Safety Fast! January 2021 by MG Car Club

THE MARQUE OF FRIENDSHIP

January 2021 Volume 66 Number 1 Â£3.95

THE

CAR

CLUB

LT D

ABINGDON-ON-THAMES FO U N D E D 193 0

GEORGE PHILLIPS, A LIFE WITH MGs PART II l A TRIBUTE TO DON HAYTER

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

ISSUE 26

ISSUE 25

MGA

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

PARTS ACCESSORIES TOOLS

Parts, tools & accessories since 1948.

moss--europe.co.uk | moss--europe.fr

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

MG T-TYPE Restore Maintain Modify

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

ISSUE 23

ISSUE 17

MGB including technical advice and detailed schematics

Restore Maintain Modify

including technical advice and detailed schematics

PARTS ACCESSORIES TOOLS

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TR5-6

ISSUE 14

Restore Maintain Modify

ISSUE 20

including technical advice and detailed schematics

SPITFIRE

PARTS ACCESSORIES TOOLS

Parts, tools & accessories since 1948.

moss--europe.co.uk | moss--europe.fr

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

including technical advice and detailed schematics

PARTS ACCESSORIES TOOLS

moss--europe.co.uk | moss--europe.fr

ISSUE 11

ISSUE 21

including technical advice and detailed schematics

PARTS ACCESSORIES TOOLS

moss--europe.co.uk | moss--europe.fr

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

E-TYPE including technical advice and detailed schematics

including technical advice and detailed schematics

ISSUE 3

ISSUE 17

TR2-4A

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

ISSUE 1

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

MX-5

PARTS ACCESSORIES TOOLS

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free catalogues... • Full colour accessory parts section, with colour images, prices and comprehensive information of each product, including interior, exterior and performance parts.

• Detailed annotated diagrams of vehicle components with comprehensive text listings detailing each part.

JAGUAR

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WELCOME WINTER WARMERS Moltex Breathable, fleece lined, outdoor car cover from £148.50 price includes a 10% discount for MG Car Club discount members.

elcome to the January 2021 issue of Safety Fast! Hopefully we’ll all be able to get out and use our cars and socialise this year. There are quite a few events in the planning stages, and a few dates have been tentatively released. These include our motorsport dates, which can be found on Mark’s Race Torque page further on in the magazine. We’ve got a few Centres and Registers celebrating anniversaries this year, including ZR/ZS/ZT, Tyne Tees and Midget, so look out for details on anniversary events soon, and don’t forget the postponed MGF25 taking place in July. In this issue we pay tribute to Don Hayter, famed for having worked on the design of the MGB. I first met Don in the late 90s and instantly warmed to him, like many others who knew him. Don was such a modest and knowledgeable gentleman, always with a good story or two to tell. Don started work as an apprentice in 1942, working for Pressed Steel in Cowley, just down the road from the Abingdon MG factory. After his apprenticeship, he went to work for Aston Martin until he spotted an advertisement for a layout draughtsman’s role in the MG factory at Abingdon. After a successful interview Don joined the MG Abingdon workforce in 1956, and was set to work straight away designing an access panel in the MGA Twin Cam engine bay. Don will mostly be remembered as one of a small team who designed the MGB in the early 1960s though, and saw it through its various guises until the factory shut in 1979/1980. The MGB is a fitting epitaph to his memory, but when Don left MG he went to work at the Mary Marlborough Lodge in Headington and was still making a difference. MGCC member Peter Kyberd worked with him and said: “At the Lodge his engineering skills could come through as he designed and built custom mechanisms to help people with movement disorders. At the MML he may not have touched as many as he did with MG, but there he continued to bring help and enlightenment to people who needed it”. Don will be greatly missed. Starting on page 18 is a fitting tribute to Don penned by John Lakey. You may have heard John speaking fondly of Don on episode 28 of the MGCC podcast – if you haven’t, I can heartily recommend it. I hope you all have a happy and safe New Year. Until next month, drive safely. Andy Knott Membership Type

Direct Debit Rate

Standard Rate Online

Standard Rate Post

Single

£50

£55

Joint

£54

£59

Young Members 16-20

£15

Young Members 21-24

£30

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

www.mgcc.co.uk

MG Fleece Jacket. A lovely soft, black, men’s fleece with the MG logo embroidered in Silver grey £35.00

MG Beanie Hat. Knitted with fleece headband inside – Thinsulate lining – available in Grey, Red and Black £12.50

Hamilton Classic indoor MG Car Cover. Three Layer Semi-Fitted breathable indoor car cover with soft lining. From £103. Take a break gift set with a mug and fudge, both featuring a photo of the MG Abingdon Admin block taken in 1930. £12.00 All prices exclude P&P, visit https://shop.mgcc.co.uk/

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 3

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www.mgcc.co.uk 4 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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

INSIDE REGULARS

7 Club Matters and Kimber House News 8 News 12 Products 14 Postbag 16 Young Members Branch 68 Race Torque 70 MGs on Track 71 MGCC Speed Championship 74 Out and About 78 Centre Updates 86 Register Updates 93 Classifieds 98 Looking Back

NEWSLETTERS 39 45 51 56

T Type Newsletter Magnette Newsletter MGC Newsletter ZR/ZS/ZT Newsletter

FEATURES

18 A TRIBUTE TO DON HAYTER John Lakey recalls his memories, and time with Don Hayter

24 GEORGE PHILLIPS, A LIFE WITH MGs PART II An MG ZS pictured in a suitably winter setting at Albert Park in Abingdon. Photo: Andy Knott

George Phillips was chief photographer for Autosport magazine in the 1950s and ’60s. He was also no mean driver in T-Types, venturing to Le Mans and elsewhere with a special-bodied TC

30 GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Dennis Wharf and the trials and tribulations of tuning his MG Midget

18 24

36 PADDY HOPKIRK AND THE MGCC LUXEMBOURG Report from the traditional Autojumble at the Lux Expo on Luxembourg-Kirchberg in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg

61 FITTING A MARSHALL SUPERCHARGER - PART II The final part of the installation of a supercharger to Richard Johns’ 1934 MG PA

72 OVERSEAS REVIEW

51 www.mgcc.co.uk

Richard Martin reviews a selection of the Overseas Magazines we receive at Kimber House

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 5

Abingdon MG Part of the David Manners Group

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CHAIRMANS NEWS

K, let’s put 2020 behind us. As I write this, in Boris’s terms the cavalry has turned up and with the prospect of a vaccination for most of us by the summer of 2021, we

can look forward to getting our Club’s world back to something like normal. This of course depends on what the government and our governing body will allow us to do at that point in time. I’m sure we are all looking forward to using our cars again in the way we did in 2019, whether that is in the sporting arena, on the touring side or socialising with our MG friends, so why not spend the darkest days of the winter looking forward to better times ahead. Personally, I am very much looking forward to the European Event of the Year at Würzburg in Germany in August, that had to be postponed from this summer. We had planned a two-week tour to attend the event this year, so I’m going to dust that off over the Christmas season so I can tick off the places we intended to visit as they hopefully become open to visitors once again. We have now published our proposed race meeting calendar for next year and after our very, very wet day at Oulton Park in October, on the wettest day on record, we have been able to move that

meeting to a potentially warmer and drier date in May. We have booked our midsummer meeting at Silverstone for June 12-13, but at the moment please do not assume that we will be able to put on our normal MGLive! event with all the things we normally do and the attractions we have. At this time of year I always encourage folks to put their cars though an MoT test because it’s a good way to get fresh eyes to check the car out for you. Now you might think we have not done many miles in 2020 so it’s not worth it, but that might be the very reason why something might have gone wrong. On the thought of not having run your car for many miles, it’s still another year of tyre ageing to think about as the rubber and grip deteriorates with age, and of course don’t neglect the routine service even though you’ve done so few miles since the last one. Meanwhile, have a splendid Christmas, be careful, stay safe and look forward to a New Year full of MG fun. Bill Silcock

KIMBER HOUSE NEWS Back in September, we put out a plea to find images from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s to showcase memorable moments from all decades of our history. Our archive can only grow and be available to future generations if we receive donations and we’re always looking to find that hidden gem. You never know what treasures you may uncover. And that’s exactly what happened recently. We received a briefcase from David Duffield, a friend of our Deputy Editor, Colin Grant. Inside there are all kinds of MG and MG Car Club archive material from over the years, including newspaper cuttings, images, programmes and much more. David’s father, Pete Duffield, worked with Colin’s father, Harry Grant, at the MG factory in the Rectification Department. Our sincere thanks go to David for donating the items to the Club on long-term loan. Colin has also been contacted by another acquaintance who has donated several folders containing MG RV8 UK chassis records, together with brochures and a workshop manual. The member worked for MG Rover for some years and was involved with the RV8 project. They are an incredible source of information and will be of great benefit to our V8 Register. Victor Smith, V8 Registrar, commented that “to have copies of these valuable files available as part of the records the V8 Register holds and maintains on the model, will enable us to provide members with useful information on their RV8”.

www.mgcc.co.uk

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 7

NEWS MG CAR CLUB PART OF £7.2 BILLION CONTRIBUTION TO UK ECONOMY The results of the 2020 National Historic Vehicle Survey have been announced by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs. Historically, the Federation has undertaken this major survey every five years, the most recent being the 2016. However, in light of the very obvious impact that worldwide pandemic has had on the UK and is likely to have on historic vehicle habits, the survey was conducted earlier to represent a more typical year in 2019. The survey is the largest and most detailed survey of historic vehicle ownership carried out in any country. The results will help shape the future of the industry and will give the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs the vital facts and figures needed to protect the future of transport heritage in the United Kingdom at the very highest levels. More vehicles, contributing more to the UK economy Growth in the sector is the result of an increased number of historic vehicles registered with the DVLA, over the 2016 figures, to an incredible 1.5 million vehicles of all types from cars, buses and lorries to motorcycles, agricultural, military and steam vehicles. The use of those historic vehicles and their need for services and supplies has kept spending healthy, with the historic vehicle sector now contributing an impressive £7.2 billion to the UK economy – that’s more than the equestrian sector and significantly up on the £5.5 billion in 2016. This revenue is generated from the nearly 4,000 businesses that support the movement employing over 34,000 people. Those businesses are working on ensuring the future of the movement as well, with over a third either employing or considering employing an apprentice.

ROB HUFF AND MG XPOWER TAKE VICTORY AT MACAU The 2020 TCR China season ended with former BTCC driver Rob Huff and Zhang Zhendong taking the MG XPOWER team to win ‘Team of the Season’ and the ‘Model Cup’ for 2020. Huff, who previously competed in MG Car Club motorsport, took his 10th win at the iconic Macau circuit. In the second race team mate Zhang Zhengdong climbed from 8th on the grid to take third place.

A NEW CARBODIES BOOK If you own a vintage or Triple M model MG, it’s odds-on that the body was originally supplied by Carbodies. This Coventry coachbuilder was by far the most important supplier of bodies to Cecil Kimber, from the days when 14/28 chassis were driven from Oxford to Coventry and back, to when the last P-Type Midget bodies were delivered to Abingdon. Back in 1998, Bill Munro’s book, ‘Carbodies the Complete Story’, was published and since then Bill has had a steady stream of people asking questions, offering information or generally commenting on the many subjects tackled in the book. Now, Bill is in the process of writing a new, updated and enlarged edition, entitled ‘Carbodies - Coachbuilder, Body Maker, Taxi Builder’ to include as much of that additional information as he can. Despite the importance of MG to Carbodies’ fortunes, the original book fell far short of what could have been written about the company’s part in the MG story, MG’s significant part in making Carbodies one of the most enduring of all British coachbuilding companies. Now, in ‘Carbodies - Coachbuilder, Body Maker, Taxi Builder’, MG owner and MGCC member Bill will make up for that, focusing much more on the pre-war coachbuilding years of all the makes Carbodies supplied, including MG. Featured too will be a section that traces the development of the classic MG sports car shape, from the M-Type Midget to its zenith on the P-Type and, by association, the 1950s TF. Publication is scheduled for late 2021, but if you’d like a copy, you can register your interest online now. You’ll get updates on the book’s progress and have the opportunity to preorder it at a discount when it’s due for publication. Registering your interest does not commit you to buying and you won’t be asked for any money until such time as the book is ready for sale and you wish to order. Cover price is provisionally £34.99 for the full-colour, hardback edition (this may change). Register your interest at www.earlswoodpress.co.uk/carbodies If you’re not online, you can still register, take advantage of the same discount offer and be able to pay by cheque. Drop Bill a line at Earlswood Press, 10 Chaldon Close, Redhill, Surrey RH1 6SX, giving your name, address and telephone number. MGs on Track AGM Date: Saturday February 13 2021 Time: 10.00am Venue: by Zoom. Members wishing to attend please contact the Secretary at the address below for the meeting ID and passcode. Agenda 1 Apologies for absence 2 Minutes of the 2020 AGM, matters arising and actions 3 Chairman’s Report

8 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

4 Secretary’s Report 5 Treasurer’s Report 6 Election of Officers 7 Election of Committee 8 Any other business Apologies for absence, matters for consideration under Any Other Business and nominations for the Committee should be given in advance to the Secretary, James Mumford, at jamesm@mgs-ontrack.com

www.mgcc.co.uk

BROWN & GAMMONS FIRST FOR EVERYTHING MG! MGF/TF

Horn mount brackets, St/Steel YEB100800SS £7.15 Horn mount brackets, St/Steel, Black YEB100800SSB £7.80 Radiator Top Mount, St/ Steel ABU460310SS £8.35 Radiator Top Mount, St/ Steel, Black ABU460310SSB £9.55 Subframe Mounts, Solid Type. 2 bolt KGE000110 £23.95 ABS mount Bracket, St/ Steel SRU102100SS £40.75 ABS mount Bracket, St/Steel, Black SRU102100SSB £47.95 Modified Clutch arm UTC100100R £39.00 Clutch Alignment Tool BGF205 £16.75 Water Low Level Sensor Kit BGF1111 £167.95 Hood Modification Straps, pair DJE000010Z £25.98 Alloy Heater Knobs, set of 3, polished or Satin, For MGF or Late MGF (2000 on) and TF. Please state which you require. BGF9021-24 £36.50

MG TA, TB, TC

Dynamo Adjuster Link Box Spanner, 6 sided rear hub Spring Starter Motor Bracket Fuel Gauge Fixing Strap Front Oil Thrower Heatshield, MG TC Hub Tool, 8 sided nut Rear axle Large Brass Core Plug

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£23.95 £39.55 £14.95 £9.55 £6.60 £47.95 £59.95

£3.00 Camshaft, XPAG/XPEG, Lock Tab AAA5593 £5.65 Electronic Distributor, neg earth, without gear 27H5138CSINE £330.00 Electronic Distributor, positive earth 27H5138CSIPE £330.00 Oil Filter Conversion-Spin on GAC8001 £142.26 Small Brass Core Plug CA1056BRASS £2.34 High Quality Oil Pressure Pipe AAA627HQ £17.95 Oil/Water Gauge Strap AJH5186 £9.55

MG TD AND TF

MGA

Alloy Radiator ARH120ALY £249.95 RH Horn Bracket AAA2088 £20.38 Heel Mat, Carpet CRM2001X £10.20 Oil Pressure Pipe, high quality AAA627HQ £17.95 Rear Axle Hub Tool GAC1500BG £59.95 Oil/Water Gauge Strap AJH5186 £9.55 Front Valance Stainless Steel Screw Kit MGA9022SS £10.75 Front Wing Stainless Steel Kit MGA9090SS £23.70 Floorboard Screw and washer set, st/steel MGA9103SS £59.95

Exhaust to Gearbox Bracket 128742 £23.64 Dynamo Adjuster Link AAA5831 £23.95 Spring Starter Motor Bracket 53683 £14.95 Clutch Return Spring to Sump Bracket AAA5800 £10.20 Uprated Gear Lever Spring 11G3144 £12.90 Rear Spring Shackle Plate AAA854 £13.19 Steering Wheel Boss MLB8BG £91.20 Electronic Distributor, neg earth, without gear 27H5138CSINE £330.00 Electronic Distributor, positive earth 27H5138CSIPE £330.00 Heatshield GAC1036 £47.95

MG3 Mark One Interior Styling Kits - Consist of Dashboard Mats, Tambour Bin Surround, Side vents and radio surround Piano Black and Red BG3500 £59.95 Metallic Grey and Red BG3502 £54.95 Piano Black and Metallic Grey (no side vents BG3501 £49.95 Carousel 16inch Alloy wheel and Tyre MG3 Fabric Mats, set of four MG3 Spare Wheel and Tool kit MG ZS Spare Wheel and Tool Kit MG GS Fabric Mats, set of four MG ZS Manual Fabric Mats, set of 4 MG ZS Auto Fabric Mats, set of four MG3 Front Brake Pads, non OE MG6 Petrol Front Brake Pads, non OE

30064821T £75.00 30073783 £48.00 30092045 £165.00 10160897 £195.00 10394095 £66.00 10160896 £66.00 10508798 £66.00 10025315Z £30.00 10008675Z £43.00

GENERAL ACCESSORIES

SERVICE PACKS

MGB

Alloy radiator, 1976-80 (r/bumper) NRP115ALY £249.95 Alloy Radiator, Rear fill ARH260ALY £249.95 Alloy Radiator, MGB Centre Fill,68-76 NRP1142ALY £249.95 Fuel Gauge Fixing Strap AJH5185 £9.55 Steel Billet Crankshaft 8G2750STEEL£2,034.00 Rear Axle Hub Tool GAC1500BG £59.95 Oil/Water Gauge Strap AJH5186 £9.55

All service packs consist of Genuine MG parts - Oil Filter and sump washer, Fuel Filter, Pollen filter and Air Filter MG3 MG3SERVICEK £63.25 MG6 Diesel MG6SERVICEDK £125.00 MG6 Petrol MG6SERVICEPK £58.74 MG GS GSSERVICEK £93.50 MG ZS Manual 2017 onwards ZSSERVICEK £79.80 MG ZS Auto 2017 onwards ZSAUTOSERVICEKIT £83.99

MG Morris Bear, Green Jumper MG Buster Bear, Red Jumper MG Cecil Bear, Green Jumper MG Buster Bear, Green jumper MG Badge Collection MG Mugs, Black or Red

BGR68B BGR68R BGR68C BGR68D MM001 MM061/84

£13.00 £13.00 £13.00 £13.00 £28.95 £6.95

All prices are correct at time of going to press but may be subject to change. PLEASE MENTION THIS ADVERT WHEN PLACING YOUR ORDER TO OBTAIN THESE PRICES. All orders subject to availability. All prices include VAT @20%. CARRIAGE EXTRA

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NEWS

THE RESULTS ARE IN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TOP 10 IMAGES

020 began with us planning all kinds of celebrations for our 90th anniversary. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, most of these plans were put on hold. Fear not, though, we launched our Photo Competition earlier this year which created a superb MG Virtual Show. We received nearly 700 entries in total, from all over the world, so thank you to all of our members who submitted their photos and memories! We announced the top 90 images on our website, but now is the time to announce the top 10 images.

It was a difficult job to narrow down the entries to the top 90, but it was even more difficult to narrow down to the top 10 images and then choose the winner of the Photo Competition. Each photo

chosen has an interesting story behind it, truly capturing your passion for MGs. Congratulations to our top 10! Each of you will receive a very special prize very soon. The top 10 images are below:

WINNING PHOTO

10 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

All prices exclude P&P

90TH ANNIVERSARY MERCHANDISE

s e r o t S r e b m i K MGCC 90th Anniversary box £25.00

MGCC 90th Anniversary Pin Badge £4.75

MG Car Club small 90th Anniversary Grille Badge £22.50

MGCC 90th Anniversary Note Book £9.50

MGCC 90th Anniversary Large Car Badge £40.00

MGCC 90th Anniversary Overalls £30.00

MGCC 90th Anniversary Tie £17.50

MGCC 90th Anniversary Cap £12.50

MGCC 90th Anniversary Conference folder £17.50

All prices exclude P&P

To order please visit shop.mgcc.co.uk email ineke@mgcc.co.uk or Phone 01235 849737 www.mgcc.co.uk

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 11

PRODUCTS

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

NEW-STYLE WIND DEFLECTORS FOR THE MG3 AND MG6 MKII

Our new-style Wind Deflectors incorporate new support fixings, making them look like an original MG fitting. This fixing relieves pressure on the 3M adhesive system, so this solely keeps them in place, not supporting their weight as the older styles did. They are manufactured to a very high standard and are available in two types: MG3 (as photo) and fit ALL year models including the very latest release. MG6 MKII with new design that fits perfectly. All four Deflectors are individually cloth wrapped to maintain the crystal clear finish.

MG Z CARS

By Craig Cheetham Reviewed by Gemma Bray

This product is fitted in 20 minutes. MGCC member price £48.95 per set, including UK shipping, and available from stock. For more information contact MG & AMC Parts, The Smithy, High Street, Southwick, Hants, PO17 6EB. Tel: 02392 220222 or 07454 006080 Web: www.mgandamcparts.com Email: infor@mgandamcparts.com

NEW HIGH QUALITY PL700 REPRODUCTION HEADLIGHT FROM BETTER CAR LIGHTING

The Lucas PL700 “Tripod” headlight was much loved during its production and it has been frustrating for lovers of classic and vintage cars not to be able to still buy the original lights. Now, Better Car Lighting of Warwickshire has teamed up with a highly regarded European headlamp manufacturer to produce these high-quality headlights. They have gained all of the relevant type approvals and it is the first time ever that conventional 7” round headlights have been developed to specifically perform perfectly, not only with conventional halogen bulbs, but also with the 4Sight Classic High Power LED bulb systems. A pair of these superb headlights supplied with filament bulbs costs £199.99 + VAT. A pair equipped with matching high-power LED headlamp bulbs costs £299.99 + VAT or with pilot light bulbs costs £329.99 + VAT. LHD versions cost £199.99 + VAT (if applicable) or £329.99 + VAT (if applicable) with LED headlamp and sidelamp bulbs. For more details please either call 0121 773 7000 (+44 121 773 7000) or email enquiries@bettercarlighting.co.uk

12 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

In his latest book Craig Cheetham tells the story of the MG Z cars that were designed to save the MG Rover Group – ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Zed cars next year. The book explores the formation of the Phoenix Corporation, the holding company for MG Rover, and the design and engineering initiatives that would make the Zed cars more than just a clever re-branding exercise. Craig has succeeded in presenting us with a book that is both interesting and informative, creating an essential guide to the Zed cars. The book takes you right back to before the Zeds were launched in 2001 to understand how the MG Rover Group came to be. There are in-depth sections which provide insights for the ZR, ZS, ZT and ZT-T, along with the challenges that MG Rover faced while manufacturing the cars at Longbridge, but also exploring what might have been with the MG ZT XPower 385. The book would not be complete without mentioning the World’s Fastest Estate Car, the ZT-T X-15, and MG Rover’s highs and lows in motorsport, in particular the British Touring Car Championship. The book also includes tips for owners and prospective owners on what to look out for when it comes to the Zed range, concluding the essential guide. MG Z Cars is available now from the Club shop (shop.mgcc.co.uk) for £14.50.

www.mgcc.co.uk

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POSTBAG CREAM CRACKERS

I was delighted to see a photograph of my father’s (now mine) PA Cream Cracker (TJ5000) in the October 2020 edition of your excellent magazine. (Photo 2 on page 18). I can add a little information about the 1934 London to Land’s End Trial organised by the Motor Cycling Club and run at Easter which that year was at the very end of March. The route, starting at Virginia Water, was over a distance of 340 miles and seven observed hills. There was a staggering 464 competitors including 87 MGs and almost 100 competitors on two or three wheels! There were 38 teams of three vehicles per team, and team number 24, all driving MG Midgets, were Toulmin (PA), Bastock (J2) and Welch (PA), who would all become Cream Cracker and Musketeer drivers in future years. But this is all an aside, as the photograph on page 18 of the October issue was not taken at a halt on the London to Land’s End Trial, but at the start of the North-West London Motor Club’s Team trial at the New Inn at Hartland, north Devon, on October 20 1934. The event was for teams only, and teams of four, with the best three results in each team to count. The photograph shows the four cars of the MG Car Club team, Toulmin (TJ5000 - No 1), Macdermid’s PA (JB3639 - No 2), Bastock’s recently acquired PA (JB3854 – No 3) and, just visible is JH Summerfield’s blown PA. (JB4611? – No 4). The man behind Macdermid’s car is C A N May, another well-known MG driver, who was Summerfield’s passenger on that day and would write “Wheelspin” - a classic book about the trials of the 1930s. There were 14 teams entered (56 competitors). The route was over 66 miles taking in Gooseham Mill (in both directions) [now called Darracott], Mineshop [now called Crackington] Hackmarsh and

14 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Cunliffe Lane [now called Cutliffe Lane], and finished at Hartland Quay. At the restarting test on Mineshop, Toulmin was the only driver to get inside the bogey time. The event was a major MG benefit. The best team was the MG Car Club team of Toulmin, Bastock and Summerfield, which won the Sporting Life Trophy with 274 marks out of a maximum of 300. There is no mention of Macdermid in the results, so he either had an off day or, more likely, broke down as he had a ‘heavy’ right foot. The runners-up team was the Kentish Border Car Club (262 marks) represented by K Roe and H B Shaw (both driving 1287cc MG Magnettes) and P B Clark (Singer Le Mans). In third spot was the West Hants Light Car Club team of P S Flower (1087cc MG Magna, J E S Jones (MG J2), and E H Banfield (MG Magnette). So eight of the nine cars in the top three teams were all MGs – fantastic publicity for Abingdon. A couple of months later, those PAs of Toulmin, Bastock and Macdermid would go back to Abingdon for a major rework in time for the extremely tough London to Exeter Trial soon after Christmas. Three months after that, and after further work at Abingdon, they would emerge in their smart new colour scheme of Cream and Brown and with “Cream Crackers” written on their bonnets. As an aside, it is interesting to note that Darracott, Crackington, Hackmarsh and Cutliffe Lane have all been included in Land’s End Trials of recent years and I have found it a real thrill to drive those very same hills that the MG team drove more than 85 years ago! Jonathan Toulmin

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POSTBAG ESCAPING PROP SHAFTS

NOVEMBER LOOKING BACK The special bodied MGA photographed at the MGA 50th anniversary meeting at Waddesdon, and pictured in Looking Back in the November Safety Fast! once was MGA 1500 registration NHJ 720. The car was discovered languishing semi-derelict under a road bridge on a farm in Somerset by John Fileman, I think in 2003. It was in a very sorry, non-running state, having had an MGB front-end grafted on, together with a number of Triumph Herald fittings. Having acquired the car, John considered the MGA body beyond repair and so acquired the Microplas Mistral bodyshell pictured as an alternative. These bodyshells originally came in various lengths to suit different chassis in period but the one John purchased was slightly too short for an MGA so, as can be seen in your photograph, there was a gap needing to be made good. The attached photo from the rear shows the gap more clearly. Unfortunately, John’s circumstances changed later in 2005 and as a result I believe he sold the car. I lost track of it after that and so do not know if the car was ever finished. Maybe another MG Car Club member does.

I was interested to read John Cowan’s tech tip to catch escaping prop shafts. I am interested to know if this “catcher” has actually caught an escaping prop shaft. Having seen the damage caused by flailing shafts even though restraining devices had been fitted, I wonder if aluminium would be strong enough. From my experience I would have thought that steel of a minimum thickness of 3mm would be more suitable. The damage caused by a prop shaft “milling” its way to freedom is quite frightening. Incidentally, seeing an escaping flywheel mill its way through a Morgan bonnet was quite sobering! It then proceeded to become airborne, clear the pits and attack a Transit van. John Bailey

Roger Martin

CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE AND AGREED VALUE I suppose that Classic Car Insurance with Agreed Value should be uncomplicated. However, my recent experience shows that it might not be, and may be a useful caveat for other Club members. 1) My insurance was due and my insurance company sent me a repeat set of documents, telling me that if I did nothing they would simply reinstate it for another year. 2) I read it and found that my discount had been reduced to zero and the broker fee had been increased by 33%. I challenged them to justify such a massive increase for apparently doing nothing, but did not argue about the negligible discount. As no justification could be provided, it was agreed to reduce the broker fee to the previous amount and that a simple email confirmation would be sent without any more documents. 3) After several days, and no email, I phoned to find out why. Sincere apologies, but I was assured that their records had been amended, and the forgotten email would be sent. 4) The promised email quickly appeared, but with it came a huge pile of new documents, which looked quite different to the originals, and included the following:a) A page which said: “Please see below for important information relating to your Legal Expenses from the renewal of your motorcycle insurance policy”. b) Another page - “VALUATION FORM - If you would like to have an agreed value, please complete the form below and return

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with a minimum of six recent colour photographs … together with a photocopy of a current MOT certificate … Please note that the vehicle is insured on the market value until the value has been agreed and confirmed in writing by us”. NB - The agreed value still showed on the originally sent insurance certificate, which I thought was legally binding! I phoned to remonstrate, and was told that the agreed value on the certificate “may not be valid”. After some discussion about “May not”, I was told that the Valuation Form and the MOT certificate had to be submitted. (Even though they could spend about 40 seconds online to the DVLA to check for themselves.) 5) I emailed the photos, their Valuation Form, and the MOT certificate, with a request for them to email confirmation of receipt and agreement to the valuation. 6) Quick as a flash, an email arrived which burbled on about general stuff, but made no reference to my valuation submission. However, a couple of days later an email arrived saying they had received my submission and would deal with it. 7) Because I was appalled by their service and poor communication, I emailed a letter of complaint. The immediate response was a request to rate their performance! Perhaps you should phone your insurance company and insist that they confirm in writing that your Agreed Value still stands. Mike Edmondson

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 15

YOUNG MEMBERS

Shaun Nelson shaunnelly@hotmail.com

BRANCH UPDATE

t’s safe to say that that this year hasn’t gone to plan for anyone. I’m also not one to pretend that it hasn’t been a tough or distressing year either, and no one should be too embarrased to admit that. With this aside, I’d like to look once again to the future – and there is one, honest! 2021 celebrates the 20th aniversary of the MG Zed range; an undisputed home run in and amongst the hypothetical strikes and foul balls suffered by MG Rover during its all too short lifespan. Alongside the T/TF, the Zeds represent an extremely affordable and rewarding pathway into MG ownership, and not to mention accessible. The MGCC benefits from unprecedented accessibility to the MG marque compared with so many others, with a whole host of brilliant cars avalible to younger motorists.

16 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

This is something we’re very keen to promote in the Young Members Branch. There is no car snobbery here. Whether the car is vintage or financed, any MG is welcome within our circle. This has so far been the key to our success, and has helped fuel a friendly, growing community. Speaking of growth, our committee has been in discussions as to how we continue to grow the Young Members Branch, and one area that we would like to expand into is motorsport. This is welltrodden ground within the MG Car Club; indeed, it is the very foundations upon which this car club was formed over 90 years ago! The introduction of the free Motorsport UK Clubman licence, which I briefly touched upon in last month’s edition, should help to make amateur

motorsport more accessible than ever. I personally don’t need much more of an excuse to take an MG onto the track! This would give us the opportunity to offer experiences, comradeship, and friendly competition that only a car club can provide. I hope that soon we’ll be able to report back with exciting news about such events. In terms of the immediate future, I’ve got an MGB to rebuild! After the car show at Statfold that I reported on a few months back, I neglected to mention that on my way home I was crashed into the back of whilst waiting at a roundabout. Everybody was fine, and the car only suffered a crooked bumper and a crinkled rear panel; but it has finally given me an excuse to get around to refreshing its rubbish paint and tired mechanicals. It’s a journey I’m more than willing to share, among many others that the Branch will continue to feature in this column. All the best to everyone for the New Year, and thank you for reading!

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 17

DON HAYTER TRIBUTE By John Lakey

he name Don Hayter was almost a legend to me during childhood. I knew he’d worked in some way on the streamlined coupe top of the Le Mans MGA Twin-Cam SRX 210, and that he’d been involved in the MGB, but at that time I didn’t understand just what a remarkable contribution he’d made to MG, and in fact to the British motor industry in general. I learnt more about him watching David Weguelin’s film, ‘MGB The Story of the Best Selling MG Sports Car’ (which is on a DVD available from BMIHT) and realised then just how important he was to the MGB story.

18 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

I finally got to meet Don in 1999 while working as a researcher on the TV series ‘Clarkson’s Car Years’. We made an episode entitled ‘Why do people like British Sports Cars?’, which ended, in Jeremy’s typically controversial style, by crowning the MX5 the best British sports car ever made. During the script meetings it was decided to do a scene lampooning the then popular morning TV talk show ‘Kilroy’, with Clarkson in the host role, under the title ‘Killjoy’. I was tasked with organising an audience of committed British sports car owners who could be questioned on why they wanted to drive

around in damp cars while getting cold when they could have a much more comfortable and faster life in a Golf GTI. To be honest quite a few of that audience were friends of mine, well up for debating their love of MGs or Caterhams with Clarkson, but I didn’t have quite enough friends to make a convincing audience so called the relevant clubs looking for volunteers; these days, of course, you’d just put a post on some forums but gathering a crowd was more complex then. I called the MG Car Club and was amazed to be put in touch with Don, with a cheery: “I’m sure he’d love to come and

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bring his V8 roadster”. So, my first contact with Don was to phone him, cold, and effectively ask him if he could come and stand up to Jeremy Clarkson! He couldn’t have been nicer and it was obvious, even on the phone, that he totally ‘got’ the idea of the filming and would enter into it in the right spirit. I thought having someone so instrumental in the design of the MGB, which let’s face it, is the archetypal British sports car, perhaps even the archetypal classic car, was a great idea. Don stood up to Jeremy, though, and in fact was too good! His contribution ended up on the cutting room floor because he presented too convincing a case. Afterwards I was able to have a few minutes to chat with him and actually ask him about SRX 210, my ‘Uncle Ted’s’ (Lund) Le Mans car. I’d always sort of vaguely assumed that it had been wind tunnel tested in some way but Don licked his thumb and held it in the air as if testing the wind before saying “no, there wasn’t the time or the money for that. We just made it look right and it achieved pretty much exactly the speed Syd (Enever) had predicted.” Famously, of course, Ted Lund and Colin Escott won the 2-litre class at Le Mans in 1960, an enormous achievement in an era when MG were not officially allowed to race. The win was much aided by Don and Syd’s innate ‘feel’ for aerodynamics, which gave the car the performance it needed on the Mulsanne straight. Having finally got my MGB GT back on the road a year or so after that first meeting, I saw Don quite few times at MGCC events and usually managed to have a chat. His unfailing charm and good humour shone through whenever he was involved, whether attending just because he was an MGB owner (and how many car clubs can claim to have one of the designers of the car they cater for coming to the meetings?) or appearing on panels for question and answer discussions. His training at Pressed Steel (one of his jobs there, working on the body tooling for the XK120, must have been an education in body design in itself) and then under one of the greatest British car designers of the mid-20th century, Frank Feeley at

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SRX210 at Le Mans in 1960 showing the hard top. Photo: Ted Lund archive collection

Aston Martin Lagonda, had given him a very broad understanding of the motor car from an engineering viewpoint as well as a stylistic one, something that was rare even then. His work on styling the MGB was essentially pragmatic because he was an engineer as well as a stylist but the finished car has stood the test of time remarkably well. It is still available to buy new with petrol or electric powertrains and, to my eyes at least, is every bit as beautiful as any of the Italian competition, but structurally far superior. If the MGB had cost four or five times more than it did, it would be hailed as one of the most beautiful cars ever built. When the MGB turned 50 I got involved, initially more by luck than judgement, in filming the MGCC club’s celebrations and the resulting film, ‘MGB50 A Year to Remember’, was eventually turned into a DVD that the

MGCC shop still sell. The narrative spine of the film was a fantastic evening seminar organised by John Watson and the MGB Register. Don was, of course, a panellist. His fund of great, sometimes selfdeprecating, stories charmed the audience as always, as did the warm tributes he paid to colleagues he had obviously enjoyed a great relationship with, such as Roy Brocklehurst, Jim O’ Neill, Syd Enever and others. It was, however, the sheer variety of his working life which was amazing. I never knew until then that, for instance, he’d also worked for ‘Comps’, effectively as a mechanic, looking after the rally or race cars on foreign trips. Can you imagine any other great car designers doing that? With that in mind I called Don and asked if I could possibly come to his house to film a long form video interview, which he kindly agreed to do. There was no way I was going to interview Don in

Don with the whole panel at the MGB 50 seminar.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 19

Don sat in his MGB V8 roadster holding the Corgi model of the car.

my usual Citroen Xantia filming vehicle, so my modified BGT was stuffed full of cameras, lights, tripods etc. So much so that the Britax sunroof had to be open for tripods to stick out and if it rained, well my camera kit and I were getting wet. The visit started badly because I kicked the coffee Mary had made me all over the carpet. I was mortified but Don and Mary were both lovely about it and things improved from there. I had a fantastic day and to me the highlight was driving Don to the pub in my BGT. I’ve loved MGs all my life and had MGBs for a good chunk of it, but I was worried he would be disapproving of the modifications to my car. It’s a modern MGF colour, has a tuned engine with a fast road cam and larger exhaust, X25 brakes, stiffer antiroll bar, etc, etc. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Within a couple of hundred yards he’d correctly identified which cam my engine has just from the way it ticked over on start-up, and worked out the size of the front antiroll bar and said he’d fitted the same part to his own car. Later he discussed the Exacton alloys my car was then wearing and he was fascinated to

Don outside his house with John Lakey’s MGB GT in May 2013, after it had been emptied of filming equipment setting off to the pub for lunch.

Don’s note and signature in John’s copy of his autobiography.

learn about the 3-speed Clayton Heater, which he’d not seen before. He even approved of my louvered bonnet. He posed for a picture with the car and I treasure the memory of that absolutely brilliant day. He

gave a fascinating interview and still had amazing recall of people and events from his life in the motor industry. At the end of the day I asked him to sign my copy of his book and rather than just sign his name he

The British Sportscar ‘Killjoy’ panel at Beaulieu museum. Don can be seen on the second row on the right in front of his green V8 MGB. 20 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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DON HAYTER...

MGB’s Imaginative Creator Drive an MGB It’s the best that can be There is nothing greater Designed by Don Hayter Reunion of three Chief Engineers. Don Hayter, Syd Enever and Roy Brocklehurst, with Isla Watts who was secretary to Syd and later Roy.

The Winners! MG/Riley/Abingdon Hockey touring team with Don meeting the Abingdon mayor at the MG Sportsground

Joined in 1956 Don was soon up to tricks To take MG ‘From A to B’ He put curves and wings onto mechanical kings A vertical grille Gave licence to thrill Whether Roadster or GT You can guarantee That on the open road Nothing’s better to behold

Don filming with S.S.V1 at Handley Studio in 1972, explaining the automatically applied seat belts, possible alternative to air bags.

wrote me a lovely message, which I didn’t see until I got home, and which absolutely made my day. The last time I saw Don was when I visited in 2019 to present him with the Corgi model of his V8 roadster, the last MGB made at Abingdon. I write Corgi’s catalogue copy and had campaigned inside the company to get the model made. Current owner Edward Vandyk brought the car along and Don sat in it for photographs, holding the model. While by then quite frail, when he sat in his old car he relaxed

into the driving position and said “home” with a smile; a lovely moment. It’s fortunate for us MG enthusiasts that Don joined MG in 1956 and became the ‘father of the MGB’, as he is so often called. Personally I think he would have done well in whatever field he’d entered because he was a really, really bright guy, able to process and solve complex problems quickly. Few practical engineers have such an innate sense of style and beauty as well though, that’s a rare gift. He was a charming and modest man with a great

Don Hayter and Tim Fenna of Frontline Developments discussing the MG LE50 22 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Don showing access into the record-breaking MG EX181 to Noel Edmonds

So, when you see an MGB... Wave... It’s the code we uphold To express that we bless The beauty inside Don’s incredible mind... The imaginative designer Could have made nothing finer. Bedina Steatham

sense of humour and a twinkle in his eye, it was an honour to have known him just a little. Rest in peace Don, the world will never forget your achievements.

Don and MGB Register Chairman John Watson with the prestigious Nuffield Gold Cup that the MGB Register won in 2012 www.mgcc.co.uk

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electric for everyone Fuel economy and CO2 results for MG ZS EV. Mpg (l/100km): Not applicable. CO2 emissions: 0 g/km Electric range: 163 to 231 miles. Fuel economy and CO2 results for All New MG5 EV. Mpg (l/100km): Not applicable. CO2 emissions: 0 g/km Electric range: 214 to 276 miles. Fuel economy and CO2 results for the MG HS Plug-in. Mpg (l/100km) (weighted combined): 155.8 (1.8) Electric energy consumption (weighted combined): 2.6 miles/kWh CO2 emissions (weighted): 43 g/km Equivalent all-electric range: 32 miles. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. These figures were obtained using a combination of battery power and fuel. The MG HS Plug-in is a plug-in hybrid vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including, accessories fitted (postregistration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. *All New MG5 EV range starts from £27,495 OTR. After Plug-in Car Grant of £3,000 customers can purchase their All New MG5 EV Excite from just £24,495. The Plug-in Car Grant also applies to Exclusive versions. Models shown: All New MG5 EV Excite with Westminster Silver Paint £25,040 On The Road (OTR) after PiCG, MG ZS EV Exclusive with Pimlico Blue Paint £28,540.00 OTR after PiCG and MG HS Plug-in Excite with White Pearl Paint £29,995 OTR.

FEATURE

GEORGE PHILLIPS A LIFE WITH MGs PART II

When we left part I, George was just getting ready for his attack on the 1949 Le Mans 24-hour event. In this episode, we find out how George got on in that event, and how it influenced his attempt the following year.

n race day, we had to be in the pit by 10.00 in the morning, and the scenes in the pit area were something that one has to see to really believe. There are literally thousands of people milling around all over the road and in the pit area, talking to the drivers and the crews, or looking at the cars. At about 3.30pm, the gendarmes swing into action. A line of police, shoulder to shoulder across the width of the track, work their way right along the pit area, sweeping all before them, and before you know where you are, the road is absolutely clear. The cars are then lined up in echelon formation on the pit side of the circuit, and at 3.59pm the drivers are standing in their circles opposite. At 4.00pm, Charles Faroux, the starter and the man who thought the race up in the first place, drops the Tricolor. Then comes a patter of feet, the whirring of the starters, then all hell breaks loose as race

24 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

cars get away into one gigantic high-speed traffic jam. This takes a few laps to sort itself out before finally settling down to something like normality and getting on to your own time and plan. There are some that look upon the race in the early stages (thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the bigger boys, of course) as a Grand Prix. They go off like mad as if the race is just a short event, instead of a 24-hour one. This, of course, rubs off on some of the smaller boys and they start going off mad as well. Before they know it, they are out of the race, stuck on the side of the road. There is really only one way to go about this race, and that is to have a pre-determined plan. One should bear in mind the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capabilities and stick to the plan firmly. After all, 24 hours is really a long time. Our plan was working very well; the car ran perfectly all through Saturday and into the night with no trouble whatsoever. I did the dawn stint, and found the local www.mgcc.co.uk

Willie Wicken changing the condenser for the first time. Curley Dryden (in the car) looks on anxiously, whilst everything is carefully watched by the French Commisar in the pits

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 25

George, driving one of the “works” John Thornley TCs, seen here skirting Copse Corner at Silverstone in the 1949 One-Hour Production Car Race

fog a bit of a problem as it shifted about from lap to lap. It doesn’t last all that long. I pitted and handed over to Curly somewhere about 9.00pm. I went and had a wash and a shave and a general freshen up, and went around visiting some of my fellow competitors in their pits. Then I went back to my pit where my wife was still running things. She hadn’t had much rest in all of the time. I hadn’t been there long when Curly went past, and I

thought I heard a slight misfire. So we waited anxiously for him to come round again and, sure enough, there was an intermittent misfire. I talked this over with the mechanic, and we decided it sounded as if the condenser was packing up, so we told my wife to bring Curly in the next time round. When he arrived at the pit, he said that the misfire came in around the 5000. The condenser was changed, and he went out. Next time round, the car was

The mud guard extensions and lights fitted to pass the scrutineering for the 1950 Le Mans race 26 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

running very sweetly. As he went past, he gave us the thumbs up signal. Several laps later, the same fault started again, this time with far greater effect. Curly had gone missing, no pun intended. So after nearly 20 hours of trouble-free running, we were now sidelined. Once again the mechanic and I thought it was ignition trouble. I had, in the pit, a Scintilla Vertex Magneto. The trouble was, it had to be in the car if I was to use it, as all the spares that were liable to be needed during the race had to be carried on the car. But in sheer desperation, I sent Willie out with the magneto, with the instructions to try to find Curly and somehow substitute the distribution for the mag. “But”, I said, “if you do find him, do not touch the car because the regs say that only the driver can work on the car out on the track. Just shout to him and tell him what to do.” He did find him, and this wants a lot of believing: not only did he touch the car, Curly brought him back in the passenger seat! The result was an immediate disqualification. I can tell you, I was livid. Having fitted the Scintilla, I had no more trouble. I drove the car back to England and used it every day from then on. I did a few small events, picking up the odd award on the way. The next exciting thing that happened to me was John Thornley decided to enter a team of three TCs in the sports car race at the British Grand Prix meeting. They were to be driven by Dick Jacobs, who had been enjoying considerable success in his 1100 blown MG special, Ted Lund who also was an MG enthusiast, and myself. They were actually going to be standard, even down to carrying side screens. Although not terribly fast, all cars finished at an average of close on 70mph, a result that delighted John Thornley. That www.mgcc.co.uk

was really all that mattered. At least some interest was being shown in high places. My next surprise, nay shock, was receiving a letter one morning from the ACF, which is the Automobile Club de France, inviting me to take part in the French Grand Prix, which they were running that year as a sports car race in Comminges. I naturally enough accepted. When the time came, I set off just with my wife and a friend I had known years before the war, during the speedway days. He was to drive my Morris 14 in convoy with me, and act as mechanic. We duly arrived in Paris, and I reported to the ACF on the Place de la Concorde. I asked which way was the best way to the circuit. Imagine how I felt when they produced a map of France and proceeded to instruct me on the route to Comminges – I was dumfounded. In my excitement at being invited to take part in the race, I hadn’t bothered to check where Comminges was. I thought it was near Paris, like Montlhery. Instead of that, I was now faced with a journey of some 600 miles to the French coast. On the way

down we passed Montlhery, and I asked my wife if she would like to see the circuit. So, we spent a very enjoyable hour blinding around the road circuit (something I was to regret later on). We stayed that night at Limoges, where they had a water problem, and each room only had one vase full of water. As we had done several hundred miles in the TC we were absolutely black, so you can imagine what the water was like. You could almost cut it out of the basin and throw it out of the window. Eventually we arrived at St. Gaudens, the nearest town to the circuit. I must say this was about the hottest place I had even been. As I recall, the temperature was around 100 degrees. I had no trouble with scrutineering, and we went out to practise. For some reason the car was using quite a bit of oil, but the real trouble was my so-called mechanic didn’t know how much he had added. So I started the race a very worried man. Anyway, the car behaved perfectly, and at about half distance I was leading the small class. Then disaster struck. The bend after the pits was a fast, downhill righthander. As a result of the oil surge on that corner, and the fact that the oil was low, all the bearings went in a second. This, as well can be imagined, was a bitter disappointment, but it also presented me

with a major problem of how to get two cars back to England. No way could I face being towed some 700 or 800 miles across France. So, I hired a flatbed railway truck, and put the two cars on that to Paris, and then towed the MG with the Morris tender car, back to London. I have often wondered if I would have finished that race if I had not taken my wife for that blind around Montlhery. At home, I stripped the engine down and replaced all the bearings. Fortunately the crankshaft was undamaged. I also replaced the rings and valve springs. I competed in a few smaller events and so brought the 1949 season to a close. During the winter of 1949-50, I built myself another engine. My original one was OK, but I thought it was about time I gave it a thorough overhaul. This included reboring the cylinders, then sleeving them back to standard. I did this by fitting “Cromard” liners, which had a reputation for being very hard-wearing, as indeed they were. I remember one little scare I had when I had completed this engine; I ran it in the usual way for some thousand miles, and then went testing for performance. To my dismay, I was about 1000 revs down. I tried everything I knew to improve the performance, but whatever I did didn’t seem to get any response.

George climbs into the car during a routine night stop. The few mechanics tools are ready to hand in the pits

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 27

I contacted Basil de Mattos who was a technician at Laystalls who had fitted the liners and done the rebore. I explained my problem and he told me to stop worrying as Cromard liners were so tough, it took about 10,000 miles before it could be said that they were really run in. This proved to be absolutely right. When I finally did about that distance, the engine did perform well. So, I decided at that point that it would be the engine I would use at Le Mans in 1950, because I had succeeded in getting an entry for the race. I opened the season with a few small races at places like Goodwood and Silverstone, but, of course, my main aim was Le Mans again. This year I had, as my co-driver, yet another inn keeper, Eric Winterbottom. He was a charming chap and was quite impressed with the car.

When he asked me what the rev limit was, I replied: “Please yourself – the engine is unbustable.” He looked at me as if I were mad, but I really had that much confidence in it! I took the car back to Le Mans exactly as it was the previous year. As I actually had no aggravation in 1949 at scrutineering, I expected to get through without any bother. But no. This year, they made me fabricate extensions for the front mud guards, and rearrange my lighting system, which meant fitting another set of lamps. They even made me fit a wider bonnet strap. We completed this work and were passed OK. Practice went off without any problems, and both Eric and myself felt very happy about the way the car was running. We had set ourselves a pattern as to the manner we would run the race.

Our only object was to finish and qualify for the Bi-Annual Cup. And so with this aim in mind, we stuck to the plan religiously. As with all things, when they go OK, there really is not a lot to report. Suffice to say the car ran perfectly throughout, but the closing laps were really something exciting. All the way round the course people were waving at you with their hats and programmes. It really was a wonderful experience that I shall never forget. When all the excitement of being in the finish and things had died down, I worked out rapidly what the car had achieved. We had covered 1,760 miles at an average speed of 73mph. We had used no water, one pint of oil, got around 24 miles to the gallon, and we were still on the original tyres. We had finished second in the class to a special works Racing Jowett Jupiter. Altogether it was a very satisfying result. To be continued…

The successful 1950 Le Mans team. Left to right are Barbara Phillips, Denis Jones (mechanic), Eric Winterbottom, and George Phillips 28 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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FEATURE

long with most other events and outings in 2020, we had to cancel the annual gathering at Aldon Automotive last October, so with nothing to report this time I thought perhaps those who take an interest in engine tuning and modifications might enjoy reading the story of my own engine. The late Gerry Rafferty’s 1979 track sums up rather well my experience six or so years back with LYL 411D, the 1966 MkII MG Midget I’ve owned for some time. While free revving, the 59 or so bhp from its original fully balanced 1098cc engine in modern traffic was proving a little short, making overtaking especially a risky business. So what to do? MG Midgets are more than capable of handling extra power, the most extreme K converted cars produce in excess of 200bhp, although most between 135 and 170bhp, thus restrictions are almost limitless. But my car being a fairly original

The photo of FJT 199D that appeared in the 1974 issue of Safety Fast!

example, I wanted to keep it that way, modifications with sympathy and in period of the car. In April 1974 I’d read a report in Safety Fast! by John Larminie, on how he had tackled the same problem also with a 1966 MkII Midget, registered FJT 199D. (Now owned by Club member Phil Cox in Scotland). And it must have struck a chord, for I remembered reading this account, so dug out the old magazine to study it again. John had installed a standard 1275cc engine, but had made other changes including fitting a 3.7:1 diff and

slightly larger tyres, resulting in a car he claimed capable of pulling away cleanly in top from 25mph, but which would cruise all day at 70mph, pulling 3800rpm. All this plus 40+mpg, but what John didn’t mention was how good its acceleration was. Not quite as vital in 1974 as today, when even a standard 1098 could quite easily squirt around the ubiquitous Morris Minors, Triumph Heralds, and Ford Anglias. For this is where I wanted improvement, but good fuel consumption, to, (important if you enjoy touring as we do, and John mentioned he did) for even 40mpg only

GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME By Dennis Wharf

30 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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Dished Onyx pistons

gives a range of 240 miles with the standard six-gallon tank. This old article therefore offered some useful pointers. My daughter had owned a 1275 MkIII with a balanced and blueprinted engine using the standard 230/252 cam which was both smooth and quite powerful, probably the best 1275 I had ever experienced. This therefore seemed one way to proceed. After some research and discussions with those who know far more about engine tuning than I, it seemed a 1275 with balanced crank, rods and pistons etc, in combination with either a Mini Cooper S cam, (240/252), or MG Metro cam, (252/268), and MG Metro/1275 Cooper S valves, (35mm inlet - 29mm exhaust), should work well with the original inch-and-a-quarter SU’s, producing both an increase in power and torque, but without affecting fuel consumption, plus an extra bonus, would remain correct in appearance under the bonnet. The alternative was to go a bit more extreme, and ultimately I was convinced by this argument, going for a larger bore block, (1330cc), and a modified head with larger valves, (35.5mm inlet - 31mm exhaust), with the MG Metro cam and a lightweight flywheel, but still using my standard SU’s. Although beyond period spec, this combination offered more power for greater acceleration, my only doubt being its docility, as a touring car needs to have flexibility such that it’s capable of both pulling away from low revs, and happy to crawl along in traffic. With the new professionally built engine installed, I collected the car, filled the tank, and set off the 70 or so miles for home. Although driving gently it was immediately evident I had more power, but also a couple

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Modified head with 35.5/31mm valves

Standard Cooper S head with 35/29mm valves

BUT MY CAR BEING A FAIRLY ORIGINAL EXAMPLE, I WANTED TO KEEP IT THAT WAY, MODIFICATIONS WITH SYMPATHY AND IN PERIOD OF THE CAR of large flat spots, and the fuel gauge was falling rather rapidly, too. In addition, the semi-racing clutch was dragging in traffic, so the expected adjustments I thought a new set-up might require seemed about right. First I wanted to tackle the flat spots and poor fuel consumption. The tail pipe and nearside rear bodywork was black with soot indicating problems here, so could it just be poorly adjusted carbs, although the engine builder had put

the car on a rolling road for tuning only a few days beforehand? The carburettors had been performing perfectly when attached to my 1098 engine, and nothing appeared amiss, although I wondered at the choice of needle, EK. Nevertheless I renewed the spindles, jets, floats, valves, springs and all the other wearing components, plus, after studying the SU needle booklet, I chose three which appeared more appropriate. (This little book is really useful, illustrating across 12 increments where and by how much the needle tapers. By making a plot chart and overlaying the needles of choice, you can see how they perform in relationship to each other). Re-fitted with the standard needle (AN), and set up accurately, things improved slightly, although it wouldn’t idle below 1400rpm,

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 31

Ready to be re-installed.

was reluctant to start, and still only returned at best 24mpg, and given that, even in highly tuned form, the A series is renowned for its meagre appetite for fuel, something was still wrong. The flat spots continued also, while the plugs remained very sooty even with the jets set at maximum lean, so I booked onto a different rolling road hoping the problem could be resolved. With ignition timing optimised and much adjustment throughout the day, no matter what was tried, the engine wouldn’t rev freely. No power below 1800rpm, then a short burst at 2100, a big drop at 2300 before suddenly waking up at 3000, and although showing a dangerous level of leanness, the plugs stubbornly remained wet, black and very sooty. The best torque figure achieved was 78 lb/ft at 4906rpm, while a maximum 93bhp was seen at 5293rpm, but clearly the combustion was wrong and not something simple tuning could rectify. A few weeks later with the help of a good friend and longtime Midget racer James Thacker, who has built and been involved with many A series engines, we set about checking the cam profile with a dial gauge and protractor to at least determine if the cam was as specified. (Should mention that by this stage I’d decided to change the clutch so had removed the engine which of course helped immensely with accessibility for checking the cam).

And once back in place.

RE-INSTALLED, THE DIFFERENCE WAS REMARKABLE; IF ANYTHING, IT SEEMED EVEN MORE POWERFUL, PROBABLY DUE TO ITS NEW SMOOTH AND FREE REVVING NATURE

Exhaust system comprises a genuine original Special Tuning long branch manifold, combined with Kim Dear large bore pipe and a standard 16” MGB rear box. Result: good exhaust flow and muted sound.

With no outward alterations in appearance the old car performs far better now, and even surprises a few.

32 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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James now takes over. “After a couple of hours measuring and double-checking, we agreed it was indeed a 252/268 MG Metro cam, showing good consistency over all eight lobes, and was timed in pretty much perfectly as BMC recommend, at half a degree later than 110 degrees ATDC, a touch retarded on the conventional max opening point on number one inlet, ‘MOP’ method. However, checking the lift at TDC on the exhaust stroke, (the ‘equal overlap method’), gave a reading of exhaust .059” lift, and inlet .026”, demonstrating the cam was quite significantly retarded. A retarded cam affects the torque/power low down and pick up which is not very desirable. The cam was therefore advanced using the Vernier wheel to end up very slightly advanced on the ‘equal overlap method’, with .040” lift on the inlet and .035” exhaust at TDC. Double checking this on the ‘MOP’ method showed this to be 104 degrees ATDC, 6.5 degrees more advanced than where it was set originally. This would help smooth the power delivery, but was however only part of the answer, for my son John had taken a look at the cylinder head which he felt offered more clues. It had huge inlet ports more suitable for a race spec engine with a 45DCOE, rather than a pair of standard 1.25” SU’s with a standard inlet manifold. He felt it was this combination of parts which were not working in harmony. The

larger 31mm exhaust valve and retarded cam timing was hurting the low speed running, while the large inlet ports in conjunction with the small inlet manifold and standard carbs were causing poor air speed and mixture presentation, hence the combustion problem. He also noticed the distributor advance curve was not helping due to a low static advance, and suggested changing this to a standard advance distributor.” (Apart from building his own selfprepared National Championship-winning rallycross Mini, John Thacker has many years experience specialising in engine set up for Aldon Automotive, Prodrive, Mercedes-Benz F1, and is currently the dyno engineer for the Honda Formula 1 team). With the cam advanced as outlined above, and a new old-stock original Cooper S head, just polished and fitted with original Mini Cooper S 29/35mm valves, James theorised the 1330cc capacity, would give approximately 4% more power over a 1275cc MG Metro, and that by using my rockers, (forged 1.3), and carbs with a 10.5 to 1 C/R he estimated a conservative output should be in the region of 80bhp at around 5000rpm, but above all would offer both smooth torque and power delivery. I decided not only to replace the clutch, but also the lightweight flywheel with a standard item, both balanced to match,

as this would further improve tractability from low tick over for driving down narrow country lanes and in traffic. Re-installed, the difference was remarkable; if anything, it seemed even more powerful, probably due to its new smooth and free revving nature, so finally I had the engine performing as I’d originally envisaged, proving that even with the best of intentions when it comes to modifications, many things have to be considered for the whole to work in harmony. As yet, it still has to go back on the rollers; however playing with needles and set up – I’m currently using the H6 needle – has resulted in good fuel economy, with the plugs showing that lovely light grey colour indicating a fairly accurate mixture. In top gear it pulls cleanly and smoothly from 1500rpm all the way to 5000rpm, and is an absolute joy behind the wheel – and with that cam it sounds pretty good, too! From 2017 until late 2019 we’d used the car extensively, including a week in the Brecon Beacons when, not hanging around, it powered up the hills with no effort while returning 37+ mpg, and on the spirited run home gave 42mpg, but most of all a huge grin. Once the opportunity arises to have it back on the rollers I’ll prepare a postscript, as I’m curious to see if James was right with his power prediction.

Touring Wales in September 2019 34 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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EVENT

The timeline of saloon cars organised by The MGCC Luxembourg

PADDYANDHOPKIRK THE MGCC LUXEMBOURG By Romain Heckemanns

arlier on in 2020, a few days before the lockdown in Europe, the LOF (the national federation of oldtimers) organised its traditional Autojumble at the Lux Expo on Luxembourg-Kirchberg in the GrandDuchy of Luxembourg. A special display was arranged to celebrate the Mini which turned 60 in 2019, and the special guest at this show was honorary MG Car Club member Paddy Hopkirk, the winner of the Rallye Monte-Carlo in 1964 with a Mini Cooper S. Paddy was back in Luxembourg Paddy Hopkirk, Bob Nosbusch (Triple-M) and Guy Maathuis (MGCCL) 36 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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EVENT

Paddy Hopkirk and Frenchman Jean-Claude Andruet

for the first time since 1965, when he participated in the 1st Slalom pour la Coupe dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Europe dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ecuries on a large parking area in the middle of the City of Luxembourg. Paddy was kept busy at the Autojumble with many a Mini fan seeking his autograph or a photo with the famous rally driver. The 86-year-old Brit stayed cool and was smiling all the weekend. On his walk through the expo, Frenchman Jean-Claude Andruet (national rallye champion in 1965, 1970, 1972 and European rallye champion in 1970) invited by the organiser of the European Classic Car Tour in May in Luxembourg (which was later cancelled), met Hopkirk. It was impressive to see two legendary rallye drivers of the sixties at a show. Paddy Hopkirk, who also drove a factory MGB at the 24h Le Mans in 1963, an MGB GT on the Targa Florio in 1967 and many others, also made a longer stop on the stand of the MG Car Club Luxembourg and enjoyed a piece of cake together with some members of the club. For the century of MG saloon cars, the MGCCL had ordered a large anniversary cake. A timeline of MG saloon cars was set up on this display. Unfortunately, the only SA in Luxembourg (there are no other pre-war MG saloons in our small country) was missing on the MGCCL stand. Normally, modern cars are not allowed on the Autojumble, but to celebrate the comeback of the marque of MG in Luxembourg, the local MG dealer was invited to show their new MG ZS EV. Generally, MG is known as producer

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Paddy was kept busy signing memorabilia

of two-seater convertibles, but the idea of the MG Car Club Luxembourg was to show that all over the decades the MG Car Company also produced saloon cars. Only a few days after the Autojumble in March, the shutdown of all activities in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg and most parts of Europe forced the old-timer scene to cancel their activities for months. We resumed in the middle of August, with the MGCCL-Summer tour through the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. Some

50 participants in 25 cars took part in this event, together with some Alfa Romeos, Porsches and Lotuses joining the party. In these difficult times the MGCCL did not want refuse other makes entry to its tour; by the way, almost no other clubs organised a meeting for old-timers in Luxembourg in 2020. The Economy-Run at the beginning of November, where the fuel tank is filled up at the start and run until close to empty, closed the 2020 season of the MG Car Club Luxembourg.

MGs head out on the MGCCL Summer tour

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 37

Paul Plummer 01926 854574 scribe@tregister.org

NEWSLETTER

WELCOME TO THE

T TYPE NEWSLETTER As I write this message in early December, the Government has now released its latest regulations and I think it is true to say that lockdown was always going to end in tiers! I hope that despite all the regulations and social distancing rules you and your family managed to have an enjoyable Christmas and you felt that life was not so bad after all.

I have put together a selection of news items that I hope you will find interesting and enlightening and remind you of better times to come in the New Year when we can get out and about in out T Types. Until that time, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and here’s to a safe, event filled 2021. Paul Plummer

THE T REGISTER PRESIDENT - WHO IS HE? Most of us are aware that the T Register indeed has a President, but many will not know who he is, his background, his involvement in the T Register, and his cars. Here we find out as Mike Lugg takes up the story… Born and bred in the Isle of Wight, he learned to drive in his father’s 1936 Morris 8 so ab initio he became accustomed to the vagaries of the Bishop Cam steering. From early years he was interested in messing about with all things mechanical and developed a passionate interest in motor racing. In his teens he would regularly attend the Goodwood race meetings with school chums to watch Fangio, Gonzales, Moss, Hawthorn, Collins, et al. In 1959 he graduated in civil engineering and worked on the redevelopment of steelworks in Scunthorpe, when his immediate need was for transport. A perusal of the local newspaper revealed, amongst the usual mundane family saloons, an MG sports car, which immediately aroused interest, and after a ride in the black 1947 MG TC and a quick haggle he became the proud owner of LPD 626, the same car that he campaigns to this day. It was, of course, a wreck, having been driven hard by many owners, but it

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was transport with character and it also provided a crash course in automobile maintenance to keep it running and on the road! The car was used for daily transport and at Christmas, Easter and summer holidays the 240-mile trip back to the Isle of Wight to be with family and fiancée. This trip, all on A roads before the advent

of motorways and city bypasses, would take some six hours driving. In 1961 he married his fiancée in the Isle of Wight, from where they set off on honeymoon to Newlyn in Cornwall in the TC with suitcases piled high on the homemade luggage rack. Two weeks later they returned to Scunthorpe in the trusty TC, a round trip of over 1,000 miles.

LPD 626 whilst on honeymoon at Newlyn in August 1961, before restoration.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 39

NEWSLETTER

Mike in his stunning Reno Red MG TC

Christmas 1962 was spent in the Isle of Wight, returning to Scunthorpe through the deep snows, the journey taking two days with an overnight stay in Banbury and frequent stops to remove ice from the windscreen – both inside and out! A change of job involving a move to Southampton and a company car, enabling the TC to be garaged for the first time and some vital restoration work to be undertaken. This soon morphed into a complete rebuild, which extended over some ten years and three house moves, finally emerging in pristine Reno Red paintwork in late 1985. In June 1986 he took part in the London-Inverness-London Endurance run during which he was accompanied by Henry Stone, one of the factory racing

mechanics, on a fairly fast leg when he just managed to keep ahead of the ex-Pat Moss TF 1500 driven in spirited fashion by Robert MacGillivray. Following this, Henry, who thoroughly enjoyed the experience, accorded him the title of “Le Pilot Fou”! It was on this memorable trip that friendships with Ian and Rosemary Lloyd, Simon and Joyce Gibbard and Marion Best were established leading to a series of social weekends in the Cotswolds, which then grew into the highly successful T- Register Autumn Weekends. It was also the beginning of his involvement in Register activities leading to Chairmanship in 1994. He has taken part in every Autumn Tour bar one, when he was widowed in 2001, as well as the Continental Tour of 1996 and he is a regular participant

in the Continental trips and other Register events. In addition to his beloved TC, he regularly uses a 1971 MGB roadster and his “modern” car is a 2002 MG ZT 190.

Here, Mike is delivering one of his famous ‘Odes’, this time at a Burns Night celebration.

BRINGING HOME NEVILLE PART 4…. Since the last part of ‘Bringing Home Neville’ was seen in print in the May issue, we’ve had the awful coronavirus to contend with, which meant I was unable to visit Cambridgeshire to help Chris with the car until the middle of July. Nevertheless, during this period Chris finished the respray of all the bare panels at Finishline (UK) in Standox 2k colour with a final flattening using a DA system. These were then polished using a 3M compound and then all refitted, looking very smart in BRG. The left-hand door required new hinges and the bonnet needed some timeconsuming adjustment to give a good fit.

40 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

The earlier problem sourcing the rear Dinkywinkaz indicators was solved when I found some similar very suitable items sold by the well-known motorcycle retailer Oxford Products. These have now been fitted and wired up. The front side lights have been modified to take the combined side lights/indicators kit that is available from Stafford Vehicle Components (SVC). The carpets were removed and given a good clean and refitted with Velcro so they can be easily removed if necessary. The hood was in very reasonable original condition and the use of AutoGlym Vinyl and Rubber Care soon had it looking at its best.

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Very few tools came with the car and it was our intention to replicate the original tool kit as near as was possible. I bought some tools at the February MG spares day at Stoneleigh and some online, plus I found a couple of items amongst my own old tools. An appropriately styled tool roll was sourced online and the end result was felt to be a close similarity to what would have been supplied when the car was new. A missing piece of chrome trim

on one of the side screens was solved with a purchase from a friend who had a set from a TC. Due to the delay incurred, the continued restoration of Neville has taken longer than expected and a further visit at the end of October gave us the opportunity for another day’s work and a short road run in the wet. This flagged up a few minor issues that have now been attended to. The speedometer was calibrated and the engine given a final tune up. The all-important fuel ‘dip stick’ was made and calibrated up to the five gallon mark. An advertisement for the car was placed in the December issue of Safety Fast! The car has been left in its original left-hand drive configuration as it left the factory in 1954. It remains to be corrected but we believe that this is the oldest 1500 TF still in existence. Despite a full respray we have done our best to keep as much of the original provenance intact. The car has since been moved and is now in Buckinghamshire and interested parties should contact Pete on 01280 821442 to arrange viewing.

SKETCHES FROM JAPAN

The TD is the featured model this month, shown here in Ivory with red upholstery and red radiator slats. www.mgcc.co.uk

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 41

NEWSLETTER HARRY LESTER BLUE PLAQUE On October 17 the T Register Specials Registrar, Stewart Penfound, was invited to take his Lester MG to Thatcham for the unveiling of a Blue Plaque commemorating the life and exploits of Harry Lester. The garage, which still stands beside the A4 Bath road in Thatcham and currently occupied by Wiltshire Tyres, was acquired by Harry in 1950. It was here that he built his T51 cars, four of them being acquired by a group of up-and-coming young racing drivers, who, as the Monkey Stable Team of Lester MGs, were highly successful at club and international level throughout 1951 and 52 At a small but significant ceremony, the Mayor of Thatcham, Councillor Mike Cole, unveiled the plaque which was mounted on the exterior of the building. Present at the ceremony with Stewart and his car (the last made, being completed in June 1955) was Chris Pamplin, owner of the Dargue MG, a sister car built under Harry’s supervision. The plaque also highlights Harry Lester’s war service, where he worked at an establishment at Welwyn to help design and develop equipment for the SOE. A full biography of Harry Lester, together with the story of The Monkey Stable Team and details of all known Lester cars, is told in the award-winning book ‘Harry Lester, his cars and The Monkey Stable’, available from Stewart whose contact details can be obtained from the T Register website.

Harry Lester’s garage in Bath Road, Thatcham, taken in 1951. 42 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Harry Lester at Thatcham, proudly showing off the first of The Monkey Stable cars

Stewart’s T51 Lester MG, reg RJJ 540, pictured under the blue plaque outside Harry Lester’s garage. www.mgcc.co.uk

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NEWSLETTER

WELCOME TO THE

MAGNETTE NEWSLETTER Bidding a not altogether fond farewell to 2020, I can at least send season’s greetings to all, and look forward to better prospects of seeing each other again at Magnette events in the New Year. As you’ll see below (or if you’ve received John Harris’s newsletter) much of the programme has been carried over from previous plans, but is none the worse for that. Although we may still have to take account of any restrictions in place, it’s encouraging to see that Haynes Motor Museum, the first venue for our season-opening Somerset weekend is already open to visitors, with Covid-secure distancing, sanitising and cleaning procedures. Two rather unusual contributions this month, one from Robin Spalding about customising Magnette 1:43 scale models, and another from Graham Austin, who has provided several tech tips previously.

This time he turns his attention to improving the boot space, a subject many owners have probably thought about. You can’t make the boot itself any bigger, but Graham has found a way to increase the usable width which is often a limiting factor when trying to pack folding chairs, etc. Just in passing, I should correct a line in my December update which suggested that Ray Holtzapple in Houston was installing a V8 in his recently acquired Magnette. In fact the previous owner had planned to do this as part of a restoration, but when Ray took ownership of the project (still in bits) he decided to aim for originality instead - probably a good idea given the interesting history of the car, even if some might have been interested to see the engine conversion. Lastly, as we hurtle towards 2021, here’s an interesting photo from 60 years

ago, found in the Register archive with the caption ‘ZB in the Australian Outback 1961’. There was no further information in the album, so I consulted veteran Australian Magnetteers Loz Scott and Paul Vermont, but they pointed out that the registration plate in the photo doesn’t appear to match formats generally used in any of the states at that time, and that it could even be a South African car. They did confirm, though, that Outback trials took place in the 50s/60s, so it might be one of those (the windscreen looks to have a couple of numbers stuck to it). I don’t suppose anyone will be able to pinpoint it precisely, but do let me know if you’ve seen something similar before and have more information about the event, wherever it was, or even recognise the car – sorry no prizes!

Do you recognise this car?

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 45

NEWSLETTER EVENTS FOR 2021 April 24 - 25 Somerset Tour Meet at Haynes Motor Museum off the A303 from 10.00am for coffee, a tour of the museum and lunch. In the afternoon a visit to a local attraction and drive to Glastonbury for an evening meal. On the Sunday there will be a scenic tour around North Somerset to include the Polden Hills and Cheddar Gorge and finally lunch at Chew Valley Lake. May 29 Magnettes & Trams A visit to the Crich Tramway Museum. Display your Magnette in the recreated period village and ride the trams. If you intend to make it a weekend break it’s advisable to book accommodation early as you will be in the popular Peak District National Park.

July 30 -August 1 International Magnette weekend This will be the 25th anniversary of the event, which confusingly is still officially titled ‘Magnette Day’. Based around Westerwald in Germany, the date has been moved later than usual to allow visitors to travel on to the EEOTY afterwards.

September 18 -19 Kop Hill Climb The annual rerunning of a classic hillclimb at Princes Risborough also includes club display areas, giving us the chance to meet up, enjoy the wide variety of historic cars and maybe even one of the Halliday’s legendary barbecues at their home nearby.

August 7-8 Magnettes & Steam Weekend A Saturday visit to the Bolton and Embsay Railway near Skipton, arranged by Magnette owner John Beesley. This will be combined with our usual display at the Harrogate MG Club Show on Sunday at Pateley Bridge, a popular and spectacular showground venue just a short distance from the railway

October 9 - 10 Lou Shorten Tribute Weekend Our usual Saturday meeting at Lenwade during the day, and an evening meal at the Wensum Valley Hotel (who are holding 2020 prices for us). On Sunday there will be a visit to the the Poppy Line, North Norfolk Railway.

MAGNETTE 1:43 MODELS In the 1960s at the age of 22, after trading in my charming A35, I owned a second-hand Wolseley 15/50. I thoroughly enjoyed this Gentleman’s saloon but always wanted an MG Magnette. 55 years later I have traded in another charming classic A35 with a Cooper head and twin SUs, for a 1958 Varitone that was restored in the late 1990s with an MGB rear axle and smart black wire wheels. In my ownership it has been fitted with a brake servo,

front discs, alternator and electric power steering for us oldies. Next will be an uprated engine and probably a five-speed gearbox. 15 years or so before the Wolseley, I collected Dinky toys and other diecast model cars – this hobby has continued to today. Included in my collection is a section of cars that my wife and I have owned, from a purple Reliant van (my wife’s first car) and a wonderful RR Silver Shadow. So, a model of the Magnette was obviously required. I have a friend who is an experienced model builder and on his recommendation a K&R white metal kit was purchased and he built a model of my car with correct paintwork, wire wheels and number plates – a 1:43 model of which I am obviously very proud.

Robin’s real Varitone Customised 1:43 scale model

46 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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NEWSLETTER

Palmer-designed trio

The model builder is David Wright, who is also an MG owner with an MGA 1600 and has written three books on transport modelling (www.transportmodellingbooks.co.uk) After reading Paul Batho’s book on the Magnette it inspired me to ask David if he could build the convertible built by an inventive owner some years ago and shown in the book, and also create our interpretation of the one and only coupe reportedly built in the Experimental Department (of which no records or photos survive). Both models are based on the excellent Oxford Diecast Magnette Z1 and Z2. We had the picture and colours for the convertible and for the coupe styling I was able to look at my other classic car, a 1980s Mercedes 230CE pillarless coupe. The Mercedes Coupe

is lower and shorter than its saloon; however I did not think we could improve on Gerald Palmer’s body design so we made it a two-door pillarless coupe with the ‘B’ post removed and a thin chrome strip on the rear window similar to the Mercedes. I now have two very nice one-off models of two rare Magnettes. Also in my model collection I have a white-metal Pathfinder model of the Wolseley 4/44, and a white-metal Lansdowne model of a 1959 Riley 2.6 sports saloon, follow-up to the Riley Pathfinder. I like to group the 4/44, Magnette ZA and the Riley 2.6 together as a fine illustration of Gerald Palmer’s great designs of the early 1950s. Robin Spalding

Coupe and convertible models

REGALIA AND SPARES

You may have noticed our pre-Christmas sale of Register clothing and other regalia, which will hopefully make space for some brandnew designs in 2021. And it’s worth a reminder that if Santa still hasn’t brought you a copy of Paul Batho’s definitive ‘MG Magnette’ book, it will continue to be available at Register events, signed by

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the author, or indeed from the MGCC shop or publisher Amberley. Peter Martin is also gearing up for one or two new lines in his spares emporium, so look out for these appearing on his website mgspecs.co.uk. Peter has been kept very busy with orders throughout 2020 and greatly appreciates that more customers are now checking his lists to establish exactly which part they need before contacting him.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 47

NEWSLETTER

Shelf with wheel underneath

BOOT MODIFICATIONS

We love our ZA Magnette but found the boot too narrow for our requirements, more of a personal preference, really, than a fault. Like a lot of classics I suppose, our car is used for special occasions mainly, which means packing picnic stuff into the boot and we found it clumsy putting chairs and other picnic paraphernalia in with the spare wheel where it was designed to fit, so I changed it. Nothing to alarm the purist! The only alterations to the structure of the car were two small holes drilled in the inner wheel arches. It seemed to me that the spare wheel was taking up too much usable space, standing as it does in the upright position, so I laid it flat on the boot floor. Then measuring the distance across the width from chassis leg to chassis leg I cut and fitted a sheet of 1/4” plywood. The boot depth is sufficient for the wheel to fit neatly beneath the shelf. The next thing was to make access to the spare wheel suitable for emergency use without the need to empty everything out above the wheel, and that meant cutting the sheet into two width-wise 16” from the foremost (petrol tank) end. This rear portion will remain fixed in the car so needs lifting up to allow enough height for the wheel to clear it when dragged out of the car. A 2” x 1” wood frame was enough. To secure it to the car an L-shaped bracket on either side was needed and screwed to the plywood and this is where the drilling came in. Each bracket is then screwed to the inner wheel arch with a self-tapper. The two pieces of ply are then hinged together so the rearmost section can be lifted high enough for access to the wheel. It will be necessary to fit blocks to either side of this piece to support it at the right height, and it will only lift a small way as

48 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

it comes into contact with the body but it should be high enough for the wheel to pass through easily. It is also a handy place for storing small items around the wheel. Moving the wheel from its original fixing point exposed the petrol pump, so I found it worthwhile making and fitting a shield to prevent luggage sliding round and coming into contact with it. I covered the whole in carpet for appearance and used an old piece of leather belt slotted through a hole in the wheel as a handle to lift it free with. The result is a much wider and flatter boot floor with better accommodation for picnic chairs, table, basket and flasks, not to mention tools and wet weather clothing. Graham Austin

Boot shelf installed

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

NEWSLETTER

WELCOME TO THE

MGC NEWSLETTER First and foremost, on behalf of all the C Register committee we would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and hoping for better things to come in 2021. We are very much looking forward to when we can all get together again.

A quick reminder that the MGC 2021 Calendar is now available to purchase at the bargain price of £9.99 plus postage. Please email Mike at mgc_mike@ btinternet.com to order your copy and obtain details of postage costs.

This month we are fortunate to have received a very interesting article on University Motors Specials written by Rick Parry, which some of you will know is a subject which is now very close to my heart. Colin Howes

Rick Parry’s UML Special

UNIVERSITY MOTORS MGC SPECIALS I have recently been contacted by Colin Howes of the MGC Register to put something down on paper about the London and Home Counties MG dealership of University Motors Ltd and their MGC Specials. I wrote a similar article 10 years ago for another magazine. I also want to correct a few misconceptions about the C Specials that have been written in various publications over the

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years, and since writing my first article I have been contacted by ex-employees of the company. University Motors first opened their doors to the public in 1911 by Major George Bradstock DSO MC 1888-1966, just prior to the start of the First World War. He served in the 14th division of the Royal Field Artillery during WWI. At the time of opening, UML had their first

business premises at 7 Hertford Street which was the company’s service centre and head office. Stratten House, 80 Piccadilly, was their prestigious showroom and from these premises they sold various models by a number of manufacturers such as Railton, Lagonda, Vauxhall and MGs from 1930. They also sold cars by foreign manufacturers, for example the French car company Delage and trucks by the American Dodge company. In 1959 British Motor Corporation (BMC) started work on designing a replacement for the ageing MGA, which was to be designed as a unitary construction (monocoque) whereas the MGA had a separate chassis. The new

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 51

NEWSLETTER

Autocar Magazine road test car UMG1 as it is today

vehicle was to be called the MGB. The MGB was launched on September 20 1962 followed three years later by the MGB GT and was designed to later be fitted with a larger engine with enough room in the engine bay for a ‘V’ configured engine if required. By the mid-1960s there were calls from the sports car buying fraternity for a larger engine to be fitted in the B; however the MGB didn’t receive a larger engine until August 1973 when the MGB GT V8 was introduced, fitted with the American Buick alloy V8 engine. In 1965 design work began on the MGC when an MGB roadster body shell was removed from the production line at Abingdon and converted to a C, which primarily involved handmade (off tool) body panels. The MGC/GT was launched on October 15 1967, which was to be an extensively modified MGB body shell which entailed a complete redesign of the floors, front suspension and inner front wings to accept torsion bar suspension. (Fitting a front torsion bar system to the MGC was not

52 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

new, it was first fitted to the MG R type of 1935 and only 10 cars were produced.) Shortly after its launch, the C was to be unveiled on a very cold press day which took place at Silverstone race circuit in Northamptonshire, UK. University Motors took delivery of their first MGC, which was a GT, on November 16 1967. Finished in blue coachwork and black interior with overdrive and wire wheels options, it was the first of 824 MGC/GTs to be delivered to UML in its two-year production period. At the end of production in August 1969 there were 141 MGC/GTs stored at the factory, which had been assembled on the production line without a specific order build sheet. These were placed in the factory storage area until a customer placed an order for a new C; however in late 1969 the C was an old model and out of production, therefore finding a customer would be difficult. In late August MG were in talks with UML management and a deal was struck for them to offload the last 141 UK-spec Cs.

The deal was heavily discounted as an incentive and the cars delivered between September and December 1969. I have trawled through the MGC production records and have come to the conclusion that the figure was in fact 133 and not 141 cars involved. September October November December

37 cars delivered. 1 car delivered. 91 cars delivered. 4 cars delivered.

Total 133 When UML received these last Cs they were placed in storage at their Hanwell site alongside the other Cs they had in stock. These were selling at a less than leisurely pace, so in order to pep up the sale of Cs John Day, sales manager at their Conduit Street showroom, suggested to Geoffrey Durtnal, UML’s sales director, that they should offer the customer a customised C with mechanical enhancements.

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NEWSLETTER

University Motors Special badge - usually fitted to the bonnet

During 1970/71 UML offered UNIVERSITY MOTORS SPECIAL MGCs to the public and it must be said that these Cs did not catch the imagination of the sports car buying public, as only 14 cars were converted to the Special specification and 21 Cs converted to Downton specification. The specification of these cars all differed as no two Specials were the same and the option list was endless. Basically, the customer was able to have anything they wanted from the options list in order

for the salesman to close the deal and UM would have one less car to sell. Some of the options included alloy wheels, reworked interior, vinyl /sunroof full or part respray and even a rectangular headlight conversion, as well as mechanical upgrades (Downtonised). If a customer specified a respray it was normally a colour from the BLMC range; however there are two Cs that were painted in Florida green, a UM colour, another in Pistachio green which is a Lotus colour and another in Aubergine, a Mk 2 Ford Cortina 1600E colour from the late 1960s, If the car was to be painted, only the coachwork colour was changed i.e. the boot and engine bay remained the original factory colour. The interior specification varied extensively from a single item to an adult full rear seat conversion. If a rear adult seat was ordered the battery boxes were cut out and new steel welded in to form the basis of the seat and the twin batteries re-fitted in the rear of the car. There were also uprated leaf springs fitted to carry the extra weight and Spax or Koni shock absorbers to help the handling. Uprated shock absorbers were fitted to all the Special Cs. The engine

bay didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t escape decoration either; the engine oil canister, rocker cover were chromium plated as was the dip stick on two cars I have seen. In the February 1970 copy of Motor magazine UML placed their own quarterpage advert for the MGC Specials. This was then followed by three magazines producing a road test and specification articles, Custom Car, Motor and Autocar magazines. Custom Car carried the first article in June 1970. Their C Special was registered 1 UML, a primrose C GT with overdrive, special grille, vinyl/sunroof and a Downton Stage two conversion. Motor magazine published their article, also in June 1970, with their demonstrator registered 2 UML, also a C GT in tartan red with overdrive, special grille vinyl/sunroof and a Stage two Downton conversion. Finally, Autocar with their published article dated December 1970 and the Special they tested was registered UMG 1. This also had a Downton Stage two conversion, cosmic wheels, overdrive and an MGB recessed grille and remained in the factory colour of Grampian grey with a damask red roof and teardrop bonnet bulge painted

Rick Parryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Motors Special with DGP 929H which was 1UML www.mgcc.co.uk

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 53

NEWSLETTER

University Motors Special with Cibie headlight conversion and custom paintwork

by Wood & Pickett. All three Specials were fitted with a UNIVERSITY MOTORS SPECIAL MGC badge pinned to the bonnet just forward of the bonnet bulge which on 1 UML and 2 UML was painted matt black. University Motors at this time were selling standard Cs for £1,370 and a Special came in at £1,620. Motor magazine quoted £158 for a Stage two Downton conversion and £228 for a Stage three, although all the Downton Stage three invoices I have seen quote £247. Downton offered their conversions for the MGC from as early as 1968. The majority of the 21 conversions carried out were of the Stage two specification and it is reported that only three Stage three conversions were carried out on the UM Specials. The Downton conversions were numbered. Stage two (two - SU carburettors) was known as number 43 in Downton language and offered an increase to 149bhp, whereas the Stage three conversion (three - SU carburettors) was known as number 45 and offered 174bhp. A standard MGC, GT or roadster, was rated at 145bhp. These upgrades were backed up by UML’s own mechanical warranties. The 12 unique grilles produced and fitted to the Specials were designed and produced in late 1969 by Wood and Pickett and consisted of three horizontal slats fitted to the original outer chrome shell replacing the vertical slats; the two remaining specials were fitted with recessed and standard grilles.

54 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

University motors 1970

Price list

Special paint from £65 Whethershield Sunroof £43 Vinyl roof £30 Grille £22 Inertia reel seat belts £17 Koni front shock absorbers Pair £16 Mota lita steering wheel £13 Cosmic alloy wheels (five) £60 Downton conversion (Stage two) £175 Downton conversion (Stage three) £228 Tape player £58 Radio £33 There were other MGCs to leave the UML showrooms which were cosmetically enhanced. This mainly consisted of paint jobs, interior work, alloy wheels and others simply had a Downton conversion; however these cars were not Specials and were not badged as such. It is difficult today, 50 years, on to say which C is a Special and which is not and it all comes down to a good history file. As stated, there were 21 MGCs converted to Downton specification and 14 Specials built, so that leaves another seven cars which only had a mechanical Downton upgrade. All three of the University Motors MGC Specials mentioned in this article, 1 UML,

2 UML and UMG 1, survive to this day and are in fine fettle. Finally, I feel I must point out that the last 133 Cs to leave the factory were all sold as basic standard cars – they may well have had some minor upgrading but were not Specials. The Specials were chosen by the customer based on the colour they preferred and then upgraded and picked from the cars UM had in stock e.g. 2 UML is a very early MGC GT and had been in stock for over two years prior to being modified and then sold to its first owner. I have been researching University Motors Ltd for many years now and I am still amazed at the effort they put in to sell a car at any time in their history. If anyone reading this article has any info on the company or on the MGC Specials I would be grateful if they could contact me. I would especially like to know about the rear seat conversions they carried out on the GTs. I currently own a University Motors MGC Special, reg number GGW 807J and have done so for the past 13 years, alongside my concours mineral blue MGC GT which I have owned for the last 30 years. The MGC, whether a GT or a roaster, made very little impact on the motoring world but did make it a better place to be. Rick Parry

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NEWSLETTER

John Thompson Tel: 01702 298866 johnt5@btinternet.com www.mgcc.co.uk/zedregister www.facebook.com/zrzsztregister

WELCOME TO THE

ZRZSZT NEWSLETTER Happy New Year. Welcome to our first newsletter of 2021 and to the 20th Anniversary of the launch of our cars. I hope all had an enjoyable Christmas and your families continue to be safe and well. We have another busy year of events planned. Some of them have been rolled over from last year, but we also have some new ones mixed in there, too. Our flagship event will of course be Zed 20 which takes place in August. At the time of writing there are a few dates we are still need to confirm, but they will be added to our events calendar in due course. Please see below our confirmed events for the forthcoming year. Sat March 20 Fri-Sun March 26-28

Silverstone Racing Round, Silverstone, Northants Classic Car Restoration Show, NEC Birmingham

Sat-Sun April 24-25 Sun May 16 Sat May 22 Sat-Sun July 17-18 Sat July 24 Sun August 15 Sat-Sun Sept 4-5 Fri-Mon Sept 10-13 Sun Sept 12

ZED 20

It’s hard to believe our Zeds are now 20 years old and it’s fantastic that the enthusiasm and following they have generated is as strong as ever. Continuing

56 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Brands Hatch Racing Round, Brands Hatch, Kent Peter Best Drive It Day, Braxted Park, Essex Oulton Park Racing Round, Oulton Park, Cheshire Donington Racing Round, Donington, Leics MGF 25, NMM Gaydon, Warks Zed 20, Burghley House, Lincs Snetterton Racing Round, Snetterton, Norfolk ‘Zeds at the Lakes’ Road Trip, Kendal, Cumbria Zeds in the North, Lakeland Motor Museum

at Burghley House, Stamford. Burghley House is very popular for motoring events and we wanted to go somewhere suitably grand, but also have the facilities for a great family day out. The day will include: • Dedicated Parking Areas for ZR, ZS, ZT, 260s, and ZR Express • Monogram Showcase Parking • Show & Shine Competition • 51st Street Display Area* • Discounted Entry into the house and gardens • Traders • All MGs welcome

the tradition of having large events to celebrate anniversaries, we are planning Zed 20 to be on a similar scale. Zed 20 will take place on Sunday August 15

* The 51st Street Display will be a dedicated parking area for the owners of Zeds that are 20 years old this year. If you own a Y-Plate or a 51-plate Zed we look forward to seeing you both on the day. Please see the companying poster. Look out for further announcements in the coming months.

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NEWSLETTER

ZEDS AT THE LAKES & ZEDS IN THE NORTH Our four-day road trip “Zeds at the Lakes” which was sadly postponed last year now takes place this September as we head to the beautiful Lake District. The revised dates for our trip are now over the weekend of Friday 10 to Monday September 13. This is something the Register has never done before and we are delighted to include this tour in the Zed’s 20th anniversary year. We

have jointly organised the trip with Scenic Car Tours. This weekend also includes our now traditional regional event; “Zeds in the North” which will take place on Sunday 12 at the Lakeland Motor Museum. For those on the road trip, admission to the museum is included in the price of the weekend. Those just wishing to attend the museum will receive discounted entry

on the day. If you would like to join us for the road trip please contact the Scenic Car Tours sales team directly and register your interest. They have suggested that this is done sooner rather than later as the hotels they use are popular and can get booked up well in advance with other guests. This will help them ascertain the number of reservations required.

£299.00 Per Person - 10th to 13th September 2021 - 4 Day, 3 Night Tour (Price is per person, based on 2 persons sharing a car/twin/double room. £398.00 per person in a double room for single use)

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Price includes the following: 3 Nights at the 3* Riverside Hotel, Kendal 3 Breakfasts & 3 Evening Meals at the Hotel Entry to the Lakeland Motor Museum Complimentary Car Parking at the hotel Road Book featuring Maps, Great Drives & Event Information ‘ZED’S At The Lakes’ Commemorative Tour Rally Plate 24 hour out of hours helpline whilst on the tour

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Bookings are made with our travel partner Scenic Car Tours and are bound by their conditions of booking

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 57

NEWSLETTER ‘SAVE A ZED’ – A LOCKDOWN PROJECT

In lockdown when the gardening, fence painting and decorating is all done, what is an MG Enthusiast to do with the free time it leaves you with, when learning a language or playing an instrument is of no interest? The decision to sell our current TF Spark had already been taken for health reasons, like the lack of ease to get in and out, plus car size issues, given a bad experience we had with two foreign lorries on the M25. Therefore, we decided we would go back to Zed ownership and scanned various sources for a ZS 180 Mk2 saloon in an interesting

58 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

colour, or maybe a Monogram colour, but the search was without any success. At this point of lockdown cabin fever frustration, I spotted an interesting advert for a ZT SE 180 automatic saloon in Dark Fantasy Monogram. I felt, given some future touring trip ideas and given that we also don’t travel light, i.e. a small TF boot, it would fit the bill nicely. As we were in lockdown and having family members on the NHS vulnerable persons list, viewing the car several hundred miles away was not an option.

Having called the owner and asked all the correct questions and got reasonable answers, at this point my heart overtook my head and as a non-gambling man did something you should never do: I made an offer and bought the car blind. I made transport arrangements for the car to be transported from the West Country to my home in Suffolk. On arrival with the vehicle courier the car looked more like a barn-find car but without the luxury of ever being stored in a barn. The paint was very dirty and with a dull bloom, with several marks and scratches plus bumper accident damage at the back and front being something the previous owner omitted to advise on fully – the hazard of buying blind ,I thought. I only have myself to blame. The inside was full of petrol receipts and broken glass, plus I shudder to think what the stains on front seats were! The wiper blades were covered in green moss from having been kept outside for some considerable time. Under the bonnet was full of leaves and cobwebs. Having known from my DVLA research what MOT problems the car would likely have, I had agreed that the car did not have an MOT. The tyres were pretty shot, and one was the wrong size. At this point I was thinking it was a project, but what had I done, I have paid too much, hay ho. Going forward, the project started with a good wash and an inside clear out to assess the details of actions needed. With new brake discs and pads, suspension tie rods, wiper blades, plus a set of new tyres on order, and a fresh MOT was a good start. Various clips and fittings were missing, so were ordered online. The headlight plastic covers were so misted up you could not see the fittings inside. The cleaning kit and my electric drill worked well but not good enough to remove all the old scratches, thus would need more professional help. I started the restoration at the back of the car. Like most ZTs the boot had leaked at some point but was now dry, so with it cleaned up and repainted, we were off. The boot carpet was covered in what looked like concrete and the base board distorted out of shape. So, with a new boot carpet ordered, and a new base board made, the missing bits from the spare wheel tool kit were also ordered on eBay; at least now the boot was immaculate. www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER

Cleaning up the inside once the rubbish was collected up was not too bad with a good vacuum. Washing up liquid and a jet wash sorted the foot mats. Leather cleaner and restorer bought up the seats surprisingly well, and also the dash. The windows, sun roof and door cards came up well with other cleaning products. As the car has a wood-effect dash, the steering wheel had wood-effect inserts which were now bleached almost white by the UV sunlight. I bought and fitted another steering wheel to replace it which is a full leather wheel which I preferred, and which also has the correct controls for cruise control, etc. To make up for loss of wood, I found some more wood-effect parts to go around the gear selection, which mine did not have. These were removed from a Rover 75 at a local breakers yard. I also found some rear door kick plates which were better than mine, as I had already ordered new ones for the front doors. At this point, the only thing I did under the bonnet was to check engine fluid levels and vacuum out the leaves and cobwebs. A quick wipe over the muddy paint bits and a bit of cleaning product on the plastic bits were enough for now, as more detailing later was the order of another day. www.mgcc.co.uk

Bodywork cleaning started with a good wash then with clay baring the whole car, followed by T-Cut, then a good waxing and machine polishing with high-definition polish. This removed almost all the marks from the body of the car, other than the bumpers. That is not many words for a lot of work over more than one day. All the badges and number plates were also replaced at this point. The front bumper had a large scrape down the offside, a smaller one on the near side and various marks from having got too close to a wall on the front. The rear bumper had cracks in it where it also had been backed into something several times. A badly fitted replacement exhaust back box that was too short in length meant the exhaust heat had burnt the plastic bumper around the heat shield. A second-hand replacement rear bumper was ordered online, as were new parking sensors. At this point, arrangements were made for the wheels to be shot blasted and powder coated by a local company I had used before. The car was left with the company, as they would remove the wheels and fit the new tyres etc. after powder coating. On visiting the car during the work, I discovered they had painted the wheels the wrong colour. On collecting it at the second visit all was well but very frustrating.

A few days later I decided I would paint the brake calipers, only to find the powder coaters had tightened the wheel nuts up so tightly that normal wheel braces would not loosen the wheel studs and some stud heads were now round. I also found the locking wheel studs had been chewed up, and now with no slots the locking wheel nuts had also become useless for getting the wheels off. Eventually brute force and the use of an impact driver and torque sockets hammered onto the studs, together with the use of a long breaker bar being stood on, did the job in the end. The calipers were eventually painted and the wheels replaced together with new wheel and locking wheel studs. The next big issue was getting the bumpers sprayed, so I made date arrangements with a friend’s spray shop restoration business to get the work booked in. After a bit of internet research, I ordered the correct Monogram paint shade from Custom Paints in Sheffield. To keep down the price of the work in hand, I removed the back and front bumpers and cleaned up both areas myself. I also provided new stainless nuts and bolts plus plastic clips and rivets for panel refitting. The car came back with bumpers nicely painted and all assembled on the car. The restoration company also completed the headlight lens refurbishment that smartened up the front no end. All the car’s features such as cruise control, dash sat nav, electric seats, electric sunroof, rear window blinds, rear parking sensors, radio and CD and electric windows all worked fine with no blown bulbs. The automatic gearbox all appeared to work smoothly, other than the usual Zed air bag warning light on, which was quickly fixed. With the car now looking good, the main outstanding jobs are underneath. Like most ZTs, the under tray is currently held on with tie wraps. Therefore, the tray is awaiting new mounting clips when I can get near my friend’s post lift to get the car off the ground. I’ll also take the opportunity to adjust the exhaust back box position and clean the cat sensor. To conclude the ZT’s rejuvenation, it will need a full service and all fluids changing when I un-sorn the car in spring 2021. Peter Skipper JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 59

Summit:Layout 1

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TECH TORQUE

FITTING A MARSHALL SUPERCHARGER - PART II By Richard Johns

In part one, published in the November 2020 issue, Richard was well on the way to fitting the supercharger to his lovely 1934 MG PA. In this instalment he finishes the fitting, and gets it ready for commissioningâ&#x20AC;Ś The Front Pulley The first step was to expose the end of the crankshaft by removing the Front Engine Support/Radiator Support and the End Cover. First, the engine needs to be supported under the sump with a block of wood and a jack to avoid it just dropping by pivoting about the rear engine mount.

www.mgcc.co.uk

The Front Engine Support is fixed to the chassis by two bolts and to the End Cover by four bolts. The picture below left shows it after removal. The next step is to remove the End Cover, shown below, by first removing the crankshaft end nut and the existing pulley.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 61

TECH TORQUE The end of the crankshaft is then exposed.

There are two machining modifications that need to be undertaken on the end cover: the four fixing holes need to be countersunk to enable four new countersunk screws to be used (this is necessary because the pulley would otherwise foul the bolt heads) and the inner diameter of the end cover needs to be machined to take an oil seal. It turned out that the second of these modifications had already been done on my engine although the oil seal needed to be replaced with one with a slightly larger ID. The new seal was SKF CR35x45x7HMS5RG. If the machining for the oil seal had not already been done the end cover would need mounting in the four-jaw chuck and carefully set up to machine the recess.

The next step was to fit the pulley and here a problem emerged. The new pulley is shown in the two pictures below.

The problem I encountered was the pulley would not go onto the end of the crankshaft because there is insufficient space between the shaft and the chassis cross member immediately in front. The pulley was simply too long to go over the nose of the crankshaft without fouling the cross member.

I dropped the front of the engine further and further in an attempt to fit the pulley but there was no way the pulley would go on. To lower the front of the engine as far as possible I ended up: disconnecting the track rod, removing the seats and the floor to allow access to the rear engine mounts to slacken off the pinch bolts/remove the locating pin to allow the engine to pivot about the rear mount, and then removing the tachometer drive from the rear of the cam cover to avoid it fouling on the bulkhead, slackening off the bolts holding the propshaft tunnel sheet metalwork and removing the odometer driveâ&#x20AC;Ś but still there was no chance of the pulley going onto the end of the crankshaft. The only way I could see that this could be done with the engine in situ would be to remove the chassis cross member and I was not prepared to do this. 62 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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TECH TORQUE

The Front Support Plate

Plan B. I made a new two-piece pulley with a hub that would fit onto the crankshaft and a pulley that would then bolt onto the hub. The new hub is made from EN24T, the internal keyway is spark eroded and the existing pulley was machined to fit the new hub. They are held together with 4x 5/16” BSF high tensile cap screws. And now it fits!

It is important to check that the back of the pulley does not foul the end cover and that the engine turns freely when everything is bolted up tight. The belts can now be put in place and the front engine support reattached. www.mgcc.co.uk

The next sub-project is the support plate that is bolted to the front of the cylinder head with 2x 5/16” BSF studs/nuts. This plate supports the end of the supercharger and also carries the jockey wheel tensioner for the belts. The parts to do this were provided, namely the main plate, an additional small plate with an offset bend that requires welding to the main plate, the jockey wheel and its support plate. These can be seen in the picture at the start of this blog. However, I decided that instead of using the main plate and the plate with the offset bend that had been provided, I would make a complete single-piece plate and (luckily) Barry Walker had a drawing for this that had been made by, I believe, a German enthusiast, Oliver Renzow, that had fitted a similar supercharger. The one-piece plate is straightforward to make from a 200mm x 200mm x 5mm piece of steel and is shown below before the tensioner was fitted.

A few points worth noting: the studs in the cylinder head are threaded 3/8” BSF in the head and 5/16” BSF externally and new, slightly longer, studs need to be made (shown over page). A stud supporting the supercharger to the plate needs to be made. The hole in the supercharger lug was of nominal 5/16” diameter but with about 1/4” length of 3/8” BSF thread. Rather JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 63

TECH TORQUE

than extend the threaded portion (which would be a viable option), a shouldered stud with 3x threads was made that can be firmly attached to the supercharger.

And, together with a spacer and a high-tensile half-nut and serrated spring washer, the supercharger is fixed to the plate and, as shown above, with adequate clearance from the belt. The holes for holding the jockey support bracket are 5/16” and 3/8” and it is convenient to tap these into the plate (as it makes for easier adjustment) with a locknut on the back.

A couple of points to note here: in the picture there are multiple washers acting as temporary spacers on the bracket holding studs substituting for the radiator support bracket (coming next) and the length of the bolt head closest to the inner belt was subsequently trimmed slightly to avoid possible interference with the belt. There are 2x 1/2” BSF nuts on both ends of the jockey shaft. The last bracket that requires attention is the top radiator support bracket. Because the radiator support bracket has been pushed forward by 5mm (the thickness of the supercharger support plate) the radiator has also been pushed forward. But, because the radiator tends to pivot about the bottom fixing (probably constrained by the bottom hose) the displacement is magnified at the top. The consequence of this is that the distance from the scuttle to the top of the radiator is approximately 1/2” greater and the bonnet no longer fits properly. 64 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

The solution to this is to “cut and shut” the radiator support bracket and the only really foolproof way to do this is to first cut the bracket in two, tack weld the two parts back together in situ and then remove and complete the weld. Incidentally, the “nick” that can be seen on the left of the upper part of the bracket in the picture is to avoid the belt and bracket interfering. The picture above gives an indication of the amount of overlap required to get the radiator back to its original position. The final part that needs to be remade is the radiator tie rod so that it goes around the oil feed regulator and the dashpot on the carburettor. This is a length of 1/4” diameter steel, threaded at both ends for the trunnions and shaped as shown below.

Installation complete, I decided to pour a stiff G&T and take the rest of the day off. I would like to acknowledge the valuable advice given to me in a few phone chats with Oliver Richardson. The whole installation can be found on my blog by visiting www.vintageajs.uk

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 65

TECH TORQUE

TECH TIPS

We are frequently asked technical questions covering all varieties of MG. With the help of our Registers and members, here is a selection of the more commonly asked questions and solutions from past and present

Tech Tip from Mick Bath YB Saloon Broken Gear Lever Spring I had a broken spring on the gear lever of my 1952 YB saloon. I used a very quick and easy method to replace the spring. Having removed the gear lever cover from the gearbox, I found that the spring had snapped in two. After several unsuccessful attempts to squash the new replacement

spring, I hit on a very simple and quick method to compress spring. 1. Place spring in vice and compress 2. Tighten two good quality electrical ties to spring to hold in compression. 3. Remove spring from vice and fit to lever; 4. Once on lever, cut ties with hobby knife. Voila-- job done, very quick and easy!Â

Tech Tip Safety Fast MGF Heater control issues Occasionally the MGF and TF suffer with having a heater fan that only works on settings two, three and four, with setting one completely dead. The cause is that the resistor controlling the lowest setting has failed, no doubt because this is the setting most commonly used and has the highest resistance. This can be rectified by replacing the resistor pack, which is located by removing the glove box. Once removed, you will need to undo the nut holding the angled air duct in place and remove it. This will expose the resistor pack. Unclip the multi connector and undo the two screws locating it to the heater module. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then a simple matter of screwing in the replacement, re-connecting the wiring and fitting the air duct and glove box.

Tech Tip from Jim Andrews Tickford and Saloon Bodied Cars Elimination of Windscreen Wiper Control Hazard On my VA Tickford one has to reach though the steering wheel spokes to switch the windscreen wipers on or off. This can be a hazardous operation to undertake whilst driving, especially on twisty roads. To eliminate this hazard I installed an additional discrete windscreen wiper switch mounted just below the dashboard, using the steering column securing bracket as a fixing point, as can be seen in the photograph. The pull switch that can also be seen is a three-position light switch used for a supplementary small Kenlow fan (Off / Thermostat Control / Override On) which cured my fuel vaporising problems. The position of the additional wiper control switch makes the operation of the wipers a lot safer and easier to use and has the additional benefit of making it very easy to control a single wipe in light drizzle. 66 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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RACE TORQUE

irst, a very Happy New Year to all of the racing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the wider MG Car Club Membership. Already, 2021 starts with a feeling of strangeness, as January would normally see us preparing for and heading off to the Autosport International Show in Birmingham. We have also just recently learned that the traditional February fixture of the Race Retro show at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, will not be held this year. Despite this, we can look forward to 2021 and I am delighted that MG Car Club will be able to run a full race programme, with the backing and assistance of our governing body and the regulations that allow us to continue through these trying times. With the inclusion of six MG Car Club Championships and commitment from a number of guests already in place, another exciting season of racing can be predicted, with visits to some of the best tracks that the UK has to offer. As part of this, we are also very pleased to confirm that we will host

68 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

RACE TORQUE by Mark Baulch

the premier historic series organised by Equipe Classic Racing at all six of the Clubs meetings in 2021 and that both groups are looking forward to an amazing season with some truly stunning cars in attendance. MG Car Club always enjoys good grids and ultra-close racing and plans to race on the following dates at these venues: March 20 Silverstone National April 24-25 Brands Hatch Indy May 22 Oulton Park International June 12-13 Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit July 17-18 Donington Park National September 4-5 Snetterton 300 The Club looks forward to welcoming competitors to these race meetings, as

well as spectators as and when allowed to do so, in order to continue to enjoy the great atmosphere that is such a significant part of club motorsport. There is much excitement about the year ahead, especially with the switch of date for Oulton Park, and everyone is also looking forward to our friends from Equipe Classic Racing joining us at every round. We are also excited about the fact that the Minis will be joining us again in June, as their very busy grids created some great racing last year. We also expect that other great British Marque with racing in the DNA, Morgan, to be with us at several of these meetings. More details on these and other guests will follow later in the year. All things being well, we hope to reinstate the Member Parade at meetings. This enables MG Car Club members to drive their own cars around the track at lunchtime and we hope that the return of this feature will be extremely popular. Permission has been sought for the first round and we will keep you all informed of progress. So, hopefully, we will see a good number of you all this year at all of our race meetings. In the meantime, keep safe and well.

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WISHING ALL B ARRY W ALKER

WISHING ALL MG CAR CLUB MEM ISHING ALL ALLCLUB MG CAR CLUB MEMBERS WISHING ALL WISHING ALL WISHING ALL MGWISHING CAR MEMBERS WISHING ALL A VERY MERRY CHRI RRACLUB MGCAR CAR CLUB MEMBERS CLUB MEMBERS MG MEMBERS AMEMBERS VERYCLUB MERRYCHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS AR CLUB MEMBERS VERY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AAVERY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS B ARRY W ALKER MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPYCHRISTMAS NEW YEAR Estd. 1968

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2016 Llandovery Carmarthenshire, SA20 0NB Tel: 01550 750274 e-mail: info@cambrianway.com TRADE MEMBER

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MGs ON TRACK

MG on track

Duncan Wood duncanw@mgs-on-track.com

GREAT YEAR AHEAD

s promised last month we are now able to whet your appetites and include MGs on Track’s Calendar for the coming year. However, as I write these words at the beginning of December, I need to caution that almost all the dates shown are still subject to confirmation so please do not have an MGoT 2021 tour t-shirt printed quite yet! Understandably, given the uncertainties that Covid has introduced, many circuits have yet to finalise their planning for racing and other events so there may be a delay before they can allocate space for track days. Having now mentioned the dreaded ‘C’ word we also have to remember that any plans can be disrupted at short notice, and for reasons way beyond our control, but fingers crossed for an uninterrupted year of events. Our season opener at Goodwood in February invariably sells out in short order and, along with the second visit in October, is one of the dates we are willing to describe as ‘firm’. A dedicated session for the pre-war cars of the Triple M group can only enhance the ‘frozen in time’ feel of a circuit that eschews the gravel traps and Armco barriers of the majority of tracks, for grass, daffodils and robust sleeper walls. Fast and deceptively simple in layout, this is not a track to let your defences down! In contrast to Goodwood, Bedford Autodrome has no motorsport heritage but still offers an interesting layout

70 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

with a variety of corner styles and, perhaps of particular interest to novices thinking of trying a track day for the first time, virtually nothing to hit! With no competition events held here perhaps Bedford flies beneath the radar of many of our members, but I genuinely believe it will not disappoint if you would like to give it a try. Having promoted Bedford, I now need to backtrack and advise that it may fall by the wayside this year as we are still in discussion with Silverstone for a possible date in March. Clearly, I do not need to explain Silverstone to anyone, as it is a long-established race circuit and home to the British GP, and thus is high on members’ to-do lists. The circuit is by far the most expensive to hire of all those that we visit, so we not only need partner clubs to take a session and therefore spread the risk, but also need to be confident of filling our own places at the event, which is why we may be reluctant to mount Bedford in competition in the same month. There may be some remaining uncertainty surrounding the final dates, but the Calendar printed here does represent a good blend of style of circuit and geographical location. In the Lincolnshire Wolds, Cadwell Park is quite a narrow track with some steep changes of elevation, fast and slow corners, and is set within a scenic landscape. In contrast, Snetterton is flatter and more open in appearance but, again, offers a blend

of fast straights and technical corners to challenge all abilities of driver. Castle Combe is, like Goodwood, another circuit that we visit twice a year. Developed from an airfield as several circuits are, Castle Combe disguises its origins well as the infield is given over to farming and a solar energy installation, and the perimeter of the site is wooded. Returning to more undulating landscapes, Donington Park is a firm favourite with all our members, that can trace its lineage back to before WWII, and Brands Hatch is a short circuit with many challenges that is, again, defined by the valley in which it is set. Anglesey would surely be a favourite to win a competition for most spectacular location, as it borders the Irish Sea and has views across to Snowdonia, and, as with the Goodwood events, the date is thought to be firm. Once we have confirmed dates for the other venues, we aim to arrange a day at Blyton Park and, potentially, a return to Mallory Park. Finally, we will schedule one of our introductory experience days at North Weald aimed primarily at those who have yet to try a full track day, offering them a chance to safely explore the capabilities of their cars in an open, airfield environment. The MGoT Committee thank all our members for your support over the year past and for the years yet to come and wish you all a Happy and Peaceful 2021.

www.mgcc.co.uk

MGS ON TRACK – 2021 CALENDAR

MGCC MGCCSPEED SPEEDCHAMPIONSHIPS CHAMPIONSHIP

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.

John Wilman, Beechfield, Fern Bank, Chapel-en-le-Frith, High Peak. SK23 0JJ Tel: 07778 165186 www.mgspeed.net

Goodwood – February 20 Take a step back in time with the first of two visits to this atmospheric venue, including one dedicated session for the Triple M Group.

Bedford Autodrome GT – March 22 At 3.8 miles in length there is ample space to unleash those horses, with generous run-off areas for the directionally challenged!

Cadwell Park – April 12 A twisty and hugely scenic circuit in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Snetterton 300 – May 17 A fast and open track; long straights combined with a challenging infield section.

Castle Combe – June 21 The first of two annual visits to this very friendly circuit in Wiltshire.

Anglesey – August 9 Experience this challenging circuit on a day shared with the Lotus 7 Club.

Castle Combe – September 6 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 4 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 25 A second visit in case you missed the first due to popularity!

Brands Hatch ‘Indy’ – December 6 Our season finale; don’t miss the chance to enjoy this undulating circuit including Paddock Hill Bend!

www.mgcc.co.uk

Photo: Colin Murrell

n the hope and expectation that we will be allowed to get out and play in 2021 we have completed our calendar of events for that year. Many of the events are as in previous years, although not necessarily taking place on the usual dates in order to avoid too many clashes. Our usual first visit to Harewood, for example, will not take place until June 6 in order to avoid a clash with our first visit to Curborough on April 11 which is organised by our Midlands Centre and as an MGCC event will always take first place. On the subject of that event, the organisers have reverted to a single lap sprint. This is the first time for many years that his format has been used. For those people who do not remember it, it may seem a pale version of the one and a half and figure of eight configurations. However, competitors will find that this is not the case. Because of the shortness of the run, total precision is required with no chance of pulling back the slightest error and with the added bonus of getting in a lot of runs. The NW Centre has booked the Anglesey circuit for May 1-2 for its usual two-day format. This comprises a two-lapper of the National circuit on the Saturday and a single lap of the

international circuit on Sunday. Although Anglesey is quite a trek for many of our competitors, I think that in terms of driving time for your money this event takes some beating. Worth bearing in mind that this is a bank holiday weekend so no desperate urgency to get home afterwards. As with last year we are making two forays into Wales with a visit to Llandow circuit on May 8 and a double-header at Pembrey on August 14-15. Unfortunately, due to all the uncertainty we were only represented by a small number at this event in 2020. Those who did manage to compete reported it to be a very enjoyable and well run event. To add to an already diverse programme, we have been invited to a sprint at Brooklands organised by Farnborough and District Motor Club. This event has been run for the VSCC in the past but has now been thrown open to all ages of cars. The circuit is used by Jaguar for testing so promises to be of high quality. Combine this with the historic ambience of Brooklands and I think this will prove to be a very popular and exiting addition to the calendar. Have the best Christmas you can manage but most of all, stay safe.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 71

OVERSEAS REVIEW

A look through a few of the overseas magazines we receive at Kimber House reviewed by Richard Martin

utting this together as the end of the year approaches, with so many events not having taken place in 2020, it’s not uncommon, to read something along the lines of “This month there is nothing major to say. We have been thinking of things to do but have come to a standstill, planning has drawn to a halt” (Maintaining the Breed, MG Car Club Kwazulu-Natal, SA) and “COVID-19 and relevant Government restrictions keep having an impact on Club activities, mainly through the number of members who can gather together, and the access to a number of club run destinations in northern NSW, due to border closures” (The Time Machine, Gold Coast MG Car Club, Australia.) However, encouragingly, there’s also some positive signs being reported as in November’s issue of The Octagon from Western Australia “Having been Covid free for most of the crisis, State restrictions have allowed us to drive our MGs and many members have taken advantage of that” and October’s Tappet Chatter (MG Car Club, Canberra) announcing the recommencement of their monthly runs and midweek meanders. October’s Maintaining the Breed is also looking ahead positively with their first RAF (Retired & Free!!) run planned for late October plus a couple of get-togethers in November. Let’s hope such welcome news accelerates throughout the world during the coming months.

A small red or a large black TC on display at owners Jezabelles Tatto o Lounge & Beauty Bar, Queensland.

MG stamp from ACT’s Tappett Chatter

Bulletinen wonders what Britain’s exit from the EU will mean and is “planning to buy the spare parts I identified that I need before the turn of the year to avoid possible chaos with transport and customs!” This same magazine carries an article about a 1964 MG 1100 decked out as a Panda car and one man’s story of his “Small Red or Large Black”; a TD or SA.

Panda Car

RIP’s adventures continue in Australia

In this digital age, I particularly miss leafing through the larger, glossy, club magazines which a number of the clubs produce. However, there is an advantage to receiving them digitally: Google Translate. Copy & pasting from a couple of this month’s electronic batch tells me that the Chairman’s notes in MG Car Club Sweden’s

In Magasinet, the Club Leader of MG Car Club Norway, admits that celebrating their 50th Anniversary has not been easy whilst following strict infection controls. However, with “great ingenuity and hard work, the club and the centres have come through this season with honour intact.” Certainly, the articles and photos in the 68page magazine indicate a good time being had, even if the weather didn’t always play ball! Finally, a few tips recorded in the Morris Garages Panda car dashboard Swedish

72 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Informer of the Florida Suncoast MG Club. SU Carburettor Tuning Tips • If your carburettors don’t leak, you are out of gas. (This rule is similar to the “MG test for oil.”) • The only time your carburettors run properly is when a mechanic is taking a test drive. • SU carburettors parts are interchangeable. You can replace a faulty part with a Norwegians celebrating their 50th Anniversary new one and the carburettor will run just like it always did. • When you get the correct carburettor needles, one of them will be bent. • The universal SU repair Kit will work on all carburettors except yours. • A float will only have a hole in it if it is Sunday and the parts store is closed. • No two repair books will recommend the same fluid for the dampers. • Whitworth nuts and bolts are similar to SAE nuts and bolts except that the shoulders are rounded off. • Tightening the jet nut will automatically move the jet off-centre. • All levers and jets will move smoothly if (and only if) the carburettor is sitting on the kitchen table. • MG carburettors are infinitely adjustable. That is, they can be set anywhere from “not quite right” to “totally wrong.” • Despite the above, a weekend working on the MG carburettors is preferable to fixing the oil leak. (From the Manila, Philippines Sports Car Club, borrowed from the Square Rigger, Chesapeake Chapter, NEMGTR) Classic

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 73

OUT&ABOUT YOUNG MEMBERS

2 4

1. During August three MG K1s (0311, 0317, 0343) met for a tour in Dresden, renowned for its castles and wonderful scenery. Photo: Walter Kallenberg 2. Peter Foreman proudly standing next to his 1970 ex-West Midland Police MGB GT. Peter is trying to piece together the history of his car, so if you can offer any help please contact Colin Grant at Kimber House who will pass any information on 3. The stunning Monogram MG ZT of Lennart Ågren pictured in Sweden, out celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the MGCC in October. Photo: Lennart Ågren 4. Magnettes enjoying the scenery and roads during the 2020 International Magnette event in Salzburg, Austria 5. David Humphreys’ MGA Twincam out and about on an autumnal day, pictured outside the church at Shelsley Walsh hill climb. Photo: David Humphreys

74 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 75

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

Thank you to all our customers for their ongoing support – the ‘shout-outs’ in Safety Fast! mean a lot to myself and the team. Classic & Sports Cars Essex – open for business I would like to send well wishes to my loyal customers, I hope you are healthy and getting through this difﬁcult 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

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CENTRES ABINGDON WORKS Richard Martin sfscribe@mgabingdon.org.uk www.mgabingdon.co.uk A happy, healthy New Year to you and I hope that you managed to have a good Christmas. Sitting down to put together these notes, I took a glance at those from last January which were full of the events planned for 2020, but we all know only too well how that turned out. Of the events we listed 12 months ago, only the AGM, which was just before Lockdown one, actually happened. With the situation ever changing, but with the future looking brighter, we’re all hoping

that 2021 will see the event calendar rising again from the slumbers of 2020. As the first event we are hoping to be able to put on this year is our St George’s Run, I thought I’d look back on the first St George’s Day Run which the AWC Committee put together. It was in 2009 (2006 – 2008 were organised by John Watson) and started at the impressive Sophos HQ in Abingdon with the road run wending its way to the Lions of Bledlow for lunch (Roast Dragon was on the menu) followed by a return route to the Dog House hotel. As we’re hoping that we’ll also be able to enjoy another Summer Day Out this year, I looked back 21 years to our first of these which was organised by the redoubtable John Venables. This was at Highclere Castle, some 10 years before

it became Downton Abbey!! John, you were there first! This month’s photos are from both these inaugural events. Please keep an eye on Safety Fast!, our Newsletter, website and Facebook page for progress on these and other events. Finally, a warm welcome to all new members – we hope that circumstances enable us to see you at an event soon.

Planning to begin the day at 10.00am, bookings will be set for test runs so as to keep everything COVID-19 secure. Contact Alison, compsec@mgccanglia.com for further details and keep a look out on the Anglia Centre Facebook and website pages for the latest information. In the past this event has been very popular, with members having chance to watch the proceedings, see the workshop and glean advice and information from Luke and his staff, making the day one of the favourite events in the Anglia region.

our website, you can view and order online, and with the benefit of also being able to order by phone for those members not having internet access, as reported in this column last month. Our suppliers at ACE Embroidery are most helpful and obtaining items could not be easier. If all goes according to plan, you should receive this issue of Safety Fast! before Christmas, hence the rather nice wintry photo from the archives of my old MG ZS, taken on a snowy Lakeland Pass from a few years ago. All that remains is for all of us on the Anglia Centre committee to wish you a happy Christmas and a safe year ahead.

ANGLIA Rob Muir 01206 862619 scribe@mgccanglia.com www.mgccanglia.com Rolling Road With 2020 almost behind us and the hope that 2021 will be better and safer for us all, our Facebook editor Alison Isaacson has done a fantastic job by organising another visit to Luke Stevens Developments rolling road facility near Mildenhall, on Saturday February 20 (with the caveat that should government guidelines change regarding the pandemic restrictions, the event would have to be re-scheduled). LSD use a state-of-the-art MAHA Dynamometer for their purpose-built, aircontrolled rolling road system, which measures the engine power. If you are just toying with the idea of going, take a look at LSD website and you will surely be convinced. For a cost of £75.00 per car, you will be able to have your MG power tested on the rolling road with a report on its performance and professional advice given to you by Luke Stevens and his staff.

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Anglia Centre Regalia Our new regalia is proving popular among members. With a link to the suppliers direct from

www.mgcc.co.uk

CENTRES CALEDONIAN Bob MacGillivray 07870 407111 mgcarsscotland@gmail.com www.mgcaledonian.com Our first virtual AGM in early December went off without even a technical hitch. Despite all her misgivings our Secretary, Nancy, managed with no problems whatsoever, such virtual meetings might become a habit! Pleased to say that at the meeting Peter Chalmers and Glenn Neilson were co-opted to the Committee and their appointment will be confirmed at the next ‘proper’ AGM. Also, we were pleased to confirm Sir Boyd Tunnock as our Honorary President. Sir Boyd has had a lifetime connection with MG cars and was part of the highly successful Scottish Centre team who did so well in the late 50s/early 60s, autotesting mostly in MGAs. He has also been extremely generous in his support of the Caledonian Centre. Peter and Glenn will bring some good ideas to events next year, Covid permitting! By the time you read this you should have received your 2021 Newsletter with details of the proposed 2021 programme. The programme

DEVON & CORNWALL Young Janner II bobslatter@hotmail.com www.mgcc.co.uk/devon-cornwall-centre As this issue of Safety Fast! is published early, may I take this opportunity to wish all our members a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of the Officers and Committee of the Devon and Cornwall Centre. Hopefully 2021 will allow us to get back to some sort of normality, whatever that is, and be able to hold some meetings and runs.

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is obviously subject to change at short notice and, for the moment at least, mirrors what was proposed for 2020. However, if anyone has suggestions for new events then please let your Committee know. If you have not received your Newsletter just let me know. One thing to remember for next year is that at shows, we may try to mark the 25th-plus-one anniversary of MGFs and perhaps even the 60th anniversary of modern MG Midgets. Do we have any 1995 MGFs or 1961 Midgets in the Centre? We are hoping to run our annual Film Night in January but in case we are unable to do so, we are presently looking at the possibility of doing this online. Do not yet know if it will be possible but check your emails and our website and Facebook page for updates. Being online will have

the advantage that you can have two glasses of wine, but you will of course be required to supply your own popcorn! I have received an offer of some rare motor sporting films, but more would be very welcome. That is all for now, but do please check the website, etc, for up to date info. At present plans are subject to change without much notice! On behalf of your Committee I wish you all a very Happy and Covid-free 2021.

I hope that we have kept you in touch as best as we can with Ted Lawrence’s excellent newsletter and these notes, also with the website, Facebook. Etc. so that as soon as we can organise something we will be able to let you know immediately. It has been interesting going back through the archives for points of interest. With the topsy-turvy world we are living in at the moment, we have missed some major milestone celebrations, both in the Car Club and life in general. We should have been celebrating the 90th Birthday of the MG Car Club in October, and we were hoping to repeat the crossing of

the River Tamar on the Torpoint Ferry which links Devon and Cornwall and actually fill the one of the ferries with MGs. As we could not manage this, the first photo shows some of the members’ cars celebrating MGCC 80th Birthday in 2010. However, we did manage to celebrate a 90th Birthday, although it was in 2019, of the MG M-Type. The second photo shows those of Mike Dalby and Roger Tushingham at our Centre display at the Devon Vintage Car Club’s Classic Vehicle Gathering at Powderham Castle, near Exeter. We should have had another couple of M-Types but they both suffered mechanical problems just before the event.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 79

CENTRES LINCOLNSHIRE IAN MACKENZIE 01529 497849 MaccaV8@aol.com www.mgcclincolnshire.co.uk It looks like there’s light at the end of the tunnel! Thankfully, as a community, we MGCC-ers appear to have been very fortunate, but whether it‘s a Belgian or Oxford variety, as with chocolate, hopefully the vaxx will do those of us who want it the power of good. Roll on next spring! Sadly, the ‘power of six’ dictates that we are not able to organise a 2021 New Year’s Day Run and Pride of Ownership event on January 1, as no more than six people (not even six cars) can congregate in a car park at the same time. The CVD bug has succeeded where even the Millennium Bug failed. There’s going to be a lot of catching up to do early next year. Your Committee is currently working on a full programme of events for 2021, including a ‘Drive It Day’ hopefully on Sunday April 25, and a series of Autotests. If you’d like to get involved on the Committee, feel free to contact our Hon. Secretary Sue at

MIDLANDS Roger King rogerking43@gmail.com Website: www.mgccmidlandcentre.co.uk Midland Centre Facebook: @mgccmidlandcentre Well, that was 2020, that was. The most challenging year we have faced trying to put on some sort of programme for members. With our Welsh Touring Rallye cancelled, together with our Spring Sprint and other planned activities, we were pleased to be able to stage a Summer Sprint and an Autumn Trial. The latter featured in November’s SF! with some delightful photos of MGs in action with Martin Price, former Centre chair, contributing a clutch of lovely shots. So to 2021. Signs of encouragement, thank goodness, that the Covid pandemic might be on its way out. Consequently, we have pressed on with our calendar of events, mindful that almost everything is subject to possible cancellation. But we are a determined lot, for little is going to stop us endeavouring to put on a full season of activity. Indeed the entry form for the 2021 Welsh Rallye,

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What we’re missing in January – New Year’s Day Gathering

MaccaV8@gmail.com, as we’ll be looking for all the help we can get.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. Roll on a healthy 2021.

scheduled for the weekend of May 14-16, will be on the website during this month, closely followed by those for the Spring Sprint on April 11. We are good to go, subject to caveats of course. New for this year will be our participation at the British Motor Museum’s monthly Evening Summer Gatherings. Just turn up and meet with us in May/June/ July/August and September. We’ve called it Super Natter time. Look on our website for full details, including featured models, and Bill ready to wave off Brian Osborn on the 2008 Welsh Rallye caveats, (again of course). chairman, becoming president and acting as Clerk Don’t forget our Natters. If you have not of the Course for the California Cup for 17 years been to one contact your preference and enjoy before the Club itself took over running it. And of the company of like-minded folk. Details on the course there is a wing at KH in memory of him. He calendar or website. was and remains a true example to us all of utter The full (provisional) programme set in dedication to the Marque of Friendship. glorious colour will be available both in print form and on the website. We think there will be Finally, the Centre AGM is on January 18. You something for everyone either taking part or just can access it via Zoom. We are always looking for turning up. The choice is yours. new blood on the committee, but if this is a step too I could not compile these notes without far why not join our Centre Support Team? Volunteers reference to the late Bill Wallis, who passed who can help us on occasion. (Super Natters, away 10 years ago. He served many years as our perhaps?). You never know, you might enjoy it.

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CENTRES NORTH WEST Paul Goodman 01625 876300 Welcome to a new MG year. Big plans are in hand for the Centre in 2021 to enable members to make significant use of their cars. Starting with racing, the Cockshoot Cup Championship will be fought out over ten rounds at five MGCC meetings. So, double-headers will be the order of the day. The first meeting will be on March 20 on the Silverstone National Circuit. This is great for spectating, with the short lap compressing the action. The big news is that the second rounds will be at Oulton Park on May 22 at the MGCC race meeting. The Club Championships will be supported by Equipe with races for pre-59, pre-63 and pre-65 sports cars. This will bring Lotus, Healey, TVR, Triumph and other marques to the circuit. The current idea is to make this a spring picnic for the Centre. More news about this to follow. The championship goes on to race on the Silverstone GP Circuit, Donington Park and Snetterton. Full details can be found on the championship website. The Speed Championship will be returning this year with rounds at all the major hillclimb and

SOUTH EAST Ray Ruffels and William Opie raywillmg@gmail.com www.mgccse.co.uk 2020 was a difficult year for MG motoring, but despite the Covid restrictions in the last three months the SE Committee has been working hard to create a full 2021 events calendar. The year kicks off with the rescheduled AGM for South East Centre on Saturday January 30 2021 at 11.00am. This will be an online meeting via Zoom. The agenda, reports, committee proposals and instructions for the meeting will be published in detail on the Centre website - www.mgccse.co.uk It will be necessary for members to register to attend this meeting in order to receive the

sprint venues. It is expected that a lot of new competitors will be entering their first events. To get involved in a standard post-2000 MG saloon or sports car then only a licence and crash helmet are required. Our own Centre events will be early in the year and so are expected to attract strong entries. We hope to be at Anglesey Circuit for the sprint weekend on May 1-2 and then at Scammonden Dam Hillclimb two weeks later on Brian Butler (right) being presented With the Cockshoot Cup, Socially May 16. We will need a lot of Distanced on the Moors, by Paul Goodman. Photo: David Coulthard members and friends to help with both these events, so please mark them in and running again when circumstances permit. your new diaries. The biggest will be the Plough and Flail concours As far as this month is concerned, you scheduled for June 15. need to tune into the Discovery Channel on Finally, plans are being made to attend the January 13 to watch the Salvage Hunters MGA major North West outdoor events. We are awaiting programme including some of the “SRX Le Mans” notification from the organisers so that we can film. Depending on local rules, there might be book space. There are now numerous MG dealers a meeting at the Plough and Flail on Tuesday in our region, and it would be great to see some January 19. These regular monthly gatherings are of the current models at our meetings, and we at the heart of the Centre and they will all be up await the attendance of our first electric MG.

Zoom invitation. Further Other great events planned in the next six months include: details will be published in the March 28 – Spring Naviscat at Buxted Park Hotel, Uckfield Centre newsletter ahead of April (tbc) – Brooklands MG and British Marques Day the meeting. We look forward April (tbc) – Isle of Wight Tour to seeing many of you at the April 24-25 – MGCC Meet Brands Hatch online AGM which will be May 2 – Battle of Britain Run (80th Anniversary +1) at Capel-le-Ferne a first for us. Members who May 8 or 9(tbc) – the new President’s Day have no access to the internet May 16 – Spring Gathering at Watts Gallery Compton should contact the secretary Sunday November 8 2020 with 31 entrants, of direct for information. which five MGs were entered. The running of these events may be subject The winners were Andy and Do Ranson in an to change due to Government Covid restrictions. To see full details and updates on planned 2021 Austin 12/4, whilst the best MGs were Howard events go to the MGCCSE website on – Skelton with his MGA 1600 in 9th place and Liz and www.mgccse.co.uk/2021-events-calendar/ Keith Cooper in their MG TF LE500 in 18th place. The third Table Top Rally, organised by Philip The team awards showed that the MGCC and Rosemary Bayne-Powell, for the MG Car came 4th behind the Riley, Jowett and winning Club and the Inter Register Club (IRC) was run on Austin teams, but beating the Humber team!

90th East Anniversary start at Hampton Pier Herne Bay. Photo: Chris Leigh 82 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

90th Anniversary West start at the Owl Pub. Photo: John Morgan www.mgcc.co.uk

CENTRES SOUTH WEST Jim Lott Mobile 07773 491953 email chairman@mgccsw.com website http://www.mgccsw.com/ Facebook www.facebook.com/MGCCSW Twitter @mgccsw First, I would like to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year and hope that you are keeping safe and well. Due to the ongoing pandemic, only one event took place last year, the Wiscombe Hill Climb. It was therefore decided that the South West Centre Drivers Championship would be cancelled, along with the Dinner and Awards evening in February. I hope that we can get back to some sort of normality very soon.

TYNE-TEES Tony Wood anthony@scrutonvillage.co.uk Happy New Year to one and all, let’s fervently hope that things improve over the outgoing one. The astute amongst you will have noticed that our annual Calendar of Events has not tumbled out of your copy of Safety Fast! This is not because we have collectively put our heads in the gas oven, but rather due to the times we find ourselves in. 2021 is our Golden Jubilee as a full Centre and we have two major events planned to celebrate, but both are subject to agreements with third parties which could not be reached because of the current situation. This would have meant producing a Calendar with TBA in various dates, notably our proposed “Beating the Bounds” twoday run scheduled for mid-May and our Beamish Weekend in mid-August. Our normal scheduled events are in their usual places, we have a contract for the Prince Bishop’s to finish on Palace Green on June 6. Our other main runs are on their usual calendar dates and ingenuity abounds with the various social runs. In short, the Calendar is alive and can be www.mgcc.co.uk

The committee have decided on a list of provisional dates for events to be arranged for 2021 if circumstances allow: March 1 2021 – The Centre AGM, this will be an online meeting using Zoom, please email me at chairman@mgccsw.com for an invite April 24 2021 – MGs on Grass 1 – an Autotest on grass, near Bath May 23 2021 – The Wye Valley Social Run, final venue to be decided June 13 2021 – The Centre Summer Picnic somewhere in Somerset July 26 2021 – MGs on Grass 2 – an Autotest on grass, near Claverham Sept 11 2021 – Wiscombe Hill Climb, Wiscombe Park near Honiton, Devon Oct 10 2021 – Kimber Production Car Trial, Bristol Details of these and any further events which may be added will be available on the website www.mgccsw.com The photos show two of the 2020 Wiscombe entrants. Number four is Andrew Morland in his MG L1, winning the Don Smith Trophy for best MMM MG. Number nine is Keith Beningfield in his MG TC, winning class 2(d).

found on the Centre website and will be updated and sent out with Tyne Tees Tidings. Whatever happens we will be in operation in 2021, promise! Our first venture into Zoom meetings got off to a promising start in November with a fun General Knowledge/General Ignorance quiz which attracted 21 members including friends from North and South. Deemed to be a success we followed it up with a Christmas Quiz in December to which you were all invited by the wonder of Tyne Tees Tidings. Missing out? Just send an email

to Noel or me and that will be quickly rectified. We are aiming to make meeting by Zoom a regular part of our future even when normality returns. If we have learnt anything from the past year it has been to embrace technology more wholeheartedly and see if we can reach out to that significant percentage of our membership who we don’t interact with on a regular basis. Final parting shot is long-time member and video guru Owen (“Oily Hands”) Frankland kicking up the dust at our Bywell Autotest in 2018.

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 83

CENTRES YORKSHIRE Ken Cothliff kencothliff@hotmail.co.uk https://mgccyorkshire.co.uk Christmas is over and now we look forward to the New Year. With no MG Christmas Party for the various Natters, I include in our photos one of the Vale of York’s party a couple of years ago, just to give us a feeling of the festive season. Hopefully it will all be back on by next year. If you get the chance, do listen to the MG Car Club Podcast this December. It features a very interesting interview with Josh Langstaff, part of the Young Members Branch. His perspective on MGs and the Club is really interesting, and provides a younger, refreshing view. He was one, like the three members of South Yorkshire, who went down to the MGCC Social at Gaydon, and found it fulfilling. Members of the Yorkshire Centre 24/39 Group have produced a lovely little booklet for their own use to commemorate the Club’s 90th Anniversary. It features 13 of their pre-war MGs including three M type Midgets and three VAs. The book was a very

ULSTER Carol Willis 07831 345560 www.mgcculstercentre.co.uk carol.mgulster@hotmail.co.uk 2020 has been the most unusual year for all of us with the invasion of the COVID-19 Virus creeping into the country during February. Just hopping into our beloved MGs and heading off at the drop of a hat for a day out and finishing if off with a good meal with friends was not an option. But, we MG fans are an inventive lot and we decided to organise a couple of picnic runs. Just the ticket and we were so fortunate to have brilliant weather on both those days. We hope you have all had a good Christmas and managed to spend some time with your families over the holiday period. We are planning to run the annual New Year’s Day Treasure Hunt, at least Will Corry has promised to prepare one for us. At time of writing we don’t yet know which direction it will take nor from where it will start so please keep your eye on the website and Facebook. With being ever aware of social distancing, it may just start and finish

84 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

limited edition just for the members, and those of Yorkshire Centre who expressed an interest. John Prewer reports that his Iris Blue Shorrock Supercharged MGB that was on the cover of Safety Fast! a couple of years ago, having been his only transport through lockdown (free tax appeals to a Yorkshireman!), broke its speedo cable and is now garaged for the winter, and due

a going-over that could turn up anything! I also am beginning to notice more of the current MGs around on the roads of Yorkshire and here in Yeadon, where I live, there are four new cars running around. The times certainly are ‘a-changing’. Happy New Year from all in Yorkshire, and we hope to see you in God’s Own County on 2021.

somewhere and then we all go home afterwards. We just have to adjust the event to any current circumstances and restrictions. The start will be 2.00pm from somewhere. Competition will change in 2021 also, and taking into consideration landowners in previously allowing us to use their property and staffing the events adequately, there will be no Derek Walker multi-venue event and neither will we be participating in a round of the NI Autotest Championship. It would be intrusive upon their good nature to even ask in the current situation.

What we do socially in 2021 is still uncertain but we hope to organise more picnic runs to various places of interest both close to home and further afield, whilst being aware of social distancing. The Ulster Centre Committee wishes you a healthy and happy 2021 and looks forward to meeting up with you all in the not too distant future. Oh, and by the way, just in case you are wondering what has happened to them – Due to perceived racism master cylinders and slave cylinders are to be removed from all cars immediately.

Mike Armstrong and grandson Zak throwing Mike’s TD about during the 2018 Derek Walker Trial. Photo: Ray Brown Photography www.mgcc.co.uk

REGISTERS VINTAGE Rob Constant rob@littleabingdon.co.uk Welcome to the first Vintage Register notes of the New Year! May 2021 become a good one for all of us. Of course, as I write this (December 3), we are not in a position to organise things for the coming season with any great certainty, but it is with an optimistic heart that we look forward to doing so. So it is that I share this lovely find by Cathelijne Spoelstra from Motorsport magazine, April 1949. Oh, for time-travel, there would be some queue with £225 in hand…! Freshly rebuilt Mk. II engine, four-speed gearbox, Clayton Dewandre servo brakes, and not content with the ‘brought forward’ spec; the vendor was intriguingly providing six months petrol? (In 1949, surely, this must have been petrol-ration coupons?) With bonnet straps, Brooklands screens and stark ‘light-weight’ wings it would have provided quite the sporting drive. What a bargain! Anyone know which example this may have been? Coincidentally, I went to school in Kent with a

TRIPLE M CATHELIJNE SPOELSTRA +31 (0)6 41216600 cathelijnespoelstra@outlook.com www.triple-mregister.org Happy New Year to you all! Things should be getting better soon with plenty of events we can safely attend once again, right? I can’t wait to see many of you at Brands Hatch in April! Looks like my crankshaft didn’t break after all, so hurray! However, on closer inspection it was play on the rear flange, which, instead of tapered,

86 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Luckhurst so maybe I ought to ask whether it was a relative! Alongside the time-warp Motorsport advert, and, as I was thinking of Mk. I 18/80s this morning, our good friend Bill Munro of ‘Carbodies of Coventry’ book fame kindly sent in this lovely photo of Patrick Gardner’s stunning 1929 two-seater. Taken at Brooklands during the 2019 MG Era Day, hands laid on the scuttle, it appears that the car is being gently ‘calmed’ away from the idea of tearing around the banking! Patrick’s car once upon a time ran in a Monte Carlo rally, coming to grief

turned out to be parallel and a loose fit to boot. The crank probably came out of an early Morris Minor. Even though all the bearing surfaces and con rods look beautiful still, we’ll still be going the steel crank way. Browsing the Pre-War Minor Network’s ‘Triple-M Corner’ the other day, I came across this photo of Norman Pineger’s 2M2738, complementing the two pics I used for my August notes last summer. Back then I wondered if anyone knew where they had been taken, but unfortunately no answer was forthcoming. However, it looks as if Chris Lambert, the man behind the PWMN’s

in a snowdrift, before later in the thirties gaining a Centric supercharger, so has quite some ‘form’ for spirited driving…

website, has unknowingly provided the answer; the photos were taken ‘to illustrate an Autocar article on the virtues of the Isle of Man as a touring holiday destination for the mainland motorist. This one, taken on the promenade in Douglas, features two of the horse-drawn trams that were used to transport tourists and locals alike along that famous stretch of coastline. Thanks, Colin, I can now sleep soundly once again!

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REGISTERS SVW Paul Campbell svw.safety.fast@gmail.com www.svwregister.co.uk The two SA saloons at auction mentioned last month eventually sold for £12,000 for the pair. Both needed full restoration and were believed to be incomplete. The auction was recorded and

posted on our Facebook page where we now have 192 group members. They were delivered directly to a body shop in Hartlepool. It’s always pleasing to see an SVW resurface and such is the case with a 1939 VA Tickford – VA2000. It seems to have been in the same family since 1968 but, as we’d not heard anything since the 1980s, it was believed not to have survived. It resided until mid-2020 in California but was then acquired by the selling dealer in Washington. At some stage it’s had a colour change to red, which is now quite scabby. It’s had a replacement hood but retains its original engine. First auctioned in the USA last August, it failed to sell, but was auctioned again on another site in November and bid to $25,250 but still didn’t reach its reserve.

VA2000 for auction last November

Y TYPE Jerry Birkbeck 01926 258691 Mob: 07855 566325 birkbeckjerry@gmail.com www.mgccyregister.co.uk A Very Happy New Year After a hugely disappointing and totally forgettable year, I hope that for all of you 2021 provides a far better and more memorable occasion. I also trust that you have managed to avoid Covid or the side effects if you have had the misfortune to suffer from this appalling illness. Hopefully a safe vaccine will be available to us all by the time you are reading this. If so, then gradually we may begin to move back to a new normal. A few thoughts on what may be happening in the Y world: A few books which you might have a seen or have read but which have had excellent reviews. They are generally well written MG-related books which include significant references to Y Types. Fran Smith has sent us a review of ‘The MG Story 1923-1980’ by Malcolm Green. He notes: “It’s

www.mgcc.co.uk

During the winter I’m planning to remove my rear wings, have them professionally repainted, then refitted with new piping. The existing piping is the original, but painted over and it rather lets the car down. At the same time, I’m replacing my nonstandard rear lights with different non-standard ones! The Wingard ones have been in place since the early 1960s at least; the replacements are Lucas L549, which are similar but more widely used such as on the Mk1 MGA. One day I may refit D-lamps which were cut off at the same time, but I’ll keep the Lucas ones as I think, with LED bulbs, it’s a better setup for road use. We hope you had a good Christmas despite the restrictions. Here in the UK the measures were relaxed from December 23-27, enabling three households to get together indoors. We all wish you a very happy 2021 when we can hopefully get back to what we all enjoy.

Old Wingard rear lamps replaced with Lucas L549

a wonderful book, copiously illustrated with mainly colour photographs of our beloved Y Types, including a dedicated chapter of black and white photographs showing Y Types being assembled in the Abingdon factory. A thoroughly recommended book for Y Type fans”. The book is available from Herridge & Sons (01409 281990) for £40 postage free being a reduced price for MGCC members. Peter Vielvoye reviewed a copy of ‘The Complete book of Classic MG Cars’ as the Y Register was consulted by its author Ross Alkureishi. He writes: “The 12 chapters each start with a stunning full-page photograph. YB1230 in its glimmering maroon and cream liveries a definite

A good selection of Y Types gather in Abingdon Market Place in 2012 to celebrate their 65th Anniversary.

candidate for the best photo in the book. It starts Chapter 5 ‘Y Type: A Car of Firsts’. Ten pages in this chapter follow the history of the Y and concludes with a page of technical specifications. Although as Y enthusiast you will probably have read most of it before in one form or another, it is an interesting read and includes excellent photographs, notably Neil’s YB up on its Jackall legs.” The book is available from Motorbooks at approximately £40 Events in 2021 Subject to not being caught up in another lockdown post Christmas, we will hopefully be able to celebrate our reunions at the MG and Triumph Spares Day on Sunday February 7 2021. This will NOT be at the NAC at Stoneleigh but at the Telford International Centre. Why? Apparently, Stoneleigh have hired out the exhibition halls for temporary longer-term storage. (For full details of the event contact Live Promotions at http:// mgandtriumphsparesday.co.uk) If this doesn’t happen, then surely we will be able to reconvene in May for Spring Run 2021? Look after yourselves!

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 87

REGISTERS MGA Edward Vandyk 01488 608810 mgascribe@vandyk.co.uk Happy New Year to all Register members and here’s hoping that by this time next year we will have been able to look back on many days on the road in our MGAs. All advanced orders for “The MGA Register - The First Fifty Years” have been dispatched. We still have books in stock, please see the MGA Register website to place an order. The Register AGM, usually held each April, was finally held, using Zoom, on Saturday November 21. We were delighted that three took the opportunity to observe the online meeting and a new committee member, Dave Halliday, joined as our Overseas Liaison, the post that Piers Hubbard held for many years. All other committee posts remained unchanged. A virtual committee meeting followed, our second, with volunteers stepping forward to organise the 2022 Spring and Autumn Tours also a Spring tour for 2023, so lots to look forward to when the restrictions are lifted. We are always looking for new members to join the

MGB David Broadhurst 01209 614704 newsletter-editor@mgb-register.org www.mgb-register.org …….and a Happy New Year to All!! I put up a plaintive request on the Register Facebook page for any suggestions for suitable material for these notes and had several, printable, responses. They will be used over the next couple of months and my thanks go to those members. If you have something that you would like to see published please get in touch. Meanwhile these timely reminders from long-serving member David Askew…

88 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

committee to take on the challenges of the future. Please keep the wedding stories and photos coming. This month’s featured MGA wedding took place in a wood at Evenley, near Bicester, when Pia married Ben, I think this might be said to be the first ‘off road’ MGA wedding. The photo, by Elena Pope, features a proud father, the bride and bridesmaid and of course the car. However, this does not tell the whole story because inevitably the MGA tried to have the last word. The father of the bride had been an MGA owner since the 1970s, the car having been a gift from his mother. He had brought his red roadster back with him from Hong Kong and when Pia expressed the wish to get married both in a wood and using the MGA everything was organised to that end. The car was serviced, road tested and even driven some 50 miles to be near the venue the day before. Of course it was not to be. Wedding at 3.00pm, scheduled departure of the MGA to the venue 11.30am and the car would not start – it turned over, it had spluttered a little first time and then was unresponsive. It was also silent – I am sure you are there by now – the fuel pump. MGA emergency procedure one – hit it! Dad,

luckily not yet in his finery, under the car to no avail. Every contingency had been planned for but alas no jump leads, tool kit or even a spare fuel pump let alone a mechanic and all the time the clock running down. The photo does not lie, so how did the car make it to the wedding? A doppelganger in the shape of a red Twin Cam, owned by a friend, was trailered to the venue from some 50 miles away, arriving minutes before the ceremony. The MGA was, in its day, the last word in design and exciting motoring. It still seeks to have the last word and provide excitement, but in this case Dad, Pia and Ben could have done without it!

I use the tips on overwintering your MGB. If not being taken out then running up to normal temperature, rolling backwards and forwards to avoid flat spots on tyres, giving the electrics a squirt of WD40, washing and giving the bodywork a good waxing. cleaning interiors and feeding leather seats. Ensuring the correct anti-freeze mix in the radiator. On my own car whilst running the engine I tested all the lights, indicators, horn, etc. I have chrome Rostyles so they get a coating of wax. There are many other tips worth repeating, especially to new to MGB ownership members. Tom Brearly added the following: You could perhaps present two sides of the coin. If using your B regularly during the winter, improve the heating by fitting an 88 degree thermostat. You can also blank off the air intake with a piece of clear plastic, open the dash vents, put the fan on and re-circulate warm air through the

matrix. Blanking off the oil cooler and 1/3 of the radiator when weather is cold also helps keep the engine happy. Douse the lower body and bumpers with clear anti-corrosion wax like Dynax UC. Remember to try some handbrake turns in Tesco’s car park when snowy to get a feel for grip limits. I keep mine under a suitable padded cover with a 60W tube heater under the sump and some windows open. A smart battery charger keeps the battery conditioned and the trickle discharge to the tracking device under control. A liberal squirt of WD40 on the chrome seems to do the necessary. Our new ZS does everyday duty. Hopefully, the new year will bring more opportunities than has been our lot of late. Stay safe!

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REGISTERS MIDGET Chris Hale c.hale1962@btinternet.com www.midgetregister.com Happy New Year! Here’s hoping that we will be able to attend more MG-related events in 2021! Angus Gray has provided me with a brief update on the history of his Midget which is finally back on the road, having been in various forms of storage since 1988, including the proverbial barn! 789 AGG (first registered as WSC 321K then TMG 1F) has been in the Gray family ownership

V8 Victor Smith 0208 392 9434 victorsmith@v8register.net www.v8register.net V8 has a good home Many MGB GT V8s have had an interesting life and Malcolm Nicholls’ car is no exception. It was built in April 1974 and despatched to Wadham and Stringer in Chichester as Citron 1616, and priced at £2,294 soon attracted a buyer in Buckinghamshire. Two years later it was traded to a garage in Twickenham and sold on to a new owner who lived near Marble Arch in London’s West End and who kept it for another two years. In 1980 it was sold again and was in Peckham in SE London before the owner moved to Brentford Dock, opposite Kew Gardens. In 1982 it was acquired by a new owner in Wimbledon but he sold it only five months later and it went to Slough. Then it was bought by a gentleman who lived in Solihull who later moved to Grantham in Lincolnshire where it remained for eight years. In 1994 it was sold and went to Ramsgate in Kent.

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since 1974. The Midget has been used by three generations of the family, been featured in a BBC programme and been on the cover of Safety Fast! twice. In the hands of family members it has won over 100 awards including autotests, sprints, PCTs, concours, races, road rallies. It has been raced at MGCC Silverstone, Donington, Ingliston, Knockhill and Ring Djursland in Denmark. Arguably, top award was in the hands of Angus, winning the trophy for FTD in the California Cup Autotest in 1988. Given the need to be an all-rounder, the 1340cc engine is to a fast road spec, built by Agra Racing Engines, with an 11 stud genuine Leyland ST BV Head, 731 cam, balanced internals, twin HS4 carbs with K&N filters, LCB exhaust manifold, Aldon distributor and Ignitor ignition and cooled by an electric fan. The drive is through a Peter May close ratio gearbox and half shafts and a limited slip 4.2 diff, with a panhard rod and anti-tramp bars, to keep things under control.

The front suspension is taken care of via the Frontline set up, with an uprated front anti-roll bar. Bodywork mods include a bonnet bulge for the SUs, a modified front valance for the oil cooler, a laminated screen, and Wipac Quadoptic headlights. A Moto-Lita steering wheel, and a bespoke engine turned aluminium dash, make up the rest of this impressive car with most mechanical modifications dating back to 1978. The car was in a very bad state when brought to the workshop in July 2018. Once work started it was realised it was a lot worse than expected. Anyone who knows Midgets would have a field day listing the deviations from standard now, but that’s half the fun! And for the future, Angus says Silverstone 2021 is a must and by then the car will be 50, the current owner 61 and 44 years an MGCC Member! Following on from the request in the November notes, here is a photo of Andrew Bailey’s Modsports Sprite at Druids in 1975.

By 2005 it was looking somewhat shabby and was rescued by a Director of a local company who wanted it as his company car. The V8 was sent to Maidstone Sports Cars for a complete refurbishment and a colour change to British Racing Green. It was sold on again and at the end of 2008 was with Fishers MG Garage in Sydenham in SE London. Luckily it was spotted by the current owner, Malcolm Nicholls, who says “we have since been all over the country in it to various MG events and even to France and Belgium. Alongside, the V8 is coming through Broadwell Ford on the

Cotswold Caper” in 2013. It’s enjoying life and has a good home now. V8 mug for lockdown tea and coffee breaks When recovering from lockdown in mid-winter a warm cup of tea or coffee is a welcome sight and for that we have an ideal medium-sized bone china mug with an encouraging message for MGV8 enthusiasts. It’s available now as a special seasonal offer at only £9.95 each including UK post and packaging and VAT. Visit the online V8 Shop via our ‘More’ web page at: www.v8register. net/more.htm

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 89

REGISTERS the secretary for the appropriate link to take part – secretary@mgfregister.org There are some vacancies on the committee, too, so if you want to join us then also let the secretary know. In the next column we’ll have some news of two new Regions starting up in the New Year in Scotland and the Welsh/English borders so keep an eye out for those. Sadly we heard of the death of long-time MGF enthusiast Ted Newman in November. The Club’s commiserations to his wife, Karin, and his family.

MGF Tim Morris 01932 882467 scribe@mgfregister.org www.mgfregister.org

We can but hope that the second half of 2021 will be a huge improvement on its 2020 counterpart and that we will be able to hold MGF25 on July 24 as planned. We are tentatively putting a toe in the water for a new event to be held in August (20 - 22) for Ted Newman the more hardy MGF/TF owners – a weekend under Ted was born in 1937 and served in the RAF as canvas in the Chilterns. It is planned to camp out ground crew from 1955 to 1960. He entered the in the paddock behind the English Rose pub in travel industry and in 1976 set up his own travel Postcombe and it will only cost £15 per night to pitch agency, KRT PLC, based in London where he lived your tent. It sounds like a scouts’ jamboree so bring with his wife Karin. He retired in 2004. your shorts and woggles and sign up for a weekend Ted was an early owner of the MGF and of fun and daftness, courtesy of our Thames Valley named his car the “Green Squirrel”. He was a Region – email Worzel at events@mgfregister.org to long-term owner and a familiar face at MG events get your name down. on the continent and he was still using the same We’ll be holding our AGM, postponed from 2020, car to14:47 tour Germany Saturday February 6 at -11.00am. It will be held27/09/2019 on H1 - on CLIVE WHEATLEY_H7 CLIVE WHEATLEY Page 1 and Switzerland as recently as 2018. Zoom and if you wish to attend you’ll need to contact

genuine & conversion parts

RV8 Expansion tank £69.95

Ted surrounded by MGF friends. Photo: Mykel Benekke

High Torque Starter Motor. British made £262

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. £445.80

Thanks to his travel business he was the ideal person to organise a tour to Germany in 1999 to collect some lowering knuckles from the German MGR dealer Jansen. It all stemmed from an idea by Rob Bell on the MG Enthusiasts BBS. The idea was finally taken up by Ted and consequently became the first of the “Treffen” events that continued annually for several years under Ted’s tutelage. He made many MG friends as a result and kept up those friendships through other European and UK events. In later years Ted had suffered, and beaten, lung and prostate cancer but finally succumbed to a brain tumour on November 11 2020. He will be missed by many who knew him from those early MGF days.

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

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

90 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

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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

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Measuring 11.1m2 (3.7m x 3m) with sliding doors, our Solid Oak Cabins are ideal for those that need just a little extra space. No foundations needed.

All enquiries, please telephone 07860 906032 quoting MG Safety Fast *Prices correct as at 1.12.20

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JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 91

Complete rebuild with mostly new parts ThisLoads is for of onereceipts insertion only, for in 2000. and pictures. additional insertions emailrebuild, Colin Engine has done 3000 please miles since colingrant@mgcc.co.uk gear boxatserviced in last 2000 miles. Finished on 09/02/1950. Original receipt present. Matching original numbers although different engine. ( got original head and block) £19,500 Contact Paul on 07974 785951

CLASSIFIEDS How to Advertise

Members can advertise their cars free of charge in Safety Fast! The cost for non membersMGTD is £20. The advert will also 1950 be posted rebuild on the Club in due Complete withwebsite mostly new parts course. To place an advert in Safety Fast! in 2000. Loads of receipts and pictures. please email colingrant@mgcc.co.uk with Engine has done 3000 miles since rebuild, an attached photo of your car, details of gear in last 2000price miles. your box car, serviced your contact details, of Finished 09/02/1950. Original your car, on area where you live and receipt present. Matching original numbers membership number. Please keep your although ( got original advert to different 70 words,engine. the editor reserves head andto block) £19,500 the right edit longer adverts. Contact Paul 07974 785951 This is for oneon insertion only, for additional insertions please email Colin at colingrant@mgcc.co.uk

1950 MGTD

Complete rebuild with mostly new parts in 2000. Loads of receipts and pictures. Engine has done 3000 miles since rebuild, gear box serviced in last 2000 miles. Finished on 09/02/1950. MGTF 135 SprintOriginal receipt present. Matching original Silver with Blue hood, 1.8cc.numbers Full although different engine. ( gotmanual original Service History by MG, petrol, head and block) transmission. 12 £19,500 months MOT. Condition: Contact Paul Price, on 07974 785951 Immaculate. £3,999 ONO. Tel: 07702 975100

WANTED MG1300,

Any condition, Automatic preferred if any still exist. Please ring 01227 637813.

Please note that the Please note that the Advertising deadline is Advertising is January 10 for thedeadline Febrauary issue January of 10Safety for the February Fast! issue of Safety Fast!

MGTF 135 Sprint

Silver with Blue hood, 1.8cc. Full Service History by MG, petrol, manual transmission. 12 months MOT. Condition: Immaculate. Price, £3,999 ONO. Tel: 07702 975100

WANTED MG1300,

Any condition, Automatic preferred if any still exist. Please ring 01227 637813.

FOR DISPLAY Please note that the Advertising deadline is ADVERTISING January 10 for the Febrauary issue of Safety Fast! IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

MGTF 135 Sprint

Silver with Blue hood, 1.8cc. Full Service History by MG, petrol, manual transmission. 12 months MOT. Condition: Immaculate. Price, £3,999 ONO. Tel: 07702 975100

ED NT

WA MG

m r o F UR

WANTED MG1300,

Any condition, Automatic preferred if any still exist. Please ring 01227 637813.

Please note that the Advertising deadline is January 10 for the Febrauary issue of Safety Fast!

PLEASE CALL NICK ON 01452 730770

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MGOC Recommended Dealer 40 MGs in Stock Best Prices paid with friendly advice. Est 1986 Fast payment and collection

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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 hasslefree 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 UKON: 07787 528131 Based Buyer 92 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

church square

autos FAMILY BUSINESS ESTABLISHED 1981. Our ofﬁce/ showroom is at 62B HIGH STREET SHEPPERTON TW17 9AU VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT PLEASE MG TF 160vvc 2008(08) – 38,000 Miles A Very Very rare 2008 (08) registered TF160vvc, with the number plate MG08 VVC. FSH Late facelift car with soft ride suspension, smokstone cockpit, black leather sport seat, grey alcantara inserts, heated glass rear screen etc. new headgasket/cambelt/water pump by us in 2018 Outstanding condition. £7,995

MG MGF VVC – just 28,000miles 97 (R Reg) 28,000 Miles Manual Petrol 1.8vvc, utstanding MGF Spent it first 3 years here in the UK, before being shipped to Sunny Jersey. We have just imported back into the UK. Finished in Flame Red with full Red leather seats, wind deflector, mud flaps. Documented history file and in outstanding immaculate condition. Just Moted and registered here on its original Reg number R492 VAB. £5,995

MG MGF Convertible + H/Top – Just 43,000 miles 1999 (V Reg), Manual, Petrol Finished in: Silver / Black leather MGF 1.8i Facelift model, with removable colour coded hard top, black soft top. Fitted with black leather sport seats, passengers airbag, adjustable steering column, electric mirrors, documented service history. Just moted. New headgasket/cambelt/water pump (13/10/20). Outstanding original car immaculate condition. £3,795

MG MGF Freestyle – Limited Edition. 2001 (51 Reg), 70,000 Miles, Manual, Petrol, Finished in: BRGreen/Black leather Last MGF ltd edtion made. MGF Trophy front and rear spoilers, full Black leather sport seats, 16” ‘SE’ alloy wheels. Rare in British racing green. Serviced, new headgasket cambelt, new mot, no advisories. A very sort after MGF model. £3,495

MG MGF 1.8i Convertible – Just 57,000miles 2001 (Y Reg), 57,000 Miles, Manual, Petrol, Finished in: Black metallic / Full Black leather Lady has owned this MGF since 2006. Low mileage, abs, wind deflector, ew, cl, alloy wheels. Service history, spare keys. Covered just 1,700 miles since 2015. Full service plus a new headgasket/cambelt/water pump and cat/ lamba sensor, new mot £2,695

We have a Large selection of MGF/TF’s Parts for sale. MGF/TF/LE500 huge parts selection, MGF TF/LE500 Body panels, interiors, alloy wheels, mechanical parts. MGF / TF’s Front Bumpers, Rear Bumpers, bonnets, wings, doors, MGF/TF Door handles / locks / motors / mirrors. Interior Items + Door cards & trims. MGF/TF Walnut / Carbon Fibre & Silver interior trims & Steering wheels.. MGF / TF Lights, Interior Items, Seats And Trims MGF/TF alloy wheels New and Secondhand

THIS IS JUST A SMALL SELECTION FROM OUR STOCK 01932 241843 OR 07836 281493 mgsales@churchsquareautos.com • david@usedmgf.co.uk www.churchsquareautos.com • www.usedmgf.co.uk SALES &PARTS FOR YOUR MGF/TF www.mgcc.co.uk

OLD MGs...SURELY THE NEXT BEST THING TO A VACCINE? Estd.1968

GENUINE BARN FIND: 1933 MG J2. Extracted from a farm barn after 60 years but remarkably original & complete, except no bodywork, beyond redemption. Chassis (J3022) in vgc, plus original axles, brakes, steering, ﬁrewall, original gearbox & complete original engine with carbs. Plus windscreen, bonnet, wheels, rad shell & radiator with very rare mascot. Yes, needs total renovation, but it’s ORIGINAL, unlike many projects.....£11,950 FOR SALE: TWO MG J2 ENGINES

1933 MG J2 to J4 Speciﬁcation. A totally restored mint condition J type MG to J4 speciﬁcation with Phoenix crank, Corello rods & Cosworth pistons. Nose mounted Arnott s/charger, full J4 dash with 6” rev. counter, switch bank, dashlamps, etc; Full Brooklands exhaust; bucket seats in grey leather to compliment the superb Ocean blue coachwork, & a full set of black double-duck weather equipment. Screen removed in photo. A wonderful opportunity to obtain a very rare MG.........................................................£69,950

SHIPPING ARRANGED FOR ALL CARS WE OFFER, WITHOUT HASSLE * Complete rebuilt DJF radiator with honeycombe core o/right ..........£1,150 (or exchange)

* TA/B/C fully restored 8:39 high ratio differential. Ready to fit.........................£1,250 * NOW HERE.......fully rebuilt MMM and T series headlamps.............From £750 pair

British Motor Heritage approved

DISMANTLED. Waiting assembly after restoration. Everything there........£5,500

COMPLETE. Unmolested in one lump ........................................................£6,500

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MMM/TABC Spares Send for a full listing of all parts available or send us your ‘wants’ list.

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sumps..........................................................................................£220 each * PA/PB rare J2 windscreen...£650............P type.........................................£550 * Very gauge dept. has in stock speedos & r/counters; odometers; oil gauges; * Our ampmeters; temp gauges; s/charger gauges; clocks. type dashplates, switches, lamps, cables, bezels. * MMM/T Highest quality copper/composite MMM head gaskets + head & sump sets. *

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SPECIALIST IN CLASSIC SPORTS CARS enquiries@mgsforsale.com

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01707 876089

07831 556666

MGBCGT Roadster 1971 Bare Older Tub Rebuild (YRM671J) MG 1968 AUTOMATIC Nut & Bolt Restored registered butMGbuilt Augustautomatic, 1970, delivered to (RWD628G) CGTin1968, excellentnew Mineral The Town & County Motor Garage in Aberdeen, chrome Blue coachwork with nicely mellowed original Black el bumpers, chrome wire wheels, overdrive, earlybound 90’s bare leather interior trim, original genuine leather MGC ge TL enquiries@mgsforsale.com tub rebuild using nicely new panels, Redcompartment coachwork steering wheel, detailedTartan engine 0 miles still presents very well with engine only some housing the smooth 3.0 litre ideal imperfections with the Borg rease) 18” commensurate withgearbox age & mileage, enginerare in Warner automatic makingrebuilt this MGOC particularly T’d until 1998 housed nicely today, detailed engine compartment, good condition leather trim, model an idealinclassic this vehicle apparently formed part of aBlack collection of ainterior deceased ads as well walnut on facia, Mota-Litaone steering wheel, vinyl originalfrom styleOlder mohair hoodRestored stowage estate, inspection can see the quality of the rebuild ahood, number years ago and ior, satMGnew CGTBlack 1968 AUTOMATIC Nut &ofBolt cover,likely carpeted soldvery by us in 1996, a lovely cherished by familyMineral owners with little boot, milespreviously since is still fresh in appearance, just automatic, arrived £24,950.00 ll service (RWD628G) MG CGT example 1968, excellent last 24 years, just arrived £14,950.00 or 2016 UK Tech-MG6 over Blue coachwork with nicely mellowed original Black GTthediesel 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 last owner 37 years, bumpers, overdrive, MG. £6500 MGB 1973 Olderchrome Restoration (OCH592N) steering wheel, nicely detailed engine compartment model. 1.9 turbo1972, diesel.Roadster 48,000 miles chrome Rostyle wheels, Aqua coachwork nowsmooth requiring 44(daily driver so mileage housing bumpers, the 1974 registered but built 1973, chrome wire3.0 litre engine ideal with the Borg will increase) 18”in some improvement but a very vehicleautomatic indeed with a Warner gearbox making this particularly rare alloys, red bumper inserts. MoT’d until wheels, overdrive, Damask Redsolid coachwork with some nice original feel and appearance, original navyfacia, cloth June 2020. Recent discs and pads as well imperfections, Black leather interior trim, style walnut gold seal engine fittednew midvinyl 80’shood, and older drives as new tyres. Fullinterior leathertrim, interior, Mota-Lita wood rimsatsteering wheel, nav, Bluetooth connectivity. Full delightfully, goodservice history file with original documentation early 90’s restoration with body coloured underside, history history – servicedback bywith SAIC Motor Techto the 80’s, aUK plethora invoices renowned specialists Brian Brown Classics & B file copy Heritage certifiofcate datingfrom vehicle as 1973, nical Centre. In good Hive, original Gold Seal papers, oldDVLA mot’scopy etc.records etc. justback arrived £5,950.00 heavycondition. history fiUnipart le Spacious, with photos of restoration, to 1974, specialist invoices economical engaging modern MG. £6500 complete sills, castle sections, inner membranes, jacking points, repair panels, mot August 2021 ono. Call Adam on 07530734044 mot & tax exemption, drives nicely, previously sold by us in 2017, just arrived, £10,950.00

01707 876089

1972 MGB Roadster. British Racing Green, black trim. Leather seats. Antique red carpets. Fast road engine, www.mgsforsale.com balanced and stage 11 head. 15” minilites, carbon ﬁbre dash, moto lita, superb driving car in super condition. Nice engine bay, superb shell, fast and fun £13,795.00

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

1952 MG TD, Black, red leather interior, tan hood, tonneau and hood cover. A superb MG TD original spec . Restored in the 1990s and still superb , massive history ﬁle , drives superbly ,panel ﬁt is excellent, one of the nicest TDs we have had in a long time. well sorted and maintained car, has been used reguarly so lovely patina looks and feels like a 10 yearold well maintained car. Original R/H/D car, was exported and returned to uk before being completly restored. If being very picky has a slight 3rd synchro lag, Super car £22,995

1964 MGB Roadster Pull door handle car, Iris blue, black /white trim. Excellent restored car done a while ago in the 90s but still excellent and one of the 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, original steering wheel. Fitted with better 5 brg engine, original banjo axle. A superb older restoration and ready to enjoy with no work required £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, New clutch and slave cylinder, new boot stays, in fact all the usual RV8 foibles all sorted out. Excellent example. £22,995.00

1957 MGA 1500, Iris blue, Black trim, walnut dash, chrome wire wheels, immaculate restored car, painted underneath, everything is new or reconditioned, lovely panel gaps, a superb car and ready to use, would cost double asking price to restore. £32,995

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 In car. good condition, built 1961. On the please (available evenings & 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 Walker January 21.indd 1 motor inBarry Switzerland) The power of the 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

A NEW NAME FOR MG MECCA CAR SALES

Unit 1, Roudham Trading Estate, Roudham Rd, East Harling, Norwich, Norfolk, NR16 2TW

www.moderngarageclassics.co.uk Tel: 01953 717100 07/12/2020 14:12

JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 93

MARTIN MARTIN SMITH SMITH

www.martinsmithmgspares.co.uk

The MG specialists for MGF-MGTF-MG3-MG6

MARTIN SMITH Quality new and used spares. Car trimmers/upholstery. MG car sales and MG repair service

Tel: 07722 175473 Units 1&2, Westlane Farm, Westlane, East Lydford, Somerset TA11 7HD Email: smudgemg@yahoo.co.uk !"#$%&'()*+)&),#-.%$/)#0#/$)&-/$/)#1-/#-2$/#34#5$+/)

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dG$+)$#2*)*&#...FM(+//5>G+))*>)F>-F(I 1-/#A-/$#@$&+*G)#+%@#?*>&(/$),#-/#>+GG#J-'%#[$%&-%#-%#4``84#^4^4^<F

94 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

2016

TRADE MEMBER

MIKE ROLLS SERVICES FOR MGs Specialising in all MG’s

TEL/FAX: 01258 820337

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

Old English White, with red trim. Originally a North American Export. Brought back into the UK in the late eighties and given a ‘Nut & Bolt’ restoration to concourse condition. Restored to RHD spec. A stunning example and one of the best MGA Roadsters we have owned.

£36,995

1956 MGA 1500 In Signal Red. Restored in the late 2000’s by MG specialist Simon Robinson, and religiously

MGB ROADSTER - 1969 Finished in British Racing Green, the car was re-shelled using a trim and black carpets. Kenlowe Heritage shell back 1997 with a fan, period radio, chrome wire heritage certiﬁcate, it was sold wheels, full weather equipment, originally by university motors new starter motor, alternatorB32 - MIKE Units 9/10new. Fifehead Business Park, ManorROLLS Farm, Fifehead Magdalen, near Gillingham, Dorset SP8Page 5RR 1 ROLLS SERVICES_MIKE SERVICES 13/12/2012 09:50 from E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com • www.mikerolls.co.uk conversion. Recent full body We re-commissioned it in 2017 Mail Order “Friendly Quality Service” respray & detailing by ourselves. and it comes with Chrome painted B32 - MIKEwire ROLLS SERVICES_MIKE ROLLS 13/12/2012 09:50 wheels, Overdrive, Stainless steel SERVICES Tourist Trophy exhaust system, 123Page 1 £34,995 Ignition, Black leather seats, Woodrim Motolita steering wheel, detailed engine bay, and painted underside. This is a beautiful rust free car in excellent condition and drives extremely well. £17.995. serviced every year after. Red

CM02.13/B32/d

1956 MGA ROADSTER

MG MIDGET, 1973 Round wheel arch in racing green. High spec hillclimb/sprint/track car built on a Heritage shell in 2004 by Oselli. Fitted with with full race 1380 engine with weber, Maniflow straight through exhaust, 4 Speed dog engagement straight cut gearbox, Quaife 4.2 diff with Quaife LSD, 4 Pot calipers, plumbed in Fire extinguisher, Alloy radiator, lightweight battery, 2 x set wheels with tyres ( Road and Track) , Drivers harness, Works style hardtop, Frontline roll cage and Soft top with frame. Engine was built and fully balanced by CCK Historic in 2017 with Omega forged pistons, Swiftune camshaft, Ported and polished 11 stud head and weber and exhaust as above, lowered and stiffened suspension, polybushed, negative front camber, Panhard rod, Lightened flywheel, Uprated rear leaf springs .7.5 Helix clutch, Peter May halfshafts etc the list goes on. Spec sheet upon request. This is a stunning well sorted Midget in excellent condition having had a large amount of money spent with good history/ invoice file. £18.995.

MIKE ROLLS SERVICES FOR MGs Specialising in all MG’s MIKE ROLLS TEL/FAX: 01258 820337 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am-6pm, Wed: 8am-5pm, Sat: 8am-1pm 2016

AUSTIN HEALEY FROGEYE -2016 1960 Finished in in Cherry Red with in all MG’s TRADE MEMBER Silver strips. The carSpecialising comes with TEL/FAX: a Healey hardtop and a Soft top 01258 820337 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am-6pm, Wed: 8am-5pm, Sat: 8am-1pm with frame, Fibre glass front 1275 cc engine with single 1 3/4 SU, Maniﬂow exhaust system, recently Please check this proof carefully for errors in style, re-conditioned ribbed case gearbox, Although every care is exercised in preparing your servo assisted discs brakes on the front and mini ﬁn responsible drums on theforback. ourselves any The inaccuracies you may car was restored in 2007 and has an excellent solid body with a few minor SHOULD YOU REQUIRE ANY ALTERATIONS TO paint blemishes, its a superb car to drive. £14,995 TRADE MEMBER

1968 MGC ROADSTER

5 Speed gearbox, Power steering, Custom Metallic Blue paint, Beige trim with blue carpets. Blue Everflex Hood, Wood trim dash with a Mota Lita steering wheel. The car was rebuilt in 1993 with many upgradesNot for the purists, but beautifully detailed and a lot of fun! The car has just come in and it is awaiting preparation. Please call for more details.

White with Black Interior piped White, Black Mohair Hood, Still retains its ‘original’ registration number ‘OOB 21G’ Stainless Sports Exhaust, Spax Shocks Conversion – front and rear. Painted Wire Wheels, Superb history going back over many years Invoices, photographs, Original Sales Brochure etc.Please call to arrange inspection or to discuss further.

£23,995

£24,995

For full stocklist please see our website

Upton Fields Garage, Upton Road, Southwell, Notts. NG25 0QB. www.sherwoodrestorations.co.uk sales@sherwoodrestorations.co.uk or call us on 01636 812655

SERVICES FOR MGs

URGENT PR

TELEPHONE BEFORE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AND QUOTE

MGB GT - 1967 Finished in black with painted wire wheels and Michelin XAS Tyres, it comes with an impressive spec of a 1950 fast road engine, Weber, We reserve the right to charge for any alterat 3 branch big bore manifold with is a departure from the origin stainless steel exhaust to match, 123 Ignition, twin coils and fuel pumps, 5 speed gearbox, Ridgard RS9 seats with Willans harnesses’s, and Motolita wood rim steering wheel. This car has been built for Rally, Fast road, Track day use, it has a very sound body and excellent paint, it drives like a proper sports car with loads of torque, it has a Heritage certiﬁcate, good history ﬁle and is Tax and MOT exempt. £15,995 Units 9/10 Fifehead Business Park, Manor Farm, Fifehead Magdalen, near Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5RR

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

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

www.mgcc.co.uk

CM02.13/B32/dCM02.13/B32/d

1971 MGB V8 ROADSTER.

E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com • www.mikerolls.co.uk JANUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 95 Mail Order “Friendly Quality Service”

Insurance for all MG’s classic and modern

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

DONHOODS-SFAug07.QXD:Layout 1

23/9/09 16:22 Page 1 (Northwood, Middlesex)

DON HOODS UNBEATABLE QUALITY – UNBEATABLE VALUE! DIRECT FROM THE MAKERS – WITH OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Choice of heavy duty PVC, ICI Vynide, Everflex, Duc k and Mohair

•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

AL MAKES & L incl: MG, MODELS Tr Escort, Giumph, olf etc.

mingham B23 Hampton Road, Bir

00 Tel: 01202 7422

CARPET SETS FOR MOST

MODELS

www.donhoods.com

STEVE McKIE SPORTSCARS CHESTERFIELD

•

DERBYSHIRE

Specialists in the repair and restoration of MG cars Suppliers of parts for • MGA • MGB • MGC • Midget • T Type • MGF/TF

www.stevemckiesportscars.co.uk Tel 01246 454527 • Fax 01246 453681 Albert Street North, Chesterfield, S41 8NP

MGB hardtop

In black off 1972 car. Fair condition. £230.00 ono; buyer collects or pays for carriage. Contact Jim on 07860 256554 (Kidderminster)

Post 67 Midget Spares:

Brand new tonneau (CHA119 - RHD Black - no head rests). Also v.g.c. black hood cover (probably CHA 93) with undamaged but very faded grey storage bag. Decent offers please, preferably for the lot. Contact Nigel on 0151 327 6776 or Email: ncwpratten@btinternet.com.

MG TC TD TF parts

XPAW block and head both on standard - offers LHD TD TF steering rack, good condition £120 +pp Clutch housing,good condition, no repairs £90 +pp Tel 01507 600391 (Lincolnshire)

MG TC Spare Parts

13 Tel: 0121 373 13FICE OF SOUTHERN SALES

How to Advertise

Members can advertise their spares free of charge for items less than £250 in Safety Fast! The cost for spares more than £250 is £20. The advert will also be posted on the Club website. To place an advert in Safety Fast! please email colingrant@mgcc.co.uk 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 Grant

Lucas 462 Fog Lamp, this is a totally original, not reproduction lamp still in a very nice unrestored condition. It has a small dent that will probably push out, the chrome is good for its age. Tested on battery still works after over 50 years in dry storage £125 Lucas Altette horn came off same car as fog lamp, totally original original and unrestored. Tested on battery, works fine. Again over 50 years in storage, £85. TC gear box rubber cover. Bought from Moss but never used, £125 TC map lamp cover made by Lucas original item in as new condition, £25 TC Distributor base plate, new old stock item still in its original Lucas box. Part no: 400001. £30 TC drivers side bonnet locks with handles. original items, totally unrestored, been in dry storage over 50 years. £50 the pair Any of the above can be collected or plus postage. Contact Phil on 01792 587337 or 07974 760536

MGB

MGB/GT/Midget Brochure 1978. £20 Pair HS Carbs plus linkages. £50 Early inlet manifold with breather valve £10 Pair air filters, curved spouts £20 23/06/2010 13:46 Pair KN datinless filters £15 Pair HIF Carbs plus links (need floats) £20 Early rev counter (+VE) £20 Earlt speedo (1040) £20 Late radiator (Newish) £40 Rubbers Bumpers £25 Contact: Martin on 01344 424258 (Berks)

FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

Steve McKie Sports Cars Hi-Res.indd 1

THE MARQUE OF FRIENDSHIP

PLEASE CALL NICK ON 01452 730770

THE CLUB

August 2019 Volume 63 Number 08 £3.95

Call for a quote today

01376 574000

www.classiccarinsurance.co.uk MIDGET Mark IV

Many parts available including: engine, two gearboxes, body front end, frame for folding hood, two windscreens, front and rear bumpers. Please ring for further details on 01227 637813. MGB PULL HANDLE BOOTLID with built in rubber seal. Fairly decent condition. £30 ono. Also dash panel. Please ring 01227 637813. TD/TF Right hand drive pedal box. Good condition. £30 ono. Please ring 01227 637813.

YB WORKSHOP MANUAL

and ILLUSTRATED PARTS LIST. An indispensable aid to any major work. Most mechanical parts common to the TD/TF. Parts list has gatefold exploded views of each system on the car. Some oily finger prints but otherwise in good condition. £30 ono. Please ring 01227 637813.

Give Aways

In my collection of goodies in my garage, I have the following 2 items to give away. 1. Exhaust manifold with MG embossed on it. 2. Suspension/shock absorbers - no idea what for. Anybody interested. Please phone Charles for more details 0784 309 4484

SPARES WANTED Wanted MGTD, TF, TC

Bluemetals or motor light steering wheel, chrome wire wheels. Badges/ Books/Radio Aerial/Radio or any other nice extras. Good price paid. Day number 01603 720328 Evening number 01603722336

Wanted MG Midget Engine

1275cc. Condition un-important but must be capable of running. Can collect anywhere in UK. Call Nic on 0776 876 6315 or email: nic@houslip.co.uk

MGC

Wanted

Brake Disc Shields. Please ring John on 07710 808084

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

Please note that the Advertising deadline is January 10th for the February issue of Safety Fast!

CAR LT D

ABINGDON-ON-THAMES FO U N D E D 193 0

THE BATTLE OF THE BABIES ● CLUNKING AND CREAKING ● JEKYLL AND HYDE Safety Fast_Cover August2019.indd 1 25/07/2019 09:09

96 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

Insurance for all MG’s classic and modern

ar 01308 B 01376 574000email b 868884 ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ Call for a quote today

www.classiccarinsurance.co.uk

I’ve decided to create space for the work tha WE ARE OPEN AND NOW IS THE TIME TO HAVE ALL YOUR WORK CARR

arter rie C01308 r a B and Alan Bartlett

C aarrtter e i r r 07885 C e i a 07885 r r er BBa 07885 01308 ype’ - ‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ -‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’-768830 868884 ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ 768830 868884 ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ r - ‘T-type’ art - ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ 768830 ie C‘X-pag’ and Alan Bartlett and Alan Bartlett email barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk email barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk

mail barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk

07885 01308 868884 ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ 768830 B ar

Triumph TR6 150HP Totally rebuilt from a dry state car into this fabulous RHD TR6. It was professional body off rebuild to the

MGB Roadster 1977. Terrific chrome bumper

highest of standards, everything new or reconditioned. Superb a leading MG company, owned and cherished ork that’s coming through our doors, MG’s, Race cars, Classics of all types. body, chassis and all matching leather interior, new carbs, rebuilt as many sensible upgrades as you could wish I’ve decided to create space for the work that’s coming through our doors, MG’s, Race cars, Classics ofallall types. O.D. box, wood rimed wheel, unused weather equipment, all leather interior, new wings, lovely undernea and Alan Bartlett K CARRIED OUT, SO THESE SALE CARSI’ve AREdecided AT, OR WELL BELOWspace THEIR COST TO ME. I’m very dealable! MiniliteClassics rep wheels, and soof much more. Less than 500 miles wheels, oh and 45 DCEO. This car pulls like a to create for the work that’s coming through our doors, MG’s, Race cars, all types. WE ARE OPEN AND NOW IS THE TIME TO HAVE ALL YOUR WORK CARRIED OUT, SO THESE SALE CARS ARE AT, OR WELL BELOW COST TO ME. I’mratevery since THEIR it was rebuilt and its gorgeous. This must as one ofdealable! ultimate long distance classic MB. To coin an email barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk the bestTHEIR TR6s about, much more toME. tell if you ring. £21,500 Belter I love it. wheels, and so much more. £1 WE ARE OPEN AND NOW IS THE TIME TO HAVE ALL YOUR WORKTCCARRIED OUT, SO THESE SALE CARS ARE AT, OR WELL BELOW COST TO I’m very dealable! Racer Although there has been

much interest in my ex-championship XPAG engine professionally TC Racer Although there has been Lada Niva.ex-championship The forgotten 4 TC well Racer Although has been much interest in my ex-championship and known T.C. race there car, I don’t much interest in my TC Racer Although there has been wheelT.C. drive miracle the rebuilt by another company and want the part xs offered. is already and well known race car, I ofdon’t and well known T.C. Itrace car, I don’t want the part xs offered. It is already much interest inStill mymade ex-championship 80s. and sold very cheap and has so many rare want the part xs offered. Itcar, is already and well known T.C. race Itodon’t veryexpensive cheap and has so many parts I’m not giving it cars, Classics of all types. inspected, 020”pistons, regroundto create space for the work all over Europe. Butrare find and parts I’m not giving itrare and expensive I’ve decided that’s coming through our doors, MG’s, Race very cheap and has so many want the part xs offered. It is already a RHD oneI’m is so now away. Derrington inlet and ex.and ex. manifolds, 13/4 50s vented brakes, away.L.S.D. L.S.D. Derrington inlet and notrare giving crank, unleaded run. veryexpensive cheap andparts has so many rare it with cossack 13/4 50s vented WE ARE OPENhead AND etc. NOWAll ISun THE TIME TO HAVE ALL YOUR WORKmanifolds, CARRIED OUT, SObrakes, THESE SALE CARS14ARE AT,Avon OR WELL very dealable! away. L.S.D.especially Derrington and ex.it trampbars, telescopics, alloy panels, 72 spoke wheels, 22R. To BELOW THEIR COST TO ME. I’m and expensive partsand I’mtoinlet not giving wheels, findbrakes, one trampbars, telescopics, alloy panels, Built for TD but we can change the manifolds, 13/4 50s vented away. L.S.D. Derrington inlet and ex. that has never been welded build this 72 spoke 14would wheels,cost Avon 50k 22R.but To it’s a proven car. It can be sold as a rolling trampbars, telescopics, alloythem panels, manifolds, 13/4 50s vented brakes, rarer still. Ihas used in build this would cost 50k but a engine, or with a less modified engine or TC Racer Although there been mounting plate for any me bumper car converted by Triumph chassis all complete butit’s less 72 spoke 14telescopics, wheels, Avon 22R. To TR6 150HP Totally rebuilt fromTa Type. dry state£3250. car into this trampbars, alloy panels,

proven car. It can be sold as a rolling MGB Roadster 1977. Terrific chrome chassis bumperall carcomplete converted whatever combination wish. It’s very cheap and will give you lots of butbylessyou engine, a leading MG company, cherished 9 years withengine MGB Roadster 1977.owned Terrificand chrome bumper car converted by or or withroad afor less modified fun, or competition. Ring Ford Y Type for special fitted with MG 1935 as amany sensible upgrades as you could wish for, leading MG company, owned and whatever cherished forsuspension, 9 years with combination you wish.period It’s Ford P or JY Body. Built for hillfitted climbwith sprints 1935 Type for special MG all as leather interior, new wings, lovely underneath, Minilite rep many sensible upgrades as you could wish for, very cheap andsuspension, will give you lots ofthe 50s/60s a family owned. Running driving P or J Body. Built for hill climb sprints wheels, oh and 45 DCEO. This carlovely pulls likeroad a train and is the all leather interior, new wings, underneath, Minilite rep Ring inperiod fun, or competition. 1935 8 Tourer 2owned. owners, the last great fun.a family The Body is probably worth in thevintage 50s/60s Running driving ultimate distance classic MB. coinlike an old phrase, it’sthe a Morris wheels,long oh and 45 DCEO. This carTopulls a train and is Belter I lovelong it. wheels, so much more. greatthan vintage fun. £5,250 The Body is probably worth more the car. ultimate distanceand classic MB. To coin£11,250 an old phrase, it’s a forRevival 28 years. Gorgeously J40 one Although has Belter I love it. wheels, and so much more. £11,250 more than the car. £5,250restored, little been put on hold, it will be T Type rebuilds from chassis up . Lada Niva. The forgotten 4 Extremely rare 4WD switchable 1990 Subaru Y Type for special fitted with MG runs backused, and so will the 1935 race Ford excellent paintwork, leather interior, wheel drive miracle of the 4 Justy, 34000 miles and in lovely condition inside and period Lada Niva. The forgotten for young G.P. hopefuls in P or J Body. Built for hill climb sprints Engine rebuilds to any specifi cation. 1 Doctor 80s. Still drive mademiracle and Rover sold out. These out perform pandas, 205s, even MX5s. in thestereo, 50s/60s ano family owned. Running driving wheel of theMetro 1.1 1990 only 2 owners 1 Lady, the lovely J40 pedalNo cars, perfectly. SatBody Nav £11,995. and 21000 miles, full history and as new and fabulous all insurance. over Still Europe. to sold find Quick, Quirky and superior, Cheap Tax and great vintage fun. The is probably worth 80s. madeBut and here is one. It has a S.U. £2,250 Rebuilds. Special exhaust starter car. £2,500 a RHD oneEurope. is so rare now all over But to find Mot’d. more fully prepared painted bodythan the car. £6,550 especially withis cossack a RHD one so rare now and most parts, missing manifolds, and anything T type. wheels, and to findcossack oneXPAG engine professionally rebuilt especially with lights, bybumpers & seat T Type rebuilds from chassis Engine FORGET YOUR SHEPHARDS HUTS! up.TR6. This fabulous thatwheels, has never and been to findwelded one covers, all available from This superb showmans living van We have been rebuilding T types TR6 was build another company and inspected, 020”pistons, rebuilds to any specification. DURING THE ENFORCED rarer used them thatstill. hasI never been in welded the Vintage Pedal Car RHD using a sound came from a showmans family and and MGA s BsHOLIDAY, and derivatives therarer 80s still. and the constant I used them in reground crank, unleaded head etc.Company. All un An easy, cheap unrotten US donor. is absolutely Special fabulous. The interior manifolds, S.U. Rebuilds. exhaust and GARDENING n No. You’ve still about as far as we the 80s andgot theaconstant 2 speed 4WD lot of entry to Revival and your and exterior have been decorated It was built as a over 50 years. Many spares. run. the G.P. driver can as only a trueanything the saloon, around 60,000 miles, for 2 speed 4WD got ain lotflash of Built for TD but we can change T van type. body off new or embarrassed drivers protégée WE ARE STILL Romany living Locust (Lotus 7 type)ABLE Kit Car. With 24wd gearboxes, Subaru Justy Van No. You’ve still about as far as we reconditioned. It is and with a superb interior. It drives embarrassed drivers in flash help you build it, all ready out of trouble.They are could be. The ceiling is insulated mounting plate for any T saloon, Type. £3250 Collection anywhere in Europe. Anandcage, pinto rolling chassis, all bodywork, immaculate. have been rebuilding T types and MGA O.D. Subaru Justy You’ve stillnext about as miles, far as weWeand It’s just likeVan theNo. around 60,000 as a switchable 4wd system. I like TOengine, DELIVER 4wdfullout ofterrific trouble.They for years Goodwood quilted cloth, and the double rugged off and are know. Locust (Lotus 7comfortable. type) Kit Car. With 2 box, gearboxes, new carbs, simpleyou completion for on garage It’s just likeand the saloon, around 60,000It miles, in know. lovelyremoved condition a superb interior. drivess Bsbed wife.... fun £2,650 is supremely It has rugged andfar terrific off and romp. £1,950 on road£2,250 cars, superior to engines, XPAGs inwith exchange for oldshould fashioned company withretiree old trust us ourbound and derivatives for over 50 years. Many Locust (Lotus 7 type) Kit Car. With 2 gearboxes, mini lite reps, it’s pintobuilt engine, rolling chassis, all bodywork, full cage, lovely with a superb drives been with vintage wheels and MX5condition and has and a switchable 4wd interior. system.ItI like on road superior to likein an piddlycars, littlefarPandas. just magnificent descriptions as most values. people do, these upgradedodd units. Running condition pinto rolling all bodywork, full cage, new tyresengine, and has anfor ‘A’chassis, frame tobound simple completion garage retiree £2,250 likeballs, an MX5 andwife.... hasbut a switchable spares. Collection anywhere in Europe. An old fashioned ask my fun £2,6504wd system. I like little Pandas. Buythese rare,piddly buy fun £5,750 having £2,250 covered enable it tocompletion be towed on road, bound retiree simple forthe garage we can still deliver in the UK odd balls, ask my wife.... Buy rare, buy fun £5,750 unknown, £1950 each.fun £2,650

d cherished for 9 years with could wish for, suspension, ly underneath, Minilite rep pulls like a train and is the To coin an old phrase, it’s a h more. £11,250

fabulous RHD TR6.150HP wasTotally professional body the 1935 Ford YIt Type for rebuilt special fitted with MG Triumph TR6 from aoffdryrebuild state to into this 2, XPAGs removed incar highest of standards, newfor or reconditioned. Superb fabulous RHD TR6. Itengines, was professional body off rebuild to the period P or J everything Body. Built hill climb sprints body, and all matching leather new carbs, rebuilt highest of50s/60s standards, newinterior, or Running reconditioned. Superb inchassis the a everything family owned. driving exchange for upgraded units. O.D.body, box, wood rimed wheel, all unused weather equipment, chassis and fun. all matching leather interior, newworth carbs, rebuilt great vintage The Body isLess probably Minilite rep and so muchallmore. than 500 miles O.D. box,wheels, woodthe rimed wheel, weather equipment, Running but condition unknown, more than £5,250unused since it wasrep rebuilt andcar. its gorgeous. This must onemiles of Minilite wheels, and so much more. Less rate thanas 500 the since best TR6s more to tell ifThis youmust ring. rate £21,500 £1950 each. it wasabout, rebuiltmuch and its gorgeous. as one of the best TR6s about, much more to tell if you ring. £21,500

barriecartermg.com www.barriecartermg.com www.barriecartermg.com and Europe. We have plenty of work, but can always cope with more. MGs and all classics.

only avalues. few hundred fashioned with this vancompany has been built withold carefashioned and historical skills now largely forgotten. It is ready to use, show,

miles, in the hands of an octogenarian

owner. The best B&B. Unrepeatable, and MG XPAG TC. TD. TF. engine all running andAir complete aswillremoved from I’ve seen. £27,995 car £2,500 always make you smile. £11,995

and the constant much interest inthe my80s ex-championship build this would cost car, 50k but a 14 wheels, Avon 22R. and 72 wellspoke known race4WD I don’t 2T.C. speed got a it’s lotTo of proven car.xs Itoffered. cancost be Itsold as rolling build this would 50k butait’s want the part is drivers already embarrassed in aflash all complete less verychassis cheap and has so many rare proven car. It can be sold as aengine, rolling 4wd out ofbut trouble.They are with a less modified engine or andor expensive parts I’m not giving it chassis all rugged complete less off engine, andbut terrific and away. inletyou andwish. ex.orIt’sto whatever combination or L.S.D. with aDerrington less modified engine on road cars, far superior manifolds, 13/4 50s will vented brakes, very cheap and giveyou youwish. lots It’s of whatever combination these piddly little Pandas. trampbars, telescopics, alloy panels, fun, orBuy competition. Ring veryroad cheap and will give you lots of rare, buy fun £5,750 72 spoke 14 wheels, Avon 22R. To or cost competition. Ring buildfun, thisroad would 50k but it’s a proven car. It can be sold as a rolling J40 Although Revival has chassis all complete but less engine, been putengine on hold, be J40 Although Revival has or with a less modified or it will back sowish. will racebe been and put on hold,the it will whatever combination you It’s G.P. hopefuls in very cheap andfor willyoung give lots of race back andyou so will the fun, road or competition. Ring the lovely J40 pedal cars, for young G.P. hopefuls in

Subaru Justy Van No. You’v know. It’s just like the saloon in lovely condition and with a like an MX5 and has a switch odd balls, ask my wife.... fun

www.bar

and here isJ40 one.pedal It hascars, a the lovely fully prepared painted and here is one. It has body a

J40 Although Revival has body and most parts, missing fully prepared painted been put on hold, it will be lights, bumpers seat andand most parts, back so will the&missing race all available from lights, & seat forcovers, young bumpers G.P. hopefuls in covers, all available Vintage Pedal cars, Carfrom thethe lovely J40 pedal the Vintage Company. AnPedal cheap and here is one. Iteasy, hasCar a fully prepared Company. Anpainted easy, entry to Revival andcheap your body andtomost entry Revival and can your protégée G.P.parts, driver missing lights, bumpers protégée G.P. driver can help you build it, all ready & sea covers, all available helpnext youyears buildGoodwood it, all ready for from the Vintage Pedal Car for next years romp. £1,950 Company. An easy,Goodwood cheap romp. £1,950and your entry to Revival protégée G.P. driver can help you build it, all ready for next years Goodwood romp. £2,750

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JANUARY 2021 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 2021

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 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 President: Vice Presidents: John Day Ron Gammons, Peter Best, Ian Quarrington Chairman: Vice Presidents: Bill Silcock. Ron Gammons, Don Hayter, Peter Best, Bill Silcock. Vice Chairman: Keith Williams Chairman: Dave Tynan Treasurer: Richard Colston Vice Chairman: George Wilder Directors: Dave Saunders, Peter Cook, Lorraine Noble

or this month’s Looking Back page we thought we’d feature people enjoying themselves at MG Car Club events. Hopefully this year we’ll all be able to get Out and About together in our MGs. The above photo was taken by Ron Embling, who owned the J2 in the background, and shows Dave Raymond, Bernie Stelman, Bill Wilson and Count Jonny Lurani watching Norman Ewing putting the finishing touches to an Uncle Sam hat for the MG. The photo below features Black Country members enjoying themselves on a Welsh Rallye and the popular fancy dress dinner, I’m sure someone can let us know the year.

98 SAFETY FAST! JANUARY 2021

Treasurer: Colin Thompson, Richard Withers, Colston George Wilder and Dave Tynan

The final photo shows the prestigious California Cup being awarded to three dapper gentlemen, all with big grins and rightly so. The California Cup InterCentre Challenge Trophy has been hotly competed for in the Club’s highest-profile autotest since 1959.

Directors: Secretary: Company Dave Saunders, ColinPeter Grant Opie and Peter Cook Staff Members: Company Secretary: Adam Sloman Colin Grant (General Manager 01235 849732), Andy (01235Adam 849730), Lauran Gallacher (Assistant General Staff Knott Members: Sloman (General Manager 01235 849732), Manager 01235(Competitions 849735), Liz Allsworth Secretary John Hutchison Secretary(Membership 01235 849738), 01235 849734), Mark Baulch (Motorsport 07554 160840), Andy Knott (01235 849730), Lauran Gallacher (Assistant General Colin Grant (01235 849733), Cherina(Membership Scarrott (Finance Officer Manager 01235 849735), Liz Allsworth Secretary 01235 849736),Colin InekeGrant Sherman (Merchandise 01235 849737) 01235 849734), (01235 849733), Jade Beckett and Gemma Bray Cherina (Communications Administrator) (01233 849731), Scarrott (Finance Officer 01235 849736) and Ineke Sherman 01235 849737) Honorary Members: Michael(Merchandise Allison, Ron Gammons, Peter Best, John Quenby, Paddy Hopkirk, Norman Rob Oldaker, Honorary Members: Michael Allison,Ewing, Ron Gammons, Peter Best, Steve Hanegan, McGovern, AnnMoss, Hawke, JohnHopkirk, Dutton, Don Hayter, JohnGerry Quenby, Sir Stirling Paddy John Day,Ewing, Julian Piers White,Hubbard, Bill Silcock. Norman Rob Oldaker, Steve Hanegan, Gerry McGovern, June Wallis, Ann Hawke, John Dutton, John Day, Company by guarantee Julian White,limited Bill Silcock. The Club, as a corporate body established as the MG Car Club Limited, is a company limited by guarantee. Every member of the Company limited by guarantee Club undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Club in the The a corporate established as the MG Clubone eventClub, of itsasbeing woundbody up while he is a member, or Car within Limited, is a company limited by guarantee. Every member of the year after he ceases to be a member, for payment of the debts Club undertakes to contribute to the before assets of Clubtoinbethea and liabilities of the Club contracted hethe ceases event of its woundcharges up while is a member, or within member, andbeing the costs, andheexpenses of winding up, one year after ceases to be a member, payment of theamong debts and for theheadjustment of the rights offorthe contributors and liabilitiessuch of the Club contracted before henot ceases to be a themselves, amount as may be required, exceeding member, and the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, one pound. and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributors among Whilst every effort has beenasmade the not accuracy of themselves, such amount may to beensure required, exceeding information one pound. at the time of going to press, neither The Publisher (herein referred to as Hine Marketing), the Editor, nor the MG Whilst every made to ensure accuracy to of any Car Club caneffort accepthas anybeen responsibility or lossthe occasioned information time of going to press, Publisher person actingatortherefraining from action as neither a resultThe of any material (herein referred to The as Hine Marketing), the are Editor, norown theand MGHine in the publication. opinions of authors their Car Club can lossare occasioned toto any Marketing, theaccept Editorany andresponsibility the MG Car or Club not bound agree person acting or refraining from Reproduction action as a result of anyormaterial with opinions expressed herein. in whole in part in the publication. The opinions of authors are their own and Hine without written permission is prohibited. Safety Fast! and The MG Marketing, the Editor and the MG Car Club are not bound to in agree Car Club badge are protected through trademark registration with opinions Reproduction in whole in part the UK and in expressed the foreignherein. countries where Safety Fast! or circulates. without permission is prohibited. Safety Fast! andorThe MG Readers written are warned that if they attempt any mechanical other Car Club badge protected through trademark registration modifications or are methods referred to herein, they do so at theirinown the in the foreign countries Safety risk UK andand no liability will attach to thewhere MG Car Club,Fast! the circulates. Editor nor Readers are warned thatshall if they mechanical other Hine Marketing. Neither theattempt MG Carany Club, the Editorornor Hine modifications or methods referred to herein, they do so at their own Marketing have any responsibility for the accuracy of the content of risk and no liability will attach to the MG Car Club, the Editor nor the editorial, neither the content of any advertisement published in Hine Marketing. Neither shall the MG Car Club, the Editor nor Hine Safety Fast! Marketing have any responsibility for the accuracy of the content of Ittheshould be noted that Hine the Editor, nor the MG editorial, neither theneither content of Marketing, any advertisement published in Car Club make any recommendation in respect of any goods and/ Safety Fast! or services advertised or featured in this issue. It is the responsibility Itofshould neither Hine theservices Editor, offered nor the or MG readersbetonoted satisfythat themselves that Marketing, the goods or Car Clubtomake any recommendation in respect any goods and/ referred are bona fide and in no instance shallofHine Marketing, or advertised or featured thisresponsible issue. It is for thethe responsibility theservices Editor or the MG Car Club be in held quality or of readersof toany satisfy suitability suchthemselves items. that the goods or services offered or referred to are bona fide and in no instance shall Hine Marketing, the Editor or the MG Car Club be held responsible for the quality or suitability of any such items.

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