practised many times, is to run the engine until both the engine and gearbox are thoroughly warm. Usually about 30 minutes at tick over. Only then do I depress the clutch and ‘blip’ the throttle before engaging a gear. This has worked for me

Damaged portion of starter ring removed from the flywheel 58 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

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NEWSLETTER

Starter motor with broken dry joint on battery connection post

every time but is still frustrating and thus I have been wanting to replace the clutch plate for some time, in the hope that a new one would be less inclined to stick. The opportunity arose recently due to another set of unfortunate events. My starter motor jammed. No problem, use the age-old method of hitting it with a hammer. It worked – the first time. A couple of weeks later, it jammed again. No amount of hammering would shift it, nor rocking the car backwards and forwards in gear. It was jammed solid. This time it was a trailer ride home for an engine-out session. Once the engine was out of the car the problem was obvious. The starter ring was very badly mauled in a couple of places The ring is an interference fit on the flywheel, so either has to be heated to a temperature far higher than I could achieve at home or drilled through the ring to weaken it before ‘breaking’ it with a Hammer and cold chisel.

This it did and I then had Richard at ‘Manor Garage, Wantage’ fit the new ring for me. The starter motor had wear on the shaft and the spring return on the ‘Inertia’ drive was failing to return properly. Both issues I considered were the main cause of the motor jamming in the first place. I took it apart, ever optimistic that I could repair it, only to find that the power terminal that is soldered to the windings had a dry joint and came apart in my hands when I removed the rear end plate of the motor. This surprised me, as the motor was definitely well and truly jammed into the starter ring and wasn’t just failing to turn over. A future cause of a failure to start, I suspect. I took the decision to order a refurbished replacement starter

MGB CHAIRMAN’S NOTES I am writing these words on Wednesday April 8, Boris our PM is in ITC in London and most of us are keeping to the rules and staying at home. The Canadian GP has just been postponed and our friends at Silverstone must be hoping the British GP will be given the go-ahead in July. My MGB has covered 100 yards in the last 20 days and the ZS has been driven eight miles to Tesco and back. Every day Gill and I go for a walk. Luckily, at the back of our house is a field we walk around, occasionally stopping to talk to someone at a good distance. I think the biggest down is that we are unable to visit and hug our families, one in Wokingham 40 miles away and one in Darlington 250 miles away. At least using the wonder of Facetime and Zoom we chat and see them online. Our MGB Register AGM was postponed, as was the MGB Spring Run on April 5. We notified all the entrants of the situation as soon as the Motorsport UK had withdrawn the licences. We offered

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motor, along with a new clutch assembly. Using a cheap clutch alignment tool from ebay I fitted the new clutch assembly. Once all back together, I craned the engine back into the engine bay using a ‘Tilt’ attachment (from ebay) that made aligning the engine and gearbox considerably easier than past experiences. Now reconnected to the gearbox, all seems absolutely fine. I’m not planning on leaving the car a couple of months between start-ups, so hopefully will never know if the new clutch plate will ‘weld’ itself to the flywheel. We will see. I also had issues with the clutch thrust bearing, but that is another story. Graham Dix

Engine being refitted to gearbox using engine crane with ‘Tilt’ attachment

everyone the choice of leaving their entry with us for next year’s event on Sunday April 11 2021 or a full refund. We also intended going to the Practical Restoration Show at the NEC for the first time. We had a great stand design with new display boards, then that was postponed. Unfortunately, the new date in August clashes with committee holiday and family commitments so we are unable to attend, but it will be on the list for 2021. While mentioning 2021, the European Event of the year is in Portugal in May. I am thinking of going; you have to register your interest on July 1 to get an entry. I am sure more details will be in a future issue of Safety Fast! I am leaving you with a picture of the fields in early spring. Hopefully by the time you are reading this some of the restrictions we have will be relaxed and we will soon be able to drive our MGs. Keep safe and well. John Watson chairman@mgb-register.org Mob 07770 575236

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 59

Mike Haughton mgc_mike@btinternet.com www.mgcc.co.uk/mgc-register/

NEWSLETTER

WELCOME TO THE

MGC NEWSLETTER As we write we are moving through turbulent times. Most

the Covid-19 crisis and the availability at the Haynes Museum in

importantly, we hope you and your families are safe and well. In

the autumn.

view of the uncertainty, the committee have taken the difficult decision to postpone MGC 52 in June, with a view to re-schedule later in the year. This however will be entirely dependent upon

We are more hopeful of there being a Christmas do – put November 28 in your diaries. Hope you all stay healthy.......

MIKE AND ANGIE’S C STORY The car was pretty solid – not a prize

We thought it would be good to share how

and asked if anyone was interested in buying

we got into MGC motoring – so let’s hear

his MGC. Muggins here was the only one

winner – but everything worked and all 6

your stories, too, please!

who said “maybe”.

cylinders were working in harmony. The chap

Mike and Angie bought FGL 520F in

We didn’t know much about them

we bought it from used it for work – some

September 1984 from a bloke in a pub (not

at the time, so I asked around our local

sort of engineering – so the interior had taken

Del Boy… ) “as seen” for £2,000 with a

car club – no-one seemed to know

a bit of a battering. Carpets and new seats

new MoT. We’d first caught the MG bug in

much either. I was an MGCC member

covers made it look much better. Under the

1980 with a 1973 MGB (bought because we

(obviously!), so I had a look at the C

bonnet various parts were painted in silver

couldn’t afford a Lotus Elan!). Then along

Hammerite for some reason! One of the first

came this chance to buy an MGC.

from there. There was no internet then to

things I did was get a full folding sunroof

do any research, but I knew it was a bit of

fitted – still very pleased with that decision.

Our local MG club met at a pub in Frampton Cottrell, near Bristol. One day one

an unusual beast, so we took the plunge!

of the pub regulars came over to our group

And so it started – MGC ownership…

The early days were a bit of a voyage of discovery. To the “novice” the C (as we know

First winter in the snow for FGL www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 61

NEWSLETTER matter) so we have managed to keep the car on the road every year since ’84 – I have all the MoT certificates. In reality lots of things go wrong, but we’ve managed without any really lengthy periods in the garage. I can’t possibly list all the minor and major ailments (lots of both) – most of you readers will have had similar problems, no doubt. We got more involved in MGCC activities as time went on – originally in the South West Centre, then more with the Register. Our first big tour was from home in Bath to Speyside (water pump failure – had one sent by train to Aviemore by Red Star from Bristol). With friends in their V8 GT, the tour also had the suitably pleasant side effect of consummating my affair with Scottish single malt whisky. There’s been a top side respray in the

Engine bay, complete with silver bits!

90s, then a much-needed full underbody now) is rather a different beast to your usual

I bought, but they would have been a

strip and repair at Colne Classics. A rebuilt,

sports car. Handling? Yes, I soon found out

premium brand. New rubber and all

fully lightened and balanced engine was

that what everyone said had an element of

four wheels properly balanced made a

needed after leaving lots of oil behind us in

truth! It’s different to a B – but then why

huge difference.

Portugal, Spain, and France.

wouldn’t it be? I quickly got some advice

I also had a lot of issues early on with

We’ve done loads of C Register events,

about tyre pressures and adjustable torsion

flat batteries – eventually traced to a faulty

and most MG Silverstone weekends, since

bars from the Register (may even have been

regulator unit.

the mid-80s – and toured lots of the UK

Vic Young?). I found that it just needs a

Originally it was our daily driver, doing the

before venturing abroad for the first time in

slightly different driving style – and helpfully

work commute, shopping, holidays and so

the C in 2017 to Portugal. Now we’ve got

it has bigger brakes than a B!

on. We even bolted child seats onto the rear

the euro tour bug properly!

I remember discovering that the tyres were well past their sell-by date, and the wrong sizes. I can’t recall what make tyres

seat platform (it was allowed in those days!). Now, obviously, nothing ever goes wrong with an MGC (or any MG for that

GT as you know stands for Grand Tourer – and it really is! Mike Haughton

Full respray underway in the 1990s 62 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

The car that started my love affair with the ‘C’

My introduction to the MGC kicked off in 1982. I had been the

budget I had narrowed it down to one of two cars. One in Southam,

proud owner of an MGB GT for about three years and started

the other in Cheltenham. The car in Southam was a late roadster with

to attend a number of the regional MG shows. At one particular

steel wheels and non-overdrive. In hindsight this would have been the

meet, Stanford Hall 1982, I came across a particular red MGC GT

more solid to opt for. The car in Cheltenham was a mid-production

registration OOR 33G and that was it. My heart had been stolen!

car with wires and overdrive. That’s what swayed me; the heart

Comparing it against the B, everything on the C looked right,

overruled the head once again.

especially that engine. I always felt that the B engine had looked lost

The car was purchased in June 1984 and trailered back home as it

in that massive engine compartment and this was now the answer,

wasn’t taxed or MoT’d. The tidying up process began. After a couple

the 3 litre MGC, a real man’s car!

of weeks the car had been sorted and was ready for the road. Some

I had no idea what I was looking for but the hunt was now on. I

major tidying up of the dash had been a priority as well. During this

was originally looking for a GT model, but a chance conversation with

period I had asked the C Register to print a request for an MGC pen-

the curator of a car museum in Cornwall (long since gone) persuaded

pal. I received just one reply from a C owner in Switzerland. Over the

me that if I was to buy a car for high-days and holidays then it should

years we exchanged many letters, watched our respective families

be a roadster. That made a lot of sense. I had no idea about soft-

grow up and have spent many happy hours in each other’s company.

tops, certainly had never driven one, so I’m getting even deeper into

Such is the power of the MG marque of friendship.

unknown territory. The only way to fund the purchase of the C was to sell the MGB

Back to early July 1984. The car is packed, ready for the first outing. Our son was just six months old at the time and was strapped

GT. A decision that I have long since regretted as I did love that car,

in his carry-cot wedged behind the front seats. Different times, I

but needs must. After several months of searching with a restricted

know. Later in the day, on the way home, we were heading along

www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 63

NEWSLETTER the M42 and suddenly lost quite a bit of power. Fortunately, we were only three or four miles from home so managed to limp back and get everyone back safely. Anxious to know what was going on, I started the usual diagnostics, points, plugs, coil, fuel, etc. All looked in order. Next, I thought I would carry out a compression test to see if I had dropped a valve or something. Sure enough, number three had no compression – off with its head! As soon as the head was removed the cause of the problem was revealed. About a third of piston three was missing! The original plan was to run the car as it was for a couple of years, get some fun out of it, then start on a gentle restoration. The fact that the engine needed to come out had thwarted my plans and made the restoration a little more imminent. So, engine out and pulled apart, ready for the machine shop, I embark on removing the front wings only to reveal the usual horrors of rust and corrosion that many C owners are faced with. Not to be deterred we press on, then to find a lump of filler the size of my fist in one of the front chassis legs which also wasn’t very straight!

Very impressive engine bay of OOR

I have to admit that at this point I was at an all-time low with the car. What do I do? Put the car back together as best I can and sell it

used the car for many MG runs, the Kimber Runs being most memorable,

on or do I persevere? Lindsay will be the first to tell you that I never

but quickly found out that maintaining a car to concours standard and

take the easy road, so on with the complete nut and bolt restoration

using it like it is meant to be used are somewhat incompatible!

we press. Turn the clock forward five years, the car has been completely restored and we’re ready for its MoT. I then get the concours bug and start competing in local then national events with some success. We also

The rest as they say is history. The car has introduced us to many new horizons and lots of wonderful, like-minded enthusiasts like yourself. Colin Howes

Early days – Pre-restoration

64 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

www.mgcc.co.uk

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PROJECT JIFFY

PROJECT JIFFY PART 2 –

STRIP DOWN After our introduction to Jiffy in the March issue of Safety Fast! the work to restore the car begins in earnest. By Adam Sloman. Pictures by Andy Knott and Colin Grant

hile we all got acquainted with Jiffy in the March issue, the car is now back at Kimber House and the restoration could get underway, but how did the Club settle on a Midget for a project car and why Jiffy? Along with the MGA, B and GT, the Midget is one of the quintessential MGs

66 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

that cemented the underpinned the marques sales and success in the late 1950s, 60s and 70s. From humble beginnings as the Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite, the MG Midget arrived (alongside a more conservatively styled Sprite mkII) in 1961. Powered by the iconic A-series engine, the Midget launched with a 948cc, twin-

carb version of the four-cylinder unit. By the time Jiffy left Abingdon in 1966, production of the mkII, with a larger, more powerful 1098cc engine, was running down as MG geared up for the launch of the 1275cc mkIII. Many will cite the B as the MG sportscar, but the Midget gained an excellent reputation – not only as a

www.mgcc.co.uk

Mike Parker studying the condition of the underside.

sportscar, but also in motorsport, where it proved itself in a number of disciplines, from circuit racing, to rallying, to hillclimbs and autotests and autosolos. Development of the Midget would continue, with the change to round wheel arch, then back to the more recognisable squared-off version, before the rubberbumper model launched in 1974 with the (shock horror) Triumph-sourced 1500 unit supplanting the 1275 A-Series. Despite being arguably the equal of its bigger, more powerful stable-mates, one area where the Midget has lagged behind the A and B is in value. The days of cheap MGAs and B are long, long gone and while it is true that there is no such thing as a cheap Midget, the smaller car does remain eminently affordable. It was this level of affordability that made the Midget and ideal choice for an MGCC restoration project. Initially, a later Midget 1500 was sought, with the idea being to find a rolling restoration style project – something that could be used and driven to events while being brought

Rear axle, spring and shock absorber in need of some TLC.

back to its best, but all that changed when Roger Stinson emailed Kimber House, and shared with us the story of Jiffy.

A special bond Having owned the car over 50 years, Roger clearly has deep ties to the car and was keen to see Jiffy return to the road but realised that circumstances weren’t going to allow him to finish the car. He had done much of the strip down work including removing the engine and gearbox. Roger had amassed a large number of new and second-hand original parts over the years, all with the intention of bringing the car back to its former glory.

Roger had carefully and thoughtfully stored all of the parts for Jiffy, with the main shell stored in one garage, the engine and gearbox in another. The seats, carpets and brightwork had all been meticulously wrapped and packed, before being safely stowed in Roger’s loft. Roger had undertaken to have the original brightwork re-chromed, meaning that once Jiffy is back together, she’ll be complimented by a pair of factory-fresh bumpers. The car’s original grille has been stripped, ready for re-chroming, but other items, such as the wheel trims, are in pristine, original condition.

Underside of car was in a very poor state www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 67

As car arrived at Kimber House complete with many parts and Ashley hard top.

Shortly before the 2019 Classic Motor Show, Jiffy was collected from Rogers’s home in Devon, and brought to the NEC for the three-day show. Jiffy drew plenty of interest from visitors, many remarking that they were pleased to see a Midget being the focus of a project, others that they had similar projects ongoing at home and a few saying that they thought the Club was just crazy for trying to rescue the car.

Work begins After being showcased on the Club’s stand, it was brought to Kimber House for a full assessment and strip down. The original plan being that once stripped, the shell would be sent for a full body-dip, to remove all the rust, dirt and muck from the tub. Allocated to do this work were Staff members Andy Knott and Colin Grant, together with long-time Club member and Midget owner/expert, Mike Parker. The windscreen was removed, and along with the rare Ashley ‘GT’ hardtop, placed in storage. The bonnet had suffered significant rust along its leading edge and so a replacement will be sourced, while Jiffy’s front wings remain in very good order, with only minor cosmetic work needed to make them good. Jiffy’s doors are in similarly good condition, while the engine and gearbox have been put in store, but will soon undergo similar assessment to confirm their condition – Roger was careful to store the running gear safely,

so beyond replacing gaskets and some ancillary items, no major mechanical work should be needed. With the panels stripped, the next step was to remove with the front suspension, wiper assembly and other auxiliary items. Many of the nuts and bolts were rusted solid, requiring copious amounts of penetrating fluid, a portable gas torch, and an angle grinder to remove the worst of the fixings. The rear suspension presented similar issues when it came to the removal of stubborn nuts and bolts.

Next steps Once fully stripped, a full assessment of the shell was possible. Kennington Motors, based near Oxford, came to give their view on the body. Owners (is this correct – I think they need a title?)Dave and Dan Cook have a vast amount of experience in restoring MGs and they were of the opinion that the car was beyond economical repair as so much of the body had rusted away, which left very little to try and weld new panels to. The floorpans had suffered significantly, as had the car’s rear end, where rust had eaten away at the rear passenger side boot floor and rear wing. Clearly, a significant amount of new metal would need to let into the shell and require a very significant level of investment and time, with no real guarantees that the shell would be viable

‘I had one of these but it didn’t look like this’

with such a patchwork of panels. Following Kennington’s inspection of Jiffy, John Yea and Martin Davies from British Motor Heritage (BMH) came to Kimber House offer their opinion. John was enthused by the story of Jiffy and Roger’s long ownership and was keen to do what he could to help, feeling the best way to rescue the car would be with a new body tub. BMH hold all the original tooling for both MGB and Midget and are able to produce bodyshells and tubs as per original factory specification. You can follow the production process for the body tub in the next issue of Safety Fast!

Jiffy caused much interest at the Classic Car Show at the NEC

Jiffy looking a little out of place on the Clubs new stand at the NEC.

68 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

www.mgcc.co.uk

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RACE TORQUE

hope that all MG Car Club Members and the motorsport ‘family’ are keeping safe and well. At the time of writing, our first unaffected race meeting is Donington Park in July. We are also working hard on re-scheduling the postponed meetings and are in negotiation with the two circuit management teams concerned. By the time that you read this, Motorsport UK should have made an announcement on the British Grand Prix and, more importantly for us, on when permits may begin to be issued again.

Unlike some of the bigger events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, MG Car Club can react quickly to any changes in circumstance and is very fortunate to have a great team of people involved in organising our race meetings, so we can react to any announcement very swiftly and ensure that we provide as many rounds as possible for our racers. Keep an eye on the website for up-to-date details as we know more. Believe it or not, the Race subCommittee will also be starting to consider 2021 soon. As the lockdown continues,

RACE TORQUE by Mark Baulch Photos Dickon Siddall

www.mgcc.co.uk

we may have to meet ‘virtually’ in order to start discussions. We have lots of things to consider and I am sure that our six Championships will have some opinions on what they would like to see in terms of a race calendar for next year. I would ask competitors to start passing your own thoughts on to your Championship Coordinators on this so that we have as clear a picture as possible on your wishes. Of course, we will also be continuing to communicate with our racing guests as well. The events of this year may well influence their own thoughts on where and when they wish to race and, indeed, who with. I would like to reassure all Members that all of the conversations referred to above are continuing, as well as remaining in touch with all of our suppliers in order to keep them up to date and ready to start again as soon as we are able to. At this time, I must end this piece with thoughts on the medical professionals that we have all come to know at the various race circuits. Many of them are currently working on the front line of the NHS and putting themselves at risk on a daily basis. Other Officials, Marshals, Competitors and family members will also be NHS staff, care staff or key workers and I would like to extend my thanks to all of them on behalf of MG Motorsport. Racing will return and I look forward to seeing all of you at a circuit soon.

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 71

MGs ON TRACK

MG on track

Duncan Wood duncanw@mgs-on-track.com

NORTH WEALD EXPERIENCE DAY

e are including our entire track day calendar for the remainder of this year in a spirit of hope rather than any expectation that it will proceed exactly as published. As I write, the Mallory Park event has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and I think we can assume that several more cancellations or postponements are bound to follow. The committee will always be guided by MGCC and UK Government advice, will continuously assess the situation as it develops in liaison with the circuits and, just as in more normal times, will place safety above all other considerations. There will be considerable pent-up enthusiasm from regular members eager to get back out on track once our events restart, but the North Weald Experience Day is predominantly directed towards novices or those who have never tried one of our events and, just as importantly, those who are not sure that a track day is ‘their sort of thing’ and need persuading otherwise! In the present situation many of you have had plenty of time to polish and fettle your MGs to within an inch of their lives, so how about some spirited driving to blow away your own cobwebs? Whilst our regular track days are mostly held at established motor racing

72 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

circuits and are enjoyed by drivers of all abilities in a wide variety of MGs, our Experience Day is held in the wide-open environment of an aerodrome with no solid objects to hit, and offers the chance to explore both your abilities and your car’s handling under the watchful eye of performance driving instructors. No special equipment or helmets are required, just enthusiasm and an MG. Priced at £ 60.00 for an MGCC member, with second drivers and passengers free of charge, the event presents an inexpensive, fun and sociable day out. Numbers are restricted to just 23 for the day, and with each exercise being undertaken by just one car at a time the risk to both vehicle and driver is minimised. North Weald aerodrome is very close to Harlow, and just a mile or two from the M11, so is readily reached from most areas. After an optional visit to the onsite catering bus, the day proper commences with a group introduction and an explanation of the day’s activities, plus cars are tested for exhaust noise which is limited to 105db measured with the car stationary and at 75% of maximum revs. This is very loud so unlikely to pose a problem for even modified road cars. The first exercise of the day is a highspeed bend marked out with cones. You will be encouraged to approach the bend

at ever-increasing speed (measured with a radar gun) until you reach or exceed the limit of road-holding perhaps leading to a harmless spin on the open tarmac; your reaction to this is more likely to be laughter than fear! With helpful advice and encouragement from the instructors, your confidence in both your own skills and the potential of your car will grow as the event proceeds, and you will be eager to put your new knowledge to the test on the two circuits formed of cones that will be set-up for the final portion of the day. As the ‘laps’ are timed more than a hint of competition can enter the equation, with rivalry being most intense between family members. Who would have thought half a second would be worth so much in bragging-rights? Clearly, we hope that the Starter Experience day will give you the confidence and desire to try a full track day sometime soon, but even if you decide not to take it any further you will still find it to be an entertaining and friendly day out and are certain to come away from North Weald having learnt lots of new skills. At least two MGoT committee members will be present for the day, so plenty of opportunity to ask questions about our track days and learn why we enjoy them so much.

www.mgcc.co.uk

MGS ON TRACK – 2020 CALENDAR Please visit www.mgs-on-track.com to register, check availability, or to book a track day. Registered members will receive regular newsletters and notification of event opening dates. Snetterton 300 – May 18 A fast and open track; long straights combined with a challenging infield section. Castle Combe – June 22 The first of two annual visits to this very friendly circuit in Wiltshire. North Weald – June 26 An introductory activity day for those who have not yet tried a full track-day. A chance to explore the capabilities of driver and car in complete safety. Croft – July 3 Experience one of the hidden gems of British Motorsport on a day shared with Lotus on Track. ‘Open pit lane’ format so not suited to novices. Blyton Park – July 6 Not a traditional racing circuit, but a fun and friendly venue boasting a layout with real character. Croft – July 17 Arranged by the MGCC Tyne-Tees Centre and fully supported by MGoT, this event is open to all MGCC members. Three sessions per hour ensure it suits all levels of experience. Anglesey – August 10 Experience this challenging circuit on a day shared with the Lotus 7 Club. Overlooking the Irish Sea and with views to Snowdonia this track amply repays the journey west. Castle Combe – September 7 A second opportunity to enjoy the thrills of this ever-popular track which includes a couple of chicanes and high-speed, technical corners! Donington Park – October 5 A circuit with a long history, this is a firm favourite with all. Includes plenty of changes of elevation and the swooping Craner Curves. Goodwood – October 26 A second visit in case you missed the first due to popularity! Brands Hatch ‘Indy’ – December 7 Our season finale; don’t miss the chance to enjoy this undulating circuit including Paddock Hill Bend!

www.mgcc.co.uk

MGCC MGCCSPEED SPEEDCHAMPIONSHIPS CHAMPIONSHIP John Wilman, Beechfield, Fern Bank, Chapel-en-le-Frith, High Peak. SK23 0JJ Tel: 07778 165186 www.mgspeed.net The problem with putting together these articles four weeks before publication is that your information can be overtaken by events. Let’s hope that does not happen this time and that by publication date things are looking up. We are told there will be no motorsport until at least the end of June. To anyone who believes that things will return to normal at that time, I have for sale a large metal structure on the promenade at Blackpool, which can be dismantled for scrap by the purchaser. Cash offers only. Forgive the levity, but in such desperate times it is better to have a giggle. As regards the Championship, it remains to be seen if there are enough events before the end of the season to make this viable, although I would imagine that any new records set at any

events would be taken into account when next year’s target times are calculated. However, unlike our political classes, I have never been very good at banging on about nothing, so I will just wish everyone the best of health and hope that I have more positive news next month. In the meantime, below are a few images from seasons past to keep your spirits up

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 73

CENTRES ABINGDON WORKS Gill Martin sfscribe@mgabingdon.org.uk www.mgabingdon.co.uk The world’s in Lockdown and people are glum We’re scared for families; from kids to Mum. It’s driving us mad staying indoors Just staring at ceilings, walls and floors. We’re finding ways to make us feel better By contacting friends on computer or letter. We’ve put up rainbows and now it’s seas But what you and I want is more MGs. So I’ve searched through photos (God, what a lot!) And these are the happiest ones I’ve got. So make a cuppa and relax a while And I hope these photos will make you smile. Stay Safe!!!

This is all we can do at present; smile and pretend

ANGLIA Rob Muir 01206 862619 scribe@mgccanglia.com www.mgccanglia.com Anglia Calendar Included in the April edition of Safety Fast! was the welcome return of a paper copy of our events calendar; however, with the subsequent restrictions due to the coronavirus, many events have had to be postponed. This will have an impact on many listings in the calendar for some way ahead, so please contact the organiser of anything that you may be interested in, even after current restrictions ease, to confirm whether it is running. A massive thank you, though, to events co-ordinator Tony Batson and the Kimber House staff for producing the calendar. It is nice to have something tangible to hold, containing the many happy events that we can look forward to once we are through these challenging times. As Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth said in her address: “Better times will return”.

74 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

Smile. A dinosaur made from recycled material including spark plug teeth

The good times will return

Old and the new; it will be FUN again

Events Planning ‘At Home’ I hope that you are all well and keeping safe. It is amazing how many MG-related things we can still do. How about going through your photographs and submitting some to our website or to the Anglia Photographic Competition. It is always nice to see other members’ cars and gives great inspiration. Submissions to Kelvin at webmaster@mgccanglia.com Unexpected Treats! Filling up my time at home, trying to tidy up the loft along with cupboards and the garage, I came across not one but six, model kits of MGBs that I

have bought or been given over the years and never got around to assembling. Now I have no excuse – I may even send a photo of one when completed to the website. Anglia Centre Picnic Although cancelled for this year, president Roger Latham is already making plans for the event in 2021, so has clearly not been sitting on his hands. Our Thanks Although most of us will be at home, many members of the MGCC and Anglia Centre will still be working in essential services including the NHS and will be putting their lives on the line to keep us safe. So I would like to end this month with a big Thank You to them and hope that our Club and ‘Marque of Friendship’ will provide something for them to hold on to in these difficult times.

www.mgcc.co.uk

CENTRES CALEDONIAN Bob MacGillivray 07870 407111 mgcarsscotland@gmail.com www.mgcaledonian.com I’m not quite sure for how long I’ve been a member of the MG Car Club, 40 years or so I think, but I cannot recall a time when there has

been so little to say about Centre activities… and all due to an enemy we can’t see! I hope you are all staying healthy and that by the time you read this some restrictions are lifted, and normal life may return. You will understand that as a result of Corona all events up to June 30 have been cancelled or postponed. Our April AGM is postponed to an as yet unknown date and the Jim Clark Trail Three

Day Tour has been postponed until May 2021. The Marine Hotel in North Berwick has been booked and we hope soon to put everything else in place. We will let you know more as soon as possible. The Thirlestane and Bo’ness shows are cancelled, so at the time of writing this only Glamis will be operational but check our website or call me for any updates on this. Assuming it does run, it will be our only show this year so let’s make it a big one! We had intended being present at MGLive! and may still attend depending on its rescheduled date. However, on July 26 and in August we should have one-day runs, as well as the MGA run on July 25, so check the website and, Corona permitting, please enter. Our Facebook page has in recent weeks become even more active than normal. It’s a very useful way of keeping in touch and reading some interesting posts. If you are on Facebook but have not yet ‘liked’ our page, please do so at ‘MG Caledonian Centre’. And, yet again, may I ask for your email address? We do issue regular updates which are important, particularly at times like these, but without your email address you will not receive them! Let me know, please! Take care and stay safe and healthy!

The following pictures are from the archives of 2011, and were taken at Bluehills near St. Agnes on the Land’s End Trial, organised by the Motor Cycling Club. We should have been helping with the running this year as we have done for many years now. Pictures show long-standing Devon and Cornwall Centre members Barry Smith and Roger Oxenham in the PB, Colin and Carolyn Bird in the J2 and Nigel and Paula Wood in the TA. When we are able to get back to some sort of normality, please check the website, Facebook

pages, etc, as this will be the quickest way to inform all members of the return of events at short notice. Until then, please keep safe.

Who? When? Where?

DEVON & CORNWALL Young Janner II bobslatter@hotmail.com www.mgcc.co.uk/devon-cornwall-centre As we all know by now, we are in a position that most of us would never have envisaged, let alone lived through. With an unknown end to this situation, it is impossible to organise any future events at the moment, so the best we can do is reminisce over past events and better times.

www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 75

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Engines and Cylinder heads are sold on an exchange basis. If no exchange unit is available please add £550 to the price of a Midget engine £250 MGB. If you are looking to rebuild your own engine we also stock the full range of parts you will require from pistons to bearing, reconditioned rocker assemblies to genuine Payen Gasket Sets.

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CENTRES LINCOLNSHIRE Ian Mackenzie 01529 497849 MaccaV8@aol.com www.mgcclincolnshire.co.uk Apologies for last month’s complete lack of foresight – progressive lockdown commenced only three days after copy submission date... As most of us are grounded at the moment, here’s hoping you’re doing your cleaning and polishing for when the fun starts again. As for un-lockdown, we’ll all be very well aware when it happens, and we look forward to seeing you all as soon as poss thereafter. So, pictures of what you could have enjoyed in April... Please stay safe Everyone.

First Natter of the Month – Abbey Lodge

MIDLANDS David Russell Email: d.a.russell@btinternet.com With the cancellation of MG events and the social measures currently imposed upon us getting an MG out of the garage is nigh on impossible. However, there are some positives to having an empty diary… time to complete maintenance jobs that have been on a ‘to do’ list… time to give attention to planning future events for the late summer/ autumn. (Via social media apps, of course!) With regard to future events, it is hoped that the Curborough Sprint scheduled for August 5 will be able to take place. Entrants are being contacted to see if they wish to transfer their April entrance fee to August or wish to be refunded. Planning for the Autumn Trial is progressing and the Midland Committee is indebted to the many hours that Tony Lake (Trials Secretary) is having to put in, working to secure the best possible venue. Watch this space and the Midland e-Newsletter for updates. Returning to tackling a to do list so that our MGs are in top condition and reliable to enjoy some Natter runs later in the year. I have been www.mgcc.co.uk

First National Drive Your Classic Car Day run to include Douglas C47 Dakota KG651

First Autotest of the Year – we’ll let you use cars if it rains next time!

occupied on my MG cleaning and rust proofing the floor pan and chassis, and while underneath located every grease nipple and added some grease, to ball joints, prop shaft and handbrake cable. The reconditioned AC Delco alternator that PowerLite in Brierley Hill refurbished for me some time ago has finally been exchanged on the V8 for the temporary Lucas replacement. The pulleys didn’t quite line up, so it sounded like a turbine spinning as the revs increased! Problem solved, all now quiet and refined once more. As a key worker I was able to take advantage of a drive to work for a test drive. As you will all know, and I’m sure remember, the special feeling of driving an MG never fades – the waves and smiles from the other few drivers on the road made the commute even more pleasurable. As those of you who entered the Midland Centre Welsh Touring

Rallye 2020 planned for May will know, the event this year has been cancelled. Roger King (Lead for the Welsh Rallye Team) has sent out the refund to entrants. Initial discussions with the hotel have resulted in a provisional date for the Welsh Touring Rallye for next year of May 14-16 2021. Further details and confirmation will be publicised in due course. On behalf of the Midland Committee keep safe and we look forward welcoming everyone to great MG events later in the year.

My V8 engine with new alternator MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 77

CENTRES NORTH WEST Paul Goodman 01625 876300 At the time of writing, it is not clear when the Centre will be able to re-start MG activities. The certainties are that the Anglesey Sprint Weekend and Scammonden Dam Hillclimb will not be run, the Cockshoot Cup Race Championship rounds at Silverstone International and Silverstone GP have been lost, and high-profile shows including Tatton Park and Lymm have been cancelled. The good news on Tatton is that it is hoped that the August event will take place on 15th and 16th and the Club will be able to have a stand at that event. Email and mobile phones will be used to keep members informed about the status of forthcoming events. The first scheduled meeting in May is the Cheshire County Sports Club on Tuesday 12. This would be followed one week later by the Plough and Flail gathering on Tuesday May 19. If the pub has not reopened by then, but gathering is allowed, then we may hold that meeting in the car park on a â&#x20AC;&#x153;bring your own drinkâ&#x20AC;? basis.

SOUTH EAST Ray Ruffels and William Opie raywillmg@gmail.com www.mgccse.co.uk As we write the May notes we have just completed the first two weeks of the lockdown and it looks like a long road ahead back to normality. However, you should have received the MGCCSE April newsletter a few weeks ago. If you have not, it can be accessed on the SE website at https://www.mgccse.co.uk/newsletter/ With all events now sadly cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic our SE News will be somewhat depleted in the next quarter. So we need your help! Please send pictures of what you are up to with your MG either in the garage or drive with a few lines for the monthly notes and the newsletter! Amusing or otherwise, send it to us raywillmg@gmail.com and please continue to send in any news and stories for Members Corner that you wish to publish. The Spring Naviscat, held at the Spur Pub, Slindon, on March 8 was a great success with a wonderful collection of 13 cars taking part. It was 78 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

The final May meeting would be the lunchtime gathering on Wednesday May 27. The venue will be on the Centre website. Looking further ahead, the big meeting in June is the annual Plough and Flail Concours scheduled for Tuesday 16. The organising group have been working very hard to refresh the trophies that will be awarded and change the way that the entry is split for judging purposes. If cars and drivers are allowed out by then, there should be a great turnout and perhaps the previous record can be broken. As far as the Cockshoot Cup Championship and Speed Championship are concerned, it is a case of wait and see. If MG motorsport is resumed in July with the Donington Park Race Meeting on the 11th and 12th, then the Cockshoot racers could still have seven rounds. Double headers at Anglesey and Snetterton with a final single race at Oulton in October would skillfully organised by John and Sally Reay and located in the beautiful South Downs National Park between Arundel and Chichester. For the first time ever all 26 competing drivers and navigators had to possess valid Motorsport UK Clubmans Competition Licences but these could be obtained free of charge at registration. Steve and Denise Cherry were the overall winners in their MGB, whilst Chris and Janice

Naviscat Inter Register winners Janice Leigh with her son Stuart Manser and partner Janina Downey. Photo: Chris Leigh

Cockshoot Cup Oulton Park Assembly Area many years ago. Photo: Paul Goodman

complete the season. For the speed eventers, the committee will look for additional events to add into the calendar later in the year. Motorsport UK has given organising clubs the freedom to rewrite calendars without having to get agreement from all the registered drivers. Finally, the enforced staying at home has resulted in photo archives being explored on social media. If any members have pictures of North West Centre, Cockshoot Cup or Speed Event happenings then please post them on our Facebook page or send them to me. Leigh won the Inter Register competition. The team of Chris and Janice (MGA Twin Cam), Peter and Simon Gray (YB) and Rosemary and Philip Bayne-Powell (ND Magnette) won the IRC team prize. For the full report go to https://www.mgccse. co.uk/2020/03/26/report-on-spring-naviscat-8thmarch-2020/

Spring Naviscat overall winners Steve and Denise Cherry. Photo: Chris Leigh www.mgcc.co.uk

CENTRES SOUTH WEST Jim Lott chairman@mgccsw.com www.mgccsw.com/ www.facebook.com/MGCCSW Welcome to the notes from the SW Centre. The inaugural evening Natter at the Foston’s Ash Inn took place on March 2. 14 people attended for food, drink and natter about their MGs. Moss Europe were also in attendance and issued 15% discount vouchers, pens and key-rings to those who attended. Unfortunately, due to the

TYNE-TEES Tony Wood anthony@scrutonvillage.co.uk There are many positives to being a Centre Chairman but the complete cessation of what we want to do isn’t one of them. For all of us the best laid plans have bitten the dust in a spectacular manner and it behoves me here to sympathise with all the hard work that has already gone into events which will never see the light of day. Also, spare a thought for all those who have finished the long-term rebuild and are now left with a shiny car in the garage and no one to admire it. Whilst in the great scheme of things these are minor irritants, a Club which cannot meet is a contradiction in terms but that is the reality facing us, and whilst I’m sure that Safety Fast! will maintain its usual high standard, the Centre notes are of necessity going to be short on detail. We are still publishing our electronic Newsletter, Tyne Tees Tidings, with Noel continuing in his role of editor/compiler. We are aiming to provide you with more varied fare whilst we are event light. Are

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Corvid-19 lockdown all future meetings and planned visits are postponed until further notice. The annual Dinner and Awards evening took place on Saturday February 22 at the Limpley Stoke Hotel, near Bath. Our guest speaker for the evening was Stuart Turner, competitions Manager at BMC during the glory days of the Mini Cooper wins on Monte Carlo Rallies and lots more. He was a very engaging and entertaining speaker, with lots of positive comments from the guests afterwards. The South West Centre AGM was held on March 3 and the various committee officers gave their reports. The officers will be continuing their roles for the coming year and the committee, with

the exception of Dave Jacobs, were voted on once again. Dave Jacobs has decided to resign and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dave for his support. Due to the ongoing pandemic, all motorsport for the foreseeable future has been cancelled and therefore it is unlikely that we will run the South West Centre Championship this year. With the current lockdown, now is the time to be doing the jobs on your MGs that you have been putting off. It seems unlikely that my MGF will be used so it will remain in hibernation mode for now. The photo shows some of the MGs that attended last year’s Summer Picnic at the Avon Valley Railway.

you on the mailing list? If not, why not? I’m fairly sure that 99% of you are in the current century communication-wise and yet our membership numbers don’t tally with the recipients of our e-letter. If you want to keep abreast of what is happening please send your email to Noel and join the ‘in crowd’. Tyne Tees Tidings in the short term will contain quizzes, articles, photos, in fact anything that might raise a smile or jog a memory. We would like this to be a two-way street – any articles, thoughts, photos, just email them to Noel or me and we will share them with the wider Tyne Tees world.

Next year is the Golden Jubilee of our becoming a full Centre and whilst planning is under way for events to celebrate that fact, it is apparent to us that we have very little in the way of a photographic archive. Next time you are going through your photos and come across something from the past send it to me, preferably scanned but if you can’t manage that send it snail mail and I’ll scan and mail the original back to you. I can digitise slides as well, so dig out your old photos and share your memories. Just to illustrate, our photo is of some of the Tyne Tees contingent on the Hausach International MG rally in 1976. Happy hunting.

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 79

CENTRES YORKSHIRE Ken Cothliff kencothliff@hotmail.co.uk, mgccyorkshire.co.uk Well, what a change in times since my last notes! Here in ‘God’s Own County’ whilst we are in lockdown, the sunshine is out for Easter, and many of us are using the opportunity to give our loved and cherished cars a really good spring clean. Although the Vale of York’s Spring Run was cancelled, the full lockdown hadn’t taken effect so your scribe, and his wife Julie, decided to do the run, not from the start but a mile away, and staying in the MGB, “Marmalade” for the run. We just stopped for a coffee break, staying in the car, half way round. It was a lovely run around the Ouse and Nidd valleys. The North Yorkshire Natter had their early March Natter dinner at their venue, just before the enforced isolation came in, and it was a convivial event. Another Natter beating the Virus was the South Natter. Malcolm Parry organised a pre-Daffodil Run Outing for members to check out their cars before Easter, with a breakfast at the Dearne Tea Rooms, and finishing at the Oil Can

ULSTER Carol Willis 07831 345560 www.mgcculstercentre.co.uk carol.mgulster@hotmail.co.uk It has been most peculiar having no activity within the Ulster Centre over the past six weeks. I am sure we all have lots to do around the house, in the garden and even enhancing our four-wheeled friends in some way. We have a few members who are building new motorised friends or enhancing some they already have with lightweight panels or even tidying the garage and finding the odd spare part which had mysteriously disappeared; and I look forward to receiving their promised write-ups with accompanying photographs in due course. I thought this would be a good idea to help us keep in touch with what’s going on in our new lifestyle. I purposely sorted my garage today to dig out the bicycles as I thought it would be a good way to exercise my knee, making it more mobile. Then, they were washed down, tyres pumped up (with the electronic pump, needless to say) and duly oiled and made serviceable again. Unfortunately,

80 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

Café, for afternoon tea, just before the café was closed for the duration. 12 members braved the cold but dry day. News has just come in that the South Natter has lost one of their key members. Janice Hobbs passed away suddenly on April 4. Janice has been a keen member of the MGCC for over 20 years, supporting husband Cliff in his role as secretary of the Yorkshire Centre, and latterly taking over the role as Membership Secretary. To the right is a photo of Janice as she was awarded the Centre Enthusiast Trophy in 2019. Despite bouts of ill health, she encouraged Cliff to go to many of the other Natters in their MG TF MkII, and they regularly attended Tyne Tees and Caledonian events, and supported the new Vale of York Natter from the beginning. Obviously, there will be little to chat about over the next few months, so we will show some photographs from the past few years, reminding us of sunny times in our cars. In the meantime have fun doing all those things you promised yourself you would do sometime. Meanwhile, here are a couple of photos submitted by Terry Hartley and the members of the 24/29 Group Natter.

Those of you who are upset at having to stay at home might be interested to know that a gentleman with a long, flowing beard dressed in white was seen recently wandering the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. He was approached by a bluff Yorkshire Farmer, who asked, “Ooo are you, owd lad?” “I’m God,” the man replied. “What are you doing here?” “I’m working from home,” God replied. Take care all of you, especially the older members, and hope to see you up here, ere too long!

I can’t quite bend my knee enough to use the pedals without experiencing quite a bit of pain. At least each week I can have another go at it and I will get there eventually. It wasn’t entirely a wasted activity, as everything is now much more accessible and stored more efficiently. We would like to put together a newsletter at some stage during this lockdown and will include

these articles and other stories, together with any interesting photographs you send to us. So, no excuses, get the camera out and the pen to paper and scribe something which we can share. We hope you are all following the government’s guidelines and are managing to cope with this new enforced lifestyle. Please stay safe.

Midgets and Sprites enjoying previous Production Car Trials.

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 81

REGISTERS TRIPLE M CATHELIJNE SPOELSTRA +31 (0)6 41216600 cathelijnespoelstra@outlook.com www.triple-mregister.org Lest We Forget 75 years ago this month the Allies finally beat the Nazis, allowing us to live in freedom once more. In celebration and eternal gratitude, I’ll be highlighting some Triple-M cars with warrelated histories in the coming months. Possibly farfetched at times, but still. Apologies for being so monotonous in my choices, but I’ve again opted for an F-type: Active ‘Forumists’ might remember these pictures of a Dutch F2 Magna posted by New Zealander Greg Martin who enquired on behalf of a neighbour. It transpires that the chap in the car is Albert John (Bud) Andrée Wiltens, one of the true heroes of the Dutch Resistance during the Second World War. Born in the Dutch Indies in 1914, he died in my beloved The Hague, back in 1990. While active in the Resistance, ‘Bud’ attended Utrecht University, practising as a lawyer after hostilities ceased. In 1953, the

SVW Paul Campbell svw.safety.fast@gmail.com www.svwregister.co.uk What a difference a month makes! My April copy (submitted at the end of February) was still looking forward to Brooklands and Battle. The former has been ‘postponed’ and we’re currently waiting to hear about Battle. Stay up to date with the latest news on the website and Facebook group. Writing this at the end of March, Coronavirus is all-consuming and most people are in lockdown after a period of self-isolation. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones. Hopefully we’ll get back to some kind of normality in the next few weeks, perhaps even by the time you read this In the meantime, the enforced isolation enables us to catch up on things we may not have got around to with the usual pace of life. I find that I now move between jobs less briskly and may even deviate for a beer on the garden lounger now that the weather has settled down after such a long period of wet weather here in the UK. This could be a great

82 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

Americans awarded him the Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm in honour of his aid in the ‘war efforts of the United States and its allies’. Incidentally, he was also godfather to Princess Margriet, aunt of our current King Willem-Alexander. The photos will have been taken prior to 1956 at the latest, when the Dutch authorities finally finished the switch from a provincial to a national car registration system. The change was first implemented in 1951. However, from a picture postcard of the area, a village in the province of Zeeland (after which New Zealand was of course named), it seems it might well have been pre-1940 when young master Andrée Wiltens was touring the land in his two seater. The E stood for Overijssel, a province bordering Germany in the east, while Zeeland is situated in the southwestern-most point of the Netherlands, so he was quite a few miles away from home, at least by the standards of those days. So far, we’ve not been able to allocate a chassis number to this car or find out what happened to it, but I have a few lines of enquiry open still, so will report back if and when I find anything more. Until next month; stay safe(ty fast!) everyone!

time to send in news of anything you’ve been doing on your SVW, even if only a picture or two. Given the demise of motorsport and other events for the foreseeable future, there may well be space in Safety Fast! for more Register content. One job I may not have done otherwise was to make up a new set of HT leads. The new red ones look rather nicer than the manky yellow ones that must have been in situ for some 20 years (see photo). For those who have not heard, we have to report the death in early March of a longterm friend of The SVW Register, Peter Pimm. Many of us remember his superb SA Tourer; he previously owned a VA Tickford. Peter was on the SVW

Committee for several years and always attended our events until he was no longer able to do so. Our sincere condolences go to his wife Pamela and all the family. We wish you all well at this difficult time and hope that things are much better by the time you read this. Stay safe and enjoy looking at and tinkering with your MG if you’re not able to get out in it.

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 83

REGISTERS Y TYPE Jerry Birkbeck 01926 258691 Mob: 07855 566325 birkbeckjerry@gmail.com www.mgccyregister.co.uk During these extremely trying and worrying times I would like to send you best wishes from both the Y Register and myself and trust that you are all coping and self-isolating okay. Classic cars may seem an indulgence and perhaps unworthy of comment when some folk are in a desperate situation. However, pastimes and hobbies are often a useful way to help create a means of blocking or distancing yourself from outside issues over which one has no control. Non-Standard Ys In the light of this, I found Roger Martin’s letter in response to the article about Ray Cotter’s rescue of a YB refreshing, if somewhat controversial! What are your thoughts, chaps? Hello Jerry, Your picture of Ray Cotter’s rather special YB

MAGNETTE Stephen Tickell 01737 760330 stephen.tickell@gmail.com www.magnette.org We had our first virtual committee meeting on April 4 via skype. The discussion was perhaps a little less free-flowing than when we meet at Kimber House. We missed the convivial lunch at the White Horse, and only Gunter bothered to dress for the occasion in his Register t-shirt. Nevertheless, we covered most of the items that would normally have been on the

in April’s Safety Fast! reminds me that I didn’t respond to your previous month’s requests for opinions on modifications the like of which Ray’s car has. Suffice to say I think it just fine that Ray’s Y Type lives to drive another day. I am no purist – my MGB even has a Ford gearbox – but I do acknowledge that there are people who feel that a classic car should be kept original. However, I think any sympathetic modifications that make a car more driveable in modern road conditions, be it more safe, more economical or just plain more enjoyable, should be applauded. I would rather there are modified cars being enjoyed on the road than original cars sitting in garages and museums or, worse, being scrapped. Perhaps to exacerbate the purists even further, I have the opposite challenge to the chap who originally rescued Ray’s YB. He had a body but no chassis or running gear and I have a YB chassis but no body or engine and gearbox. However, as I have always felt that inside every Y-type there is a sports/racer waiting to get out, I plan to fit a suitable special body. As to engine and gearbox, I do have spare Magnette, MGA and MGB engines and gearboxes to choose from.

agenda, and were very pleased to have Bill Silcock joining us as our Board representative. Obviously we’ve already lost the start of our events season; however the Somerset/Haynes Museum weekend and Rousham Hall visit will hopefully be rescheduled for later in the year. Events further into summer might still go ahead but of course there’ll be updates as soon as we have more information. With opportunities to meet in person likely to be limited, the committee discussed how we can maintain interest and stay in touch. Fortunately there’s already numerous online resources and

I even have a Rover V8 and LT77 gearbox looking for a home...! Keep up the good work. Roger

‘All ready to go honey!’ ...’So sorry and so frustrating, sweetheart, but we are having to selfisolate… and that includes you!’

discussion forums, which I hope you’ve been able to make use of in the last few weeks: - mgexp.com ‘The MG Experience’ has a long-established Magnette forum which is probably still the best if you’re looking for indepth technical discussion by owners with years of accumulated knowledge. - the Facebook Magnette ZA/ZB Enthusiasts group has several hundred members so it’s quite a lively place, and although you have to request to join (and be signed up to FB), it’s worth the effort. - a YouTube search for MG Magnette will turn up a huge variety of restoration and driving videos, of very variable quality, but look out for tune-up and other advice from John Twist of University Motors. - don’t forget the considerable ‘tech tips’ collection of articles on our own magnette.org site, covering all aspects of maintenance, restoration and modification, as well as forums including ‘wanted’ and ‘for sale’, in case you’re taking the opportunity for a clear-out. Do let me know if you’ve found other sites of particular interest, as well as any notable Magnette feats you’ve accomplished without being able to drive it anywhere.

Committee skype meeting 84 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

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MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 85

REGISTERS MGA Edward Vandyk 01488 608810 mgascribe@vandyk.co.uk A message from the MGA Register Chairman – Ian Wilson Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions are keeping our cars locked away in the garage and preventing us from gathering socially. The overriding concern is that everyone remains safe and probably the majority of us will be at home in isolation. However, this provides the opportunity to get on top of the MGA maintenance, complete the finishing-off jobs and get some shine on the paintwork. We can then hopefully look forward to enjoying our highly polished cars again and socialise with our MGCC friends. There will be, of course, a prioritised list of jobs to do, including gardening and decorating to complete when all the work on the MGA has been done. A friend of mine is now planting weeds in his garden so he can be occupied but then, he doesn’t have an MGA to look after! The postponement of our One Rally - Two Countries 2020 Spring Tour is a disappointment; however Richard and Janet Day are making arrangements to run this tour in 2021. The forward

MIDGET Chris Hale c.hale1962@btinternet.com www.midgetregister.com We are living in unprecedented times with the cancellation or postponement of up and coming events, which means that we have to look for other ways to engage in our hobby. There is much activity online for those who are digitally active, including Facebook groups and in some cases “virtual” classic car “events” which you can engage with. Some are very creative. Looking forward to the restoration of some normal social activities in the not too distant future, the Register’s Road Run is scheduled for September 6 from Moreton-In-Marsh through to Hanbury Hall in Droitwich, a tour of around 50-60 miles. Look out for the notification and sign-up in this issue of Safety Fast! and on the Midget Register microsite. It would be great to see you there. Remember, you can submit your Midget for our “Car of the Month” at www.mgcc.co.uk/ midget-register/midget-register/car-of-the-month and it will be featured on the website. Registrar Dave Storer’s Mk II Midget features for April, 86 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

planning for this has been completed, so some of the hard work has been done. Richard and Janet are in negotiation with the Grange Hotel, Winterbourne, for a revised date in spring 2021. However, this date has to be arranged around provisional wedding bookings that were made before the disruption caused by the pandemic. A bulletin will be sent to all who were booked on this year’s tour, when the Grange Hotel confirms a date for us. Looking ahead to our Anniversary Tour in September, we are monitoring the situation and will review in May/June to assess the likelihood of being able to run this event. We will keep everyone informed with a Bulletin to all who have booked, and hope to send more positive news by that time. In the meantime, keep safe and let us remember all those that are working so hard to keep our country going, particularly in our hospitals. The Register Committee is working hard to progress Register business and held a virtual Committee Meeting on April 18 by email correspondence. Colin Manley managed the process with committee members updating outstanding actions prior to the meeting date. The Register AGM has been postponed to later in the year when a physical meeting can take place, but following this postponement the AGM will revert to the previous

annual date in April. It is with regret that I pass on the sad news that Mike Maze’s wife, Mary, passed away over Easter. Mary was a cheerful and friendly member of the Club, always willing to welcome both those she knew and new members. Mike has been a long-time member of the MGA Register Committee and over the past few years our Treasurer. Sympathy goes to Mike and the family at this difficult time. Ian Wilson MGA Register, Chairman

demonstrating that your car does not need to be a pristine example (go have a look). If you haven’t already done so, please register your Midget with the Register. It’s a simple process to add your car on the website or update with any changes.

Please keep sending me your stories both new and old of your adventures with your Midget to feature in future notes in Safety Fast!. We are always interested in how members are enjoying their car, and how they have sorted out any problems.

Your scribe was walking his dog down a narrow path in social distancing mode recently when he met another dog-walker coming the opposite way. Obviously, someone had to retreat and, of course, the etiquette of that process is in its infancy. However, resolution was at hand as he was wearing a cap with MG emblazoned on it, I was similarly attired! We retreated in tandem maintaining separation to the nearest safe passing place and, from about five metres distance, whilst letting our dogs make each other’s acquaintance, we debated the merits of the MGA against the MGB. In these circumstances the fact that my new friend, Donald Joync, was an MGOC member seemed truly irrelevant. The Marque of Friendship bridging the gap!

Dave Storer Mk 2 www.mgcc.co.uk

SUNDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2020

MIDGET REGISTER ROAD RUN TO HANBURY HALL

Starting once again at Timothy’s Restaurant, Fosseway Garden Centre, Moreton-in-Marsh, this year’s route will take you, through the Vale of Evesham where you can enjoy the scenery at a leisurely pace.

Name ……………………………………..

Hanbury Hall and Gardens, a William & Mary-style country house, garden and park, is located 4 miles from Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire, the estate being owned and managed by the National Trust.

…………………………………………….. Email………………………………………

Entry fee £26.00

MG Model/Other…………………………

Includes all route instructions and rally plaque (once again sponsored by BMH Ltd).

…………………………………………….

Entry to Hanbury Hall is free for National Trust members and available to non-NT members at a discounted rate of £8.10 per person.

Address ………………………………….. …………………………………………….. Tel No …………………………………….

Year………………………………………. Reg No…………………………………... MGCC Membership No/Other

To enter, please visit our website at www.mgcc.co.uk/ midget-register/ , or complete the entry form opposite.

…………………………………………….

In the event that the current coronavirus pandemic persists and that the Road Run has to be cancelled, all entry fees will be refunded in full.

Entries to: John Grainger, 10 Oak View, Great Kingshill, High Wycombe, Bucks HP15 6HB. Tel 07785 902920 I enclose a cheque for £ ……….made payable to MGCC Midget Register, Enclosing an SAE please, or online at: www.mgcc.co.uk/midget-register/

REGISTERS V8 Victor Smith 0208 392 9434 victorsmith@v8register.net www.v8register.net Replacement windscreen wipers Tony Lake found that driving in the bad weather and muddy roads in March showed up his wipers for what they were – shot. They looked alright, but close inspection showed the wiping edge of the blade had detached from the heavier section in the middle on one blade and at the end on the other. He had always used Bosch as they are very flexible and wipe well, and got them from Halfords. I found Bosch SP13 blades online in the original Satin Black colour and bought a pair which arrived promptly.

FWD Ben Hatton ben2692@hotmail.co.uk www.mgcc.co.uk/fwd-register/ For those of you that haven’t seen him before, this is “Freddie” my 1989 MG Metro that was bought for me by my partner for my 40th Birthday. Sadly, last year poor Freddie got a bit neglected with other cars in my fleet taking a bit of priority. We decided to give him an outing at the end of last year, but he decided to blow his heater matrix and as a result coolant poured inside the car. After drying the inside out and giving him a good clean, we bypassed the heater so we could get Freddie to

30 years apart, the MG Metro and MG GS 88 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

The packaging says suitable for “hook type wiper arms”. Tony could see his wiper arm is plain and straight but found that all he had to do is hold the wiper blade at right angles to the arm and push the old wiper blade assembly from where it pivots on the arm, leaving the clip/pivot in place. A spot of penetrating oil helps, then push the plastic clip/pivot off the new arm in the same way and discard. Finally, clip the new wiper blade back in the same slot on the wiper arm clip and push hard to engage with the pivot. Job done, and a crystal-clear screen again. The new wiper blade assembly is designed for a hook shaped wiper arm, so you must remove the plastic pivot that fits on the hook so that you end up with just a wiper blade. Then when you remove your old wiper assembly you have to reuse the plastic pivot from the old wiper. It will be much clearer when you get hold of the new blade and parts. Make sure you get SP13 – there are other similar designations but Tony confirms the SP13 fits the MGB GT V8 arms and screen. Bosch SP13 wiper blades are available at attractive prices from some online traders but quality is an issue. Beware of green-boxed wiper blades on the market. Peter Beadle reported he

bought a pair two years ago and had to replace them last year just to satisfy the MOT inspector. The rubber blades had perished at the ends, so he bought and fitted a pair of Satin Black Bosch SP13 wiper blades. Halfords have Bosch Super Plus SP13 wiper blades and say the blades offer superb wiper performance to ensure you maintain clear visibility in all weather conditions. Manufactured to the same high-quality standards as those fitted by vehicle manufacturers as original equipment. For more on wiper blades see our ‘More’ webpage at: www.v8register.net/more.htm

a local show. Unfortunately, he decided after being neglected that he would rebel – on the way home he decided to overheat. We limped him home then set about trying to find out why. On closer inspection we realised that his radiator had disintegrated and was in need on a new one! So, Freddie got put back in the garage in disgust, whilst we tried to locate one. Fast forward to February 2020, the Restoration Show looming and the 40th Anniversary of the Metro. It was time for Freddie to have some much-needed TLC. After spending the winter months locating all the parts needed to bring him back up to spec, he was set to have his time in the spotlight. Sadly, due to the situation with coronavirus, the NEC show was cancelled.

With the long Easter weekend, good weather forecast and us all in lock down, it seemed the perfect opportunity to make a start on all these jobs. We set about draining down the system, disconnecting the radiator, removing the thermostat housing. We then flushed the system out. The next job was to remove the dashboard in order to replace the heater matrix. After lots of swearing, tool-throwing and wishing I had never started the jobs, Freddie was back up and running at normal temperature. A new radiator, thermostat, coolant, recon heater matrix, as well as new door mirror and wiper arms, completed the list. Next on the list are a full service and a much-needed detail. Alan Webb-Moore

Visit to the Workhouse at Southwell Ken Clayton reports the visit is now going to be rearranged for a later date because of the Covid-19 outbreak. V8 Kent Tour 2020 Ian Quarrington reports the tour is still due to take place in late September but a final decision will be made by August 1 2020. The hotel has agreed that if we need to cancel this year then they will retain all the booking details and hold their agreed prices for the same week in 2021.

Freddie the 1989 MG Metro www.mgcc.co.uk

REGISTERS ZR/ZS/ZT JOHN THOMPSON 01702 298866 johnt5@btinternet.com www.mgcc.co.uk/zedregister

www.mgcc.co.uk

I hope you and your families are safe and well. As the COVID-19 situation continues, a number of events planned during this month and in June have either been postponed or cancelled. We will keep you updated with information as we learn of

it. The situation is changing regularly and we will continue to be guided by the Club and event organisers. Since our last update Discovery have announced revised dates for the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show at the NEC. It will now take place over the weekend of Friday August 7-Sunday 9. The Peter Best Drive-It Day which was originally planned for the end of April has now been rescheduled for Sunday 26 September. Further information and our plans for both these events will be released in due course, together with any future alterations. We may not have any events to attend in the immediate future, but I’m sure many of you are working on your Zeds or have some kind of project on the go at the moment. It would be great to see what you are all up to during these unusual times. Please feel free to share them with other members on our Facebook group. Let’s also see some pictures of your lovely Zeds. I’ll start the ball rolling with my own ZR Trophy SE with a photo taken in Snowdonia in 2018. In the meantime – Stay Safe.

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 89

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NO PART OF THIS ARTWORK MAY BE REPRODUCED, STORED OR OTHERWISE All restoration work USED BY ANY OTHER PUBLICATION UNLESS PRIOR PERMISSION IS GIVEN BY undertaken THE PUBLISHERS - © MS Publications (2001) Ltd. Engine refurbishment including lead-free conversions

URGENT PROOF

Please check this proof carefully for errors in style, content and layout. Classic car sales including Classic Car Specialists focusing

Although every care is exercised in preparing your advert, we cannot hold

commission salesourselves responsible for any inaccuracies you may overlook.

on Servicing, Sales, Restoration, SHOULD YOU REQUIRE ANY ALTERATIONS TO THIS PROOF PLEASE Insurance repair work Modifi cation and bespoke approved TELEPHONE BEFORE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AND QUOTE ADVERT NO. _ _ _ _ _ refinishing work to a wide range of UK & Europe collection classic MG’s and delivery service

Telephone 01206

Fax 01206 500180

Unit 9, Broadfields Farm, Dunmow Road, Rayne, Braintree, Essex. CM77 6SA We reserve the right to charge for any alteration to this proof which a departure from the original| copy 01376 569355 is | abingdon@xpagmg.com www.xpagmg.com

F C AN OLL REE D EC DE TI LIV ON ER Y

Classic & Sports Cars Essex â&#x20AC;&#x201C; open for business I would like to send well wishes to my loyal customers, I hope you are healthy and getting through this difďŹ cult time. Whilst I can, I am remaining open with only immediate family working alongside me in the workshop. I am offering a free collection and delivery service for anyone who would like long or short-time works carried out this summer. Without the worry of timing for car shows and trips away, we have a strange opportunity to have those works completed that you may have been putting off. If you would like to reserve a space for big or small jobs, I will be very happy to hear from you. This year we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary and I am proud of how far we have come. With your continued support I hope to pull through this and continue happy motoring for many years to come. Kindest and warmest regards

Jason

View all our work at www.xpagmg.com

CLASSIFIEDS CARS FOR SALE How to Advertise

Members can advertise their cars free of charge in Safety Fast! The cost for non members is £20. The advert will also be posted on the Club website in due course. To place an advert in Safety Fast! please email colingrant@mgcc.co.uk with an attached photo of your car, details of your car, your contact details, price of your car, area where you live and membership number. Please keep your advert to 70 words, the editor reserves the right to edit longer adverts. This is for one insertion only, for additional insertions please email colingrant@mgcc.co.uk

1955 Magnette ZA

Older restoration but still in remarkably good condition having covered just over 3000 miles since. Gold Seal engine to ZB spec. Many new parts fitted including brakes, fuel pump, exhaust, tyres etc. Original log book, history from the 80’s and MOT’s to verify mileage. Underside painted not undersealed – no corrosion. Always garaged. £9995 ono. For further details contact Jeff on 07840 207827 or Email: jiffy@waitrose.com (Somerset)

1996 MGRV8

Beautiful Woodcote Green example with Stone leather interior. Former Japanese car with aircon but modified to allow passenger legroom. Excellent leather, woodwork, wind deflector and new floor mats. Mechanically perfect with EZ power steering, Clive Wheatley quad pipe exhaust and matching valance. Recent service by MG specialist and new catalysts fitted. MGR registration number and Heritage certificate. Condition reflects a total mileage of 43,000 miles. £20,995. Tel: 07703766727.

1963 MGB Roadster

Early B with its original 3 bearing crank engine and pull door handles. It runs on chrome wire wheels and comes with hood, toneau cover and hard top. It has a ball hitch attached and comes with trailer which is also on wires wheels, There is a spare engine and gearbox. It is in need of some restoration. It has an age related number as lost original number when it was off the road for a long period. I am open to a reasonable offer from the right person. Contac John tel: 01825 712894 or garlynhouse@yahoo.com (East Sussex)

92 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

1967 Mk1 MGB

The car is in excellent condition having been cared for by myself and other owners over the years. British Racing Green with black leather interior. She has green piping on the seats which are in superb condition as is the whole interior. The walnut dashboard lifts the whole cabin. Body and paintwork are very strong with no rust and the underneath is sound. Engine bay immaculate. She was restored in the late 1990s. The car has electronic ignition and a Kenlow fan fitted other than that all original. A truly stunning example of 1960 s British engineering. £10995.00. Call 07930491027 or 01732 887265 email: walkermr20@gmail.com (Sevenoaks. Kent)

2003 MGZR 160

Purchased in May 2015 with the intention of using it for track days. Considerable sums spent on improving the car for this, including fitting Piper Cam, VVC Deletion Kit, new exhaust, installing emerald software, uprated oil rail, replacing calipers and fitting braided brake hoses and much more. This work was done in March 2016 and the vehicle has still only covered 88,000 miles. The car is road legal and is MOT’d till June 2020. Mike Stafford recently replaced the head gasket, cambelt and tensioners and water pump. Some bodywork repairs carried out plus sills and box sections wax injected. Lovely car, but has never been properly used for the purpose intended. Offers around £2750.00. Contact Paul on 07794 919337.

MG TA.

Has been owned by the same family since 1939. Originally green the colour was changed to white during a major overhaul by Jaycee in 1976. In 2001 the engine had a complete rebuild by Naylors More work was done in 2006 and 2017 on behalf of the current family member. The car comes with a wealth of provenance and documentation and is now in need of a little TLC. The car is for sale at £21,500. Contact Tony on 07768383102 (Yorkshire)

2013 MG6 Automatic 1937 MGTA

Very good condition. Chassis number TA1734. British Racing Green. Green leather upholstery. Restored in 1989 by previous owner. Mileage since restoration 5012. Seller owned since 2006 and serviced annually by Classic Car Specialist. Black Tonneau cover and two other covers. MOT’d annually in July despite exemption. Extra photos are available on request by email. Large history file dating back to 1988, including restoration photos. £35,000 ono. Tel: 07763459185. or Email: monds@btinternet.com

1955 MGTF

I am reluctantly selling my much loved TF. I am a retired engineer having owned the car since 2017 in which time I have carried out a number of improvements to update the driving experience. Ford Type9 5speed gearbox, engine oil seal conversions, brakes over hauled, new Chrome 60 spoke wheels and tyres, and new fuel pump with the carburettors overhauled. The car comes with a well documented maintenance history and providence file. Ready to drive away: £29,900. For more info Tel: 01237 477273 (Devon)

A unique opportunity to own the one and only MG6 1.8t TSE GT Automatic in the UK! 2013 in Regal Red with only 9981 miles. This lovely MG6 was professionally converted by Chris Flanagan of Retro Sports Cars and took almost 12 months to complete...an MG6 engine mated to a fully reconditioned Rover 75 gearbox, this MG6 has no expense spared to convert! With John Woods Stainless exhaust, Dunlop SP Sport tyres, this is the one for you if you like to be different, priced at £9,990 with new MoT and AU 15-month warranty. A full write up was published in the March 2018 issue of Safety Fast! Call Summit Garage on 01384 259555 (T)

2002 MGTF 135 Sprint

85k miles. Full MOT, good paintwork, head gasket upgrade, water pump/cam belt replaced, MG ‘soft ride kit’, stainless water pipes, Scorpion stainless exhaust, Kmaps remap increased performance, Piper Cross induction, new interior carpet set, MG logo mats. Alloy wheels refurbished, alloy spare. New grooved discs shoes. Hood & rear screen good condition, seats suede and leather. Car Club Owner. £2750. Tel: 07790722130 (Birmingham)

1968 MGC Auto Roadster.

Bare shell restoration, completed 2019. Full engine rebuild, auto gearbox refurbishment, under 2000 miles since. Rewired. New tyres, hood, carpets etc. Lovely, professional Mineral Blue respray. Offers around £25000. More info and photos, call Peter 07516 334382 (Northants)”

Please note that the Advertising deadline is May 10th for the June issue of

Safety Fast!

MGC GT 1968

Tartan Red with O/d and wire wheels (spare un used), beautifully restored in the mid noughties covering little mileage since. Very original with everything new or reconditioned. Recent service, tyres, Dinitrol rustproofing, Classic Tracker installed. Lovely condition throughout, Heritage certificate. £22,950. Tel 07793 037037 (Surrey).

1969 MGB GT

Dark racing green, disc wheels, black leather trim, tow bar. Restored in 1991 and owned by the family ever since. In good condition and excellent working order. Large history file. £6,250.00 ono Tel 07790034288. (Hampshire)

www.mgcc.co.uk

BARRY WALKER

Estd.1968

.....for the very best in vintage MGs.....

British Motor Heritage approved

CORONAVIRUS – COVID 19 – PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE We are happy to discuss potential purchases and sales at any time

OUR CAR SALES ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED TO PROTECT BOTH OUR CUSTOMERS & OURSELVES BUT CURRENT STOCK REMAINS FOR VIEWING ON OUR WEBSITE.

TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS – We hope you are all staying safe, & busy passing time sorting out all those jobs in the garage you always wanted to do in normal times. We are here to help you with any new or used spares while stocks hold up, and they are good at the present time. Remember the ‘Parts & Spares’ section of our website shows only a small proportion of what we have available, so DO ask if what you need isn’t actually shown. We will continue to despatch for as long as the post and couriers are working – both home & abroad. Email or call for payment details & despatch. LATEST SPARES FOR PRE-WAR MGs NEW PARTS

ORIGINAL 1932-4 MG J SERIES ENGINE. It is totally complete, including clutch, manifolds, dynamo, starter motor but not carbs. It needs complete restoration but is not broken, cracked or damaged to the naked eye. Rare & original...........Offers

* MG ‘N’ series cyl. head in excellent condition................£1150 * MG P/N rear flywheel housing..............£485 New £350 Used * J2 rocker box cover. Perfect with brass data plate..........£325 * J2 cyl. head complete with all cam stands & rocker gear...£2250 * L/K double plate clutch..................................................£350 * N cylinder block (repaired).............................................£375 * N rocker cover v.g.c.......................................................£385

* Battery cradles * 2-seater hood frames * Radiator tie - red ends * Bonnet stop domes * P/N & L/K water pumps * Instrument cluster panels * Instrument rhombic panels * 4 cyl. spare plug holders * K3/Q front wing stays & fittings * Mushroom wing bolts * 3 part/double buckle bonnet straps * ‘DOG BONE’ petrol caps * MG CAR Co. sill plates * MG crested grab handles * Plinth mounted aero screens * New pattern headlamp s/guards * Early D/F/J door locks/strikers * K3 quick release filler caps

* Bonora style filler caps * A new range of chassis parts * A full range of all ohc engine parts * Friction s/absorbers & all parts * Best quality, best selection of all

pre-war/early post war MG instruments * 14/25 Br. Jaeger s/charger gauges * ‘Divers helmet’ dashlamps (all types) * J2 aerofoil wing stays (upper & lower) * TA/B/C Br. Jaegar water temp. gauges

SECONDHAND PARTS

* TA Rev counter with clock (restored) * D/F/J/L/P friction shock absorbers * J2 sump (also fit D type) * L/K cylinder head (pressure tested) * J/P/L/N engine/radiator mountings

* Bronze clutch bearing carriers * Pair TA/B/C Rep. speedo & r.counter * Almost every type of steering wheel. Many cord strung

* ORIG. factory PAYEN gasket sets * Hubs &half shafts (together) * Exhaust manifolds (all models) * J/D/F front engine housings * P/N front engine housings * Numerous windscreen supports * D/F/J/L/P handbrake c/shafts * D/F/J/L cutout/fuse boxes (Lucas CFJ2) * K/P/N cutout/fuse boxes (Lucas CJR2 & 3) * Complete J2/F2 clutch assembly. * P/L/K/N con-rods * D/F/J radiator * TA/B/C steering columns. V. good * Fully restored differentials (many ratios)

H U G E P R I C E R E D U C T I O N S – Q U O TAT I O N S B Y R E T U R N Phone with VISA or MASTERCARD for immediate despatch as we can process these payments in house. Bank transfers also acceptable but can take longer to obtain confirmation at the present time.

Tel: 01789 400181

Mob: 07836 244103

Email: barry@barrywalker.com

Web: www.barrywalker.com

www.mgmecca.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1953 717618 Fax: (0) 1953 717850

enquiries@mgsforsale.com

www.mgsforsale.com

01707 876089

07831 556666

MGBCGT Roadster 1965 Mk1 PullNutDoor Handle MG 1968 AUTOMATIC Older & Bolt Restored (HLE628C) chrome wire wheels, overdrive, (RWD628G) MG CGTbumpers, 1968, automatic, excellent Mineral comprehensive baremellowed tub rebuild on anBlack Blue coachworkolder with90’s nicely original el original interior shell bytrim, Suffolk MG & Classicleather Car Specialist leather original genuine bound MGC e TL enquiries@mgsforsale.com ‘Fisher Garage’ invoices exceeding £12,500 back steering wheel,with nicely detailed engine compartment 0 miles then!, history file with 3.0 restoration images andwith itemised housing the smooth litre engine ideal the Borg rease) 18” invoicing,automatic British Racing Green coachwork still in good rare Warner gearbox making this particularly T’d until condition with only some age/mileage imperfections, nice Leather trim model an ideal classic today, this vehiclerelated apparently formed part of Black a collection of interior a deceased ads as well with serviceable packaway original steering wheel, Ivor Searle standard estate, on inspection one canstyle seehood, the of the rebuild fromOlder a number yearsRestored ago and or, satMGquality CGT 1968 AUTOMATIC Nut &ofrebuilt Bolt engine housed clean & detailed compartment, tight gearbox good synchromesh and with likely little in miles since is still very fresh in appearance, justwith arrived £24,950.00 ll service (RWD628G) MG CGT 1968, automatic, excellent Mineral overdrive, delightful drive, Blue just arrived, £16,950.00 or 2016 UK Tech-MG6 working coachwork with nicely mellowed original Black GT diesel MG BGT 1972 (LLF951K) . Spacious, leather interior MG trim,BGT, original genuine leather bound MGC Facelift model. Top-of-the rangeLast TL Owner 37 Years MG BGT 1975 Factory (JWN602P) Rubber last owner 37 years,V8 chrome bumpers, overdrive, MG. £6500 steering wheel, nicely detailed engine compartment model. 1.9 turbo1972, diesel. 48,000 miles Bumperwill model, 5wheels, speed gearbox, Black coachwork chrome Rostyle coachwork nowsmooth requiring 44(daily driver so mileage housing the 3.0 litre engine ideal with the Borg increase) 18”Aqua with original Blackuntil clotha very interior a structurally some improvement but solidtrim, vehicle indeed with a Warner automatic gearbox making this particularly rare alloys, red bumper inserts. MoT’d sound example some tlc required notably oncloth nice original feelwith and appearance, original style navy June 2020. Recent discs and pads asonly well top seams, good V8fiengine coupled to thedrives trim, goldperforming seal engine tted mid 80’s and as new tyres. Fullinterior leather interior, sat5 speed gearbox making joy tooriginal drive, vehicle has nav, Bluetooth connectivity. Full delightfully, goodservice history fiitlea with documentation been in long termaUK hibernation was part a quality specialists Brian Brown Classics & B history – servicedback by SAIC Tech- ofand to theMotor 80’s, plethora invoices fromofrenowned classic car collection from a deceased recently nical Centre. In good condition. Spacious, Hive, original Unipart Gold Seal papers,estate, old mot’s etc. etc. just arrived £5,950.00 economical engaging modern MG.4£6500 recommissioned, new tyres and will be supplied with new 12 month mot for peace of ono. Call Adam on 07530734044 mind, just arrived, £14,750.00

01707 876089

www.mgsforsale.com 1960 MGA 1600 Coupe Iris Blue, blue leather trim, arm rest. Fully restored car from bare shell, Fully rechromed, all new trim, bare shell repaint. New wings. Unleaded rebuilt engine. 5 speed gearbox conversion for effortless touring. Superb car, last owner since 1973! Would cost in excess of £60k to restore MGA Coupe like this. £32,995.00

1969 MGC Mineral Blue, grey leather trim. Chrome wires. Overdrive. Totally restored by ourselves 10 years ago. Superb car in superb condition. Lovely engine bay. Unleaded rebuilt engine. Bespoke grey trim, leather seats. A ﬁne restored and very well looked after car £27,995.00

1964 MGB ROADSTER Pull door handle car, Iris blue, black /white trim. Excellent restored car done in the 90s but still excellent an early Californian imports when they were really good. O/drive, interior really as good as new, lovley engine bay, superb shell and superbly original, painted underside, alloy bonnet, w/wheels, steering wheel. Fitted with better 5 brg engine, original banjo axle. A superb older restoration and ready to enjoy with no work required, fantastic value £15,995.00

1995 MGRV8, Woodcote Green, stone beige trim. New beige mohair hood, new (original) tonneau, interior in excellent condition, new door cards. Re veneered dash console and door caps. 48,500 mls. Screen frame excellent (refurbed). Fitted with power steering, upgraded to Clive Wheatley Spax shocks. Suspension poly bushed. New clutch and slave cylinder, new boot stays, Excellent example. £22,995.00 We also have a very rare hardtop for sale for the RV8 in Woodcote @ £2,750.

1954 MG TF, Red, tan trim. Chrome wires. 5 speed gearbox conversion. Alloy rocker cover. Large history ﬁle. Excellent condition. Last owner many years. Very well cared for and sorted car, drives superbly and used for continental touring. Chrome boot rack. Original steering wheel. Lovely useable period motoring. £27,995.00

1939 MGVA. Green, red trim, sunroof. Genuine car, only 3 owners, ﬁrst was an RAF Ofﬁcer! MOT’d and taxed. In original condition with lots of lovely patina. Would be a shame to over restore. Will be having new tyres and brake overhaul before sale £19,950.00 22/04/2020 12:42

07831 556666

URGENTLY WANTED

ANY ANY MG MG

URGENTLY WANTED

ANY ANY YEAR YEAR ANY CONDITION

On the ANY CONDITION EU approvproved SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF OUR STOCK he motor o lead h a beige Do not confuse the above vehicles with cheaper inferior quality models offered elsewhere. Part exchange . MG A 1600 any make of Motor Car with generous allowances. Discounted cash purchases. Viewing by appointment only the car. May 20.indd 1 evenings InBarry goodWalker condition, built 1961. On the please (available & weekends) no obligation to purchase. All our vehicles carry a warranty, have an MOT and are areItfully fully serviced prior to to collection/delivery. collection/delivery. GBP. Theare 58’000 MOT and prior tacho miles. hasserviced EU approvce.alPhone papers (before this it was approved in Switzerland) The power of the motor is 79 PS and had be changed to lead www.mgcc.co.uk free petrol. The car is black with a beige Tel: +44 (0) 1953 717618 Fax: (0) 1953 717850 interor. It’s in a good condition. The wheel is on the left side of the car. Price 38’000 Euro or £34’200 GBP. The

www.mgsforsale.com www.mgmecca.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 93

TEL/FAX: 01258 820337

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am-6pm, Wed: 8am-5pm, Sat: 8am-1pm 2016 2016 TRADE MEMBER

How to Advertise

MIKE ROLLS SERVICESROLLS FOR MGs MIKE Specialising in all MG’s

Members can advertise their cars free of charge in Safety Fast! The cost for non members is £20. The advert will also be posted on the Club website in due course. To place an advert in Safety Fast! please email colingrant@mgcc.co.uk with an attached photo of your car, details of your car, your contact details, price of your car, area where you live and membership number. Please keep your advert to 60 words The editor reserves the right to edit longer adverts. This is for one insertion only, for additional insertions please email Colin at colingrant@mgcc.co.uk

SERVICES FOR MGs

TEL/FAX: 01258 820337 Specialising in all MG’s TEL/FAX: 01258 820337

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am-6pm, Wed: 8am-5pm, Sat: 8am-1pm

TRADE MEMBER

- 1953 Wed: 8am-5pm, Sat: 8am-1pm Mon, Tues, Thurs,MG Fri:TD 8am-6pm, MG TD 1953, Finished in British Racing Green with green interior and Tan weather gear. This MG TD had a light restoration in 2009/10 and it is a beautiful car. It has a good history with the original buff log book and drives extremely well. £26,995

MGC ROADSTER - 1969

MGC Roadster, 1969 in Old English White. This car comes with overdrive, painted wire wheels, black sports reclining seats with white piping, uprated engine with gas ﬂowed head, Maniﬂow exhaust system, Motolita wood rim steering wheel, new hood and good service history. The car has recently been re-commissioned and serviced by us and is in good condition. £22,995

MGA

Gearbox, high starter position £145 Prop shaft with splined yoke. £45 Pair new 1500 rear light plinths and gaskets (moss price £184) £140 Inlet manifold. £40 3 x coupe door shut covers 2 used but good 1 new in Ali £100 Various other parts-ask. Contact Bob Gray on 01943 607337. Collect Yorks or plus postage/ carriage.

MGB ROADSTER - 1972

Just re-sprayed in Dark racing green, Overdrive, Chrome wire wheels, Avon tyres, Biscuit leather interior, Walnut dash, detailed engine bay, new single Mohair hood, Tax and MOT exempt but has a new mot. Stunning rust free vehicle, some history. £17,995

MGB V8 ROADSTER - 1976

Rubber bumper, 1976, Converted back in the 80’s to V8 Spec using SDI Engine and 3.07 Diff, Block hugger manifolds, lightened ﬂywheel and good history showing bills for the conversion from V8 conversions and Brown and Gammon’s. It has been off the road for many years, we have now recommissioned and serviced it, New tyres, Tax and MOT exempt but will come with a new MOT upon purchased, rust free but the paint work has pimples all over, This is a great car to use as is or excellent project as just needs a re-paint. Very quick car with great potential. £9,995

MGB Packaway Hood

Frame in black. As new condition. Cost £270 Accept £100 + £10 carriage. Tel: 07712184028 (Leeds)

MG TF 135 - 2006

MGTF/MGA DIFFERENTIAL

MG TF, 2002 Finished in X Power Grey The car comes with new tyres, a new hood with glass rear window and will

have a newBusiness MOT, Cambelt service done Fifehead upon purchase. Only 24.000mls from new. £2,495 Units 9/10 Fifehead Park, and Manor Farm, Magdalen, near Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5RR

E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com • www.mikerolls.co.uk

Units 9/10 Fifehead Business Park, Manor Farm, Fifehead Magdalen, near Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5RR Mail Order “Friendly Quality Service”

E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com • www.mikerolls.co.uk Mail Order “Friendly Quality Service”

CM02.13/B32/d CM02.13/B32/d

Late 2006 model ﬁnished in silver with matching hardtop. 1 previous owner, 47,000mls, it comes with a good hood with glass rear window, half leather seats. 7 stamps in the service book and has just had a full service with new headgasket and cambelt ﬁtted. There are one or two age related marks but still looks very nice and drives very well, the car will come will come with a new MOT upon purchase.£2,995

Original equipment, 8/41 crown wheel and pinion from a TF1500. Excellent condition with very little wear. Will fit T series or MGA. MGA diff housing, bearings, etc, all in excellent condition included. £250 - postage/shipping at cost, photos available. MGTF SPEEDOMETER AND CLOCK. Original equipment taken from a UK supplied 1953 MG TF. MPH dial reading 10,819 miles. Not refurbished but excellent condition. £295 – postage/ shipping at cost, photos available. Call Peter Bennett 07976 255202 or email p.bennett49@hotmail.com Can be viewed/collected mid-Cheshire.

Various Items for Sale

MGB Rear bumper £80.00, Overiders with irons rubber facings £50 Number plate lights and lens £35. MG TD Steering wheel complete with centre boss £100 MGR V8 publication, The Manufacturing Story Researched by C Allan and George as new. Offers invited. Please check this proof carefully for errorswilder in style, content and layout. Bob your Reid Tel 01202475741 Mobile Although everythis care is exercised in preparing Please check proof carefully for errors07831262774. in style, advert, contentwe andcannot layout.hold ourselves responsible for any inaccuracies you may overlook.

URGENT PROOF URGENT PROOF

Although every care is exercised in preparing your advert, we cannot hold ourselves for any inaccuracies you may overlook. Racing overalls SHOULD responsible YOU REQUIRE ANY ALTERATIONS TO THIS PROOF PLEASE

By Sparco, blue, suitable for 182-188

TELEPHONE _ _ANY _ _ _ALTERATIONS _ _ AND QUOTE NO. _PLEASE ____ SHOULD YOUBEFORE REQUIRE TOADVERT THIS PROOF height, 112-116 waist (standard 8856lightly used, £80, TELEPHONE BEFORE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AND 2000) QUOTE ADVERT NOalso . _ _Impact ___

Helmet, Super Sport SS, White large. £50, racing gloves, blue by Alpines, £20. Contact Philip Bayne-Powell on 01483 811428 or 1942mgman@gmail.com

Units 9/10 Fifehead Business Park, Manor Farm, Fifehead Magdalen, near Gil ingham, Dorset SP8 5RR

E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com • www.mikerolls.co.uk Mail Order “Friendly Quality Service”

94 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

CM02.13/B32/d

We reserve the right to charge for any alteration to this proof which a departure the alteration original copy We reserve the is right to chargefrom for any to this proof which is a departure from the original copy

Please note that the Advertising deadline is May 10th for the June issue of Safety Fast!

Garage Clearout

About 20 sets gears for MGB/C/V8 gearboxes and manual AND O/D shafts V8 gearbox casings with lay gear and first motion shaft. 10 plus original synchros with bulk rings 1-2 / 3-4 20 plus bulk rings 20 plus sets axle planets Every diff for mgb/c/v8 Both diff carriers’ types One mgc o/d less solenoid assy 10 sets mgc carbs. Four r.h. mgc carbs parts missing o/d adapter housings 6 plus mgc/Austin 3lt oil pumps STD anti roll bars mgc Lever arm Rear shocks for mgc all with correct valves in, some adjustable links. Rack and pinions with housing bushes, left from high ratio conversions. Lots of original mgc tacos all o/h Some electronics from tacos work in any RVI smiths unit left from voltage trigger conversion. New koni rear shocks. Three sets HS8 carbs all set for MGC standard linkage with fully working throttle opening on choke.. Set new mgc cam followers lightened and oil way cut. As new original MGC kingpins. Left from fitting new ones when not needed Ring anytime. Collection possible from front wall, or courier Email: vjyoung@btconnect.com or Tel: 01737551141 or mobile: 07831701028

SPARES WANTED Wanted

One MG TD pressed steel wheel in good useable condition. Please phone 01440 703982 evening.

WANTED WANTED ALL MG MODELS! All conditions wanted, from barn ﬁnds to concours. Complete collections purchased. Cash buyer. Discretion assured. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are interested in selling your MG and are looking for a prompt hassle-free cash buyer! Please feel free to contact me for a no obligation friendly chat.

I am especially interested in the following models: MG TC, MGA, MGB, MGC, MGB V8, Magnette and Midget.

CALL DIRECT ON: 07787 528131 UK Based Buyer

MIDGETS! WANTED

Contact the Midget Specialist MIKE AUTHERS on Abingdon 07703 465 224 CHROME BUMPERED MIDGETS in excellent condition bought up to £8,000. View current stock at

www.mgmidgets.com

www.mgcc.co.uk

URGENTLY WANTED MGA/MGB/MGC/V8/ MIDGET/SPRITE ETC

Any Condition from non runners to rebuilt cars

Please call Edward 01923 840236 or any time on 07774 484497 Email: ejwclassiccars@btinternet.com Website: www.mgandporsche.com (Northwood, Middlesex)

• MGB restored was chosen by Oxford Automobile Model • MGBwe we restored was chosen by Oxford Automobile Model Company Company Failing Failing 6v batteries? 6v batteries? • Servicing and Work • Servicing andMOT MOT Work Fit Manor FitGarages Manor Garages • Sill Replacement Restoration • Sill Replacement Restoration twin 12v conversion. • Professionally Spot Welded twin 12v the conversion. Still 12v but with double • Professionally Welded capacity. FitsStill existing boxes,double the • Gearbox rebuildsSpot we have a 12vbattery but with with minimal extra wiring. Reliable stock of 4rebuilds synchro reverse Fits existing battery boxes, • Gearbox we have astartingcapacity. power after your MG has gears that are currently not with up. minimal extra stock of 4 synchro reverse been parked KIT £195 + vat.wiring. Reliable available starting power after your MG has gears that are currently not • Engine rebuilds been parked up. KIT £195 + vat. available • Wiring looms fitted • Very large stock of new parts • Engine rebuilds • 27 Years in Business • Wiring looms fitted CLASSIC • Very large stock of newCAR parts KEYS CUT • 27 Years in Business WHILE YOU WAIT

www.mgcc.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 95

Call for a quote today

01376 574000

Insurance for all MG’s classic and modern

www.classiccarinsurance.co.uk

STEVE McKIE SPORTSCARS CHESTERFIELD

•

DERBYSHIRE

TED

AN W G RM U YO

Specialists in the repair and restoration of MG cars

r e m

For

Suppliers of parts for • MGA • MGB • MGC • Midget • T Type • MGF/TF

y r o Gl BY

01844 281700

nigelguild@hotmail.com

MGOC Recommended Dealer 40 MGs in Stock

www.stevemckiesportscars.co.uk

Best Prices paid with friendly advice. Est 1986

Tel 01246 454527 • Fax 01246 453681 Albert Street North, Chesterfield, S41 8NP

Fast payment and collection

Colne Classics

Steve McKie Sports Cars Hi-Res.indd 1

23/06/2010 13:46

MG Power Steering and restoration specialists

EST’D

1989 MG GEARBOX AXLE DIFFERENTIAL OVERDRIVE SPECIALISTS

OVERHAUL – REPAIR – EXCHANGE UNITS

FULL WORKSHOP FITTING SERVICE AVAILABLE

All work carried out by time-served BMC/BL engineers

H1 - CLIVE WHEATLEY_H7 - CLIVE WHEATLEY 27/09/2019 14:47 Page 1

View the website on www.colneclassics.com B1 Seaden Court, Gorse Lane Ind Est, Clacton, Essex. 01255 432693, 07714 675319

Worldwide Mail Order Service Visit our ebay shop and website for products and details Unit 9, Shopwhyke Industrial Centre T 01243 782671 Shopwhyke Road, Chichester E heathrowtransmissions@gmail.com West Sussex PO20 2GD w heathrowtransmissions.co.uk

High Torque Starter Motor. British made £252

New Replacement MG RV8 Heatshield Fits above catalysts on the underside of the car. Stops heat ingress and paint burning on underside of car £119.50 All Alloy 15 inch Replacement Wheels for the GTV8 With a highly polished alloy rim. Weighs approx 2kg lighter. No further rusting. £430.80

genuine & conversion parts

RV8 Expansion tank £79.95

HERITAGE APPROVED

Tel: +44 (0)1746 710810 Fax: 01746 710999 email: sales@mgv8parts.com

Callers by appointment only at

Highgrosvenor, Worfield, WV15 5PG (between Bridgnorth & Wolverhampton)

OVERSEAS MAIL ORDER OUR SPECIALITY

RV8 MG Rocker Covers £267 pair

RV8 Petrol Tank Sender with Seal & Locking Ring. £59.95 RV8 Headlight Cowl in composite £114 each

RV8 Spax Krypton filled dampers

Adjustable on car through 28 different stages £271.00 (front) £301.30 (rear) full set £552 - save £20.30

• RV8 wood refurbishment

RV8 Boot Stays. £30.20 each RV8 Front Radiator Cover Black £209.50 Part Carbon Fibre £239.80

96 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

Catering for all MGB, V8, V8 conversions & RV8 vehicles.

RV8 cars available for sale - please call

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE

www.mgv8parts.com ALL PRICES INCLUDE VAT

V8 Engine Steady Bar This is the best you can buy for the money! £59.60 RV8 BumpStops in poly. Fit and forget £55.20 pair New, better quality, harder wearing replacement overmats. Original patterns, colour & embroidered with MG logo. Pair RV8 mats £99.50

CM11.19/H1/rrrr

• Worldwide mail order services. EZ Power Steering Electric power steering for the RV8. Silent operation. Only the steering column to be changed. £1,794

www.mgcc.co.uk

Call for a quote today

01376 574000

Insurance for all MG’s classic and modern

01308 868884

www.classiccarinsurance.co.uk

Barrie Carter ie Carter r r a B

01308 868884

and Alan Bartlett email barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk

07885 768830

and Alan Bartlett email barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk We restore and refresh both T-types and X-pag engines, gearboxes, trim, paint; every aspect and we buy

07885 768830

‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’

and sell T-types and other classics. Running out of ‘T-type’ – ‘T-type’ – ‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’ – ‘X-pag’ – ‘X-pag’

This lovely Citr has undergone a at some point. It than most, don’t quicker than oth body & interior, g boot rack & a lar cars are rising in £6,995

T’s for sale but we have some interesting objects to occupy yourself after retirement and banishment to the garage

I’ve decided to create space for the work that are coming though our doors, Mg’s, Race cars, Classics of all types. We are open and now is the time have all your work carried out, so these sales cars are at or well below their cost to me. I’m very dealable.

TC Race/fast road car, allegedly twice championship winner, fully modified to T reg. specs. Rolling chassis £13,950. or with full race 1350 engine! “1¾ SU’s Derrington manifold, now removed and available separately. Car has plumbed in ext. comp clutch, alloy body panels, 15” wheels, tramp bars modified brakes, teles, cage, race seat, and more. It’s as scruffy as raced and very quick. Ideal circuit, race or hillclimb. £18,500

Citroen 2cv 6 Red & Cream with galvanised chassis. Very nice newly upholstered, Mot’d. Enormous fun. £6,250.

MGC Roadster 1968, In Mineral Blue manual and Overdrive. One attentative owner for 17 years. It has a historic and very nice restoration that inccured new panels, carpets, hood, wire wheels, modified head and engine rebuilt to fast road specification. This “C” is in very lovely instantly useable condition. These cars are romping away in valve so next year you can make a profit! £21,000

Rover Metro 1.1 1990 only 2cvAustin Citroen 2cv 6 London Blue & Cream This lovely Citroen DollyA40 Somerset totally Be Different!! Taxi &professionally 2 owners 1undergone Lady, 1 Doctor restored and in fabulous family owned for nearly 3 years, has a very nice restoration This lovely Citroen 2cv Dolly has converted toundergone a mobile cafe with a London aGalvanised very nice restoration at and 21000 miles, full history condition allwire newwheels, leather, its no expense spared, at some point. It has more performance MGTF for restoration. RHD, somehot point.water, It has moresuperb performancelighting, theme. Fridge, than most, Don’thistory know why, but its and as newmost, fabulous starter just but fabulous, engine rebuilt, chassis and very large all complete, very why sound and £10,250 than don’t know it’sonly. than some&others!! Itcheap. has seats 8. Greatquicker fun MoTd very £4,750 car. £2,500. just running in. £7,950.. a lovely boby galvanised ﬁle, Mot’d a lovely car., interior, £6,500.

MGC GT 1968 Beautifully restored to endurance and historic rally specification.This is probably the best “C” I have owned and I’m very tempted to keep it. It has been fully restored and has pictorial evidence but has had sensible upgrades, gas shocks all round, Anti Roll bar, Minilite reps with rally tyres. Sebring headlight covers and front valance. Competition quick Overdrive on all gears 10 gears!! Stage 2 head with mild cam, six branch exhaust and special system. Inside the car has rally cobra seats, belts and the correct rally navigation aids. Halda, stopwatch and Brantz clocks for endurance events. It is all topped off with a Britax matching sunroof. The car is an absolute delight to drive with oodles of torque and power. If you want the best “C” look no further £21,995

Extremely rare 4WD switchable 1990 Subaru Justy, 34000 miles and in lovely condition inside and out. These out perform pandas, 205s, even MX5s. Quick, Quirky and superior, Cheap Tax and insurance. Mot’d. £2,250

Subaru Justy, You’ve forgotten these 1200 cc FWD! Switchable! 34K I love these, a low mileage lovely example. They have MX5 Performance. Cheeky, quick and great off roaders. Beautiful inside and out. It rubbishes 205s and rare. £3,250

quicker than others!! It has a lovely body & interior, galvanised chassis, XPAG 1500. We are building an XPAG 1500 engine boot a large history ﬁle.and These And an extremely rare, only one otherGordon we England are Cup Model Austin 2cv Whiterack with&nice interior owned restored by 7 1926cars are rising in value & I love em! to any spec. Please ring with requirements. One owner for over 50 years & in lovely told, Justy Van, Lovely 4 or 2wd as new inside, 2cv club secretary. Galvanised chassis and Mot’d, my condition. This well known Gordon England £6,995 builtdaily touser. order isXPAG fitted with the 1250s rare LAP. OHV conver Mot’d, great fun, great performance.Austin £2,250 Nicefrom but not£3000 mint. £4,995.

A very rare 1929 BMW Austin 7 Badge, radiator emblem and surround are pure BMW, as are the wheel hubs. This car must rank in the forefront Austin 7 and BMW desirability. Built by BMW in 1929 with its mirror image & engine adapted for LHD and then fitted with JHLE sports 600 body and Ulster suspension modifications. Has a fully documented and fascinating history, all documented. It has been in the same ownership 50 years or more, being in many Austin events, before being loaned to a museum. Now, on the demise of the owner, the car is being recommissioned in our workshops, please enquire for further details. £31,000

1935 Y Type for special ﬁtted with MG period P or J Body. Built for hill climb sprints in the 50s/60s a family owned. Running driving great vintage fun. The Body is probably worth more than the car. £6,550.

chassis, boot rack and a large history file. These cars are rising in value very quickly and I love em! £6,995

sion and has performed with this for many years. It has the spare engine and box with it & is a fine Austin that is acceptable for many Vintage and Austin events. For sale on behalf of the family. £29,950

TC Race Car, Ally Panels, LSD, All correct suspension mods, a very well known race car Derrington manifold 1 3/4 S U’s, Special brakes, 1 / ”SUs, very quick engine is fully modiﬁed 1350 or a less modiﬁed unit can be supplied/ I paid £20k for it, make a silly, not too silly offer.

Panhard Dyna X 1947 RHD Allegedly 1 owner & specially built as RHD for 3 a disabled customer. Resting undisturbed in a 4 French barn for over 20 years, it has now been recommissioned and is a lovely Oily Rag car that is now running and braking, with everything working. The car has been researched by a Panhard historian who has unearthed its fascinating history from the factory records. It is at present being registered in the UK with full authorisation from the Panhard Club. Offered £6,995

Summit:Layout 1

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

www.barriecartermg.com Be Different!! LondonHalls Taxi professionally Garage.....................76 converted to a mobileHeathrow cafe with a London Transmission....96 Barrie Carter ....................97 Hoyle superb Suspension.lighting, ............85 theme. Fridge, hot water, Barry Walker.....................93 Right cheap. Autos Ltd.........60 seats 8. Great fun MoTdJust & very £4,750 4Sight Lighting Company.85

Oselli Ltd ..........................69

Adrian Flux Insurance.......83

Peter Best............IBC, 96 97

Beech Hill Garage.............94

Kimble-Rutter Ltd.............81

Carole Nash Insurance ......6

Longstone Tyres ..............35

Retro Sports Cars ............89 Rimmer Bros Ltd..............33

David Manners ..................6

Restoration.........................4

Distributor Doctor..............47

Mike Authurs Classics (MG

Don Trimming...................97

Midgets)............................94

EJW Classic and sports....95

Mike Rolls.........................94

Fishers Services...............85

Mike Satur........................83

Footman James...............23

Moss Europe Ltd............. IFC

Summit MG......................97 3 Co Ltd...4 The Hutson Motor 4

Former Glory ....................96

Motor Wheel Services......76

Torro Sports Cars Ltd........94

Skiptune...........................76 SMR .................................93 Steve McKie Sports Cars.. 96

1 / ”SUs,

DONHOODS-SFAug07.QXD:Layout 23/9/09 Page 1 NTG Services.1 ................OBC Frontline ...........................15 Vitesse16:22 Global Ltd ............81

DON HOODS UNBEATABLE QUALITY – UNBEATABLE VALUE!

24/8/12

17:51

Page 1

Ford Model Y Vintage Special 1935 ﬁtted with a prewar MG body & wings, lovely seats, etc in the 60s & has been owned by the same family since. It’s a lovely car to use for the fun it was meant for. Some racing history. Very cheap. £6,950

www.barriecartermg.co

MGTF for restoration. RHD, wire wheels, Peter James Insurance....47 all complete, very sound and only. £10,250 Rees Bros.........................81

Manor Garage..................95 XPAG 1500. We are building an XPAG RJH Automotive Transport..... 1500 engine (Essex)........................90, 91 MG Mecca........................93 69 Classic Car Hub................39 Motors ......................13 to anyMGspec. Please ring with requirements. Colne Classics..................96 Robin Lackford Motor MG Motorsport ................47 XPAG 1250s built Engineering to order from £3000 Crown Classic Cars..........95 Midland Classic .....................83 Classic & Sports Cars

Summit

The MG Specialists

X-Part Auto Service Centre Car Car sales sales Free courtesy cars Free courtesy business cars Family owned/run Family owned/runfacilities business Full workshop & repairs FullService workshop facilities £6,950 Bodyshop • MOT Station Service & repairs

W g c

Berkshire, we are second to none when it comes to MG cars.

Located on the outskirts of Maidenhead town centre, www.barriecartermg.com

DIRECT FROM THE MAKERS – WITH OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE

•BETTER THAN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT QUALITY •STITCHED AND WELDED FOR MAXIMUM LIFE •WIDEST CHOICE OF COLOURS AVAILABLE •ALL FASTENERS & FITTINGS INCLUDED D PRICE FOR LEAFLET AN LIST CONTACT Ltd Don Trimming Co. 7JJ

Choice of heavy duty PVC, ICI Vynide, Everflex, Duc k and Mohair AL MAKES & L incl: MG, MODELS Tr Escort, Giumph, olf etc.

ingham B23

Hampton Road, Birm

13 Tel: 0121 373 13ICE SOUTHERN SALES

OFF

00 Tel: 01202 7422

CARPET SETS FOR MOST

MODELS

www.donhoods.com

www.mgcc.co.uk

Ford Model Y V ﬁtted with a prew lovely seats, etc owned by the sa lovely car to use fo Some racing hist

Opening Hours Mon-Fri 8am–6.30pm Sat + Sun Closed – but our Web Site is open! Unit 2, Furze Platt Industrial Estate Off St. Peters Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7QU Parts +44(0)1628 629707 Workshop +44(0)1628 636001 Website www.summitmg.co.uk Facsimile +44(0)1628 580291 E-mail enquiries@summitmg.co.uk

MAY 2020 SAFETY FAST! 97

LOOKING BACK The official publication of The MG Car Club Incorporating ‘The M.G. Magazine’, ‘The Sports Car’ and ‘Brooklands Track and Air’, Safety Fast! Copyright MG Car Club 2020 2019

Editor: Andy Knott 01235 849730 / 01235 555552 andyknott@mgcc.co.uk Deputy Editor: Colin Grant 01235 849733 colingrant@mgcc.co.uk Editorial Committee: Andy Knott, Colin Grant, Adam Sloman PR and Communications: Advertising: Hine MarketingJade 01452 Beckett 730770 01233 849731

ith the lack of events at the moment, this month in Looking Back we thought we’d look at a few of the anniversary events past, with colourful cars and smiling faces. We start with a photo from 2011, taken at Duxford during the Zed10 celebrations. What a wonderful selection of Zeds and other MG exotica. If you spot yourself or your car why not let us know your memories of the day as we look forward to Zed20 next year.

Vintage, MMMs and modern MGs assembled with Windsor Castle forming the backdrop in what was to be a memorable day for all those who participated in 2009, to help celebrate the 85th anniversary of MG. Our final photo comes courtesy of Colin Grant, and shows a perfect line-up of F and TF noses at Gaydon in 2008, celebrating at MGFest. I wonder how many of you that attended still own the same car?

Published by:Hine Advertising: HineMarketing Marketing, 01452 Hill Farm 730770 Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Glos, GL2 9LN. Tel: 01452 730770 Published by:Norton Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Distributed Lane, Bishopsby: Norton Air Business. Glos, GL2 Merlin 9LN. Centre, Tel: 01452 4 The, 730770 Acrewood Way, St Albans Tel: 01727 890600 Distributed by:AL4 Air0JY Business. Merlin Centre, 4 The, Acrewood Way, St Albans President: John AL4 Day 0JY Tel: 01727 890600 Vice Presidents: President: John Day Ron Gammons, Don Hayter, Peter Best, Ian ViceQuarrington Presidents: Ron Gammons, Don Hayter, Peter Best, Bill Chairman: Bill Silcock. Silcock. Vice Chairman: Keith Williams Chairman: Dave Tynan Treasurer: Richard Colston Vice Chairman: George Wilder Directors: Saunders, Treasurer: Dave Richard ColstonPeter Cook, Adele Rand, Lorraine Noble Thompson, George Wilder Directors: Dave Saunders,Colin PeterWithers, Opie and Peter Cook and Dave Tynan Company Secretary: Colin Grant Company Secretary: Colin Grant Staff Members: Adam Sloman (General Manager 01235 849732), Staff Members:(Competitions Adam Sloman (General Manager 01235 849732), John Hutchison Secretary 01235 849738), Andy Andy Knott Knott (01235 (01235 849730), 849730), Lauran Lauran Gallacher Gallacher (Assistant (Assistant General General Manager Manager 01235 01235 849735), 849735), Liz Liz Allsworth Allsworth (Membership (Membership Secretary Secretary 01235 Mark Baulch 07554 160840), 01235 849734), 849734), Colin Grant (Motorsport (01235 849733), Jade Beckett Colin Grant (01235 849733), Cherina Scarrott (Finance Officer (01233 849731), Cherina Scarrott (Finance Officer 01235 01235 849736) and Ineke Sherman (Merchandise 01235 849736) and Ineke Sherman (Merchandise 01235 849737) 849737) Honorary Members: Michael Allison, Ron Gammons, Peter Best, Honorary Michael Allison, RonPaddy Gammons, Peter Best, Don Hayter,Members: John Quenby, Sir Stirling Moss, Hopkirk, Don Hayter, JohnPiers Quenby, PaddyRob Hopkirk, Norman Ewing, Norman Ewing, Hubbard, Oldaker, Steve Hanegan, Rob Oldaker, SteveJune Hanegan, GerryHawke, McGovern, Hawke, Gerry McGovern, Wallis, Ann JohnAnn Dutton, John Day, John JohnSilcock. Day, Julian White, Bill Silcock. JulianDutton, White, Bill Company Company limited limited by by guarantee guarantee The The Club, Club, as as aa corporate corporate body body established established as as the the MG MG Car Car Club Club Limited, is a company limited Limited, is a company limited by by guarantee. guarantee. Every Every member member of of the the Club undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Club in Club undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Club in the the event of its being wound up while he is a member, or within one event of its being wound up while he is a member, or within one year year after after he he ceases ceases to to be be aa member, member, for for payment payment of of the the debts debts and and liabilities liabilities of of the the Club Club contracted contracted before before he he ceases ceases to to be be aa member, and the costs, charges and expenses of winding member, and the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, up, and and for for the the adjustment adjustment of of the the rights rights of of the the contributors contributors among among themselves, such amount as may be required, not exceeding themselves, such amount as may be required, not exceeding one one pound. pound. Whilst Whilst every every effort effort has has been been made made to to ensure ensure the the accuracy accuracy of of information at information at the the time time of of going going to to press, press, neither neither The The Publisher Publisher (herein referred referred to to as as Hine Hine Marketing), Marketing), the the Editor, Editor, nor nor the the MG MG (herein Car Club Club can can accept accept any any responsibility responsibility or or loss loss occasioned occasioned to to any any Car person acting or refraining from action as a result of any material person acting or refraining from action as a result of any material in the publication. The opinions of authors are their own and in the publication. The opinions of authors are their own and Hine Hine Marketing, Marketing, the the Editor Editor and and the the MG MG Car Car Club Club are are not not bound bound to to agree agree with opinions expressed herein. Reproduction in whole or in part with opinions expressed herein. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Safety Fast! and The MG without written permission is prohibited. Safety Fast! and The MG Car Car Club Club badge badge are are protected protected through through trademark trademark registration registration in in the the UK UK and and in in the the foreign foreign countries countries where where Safety Safety Fast! Fast! circulates. circulates. Readers are warned that if they attempt any mechanical or other Readers are warned that if they attempt any mechanical or other modifications modifications or or methods methods referred referred to to herein, herein, they they do do so so at at their their own own risk risk and and no no liability liability will will attach attach to to the the MG MG Car Car Club, Club, the the Editor Editor nor nor Hine Marketing. Neither shall the MG Car Club, the Editor nor Hine Hine Marketing. Neither shall the MG Car Club, the Editor nor Hine Marketing Marketing have have any any responsibility responsibility for for the the accuracy accuracy of of the the content content of of the the editorial, editorial, neither neither the the content content of of any any advertisement advertisement published published in in Safety Fast! Safety Fast!

ItIt should should be be noted noted that that neither neither Hine Hine Marketing, Marketing, the the Editor, Editor, nor nor the the MG MG Car Club Car Club make make any any recommendation recommendation in in respect respect of of any any goods goods and/ and/ or services advertised or featured in this issue. It is the responsibility or services advertised or featured in this issue. It is the responsibility of of readers readers to to satisfy satisfy themselves themselves that that the the goods goods or or services services offered offered or or referred referred to to are are bona bona fide fide and and in in no no instance instance shall shall Hine Hine Marketing, Marketing, the Editor or the MG Car Club be held responsible for the quality or the Editor or the MG Car Club be held responsible for the quality or suitability suitability of of any any such such items. items.

98 SAFETY FAST! MAY 2020

www.mgcc.co.uk

classic car insurance PBIS specialises in classic car insurance, as well as insurance for other collectable classic vehicles. We have been supporting the MG Car Club, its Centres & Registers, for over 30 years so we know what is important to you. Approved Insurance Provider

Policy benefits may include: • Free agreed valuations • Roadside assistance and recovery within UK/EU • Limited mileage options • Discounts for multiple car ownership • Club member discounts

ask us today about our classic mg cover call now for an instant quote

01376 574000

or get a quote online by visiting: www.peterbestinsurance.co.uk

Peter Best Insurance Services Ltd Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registration No. 307045 | Registered in England No. 2210270

Parts for TA to TF 1936-55, YA YB YT, MGA & Magnette. Secure online shopping at: www.mgbits.com or by phone. Worldwide shipping.

T&Y Type or MGA & Z series catalogues- email or phone for your copy

T190K MGA ﬂoorboard kit-7 piece £120 C141K ﬁxing kit £33

S106B Steering control adaptor TA/B/C £103.20

B308AK Thermostat kit-TA/B/C/D/Y £98.34

Disc Brake Kit-TD/F/YB/MGA/Magnette (ZA/ZB shown) from £654

NTG Motor Services Ltd 282-284 Bramford Road Ipswich IP1 4AY Tel: +44(0)1473 406031/2 Fax: +44(0)1473 742087 sales@mgbits.com British Motor Heritage Approved - founded 1966