Safety Fast! June 2021 by MG Car Club

THE MARQUE OF FRIENDSHIP

June 2021 Volume 66 Number 6 £3.95

THE

CAR

CLUB

LT D

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

FOR THE LOVE OF CARS l A MIDGET INTERVIEW WITH DON HAYTER l BUYING AN MG MIDGET

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR

ISSUE 26

ISSUE 25

MGA

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ISSUE 21

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WELCOME DIARY DATES

SILVERSTONE RACE MEETING The MG Car Club head to Silverstone on June 12-13 for their third race meeting of the season, for more details please visit www.mgcc.co.uk/ motorsport/

s we head into the summer, and supposedly nicer weather in the UK, it’s wonderful to see the events calendar filling up as we move forward after a very difficult 18 months for many people. I do hope wherever you are in the world, you’re safe and well. You may have picked up in the Looking Back page last month that this issue is dedicated to the iconic MG Midget. The press photos of the first 1960s MG Midget that I’ve come across in the archive at Kimber House were embargoed until June 30 1961, making the first of those MG Midgets 60 years young this month. Although I have never had the privilege of owning one of these iconic 1960s sports cars, I’ve been fortunate enough to drive a number of variants over the years. From a lovely original 948cc MkI to a bonkers Frontline Developments-built MkIII with a K series VVC engine making upwards of 145bhp, which was very rapid and revvy! One of my most memorable journeys in a Midget was back in 2010, when some colleagues and I set off from Abingdon, in the then Star Car, which was a Blaze MkIII 1275cc Midget, on a warm August day with the top down, but well wrapped up. We headed north on a 200-mile journey to attend the popular Yorkshire Centre Event held at Sledmere House, which was a brilliant event and we were made very welcome. Although the journey there was uneventful, the little Midget performed impeccably, and with several stops on the way up to give the Midget and myself a rest, I always got out feeling more refreshed than I do in many modern cars. As we headed into Yorkshire and wound our way east on the smaller, quieter roads, the Midget really came alive. With its great handling and peppy little A series, I always had a smile on my face, which is what driving these wonderful little sports cars should be about. Within this issue the Midget Register President Dennis Wharf explains why he’s been a big advocate of the MG Midget, having one in his life for 50 years. We’ve also got an article from 19-year-old Jake Wootton who, whilst furloughed last year, restored an MG Midget 1500 as a project, and what a wonderful job he’s done with it. As you can see, the Midget appeals to all, and if you fancy owning one yourself, starting on page 63 is a useful guide on what to look for to set you on the right track. I hope you enjoy this Midget special. Until next month, drive safely. Andy Knott Membership Type

This popular event returns to Silverstone on July 30 – August 1 2021. Book tickets at www.silverstoneclassic.com using the MGCC car package discount code 2020CCD075

THE TRIUMPH AND MG WEEKEND Join us on August 13-15 for a weekend of everything MG and Triumph in the stunning venue of the Three Counties Showground located at the foot of the Malvern Hills. www.triumphandmgweekend.com

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

www.mgcc.co.uk

SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

Save the date for the largest classic car show in the UK, November 12-14. Held at the NEC in Birmingham, it’s always a popular show. Details available from www.necclassicmotorshow.com With the everchanging situation, please visit the relevant website for the latest details.

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 3

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www.mgcc.co.uk 4 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021 2021 FEBRUARY

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

INSIDE REGULARS

7 Club Matters and Kimber House News 8 News 10 Postbag 12 Young Members Branch 14 Cherished News 71 Race Torque 72 MGs on Track 73 MGCC Speed Championship 75 Centre Updates 84 Register Updates 92 Classifieds 98 Looking Back

NEWSLETTERS

47 Triple M Newsletter 53 Y Type Newsletter 58 ZRZSZT Newsletter

FEATURES 16 TRIUMPH AND MG WEEKEND 2021

Jake Wootton’s 1976 MG Midget pictured outside his garage after an extensive restoration. Photo: Jake Wootton

Exciting new event marks historic collaboration between Triumph clubs, TR Register and TSSC, and the MG Car Club to create the Triumph and MG Weekend

19 ONCE AGAIN – AN MG MIDGET Launched in 1961, this article announced the news of the exciting new MG Midget, and was originally printed in the July 1961 issue of Safety Fast!

22 FOR THE LOVE OF CARS

The story of 19-year-old Jake Wootton and the restoration of his 1976 MG Midget

31 A MIDGET INTERVIEW WITH DON HAYTER Graham Springthorpe and Dennis Wharf interviewed the great Don Hayter on the 40th Anniversary of the MG Midget

40 FIFTY YEARS ON, WHY STILL DRIVE A MIDGET? The story of the Midget Register’s president Dennis Wharf, and his 50 years of Midget ownership

63 BUYING AN MG MIDGET Hints and tips on buying an MG Midget by Mark T Boldry

66 BRANDS HATCH SPRING OPENER

66 www.mgcc.co.uk

Graham Keilloh reports on the MG Car Club’s 2021 racing season opener

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 5

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CHAIRMANS NEWS the new Directors, who will give a little background to themselves, what they will be bringing to the Club and to the Board. Our first Director is Peter Cook who is also Vice Chairman and looks after our overseas members amongst other things. Hope to see you at an MG event soon! Dave Tynan

PETER COOK – MG CAR CLUB VICE CHAIRMAN AND OVERSEAS DIRECTOR Linda Cook, Hiroshi Tachika and Peter Cook at MG Day in Japan 2018

dam Sloman has decided to leave the MG Car Club Ltd after more than six years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his service to the Club, and wish him all the best for the future. Our CRBs and team at Kimber House are busy organising events throughout the year, so with the government announcing the easing of lockdown measures, it is looking positive for attending MG events later this year. As promised in last month’s chairman’s notes, we will be introducing each of

After leaving school I had a variety of jobs, and not liking any of them attended evening classes in Oxford in order to enter university in my 20s. Having spent six years at Reading University as a student, I subsequently took a two-year temporary lectureship at Reading and then taught in a number of business schools until retiring in 2011. For about 20 years I taught research methods to postgraduate HR students, which is a skill-set of occasional usefulness to the MGCC. The other important skill developed was the ability to stay calm and behave with tact in an otherwise difficult situation, both within and outside the lecture room. I like to think I can still deploy those skills as a director.

With regard to the MGCC, I have owned my factory V8 for just over 40 years and prior to being elected as Overseas Director in 2015 was Chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Centre. My main role since 2015 has been to strengthen the relationships between our overseas affiliated clubs and Kimber House. You may have noticed some of the overseas historical and technical articles which I have supplied to Safety Fast! and to some Registers for their newsletters. My predecessor Paul Plummer and I carried out research into the first MG sold in preparation for our marque centenary year running over 2023-4. Asked at a recent Devon & Cornwall Centre meeting my vision for the future, my off-the-cuff response was: “It’s about giving the Club back to its members”. I want to be part of a single, unified EC, to connect more strongly and openly with CRBs, and to reinforce the ethos of the Club. This will be greatly helped by the ‘Values’ Subcommittee’s proposals which I am a member of and led by Lorraine Noble-Thompson. I am also on the Ms and Arts sub-committee which is proposing to revise some of our rules in the light of recent trends and developments. I am also looking forward to collaborating with other MG clubs in celebrating the centenary of MG and coordinating similarly with our overseas affiliates.

KIMBER HOUSE NEWS Located in our Clubhouse, our archive is a true MG treasure trove. You can find everything from press photos to brochures and memorabilia; each has a story to share. This month, we’re going to take a look at some of the brochures for the MG Midget to celebrate 60 years since the Midget left the production line at Abingdon. The Midget, produced from 1961 until 1979, provided enthusiasts with by far the most amount of enjoyment, for the least amount of money. We have some gems of brochures for the Midget, showcasing the variety of changes for each version released during its lifetime. From the MKI with its sidescreens and stowaway hood to the MKII with wind up windows and the option of wire wheels. The MKIII benefited from a new design of folding hood and the 1500 with large, black plastic-covered bumpers. Throughout its lifetime, the Midget was described by MG as ‘a great British sports car’, ‘the start of something big in your life’, ‘a powerful beast’ and ‘a car that is romantic, exciting, powerful’.

www.mgcc.co.uk

These brochures for the MG Midget and more can all be found in our archive. Hopefully, when restrictions allow, we can once again reopen our archive for you to step back in time in MG’s history.

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 7

NEWS

FBHVC EXCEEDS DRIVE IT DAY TARGETS The FBHVC National Drive-It Day in support of Childline® was a huge success for the historic vehicle community across the UK, both in terms of getting historic vehicles seen on the nation’s roads to raise awareness of our movement but also in raising money to support the vital NSPCC Childline® service. Whether it was small, socially distanced groups or individual journeys, the UK was graced by thousands of enthusiasts collectively hitting the roads to show off our nation’s transport heritage and support a cause that supports many young lives across the UK every day. The FBHVC can announce that the funds raised so far now exceeds £30,000, with Childline® plate sales continuing for postponed or delayed events later in the year. The money was raised mainly through the sale of the official FBHVC Childline® Plates and donations. For more information view www.driveitday.co.uk where a gallery of images from April 25 2021 can be seen. If you missed out on a Childline® plate, or you have delayed your Drive-It Day activities, the FBHVC still have a small number available and, of course, you can still donate via www.driveitday.co.uk. Sales and donations pages will remain open into the summer.

MG5 EV CLEANS UP FOR VALUE IN ELECTRIFYING HONOURS The All New MG5 EV has won a second major honour, having been named as Best Value EV in the inaugural Electrifying.com awards. The all-electric estate car, which has a 214-mile range and is available from just £25,095 on-the-road (including OZEV grant funding) added the award to its trophy cabinet having already been named Best Value EV 2020 in December by WhichEV. The Electrifying.com awards come a year after the launch of the electric car advice and review site and are being given to an electric car, innovation or development which its expert judges believe represents a significant achievement in the field.

8 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

2021 SVW Register AGM Date: Wednesday July 28 2021 Venue: Powder Mills Hotel, Powdermill Lane, Battle, East Sussex. TN33 0SP Time: 6:00pm AGENDA 1. Apologies for Absence 2. Approval of minutes previous AGM held on July 26 2019 3. Matters Arising 4. Chairman’s report 5. Treasurer’s report and adoption of Accounts 6. Secretary’s Report 7. Election of Officers and Committee 8. Any other Business Any nominations for the committee plus any items for discussion in writing please to:Jim Andrew, SVW Register Secretary, 31 Latimer Road, Cropston, Leicestershire, LE7 7GP. jimrhoda@btinternet.com Lincolnshire Centre Annual General Meeting Date: Thursday July 1 2021 Venue: Abbey Lodge, Kirkstead, Woodhall Spa, LN10 6UQ Time: 8.00pm AGENDA 1 Apologies for absence 2 Approval of Minutes from 2020 AGM 3 Matters arising from two 4 Chairman’s Report 5 Honorary Treasurer’s Report and Approval of Accounts 6 Honorary Secretary’s and Membership Secretary’s Report 7 Competition Secretary’s Report 8 Election of Officers and General Committee 9 2021/22 Calendar 10 Auditors for 2021/22 11 Any other relevant Lincolnshire Centre business 12 Time and Date of Next AGM Nominations for Committee posts to be received in writing by the Honorary Secretary, Sue Mackenzie, by Wednesday June 23 2021. For more information contact Sue on 01529 497849. Please check the website or contact any Committee Member should restrictions in the rules and roadmap change. V8 Register AGM Date: Saturday August 14 2021 Venue: The Friesian Pavilion at the Triumph MG Weekend at Malvern Time: 12.00pm AGENDA 1. Approval of the last V8 AGM minutes 2. Matters arising 3. V8 Chairman’s report 4. V8 Treasurer’s report 5. V8 Secretary’s report 6. Other reports 7. Election of officers and committee members 8. Any other business Nominations for the V8 Committee to the V8 Secretary c/o victorsmith@v8register.net

www.mgcc.co.uk

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POSTBAG THE LATE GREAT MURRAY WALKER

THE FORD GT-40 CONNECTION

The 1983 F1 Spirit Racing car

In the 1980s one of the companies in my group was involved with motor racing. It was the least profitable of the eight companies by quite a margin and was my most favoured by a country mile. The interests of this company within the racing field were varied, but we were involved with the Spirit Formula 1 racing car’s development. It would have been July 1983 and I was up at Silverstone. It was probably on the Friday night and we were working late and my chief mechanic was working in the Spirit pit on some problem or other. The weather was cold and it was raining hard. Silverstone, to me at least, always managed to be umpteen degrees colder than the rest of the world and it was so late that it was already getting quite dark. It could not have been more appalling and I could not wait to get in the car with Vince to come home. He was still working so I wandered around in a very miserable state. A chap came into the pits. He was of a cheery disposition and he raised my mood by his bright and interesting questions. He wanted to know why we were still there so late and what we were doing. He made careful notes of all the answers and inspected the work with great interest. He was like a light in the dark and improved my mood no end. Who was this man? It was the late, great, Murray Walker preparing for his commentary on Sunday. I later learned that he had probably been working all day at his marketing job and then driven up to Silverstone to effect this meticulous note taking work. There have been many obituaries to this remarkable man, who passed away in March 2021, but his dedication to getting the facts and his irrepressible enthusiasm certainly brightened me up that night. Bob Zannetti 10 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

In issue 96 of Classic MG (an American magazine) there is a mention of the steering gear on the AC Cobra. I started my apprenticeship with Cam Gears in 1963, and by about 1967 I was working in the Prototype Shop. To the best of my memory, Ford ordered the steering gears in three batches. I was detailed to assemble the middle batch of about 30 GT-40 Rack and Pinions. The unit was, or is, quite specialised. It’s based on a short MGB rack and a short pinion, in a magnesium housing. Magnesium is a tricky material – it’s very light, but it tends to burst into flames if it gets too hot. So as a lubricant/cutting fluid/coolant one used kerosene (I know it sounds counter-intuitive) but it has proved to be the best fluid to fulfil all those functions. We didn’t do the machining ourselves, we contracted it out to a specialist aircraft machine shop in Dunstable. Incidentally, the big Mercedes Benz crash at Le Mans in 1955, that was so horrific, was because large parts of the car were magnesium, and burnt very hot. My father was in the MGA pit just the other side of the road. To the best of my memory, the GT-40 rack is about 10 inches long, which is about half the length of the B rack. To compensate for the short rack the tie rods, at each end, were very long. The rack machining was done in our Resolven South Wales factory. It’s a fascinating operation. The teeth are broached on what I can best describe as a vertical hydraulic press. The revers of the teeth form is ground into a big tool steel plate in progressively increasing size, the rack blank is solidly mounted and the broach is pushed down, amidst floods of cutting fluid, to form the teeth in the rack. It’s particularly noisy operation. The other fun part of this production process is the heat treatment or hardening operation. This is done by induction hardening, and is quite alarming to watch. The teeth are gathered at one end of the rack and are clamped onto two electrodes, one at each end of the tooth form, by a nylon pad in the centre underneath; the free end of the rack sticks out unsupported. When the Radio Frequency power is turned on, the rack teeth start to glow red, then orange, then yellow. As the teeth on the top get progressively hotter they expand. In doing so the rack bends, the free end moves down 3 or 3 1/2 inches. Then the quench comes on, amidst clouds of steam and the rack returns to its former shape, and all is right with the world! I believe the reason for the short rack and long tie rods was to get around the large offset of the wide front tyres. Peter J.H. Thornley

MIS-FUELLING It was interesting to read Neil Cairns’ article about the expensive cost of mis-fuelling his YB saloon MG in the May issue of Safety Fast! It reminded me of a similar mistake I made when distracted at the pump and putting diesel in the half fuel petrol tank of my MGC, ready for a Club run the next day. Having realised my mistake I was fortunate in being able to drive the short distance home with the small amount of petrol still in the system. I then remembered that when restoring the C I’d been persuaded to buy a new fuel tank without a drain plug, thus preventing the easy theft of my petrol! I soon found you can’t easily syphon fuel out of the tank. After some head-scratching I realised that the electric fuel pump works without the engine running, so by diverting the fuel feed under the bonnet I was able to pump out the contaminated fuel. I now had 54 litres of mixed petrol and diesel fuel – but what to do with it? I remembered an ex-lorry driver friend telling me of on old ‘trick’ to put a bit of petrol in the tank of a diesel lorry when there was a danger of it freezing overnight (diesel can start to freeze at 0°C). The same friend now ran a 1959 Burlingham “Seagull” coach with a diesel engine, and was happy to take my contaminated fuel. Win - win! I haven’t told many people about my mistake – until now! John Redshaw www.mgcc.co.uk

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YOUNG MEMBERS

Shaun Nelson shaunnelly@hotmail.com

hat a strange and depressing year 2020 was for us all; no car shows, less freedom, and of course some tough times for many. On a more positive note, 2020 was the year I managed to purchase my second MG. A 2004 TF 115 with very little mileage, just waiting to be enjoyed on the open road. Being my daily, I use the TF every day – rain or shine, snow, or hail. It evokes a very similar feeling to my MGB: small, responsive on the throttle, and never fails to put a smile on my face (even on those horrific Monday morning commutes to work). Which leads me on to my Dad, who’s the person I thank for getting me into classic cars when I was very young. Ever since I purchased both the MGB and TF (which he’s also both insured on), he’s fallen into the MG portal and ever since has been wanting one of his own. 2021 comes along and he makes the decision to finally buy one. Eyeing up possible contenders, the final two candidates soon become an F or TF. Whichever was the car of choice would become, like mine, his everyday car – so needed to be up to scratch! We spotted a few TFs looking very reasonable and for

equally reasonable prices, but one really stood out for us. A 2002 TF 135 in Starlight Silver, over near Nottingham. Featuring an uprated head gasket, 44k miles, very well serviced and documented and owned by TF enthusiasts. We made the hour or so motorway journey in my TF to go and view it. After a good test drive and inspection all over, the deal was done, and we convoyed back to the Black Country in our identical (but not so identical!) TFs that evening. With both of us still learning about TFs and MG Rovers in general, it wasn’t long until we had a few messages asking about the interior. We were quick to learn of the ‘Grenadine Red’ interior, having been informed by some fellow owners that it’s a less common trim colour, which come to think of it I don’t think I’ve seen before on a TF. The support we’ve both received

so far is truly fantastic. With both me and my Dad’s knowledge mainly on classic cars, we’ve truly appreciated all the advice and help with owning our TFs and ensuring we do the best for them. As the saying goes “Like Father, Like Son”, but in this instance it seems to be the other way around. I find it great that my Dad now has an MG of his own, and now can take both of ours along to shows and car meets. We’ve already been enjoying a few weekend drives with our two TFs. Both identical in colour and only two years separate them, but the 1.6 and 1.8 both give out a burst of fun and both remind me of why we love these little British modern classics. The only thing to watch out for now is not trying to get in the wrong one on a Monday morning when we’re not 100% awake until mid-afternoon! Keiran Reid – Secretary

“LIKE SON, LIKE FATHER”

12 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

M G R E S TO R AT I O N , E N G I N E E R I N G , MAINTENANCE & SALES Fiennes Classics is born out of Fiennes Restoration and is part of the Fiennes Group - a world-class centre of excellence for automotive engineering, craftsmanship, classic restoration, machining and manufacturing skills. Our coachworks craftsmen and mechanical engineers can support MG owners with partial or full restorations, maintenance and servicing on vehicles from pre-war to modern classics. Fiennes Engineering undertakes engineering tasks across every aspect of component part production, engine reconditioning, restoration, reclamation and repair. Fiennes Performance focuses on optimising engine capabilities with services spanning everything from gearbox builds to head reconditioning. Fiennes Showroom deals in the sale of classic vehicles with a competitive and personal service and would be pleased to act on your behalf if looking to place your MG on the market.

View our brand film

www.fiennesclassics.co.uk | Broughton Poggs Business Park, Filkins, GL7 3JH, UK +44 (0) 1367 810 438 | Part of the Fiennes Group www.fiennes.co.uk

CHERISHED NEWS Pete Barrett MG Car Club Insurance Manager

Cherished.vehicle@aplan.co.uk

Welcome to this month’s Cherished News. We hope you are all staying safe and well. The good news is that the scheme is proving to be very popular, and we have been extremely busy. We are a relatively small team and if you do call for a quote, please bear with us as we really want to talk to you. For those of you that have called and had to wait for a call back, thank you for your patience.

Agreed values. One of the benefits of the new scheme is that we can arrange agreed value for your vehicle at no additional cost. This means that if your vehicle is written off the insurers will pay the value that has been agreed minus your excess. This ensures that you will get the value of your vehicle back and the value will not be subject to debate at the time of a claim. To arrange this we just need six colour photographs of your car when we arrange cover. The shots we need are of the front, back, both sides the interior and engine bay. Please email these to cherished.vehicle@aplan. co.uk stating your policy number. Please allow 21 days for agreed value to be applied.

Emma The TF Update Emma my TF160 continues to fight me! Shortly after I had changed the exhaust, the passenger door handle decided to snap off and the rear screen split! The hard top went back on after this but X-Power grey door handles seem to be a rarity at the moment, so I purchased a nice chrome set. The passenger one was relatively easy to fit but I haven’t got around to the driver’s side yet. My fuel consumption has not improved since fitting the TT Mk7 exhaust and panel filter.. I am really enjoying the noise it makes at higher revs although it is nice and sedate below 2000 rpm so it doesn’t annoy the neighbours. On that note, if you do modify your car, please let your insurers know as this could invalidate your policy. The MGCC insurance scheme will consider most modifications except nitrous oxide, so if you do change your

14 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

car from the original specification let the team know! With a bit of luck, the team will be at the MGF25 meeting at Gaydon along with Emma so please pop along and say hello. The team and I look forward to talking to the members as their policies come up. Please give us a call when they are due. The Benefits of the policy include: • Free and simple Agreed Value service - Completed in house by our specialists • Member to member cover • Reinstatement cover available • Salvage Retention – Subject to qualifying Criteria • Modification cover • 90 Days European Cover – included as standard • Multi Vehicle Cover - we can look to put all your vehicles, even non-MGs, on the same policy • Laid Up Cover – if it’s not on the road it can still be insured • Spare parts cover – up to £1,000 cover for your spares • Occasional Wedding Hire - can be arranged on application • Business Use – can be arranged on application • Limited Mileage discounts • Young Accompanied Driver cover from age 18 • Track day Cover- can be arranged on application This is administered as part of the A-Plan Holdings who have a whole panel of insurers and can give you independent advice for your Private Car, Buildings and Contents, Commercial, HGV, Life and Travel Insurance. Please note that the MG Insurance scheme powered by Cherished Vehicle insurance uses one insurance provider only, KGM Underwriting Services who we have selected due to their experience in the classic car market. Please note there is a promotion specifically designed to reduce MGCC members’ Home Insurance. This gives a £25 discount off the standard administration charge for new policies if you are an existing MGCC member. Just call 01905 930747 and let the team know you are a MGCC member. And that is it for this month! If you’d like any more information on any of the above, feel free to give any of us a call here at Cherished Vehicle Insurance on 0345 2508282 - we’d all really love to hear from you. MG Car Club Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of A-Plan Holdings. The MG Classic Car Insurance Scheme is managed and administered by A-Plan Holdings Ltd. Cherished Vehicle Insurance Services is a trading name of A-Plan Holdings who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. www.mgcc.co.uk

Specialist Insurance for MG Car Club members

MGCC membership discount.* Member to Member cover Free and simple Agreed Value service Reinstatement cover Salvage Retention – Subject to qualifying Criteria Modification cover 90 Days European Cover

Multi Vehicle Cover - we can put all your cars including moderns on the same policy Laid Up Cover Spare parts cover – up to £1000 Occasional Wedding Hire - can be arranged Business Use – can be arranged Limited Mileage discounts *Subject to minimum premium and normal underwriting criteria. Terms and conditions may apply. Please ask for details.

0345 250 8282

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www.cherishedvehicleinsurance.co.uk

Calls to 0345 numbers are charged at ‘normal’ rates from landlines. MG Car Club Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of A-Plan Holdings. The MG Classic Car Insurance Scheme is managed and administered by A-Plan Holdings Ltd. Cherished Vehicle Insurance Services is a trading name of A-Plan Holdings who are authorised and www.mgcc.co.uk JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 15 regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Ofﬁce: 2 Des Roches Square,Witney, OX28 4LE. Registered in England. Registration Number 750484 CVI 083 01/21 Facebook “f ” Logo

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MG Car Club

For tickets and further information go to:-

Midland Centre

www.mgf25.org Saturday 24th July 2021

MIDLAND

Promoted by MGCC Midland Centre

Triumph & MG Weekend

With over 260 kits now sold and 100% positive feedback the FCCKit has been a great success eliminating the hydragas issues. For Sept 2020 the new MK6 version incorporates improvements to make fitting easier, additional height and camber adjustment and self lubricating sintered bearings which eliminates the familiar top arm knock/play, 4 shocks and springs, 4 top arms, 4 turrets, ABS brackets and all fittings required. Standard tools are all that is required for a DIY fit. ‘The ride you set is the ride you get’

Three Counties Road Run – 14/15 August 2021

Add something special to the weekend. GO FOR A DRIVE around the beautiful Three Counties countryside. Go alone £ of the or team up with colleagues to explore the splendour Malverns and Herefordshire’s rolling green countryside, with the option to visit a local cider mill.

1067

Commencing from the Three Counties Showground on either Saturday 14 or Sunday 15 August, a 55 mile road run will take entrants via the Worcestershire village of Hanley Swan and Castlemorton Common to Dymock in Gloucestershire. Coffee and Lunch stops will be available at Westons Cider Mills or the Moon Inn with the scenic run back to Ledbury before returning over the Malvern Hills to the Showground in Worcestershire. The road run is open to anyone driving an MG or Triumph car of any age. The entry fee of £15 will include a Souvenir Rally Plate and tulip Roadbook. For Regulations and Entry Form visit the MGCC Midlands Centre website.

www.mgccmidlandcentre.co.uk/events.htm

£950

From

£287

BRITISH MOTOR MUSEUM, GAYDON From

£293 Only

£140

From

£65 Only

£185

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£445

Only

£40

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£8.75

ALI HEATER KNOBS

Only

£49

Only

£30

£40 Each

Only

From

Only

Mild Steel £16 of MGF/TFs | Traders Hundreds Stainless Steel £33 £

£21

Pride of Ownership | Evening Party | Camping

Only

£36.75

Tech Demos | Display cars | Race Cars

Only

£120

MGF Discussion Panels | Glo-Cars | Live Music Free “Goodie” Bag for first 400 cars booked in!

£37 STAINLESS STEEL HEATSHIELD Only

£72

Partners: Church Square Autos | Martin Smith MG Spares Sponsor: Rimmer Bros

PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR MG MODELS 1962 ONWARDS

Trust us to deliver...Worldwide. Millions of parts in stock.

Parts service also available for Triumph, Land Rover, Rover, Mini & Jaguar ‘96 on.

Triumph House, Sleaford Road, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln, LN4 2NA. England Telephone: 01522 568000 Fax: 01522 567600 E-mail: sales@rimmerbros.com

www.rimmerbros.com

18 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021 www.mgcc.co.uk

www.mgcc.co.uk FEBRUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 31

ONCE AGAIN –

The MG Midget was announced in June 1961. To celebrate the 60th anniversary, this article heralding the exciting new MG Midget was printed in the July 1961 issue of Safety Fast!

ell, here it is! After a lapse of more than six years, the MG Car Company is once again manufacturing a sports car bearing the famous type-name, ‘Midget’. Once again there is an MG that is just right for the younger enthusiast – inexpensive, compact in dimensions, but offering better performance than ever before. It was with the Midget series that the MG Car Company really made its name, and, whatever other models were marketed, a Midget was always included in the range from 1929 to 1955. The first was the famous M type, with its 847cc engine, three-speed gearbox, and maximum speed of some 62mph. The last was the TF 1500, with 1466cc power unit and maximum of close on 85mph. The Midget had grown up, its engine capacity almost doubled, and

www.mgcc.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 19

the TF was succeeded by the faster, sleeker and more comfortable ‘MGA’ range. It is, in fact, exactly 25 years since the last Midget of under one litre capacity; the well-loved PB which ceased production in 1936. That is perhaps the most significant feature of the latest Midget – that it really is a small car, measuring not much more than 11ft overall. But it is also a real sports car, for the small dimensions have not been achieved at the cost of poor performance. The new model is actually the fastest unsupercharged MG Midget ever produced. The top speed probably 10mph higher than that of the last one-litre Midget, and it is even higher than that of

20 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

the TF 1500, although the engine is less than two-thirds the capacity. Early tests indicate that the MG Midget of 1961 will have a maximum speed of more than 85mph in production form. The 948cc engine gives a gross power output of 49.8bhp at 5,500rpm, and is a development of the unit used in the BMC record car, EX219, designed by Sydney Enever of the MG Car Company. This car, it will be remembered, established new International Class G records at speeds of up to 147mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the late summer of 1959, and averaged 138.75mph for 12 hours. The gearbox, too, has a competition background. It is a close-ratio type, developed as the result of experience gained by the BMC Competitions Department in sporting events of all types, and the ratios are therefore ideally suited to the engine. Maximum speeds in the gears, without excessive rpm, should be at least 25mph in first, 45mph in second and 65mph in third. The two-seater body, also engineered at Abingdon, sets a new standard in the shape of small sports cars, while the comfort of driver and passenger has been studied to an extent undreamed of in the days of earlier Midgets. The bucket seats are individually adjustable, and behind

them is space for additional luggage or an occasional small passenger. The side screens are sturdily made with sliding Perspex panels and polished aluminium frames, and the neat hood stows completely out of sight in the luggage boot, which is of ample size and provided with a separate, lockable lid. It goes without saying that the driving position is just right, while the instruments (speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, oil pressure and water temperature gauges) are easily read and provide all the information that the driver is likely to require. Safety belt anchorages, three to each side, are incorporated in the body during manufacture, and safety belts of the correct type may be obtained through BMC Service Ltd. A particularly handsome hardtop has been designed and will be available as an optional extra. When the MGA series commenced six years ago, it was not without regret that we bade farewell to the Midget. Now, however, we have the best of both worlds with a choice of two open twoseater MGs: the MGA with a new and much more powerful engine of 1622cc capacity, and the nimble little Midget – fast, economical, and ideal for the younger man.

www.mgcc.co.uk

SPECIFICATION Engine: Four-cylinder ohv with chain-driven camshaft. Three-bearing counterbalanced crankshaft. Aluminium flat-topped pistons with clamp-type gudgeon pin. Bore, 62.9mm (2.478in). Stroke, 76.2mm (3in). Cubic capacity, 948cc (57.87 cu. in.). Compression ratio, 9:1. Gross bhp, 49.8 at 5,500rpm. Maximum torque, 52.5 Ib. ft. at 2,750rpm. Lubrication: Camshaft-driven concentric mechanical pump and full-flow external filter with replaceable element. Sump capacity, 6 pints (3.41 litres). Filter capacity, one pint (0.57 litre). Cooling: Pressurised radiator with centrifugal pump and fan. Thermostatically controlled circulation. Capacity, approx 10 pints (5.7 litres). Ignition: Lucas 12v coil ignition and distributor with automatic centrifugal and vacuum advance control. Fuel system: Twin S.U. type H.S.2 (1 1/4in.) semi-down-draught carburettors with paper element type air-cleaners. Camshaft-driven mechanical fuel pump. Fuel tank capacity, six gallons (27.28 litres). Chassis: Frame welded integrally with body. Transmission: Single dry-plate clutch, hydraulically operated. Four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on second third and top speeds; ratios 3.2, 1.916, 1.357 and

www.mgcc.co.uk

1:1 (reverse 4.114:1). Remote gear lever, centrally mounted. Gearbox oil capacity, 2 1/3 pints (1.33 litres). Open propeller shaft with needle-roller universal joints; sliding splines at gearbox end. Three-quarter floating rear axle with hypoid bevel final drive, ratio 9/38 (4.22:1). Axle oil capacity, 1 3/4 pints (one litre). Suspension: Independent front by coil springs and wish-bones. Quarter-elliptic leaf springs at rear. Hydraulic shock absorbers front and rear. Steering: Rack and pinion 2 1/3 turns lock to lock. Two spoke steering wheel. Brakes: Lockheed hydraulic with 7in drums, two leading shoes on front. Pullup handbrake operating on rear wheels through compensator. Lining width, 1 1/4in (31.8mm). Wheels and tyres: Pressed steel ventilated disc type wheels with tubeless four-ply 520 X 13in tyres. Electrical: 12v dynamo and starter motor. Compensated voltage control. Battery, 38 amp. hour capacity. Seven-inch dia. headlamps with foot-operated switch to double dippers. Combined side and flasher lamps. Combined stop/tail lamps with flashers and reflectors. Fascia warning lamps. Twin windscreen wipers. Single wind horn. Instruments: Speedometer with trip and total mileage recorder. Fuel gauge.

Combined oil pressure and water temperature gauges. Tachometer (standard equipment). Bodywork: Two-door two-seater with space for occasional seats or luggage at rear of seats. All-steel monocoque construction integral with chassis frame and floor. Rear hinged bonnet top with lock controlled from inside car. Separate luggage boot with hinged, lockable lid. Curved, toughened glass windscreen with polished aluminium frame. Interior trim in vinyl-treated fabric with fitted carpet in rear compartment. Foam rubber cushions on seats with rubberised hair squabs. Both seats adjustable fore and aft. Rubber mats on floor. Open stowage pockets on doors. Vinyl treated fabric hood which, with hood-sticks and sliding sidescreens, can be stowed in luggage boot (special bags provided). Dimensions: Wheelbase, 6ft 8in (2.03 metres). Front track, 3ft 9 3/4in (1.16 metres). Rear track 3ft 8 3/4in (1.14 metres). Overall length (with bumpers), 11ft 4in (3.45 metres). Overall width, 4ft 5in (1.35 metres). Overall height (hood raised), 4ft 1 3/4 in (1.26 metres). Overall height (hood lowered), 3ft 7in. (1.09 metres). Minimum ground clearance, 5in (0.13 metres). Weight approx 12cwt (609.6kg).

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 21

FOR THE LOVE OF CARS by Jake Wootton

22 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

FEATURE

he love of cars started early for me. I used to travel with my Dad, Uncle and Grandad around the race tracks in the UK with a succession of modified road cars from when I was seven or eight years of age. They would find a patch of grass and allow me to drive in a straight line to get me used to changing the gears, even though I could barely see out of the windscreen. I could not wait to pass my test and managed it within four months of turning 17! My Grandad on the other side of the family is also a petrolhead and has owned old motorcycles and rebuilt cars all of his life, so I think it must be in the blood. He currently owns an MGB and this may partly be the reason that this MG Midget caught my eye! I am a 19-year-old apprentice Vehicle Engineer. I realised early on that working on classic and performance cars was for me, so I applied for work experience with Aldon Automotive and after working there for a week I was hooked. I kept turning up at their premises in Brierley Hill until the owner, Alan, eventually took me on as their apprentice. I now get to work every day with some of the best in the business, and some of the most beautiful machines in the UK. I also had the opportunity to travel to Spa in Belgium and support the team mechanics on a Sebring Sprite at the international classic event. Spa was an amazing opportunity to work alongside other teams on some unique classic racing cars, but just going in to work in the morning to see what will come through the door next means I am living my best life every day!

www.mgcc.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 23

That said, I always had the thoughts that I would do things a little differently if it was my own car in the workshop. I have admired many of the modified cars that are brought to Aldon and have always enjoyed working on the lovely, restored Midgets and Sprites, both race and road cars. But the thoughts got the better of me, and with that in mind I felt as though I should take a chance to build one just the way I like it, but on a budget. I spotted this one in December 2019 for £1,000 as a standard 1976 car and thought I could put my ideas into action in my spare time. As it turned out, 2020 was about to throw a lot of spare time at me! So this little MG became my furlough project. I kept my usual working routine and got up at 7.30 every morning, into the garage by 8.00 and managed to work on it daily from April to get it looking how it does today!

24 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

After getting what I thought was a solid car home, I realised it needed a lot more work than first thought! Inevitably, once I started working on any part of the car it led to a dozen jobs I hadn’t planned for. I realised that most of the front end was too far gone (this may have been because it had spent some time three feet underwater). So I called upon my mentors and the 100-plus years of combined working experience on high-performance cars and asked the lads at work! Andy, who formerly owned Archers garage, suggested I start with a one-piece front end which worked a treat and saved a lot of welding work. Further project work included installing an electronic ignition system, refreshing the engine and creating a fully reworked bespoke water system, which was essential as I had to cut off the front chassis legs when replacing the front end. This still utilises the original manifold to run a bleed back up to the expansion tank that is attached to an aluminium radiator for extra cooling. I then added a 10 row

oil cooler which successfully keeps the temperature down. The heater has been removed and replaced with a bespoke laser-cut piece of aluminium and a lithium-ion battery along with the expansion tank – I wanted to try this as I haven’t seen it done on any other MGs. I also decided to fit an earlier frogeye-style front wiring loom that I managed to get hold of and I think it tidies the engine bay up nicely. I then rebuilt the original set of 1 1/2” SUs with some 3” ram pipes (that make it sound fantastic). I removed the rear back boxes and converted it to a 1275cc exhaust system. I smoothed the bulkhead to get a cleaner look to go with the raceinspired one-piece front end. I did away with washer bottles, heater cowling, filter boxes and other bits, which meant the engine bay was nothing but the raw engine which looks great in my opinion. I then lowered the suspension all round, which was needed after removing the 200kg of bumpers, front end and interior. The setup I went with was 500lb 7

www.mgcc.co.uk

genuine & conversion parts

All Alloy215 4inch H R R O A D S I D E R E C O V E RY A N D T R A N S P O R T, Replacement Wheels for Tel: the GTV8 With a highly polished +44 (0)1746 710810 alloy rim. Weighs W approx Fax: e specialise in moving classic, 2kg lighter. 01746 710999 H ERITAGE prestige, and track cars, offering No further APPROVED email: RV8 rusting. £445.80 l o c a l a nExpansion d nationw ide delivery and tank sales@mgv8parts.com £69.95 collection.

Callers by appointment only at

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RV8 Petrol Tank Sender with Seal & Locking Ring.

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RV8 Headlight Cowl in composite £138 each

RV8 Spax Krypton filled dampers

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• RV8 wood refurbishment

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t r a c keach cars RV8 Boot Stays. £30.20

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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

i n f o @ r j h a u t o m o t i v e . c o . u k • w w w. r j h a u t o m o t i v e . c o . u k

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Doors furniture and interior next !!

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www.mgcc.co.uk

FEBRUARY JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 85 25 49

1/4” springs on the front, along with 3/4” lowering spacers and 1275 rear springs with lowering blocks on the back, as well as an 11/16 anti-roll bar so the car handles really well. I then added new brakes and a tandem master cylinder to make it more reliable on the road. One of the 21st-century modifications I have made to the car was the method I used to smooth the back end after removing the heavy rubber bumpers. Some very in-depth measurements were taken of either side from the light to the

26 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

rear bodywork and I worked out a way to improve the look of the car after removing the bumper. This was done by 3D printing the shape and mounting it to the car. Luckily I have a family member who is very useful with CAD and was happy to help (for which I thank him!). They turned out perfectly, and after some work mounting them to the car and a few layers of P38 and P40 filler, it was finished off with a beautiful layer of Ford Colorado Red. Apologies to the purists, but the colour worked so well on the test patch that I had

to have it! 3D printing didn’t stop there, as a switch panel also became a concept. Don’t dismiss modern tech on an old beauty, it’s a full-on enhancement I think and a lot less fabrication and welding costs. I finally finished the car off with a set of 13” anthracite Minilite-style wheels and a custom set of handmade headrests to match the seats fixed to an MSA roll bar. Early use led to the phone call home to be rescued after the head gasket blew. I replaced it and reworked the head with new valves and it ran well, but it set a new thought going: what could I do to increase power and stabilise reliability? Winter was approaching and it felt more exciting to plan phase two than just mothball my new best friend for months with blankets, trickle chargers and humidity devices – she deserved more than that, and a plan to try a hill climb at Shelsley Walsh through the MAC (Midlands Automobile Club) in 2021 was hatched. I was more than happy with how the standard 1500 was running, but not many people seem to modify the 1500 and the 1275 tends to be the power plant that gets more attention in the performance scene, so I spent some time researching best options and stripped the engine to component form in my garage. www.mgcc.co.uk

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This research led to many decisions on how to tackle the re-build, and the long, cold evenings and weekends started. A TH2 cam shaft with a 25006500rpm power band was the first addition, closely followed by a big valve kit, bronze guides and the necessary unleaded inserts. I ported and polished the head and manifold (and that is a far more time-consuming affair than most people give credit for) and after all this effort, I now had better fuel/air flow. Next job was to look at getting rid of waste just as quickly, so a four-branch maniflow downpipe was added and modified to join in with the already re-routed exhaust I mentioned earlier. The head was skimmed to match the previously rebored block, giving a new 10:1 compression ratio under test. I have not yet managed to get the power run on the rolling road done – that is planned for the spring before the hill climb – but previously the 1500cc engine had 65bhp at the flywheel but losing 20bhp drag through the very tired clutch and some hydraulic issues. I am pretty sure this will be a distant memory as a starting benchmark now, since the clutch has been replaced and I know the drive already feels much more positive and responsive. Another task for the engine was to drop some excess weight, so I decided to machine an aluminium rear cover (as I could not find

www.mgcc.co.uk

one available on the internet) so I worked with Midtherm’s cutting department and had ten made (as I was sure somebody else would want them if I did) and the front cover was also replaced with an aluminium version. This was an available aftermarket performance option for the Spitfire and I liked how it looked. The distributor pedestal, alternator bracket and water pump were all swapped to alloy – a total 15kg in discarded weight was saved all in, and it looks very nice too! Dropping weight in terminology means the obvious had to be done as part of the plan so I balanced and lightened the crank and flywheel. It’s ounces in real terms, but just feels good to smooth the running at high revs. A point to note in case you think I was very brave to attempt all of this work from a virgin start: this is my second Classic, my first was a 1981 VW Jetta purchased when I was 17. Getting used to a lack of power steering, assisted brakes and driving it to work every day in the winter with no heater was tough, but it started my love of Classic cars early. It was an emotional connection to the simple nature of no-frills, all-thrills motoring. So the repairing and modifying and getting used to carrying a tool kit wherever I went for that inevitable tweak at the side of the road is not a new journey. I would like to mention some of the businesses who saw a 19 year old wander

in asking for help on a tight budget and went out of their way: Fix Auto UK for the paintwork, Midtherm for the powder coating and alloy machining, my cousin who has spent hours of his time developing a multitude of 3D parts that he’s printed and we now use on other classic cars that come through the workshop, and obviously Alan, Andy and Roger at Aldon Automotive who help me out and answer a never-ending list of questions – they were and still are always on hand with advice! Photography courtesy of info@cedar-media.com

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 29

A MIDGET INTERVIEW WITH

DON HAYTER I

n 2001 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the MG Midget, Graham Springthorpe and Dennis Wharf sat down and interviewed the great Don Hayter who was so instrumental at MG during his life. Don started at Abingdon in 1956 after completing his apprenticeship at Pressed Steel where he worked on many motorcar and aerospace projects. The Gloster Meteor, Supermarine Attacker and Vickers Wellington all benefited from Don’s input, as did the Hillman Minx and Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, along with many other car designs, whose manufacturers used Pressed Steel. During his time with MG he

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rose to the position of Chief Design and Development Engineer before retiring when the factory closed in 1980. He was intimately involved with the Midget throughout its production life and offers a rare insight into its development, and problems that were encountered along the way. “Don, many thanks for allowing us to record some of your reminiscences for the Midget Register. To start, how did Abingdon feel about having to produce a car that had not been designed there?” It’s hard to say really, a job was a job to the factory. We operated not on a budget of our own but on an imposed budget, in terms of what we could spend

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 31

A quarter scale wooden model, used in the development of the new MG Midget, photographed in the Design office at Abingdon.

and how that related to other parts of the organisation. Because we were so dependent on other departments for axles, body bits and things like that, we always had to decide how we would affect the organisation as a whole. On top of that, of course, there was the engines branch and axle/transmissions who designed their parts for use at Austin and Morris and then adapted them so we could get the best from them at Abingdon. The production programme for the 1500 MGA which began in 1954 was just finishing, and the 1600 model was about to start production, so the line did see-saw a bit with some spare capacity. At the time, our Z type Magnette was still running, as was the Pathfinder, although at quite a low volume. We had finished the RME/RMF although some were still running around the factory, as were TFs also. When Lord and Healey agreed upon the Sprite I presume they looked around the organisation and decided to build the new car at Longbridge. Now, what happened at Longbridge to change this decision I don’t know, but it was political, and having decided that Longbridge hadn’t got the room – they would have been looking at the forthcoming new Mini, and I guess the A40 at that time – they reassessed the situation and Abingdon with its spare capacity (we only had three lines with room for more) got the job; it was just imposed on us. It came down as a fully engineered and, allegedly, tested motorcar, so we began by laying out a production line and some stores space. The drawing office obtained all the drawings from Arthur Vale and his team to take control of the modifications and we started testing some of the first cars to see if they met our standards. Alec Houndslow got hold of a few of the first cars to be built and had them out on the road immediately. Warwick said they had been tested, but all they could have done was to have driven the two prototypes down the road a bit and possibly around the circuit at MIRA, although I don’t know even if they did that! We had our own programme which involved 500 miles fully loaded on the pave, so we loaded the thing up

Midgets on the production line in ‘A’ building 32 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

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with a full fuel tank and luggage rack on the back, which it hadn’t had before, with 45lbs of luggage and hammered it around the pave, and very soon it started breaking up. The back end was dropping. At this time I was working at Coventry on the replacement for the MGA and I was given one of the first Sprites, a green one I think, to use as my daily transport from Abingdon to Coventry, simply to get some mileage on it. I was taking this thing up there every day and within ten days a crease appeared along the sloping rear door line, and the rear wheel opening line. The whole back had started to drop and crack. I was deliberately running with a full tank most of the time, plus some things in the boot to provide a load. The problem was being caused due to the quarter elliptic rear suspension being attached to the rear bulkhead, which was taking all the stresses. To overcome this we upgraded the bulkhead thickness, produced tauter sills, and incorporated upper torque reaction arms. However, by this time we were producing cars quite nicely down the line, so a big panic ensued and we stopped production. That’s the only time the Abingdon production lines ever went backwards. All the cars had to be taken out of the

compound, put back on the line and everything taken off in the reverse order to which it had been put on. Carpet and things like that had by this time been stuck on and all this, too, had to be removed. Syd and Alec devised an add-on system to stiffen all around the back and so the first 200 or more cars had 16 gauge welded around the spring hangars and the back end of the car. Then we modified the designs. Finally it passed our tests. Then Healey came down with a modification for long front wings. The car was designed with pop-up headlights to begin with, but these were never fitted due to production costs and problems with reliability of the pop-up system. Originally, Healey envisaged the car with its new front end mated to the original back, but Syd didn’t like that idea because of the access to the boot and said it needed a proper boot lid, so he had a new rear end designed. It happened that Dennis Williams was given this job about the same time that I had completed the design for the MGB, so Dennis just took my lines, scaled them down for the Sprite and that was where the Mk2 Sprite came from. Syd also said that this would make a marvellous MkI Midget, sold his idea to the management and we had another

MG. Later we decided to get rid of the quarter elliptic suspension and its bending problems, consequently we extended the rear side member all the way through to fit the half elliptic springs, and out of that grew the MkII Midget and MkIII Sprite. “Healey in his book said that he designed the front and Abingdon were tasked with designing the rear – that must have caused some headaches?” It wasn’t quite that simple. Syd was involved in the negotiations at the time and I don’t think he got on all that well with Healey, who was a bit autocratic and thought it should be his design, but Syd wasn’t going to produce anything at Abingdon as an MG that he wasn’t happy with. “There was also talk of a much faster Sprite around this time, a Super Sprite I think?” That’s right. At this time Bryan and Geoff Healey produced the Super Sprite after playing with the Sebring Sprite. The Super Sprite, with its tuned A Series engine, was quite a rapid car and I had a red one for a while, the first one with a diaphragm clutch. I went on holiday to Cornwall with my wife; hurling it up and down the hills

Running adjustments being made to a Midget on road test

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JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 33

Midget having fun at Longbridge in 1962 competing in an MGCC InterCentre Driving Test.

was great fun, but we only just made it back to Abingdon because the clutch was slipping so badly and it barely made it over the railway bridge back into the village. You put your foot down and the revs went up but the car hardly moved! I think that was responsible for the uprating of the diaphragm clutch on A Series engines. The Midget and Sprite then trundled along in parallel very happily for quite a while; it was really just a case of badge engineering. “Was there ever any favouritism towards the MG in the factory?” I don’t remember any problem in the factory, they were just motor cars; we were building ours and the other one for Austin Healey which of course is where it came from originally. There were people coming in, like Sprinzel, to do competition work and wanting to do it in either an MG or Healey, but that only meant doing a frontend job and tuning the engine; all the other stuff, axle and gearbox, etc, was common. “Was there any real difference between the production cost of the two cars?” No, nothing really, the Midget probably cost around £40 more. “And yet the Midget always outsold the Sprite?” Yes, it did. We had built a market over in the States with our distributor network. AH tried to go in the States but never

34 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

matched our sales and the Midget volume went up quicker. “Of course, the MG name went back much further than that of Austin Healey, they only started in 1949?” Yes, that’s right. The other time we got involved with Healey was when they changed the BN4 to the BN6 and put in the six-cylinder engine. This was built at Abingdon, so we had two Healey lines running simultaneously for a while. “Once the Midget was underway, did the changes to engine size, comfort, etc, come from dealer pressure or rather the design department?” That’s a natural development that responds to pressure from outside, because you have to have something different and better to sell, and also to internal pressures which determine what resources are available to you. For instance, all the A Series engines were built up at Longbridge, so we had to have something that was compatible with what they wanted to produce. Now we always had twin carburettors to get more power, whereas the saloons only had one. We also had a special camshaft, things like that. We did a lot of development on our own testbeds, but there was a lot going on at Engines Branch on the Austin testbeds as well. Syd was always rushing about to find what we could get out of the group, and how many bits we could change without messing up anybody else’s

“When work on the Jacobs Midgets was completed, was there any consideration to make a Midget Coupe?” They wanted the cars to go into a particular class to compete with the Alfas, and it’s obvious if you build a car like that, it might be a production proposition. We had also built the Sebring Sprites but I don’t remember Donald Healey coming down to the factory saying we should put it into production. Certainly, once they were finished we thought that’s a nicelooking little car, but the problems arose in how to manufacture it. We had grafted the alloy roofs on with Araldite and rivets, which wasn’t an economic production proposition. If we had built the car in steel it would have been much heavier and not offered the right levels of performance. It was a shame because they were cracking little cars, much prettier than any of the competition, and maybe even the BGT. production. We had a market on the Continent as well, so we had to keep an eye on what the opposition were doing. There weren’t too many small sports car manufacturers at the time, Fiat and Alfa being the main opposition. There was always something going on at the motor shows, which were much more important then, particularly for the styling exercises. At Abingdon, operating on a minimum budget, we didn’t have money for any styling exercises. In fact, we never had a styling department, we were it!

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“When the 1275 came along, was Abingdon unhappy it didn’t get the Cooper S engine?” Well, I think Syd was. He wanted the big valves and more performance. Our engine didn’t have the more expensive nitrided crank and was a detuned version which was cheaper. There has been some suggestion that it was done to distance the Midget from the Cooper S, but Sales and Marketing was firmly in Longbridge by then, so we weren’t aware of the planning process or any discussions around volumes, market share and product positioning, but I don’t think the two cars would have been in competition anyway, one being a sports car and the other a saloon. More likely, a faster Midget would have threatened the B! “You mentioned the back end came under scrutiny again in safety testing?” Yes, in 1968 or 69 the NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations, were being introduced. First there was the emissions testing, which necessitated the air pumps on the engine. Then there was the low speed crash testing, later came the full impact barrier and pendulum testing. Finally, in 1974 we had to fit the rubber bumpers. I was very much involved in all that testing. When doing the pendulum test you swung a big block of steel with a reproduction American Bumper on the front of it. It had to swing it into your car so it arrived at 5 mph, and between 16 and 20 inches above the ground, because that was the height of the average American car. Of

A Dick Jacobs Midget

course, with a European small car at 20 inches it went straight over the bumper and kept going! You had to have a reasonable overlap for it to work at all, so that dictated the width and the height of the bumper. If you put a bumper up at that height it blocked off the radiator, but worse, it was out of line with the frame so you were into an enormous triangulation problem. If you look at the B, you can see a rising bit on the front member, so the easiest way to get around it was to raise the car. On impact testing you just pushed the car backwards, but any impact while allowing minimal body damage was required to leave the car functioning safely. With our small cars compared to their great big tanks it gave us enormous problems. You also had to run the cars into the barrier at 30 mph and still be able to open the doors. You have to make sure that there is enough crumple in the car using every inch of the design before the doors, to absorb the energy. On the Midget and the B we made sure the first bit of body is the softest, that’s the bumper, then it meets up with the engine which starts to move,

but only minimally, because it has lots of inertia. The idea is to design the car so that after the bits in front of the engine have been crushed you hit the tyre, which is a marvellous shock absorber. If the back of the tyre hits the sill the energy is absorbed and the car is kicked backwards. We did manage to comply OK, we could always open our doors. “Didn’t the US regulations cause the return to the square rear wheel arch as well?” Well, that’s another story. We didn’t want to alter the wheel arch in the first place, but as I said earlier we were part of a much bigger organisation which included Pressed Steel, who supplied our bodies. They had a chief engineer called Ken Osborne who decided the Midget would look much better with a round wheel arch and everybody there agreed. We didn’t like it, but on normal roads it was OK. When it came to the rear impact testing, however, it didn’t have a chance. The impact ruptured the fuel tank so the square rear wheel arch was reintroduced but with a heavier panel as well. It’s only half a gauge up but it was stiffer and got us through the test.

Press photo of Midget with MG1, which was owned by Don for a while

36 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

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created problems. The high tick over caused the car to boil so we had to reduce the tick over speed from 950 rpm to 850 rpm, which just about cured the problem. It was marginal and there are conditions out on the road where the later Midget is marginal – we always knew that.

Crash Testing at Abingdon, 1979

“Were there any other problems with the later much-modified model?” Oh yes. One of the other jobs I acquired when I became chief engineer was to redesign the Midget to accept the 1500 engine when that was imposed upon us. The Spitfire and the Midget were within about 50lbs of each other at normal running weight, and if you used all the information on your submission for emissions on a weight class, we could get both cars through on the same approval at the same time – halving the work. That was what gave us the Spitfire engine. I was given a pile of engines and told to put them in a car. I said yes, ok, but I didn’t like them very much and when we started testing we liked them even less. At MIRA they started

running their bottom ends. Alec stripped out the engines, and I asked why when we were only running at the same speeds as the Spitfire, did we have such problems. To which he replied, did I know they were running out the bottom ends on the Spitfire as well! The finish they were getting on the cranks was down to 20 microns. They were machine grinding the cranks and then hand finishing with strips of emery, which of course often resulted in an unacceptable finish. Triumph had to refinish their crank line to put this right. The other thing with the 1500 was that it had no positive cooling flow through the block and it was awful on cooling. We modified the water system with a bigger radiator. The static tick over test also

“Was any consideration ever given to fitting the overdrive to the 1500?” Yes, we looked at the Laycock overdrive but it meant quite a big on-cost with the tunnel alteration. The 1500 did have more horsepower, so one thing we did was to fit a higher ratio differential, which helped a lot with high-speed touring. “As you’ve driven all the various Midgets over the years, what is your favourite?” I would say the best fun I ever had was with the Super Sprite – it was the lightest, and by far the quickest of them all. The Standard 1275 was also nice as a road car – I even had one with the number plate MG1 on it for a while. Thank you, Don, for a most interesting afternoon and for sparing us the time to hear your recollections.

Last Midget on the line displaying the words ‘gone but not forgotten’ on the windscreen

38 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

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FEATURE

I BJN 590K Dennis’s first MG Midget pictured near Tewksbury in October 1972

FIFTY YEARS ON, WHY STILL DRIVE A

MIDGET?

n 1958 when I was nine, a near neighbour owned an old pre-war sports car, and although by then probably considered by most an “old banger”, as I cycled by on errands for my Mum it always appeared intriguing, like an old competition car, or at least something which had been exciting in the past. I only ever dared look at it over the gate until one memorable day, with parental permission granted, I was invited to go for a ride alongside its owner. Along the way I learned it was an MG J2 dating from 1932, and although I knew little what MG stood for, or how those letters would become such a large part of my motoring life, looking back, while things could have turned out worse, that little old sports car has had much to answer for down the years… I was already car mad, knew all the makes and models and adored motor racing, which for that matter I still do, but this old car had an impact far greater than I could ever have imagined, for although by then about 25 years old, compared to my Dad’s quite new, but rather sluggish Austin A40, it seemed very exciting. From

By Dennis Wharf

BJN 590K near Pinmill in Suffolk in August 1972 40 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

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XYK 824G the second far more reliable and much nicer Midget here queuing for the Fowey Ferry in Cornwall September 1973

then on it became an overriding ambition that, when old enough, I too would own something equally as exciting. This was fuelled regularly by not only seeing the old MG, but also a fabulous local Aston Martin DB2/4 MkIII, a Triumph TR3A owned by our dentist who used it for competition and replaced it with an early Lotus Elan in 1962, plus the sight of an always immaculate Dove Grey MGA fixed head coupe when visiting my Grandparents. It was however pretty much sealed beyond any reasonable doubt when my Mum’s younger brother purchased a brand new Old English White MG Midget in May 1964 (GPU 523B), coming to show us the day after he’d collected it. The smell of a new car in those days was heady stuff, and to this by then impressionable fifteen year old, a new sports car, an MG no less with wire wheels, was the stuff of dreams. And then a few weeks later when visiting that same uncle, he took me along to meet a chum of his who owned a Lotus Seven. Another exhilarating ride followed, the year finishing off with me sitting in a beautiful Ivory white Porsche 356C at the London Motor Show in November.

The fifties and sixties were in fact a fabulous period for young petrolheads like me; motor racing and sports cars were arguably at their most exciting. I listened intently to the BBC’s hourly radio reports from Le Mans, and the regular updates during the Monte Carlo Rally. Take for example the European Hill-Climb Championship, comprehensively reported throughout the season. I would read avidly about the latest super-lightweight works cars from Porsche, Ferrari, Abarth, and Elva, all driven by the world’s best drivers, and at such exotic sounding places, too. I could only imagine OllonVillars, Gainsberg, Schauinsland, and Casana-Sestriere, as they were never mentioned in school geography lessons, more’s the pity, but collecting my copy of Motor Sport, Motoring News, and Autosport from the local paper shop, plus receiving the odd issue of Road & Track from the States via someone in my Dad’s office, I could at least imagine the scene, for I devoured everything published in the English language back then. The Championship of Makes, later the World Endurance Championship which naturally

included Le Mans, and the Targa Florio I found especially exciting, sports car racing always surpassing single seaters for me. It was also a time of rapid development for road cars, with forward-thinking engineers incorporating some of the latest racing principles into their designs, the Lotus Europa being a prime example. But despite their modest underpinnings and pretty basic design, my soft spot for MGs remained, and by 1971, with apprenticeship and college studies finally over, I could at last replace my reliable 1500 VW Beetle with a brand new sports car, an MG Midget of course – what else! I can’t remember what expectations I had the day before delivery, but I’m pretty sure they didn’t include some of things I encountered on that first drive, as the bonnet stay fell off, the passenger door refused to stay closed, and a worrying clonk developed from beneath. With all my savings spent, I justifiably had every reason to question what had I bought? But even at this stage there was something about it. Couldn’t ignore the pin-sharp steering and responsiveness, as BJN 590K was like nothing I’d ever driven before (although admittedly I’d only driven my Beetle, Dad’s A40, and his newly arrived Triumph 1300). I loved how it responded to the lightest touch, and enjoyed it immensely when fragility allowed, considering if a relatively inexpensive little MG could be this engaging, what about those more specialised offerings?

XYK outside of the Abingdon MG factory during a visit in 1977 www.mgcc.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 41

Summer 1975 at Thorsby Hall in Nottinghamshire for an MG Car Club event

Because of my interest in cars, and a few willing colleagues, I very occasionally had the opportunity to drive other sports cars. An MGB, Triumph Spitfire, a rather old Healey 100/4, even an Alfa Spider once, but by far the most impressive was a workmate’s Lotus Elan SIII, which was in another league. Not unlike a Midget in size, but more comfortable and of course with greater performance, its overwhelming and outstanding feature was its unbelievable handling – Colin Chapman sure knew his stuff. Sadly, though, they were fragile. For as my Midget was proving, Elan owners had to return home via their outward route to collect all the bits which had dropped off earlier. Plus, there was something rather off-putting, not to say scary, when at night waiting to turn out into traffic, seeing the headlights of passing vehicles shine through the plastic doors. Chapman’s theory of “adding lightness” quite literally

PAR 177H the rally car, here being checked before rally preparation on the lonely road to Cader Idris Snowdonia in 1975

clear for all to see! They were and are still, however, fabulous cars to drive and I’ve always understood their ongoing appeal to enthusiasts. Returning to BJN 590K however, as described, it was a very poor example and not a good introduction to MGs by any measure. Ordered new in November 1971, it arrived in late March the following year, being first registered on April 1 – very appropriate! Initially suffering just the annoyance of various bits coming loose, suggesting it hadn’t received a pre-delivery inspection, compared to all the warranty work the supplying dealer, Kennings, were required to carry out – including a re-paint due to fading – it hardly mattered. Remaining out of action for weeks I decided to walk away from MG entirely. Less reliable than even my colleague’s Elan, but now armed with an extra few months of savings, I was convinced a TVR Vixen would be the ideal choice and

headed for my local dealers just outside Braintree. So imagine my disappointment on discovering their demonstrator was even worse than my MG. Not only did the doors not fit, but it had a damp, smelly interior and wouldn’t even start! I also considered a Ginetta G15, an interesting alternative built at Witham, not far from my parents’ home. But close up it seemed almost homemade, not unlike the TVR and my chum’s Lotus, in fact. A used Triumph TR6 was fast, but felt vintage and not at all what I expected from a thenmodern sports car, and the Ford Escort Mexico, while fairly quick and impressive, wasn’t what I wanted at this particular time. Although way beyond my pocket, a friend let me loose in his 4.2 E-type Jaguar one day. Riding behind that silky smooth straight six, by 1275cc Midget standards it’s enormous power and torque was electrifying, but large and heavy it lacked the agility I had become accustomed to,

July 1974 in Hertfordshire, just before Linda and Dennis were married. 42 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

KOR 161L the fourth Midget. The only round arch owned by Dennis and Linda, which compared to the others suffered greater road noise for some reason.

or I lacked the skill or courage to exploit it, but either way left me wondering how many other fabulous-looking and powerful cars might only be at their best on long straight roads… In discussion with my Dad he quite sensibly reasoned I should give MG another chance, and by the following spring Kennings had a one-owner 1969 Mineral Blue MG Midget, XYK 824G in their showroom, which looked perfect. I’d learnt much about Midgets by this time, but it was still with considerable feelings of relief that I swapped BJN for XYK, the immaculate low-mileage three years older model instantly proving to be the complete opposite of its younger sibling. It had a solid “all in one piece” feel about it, allowing me to finally enjoy MG Midget motoring with confidence. I’d also discovered Dick Jacobs Mill Garage by this time, the staff there far more interested in customers MGs than the large main BL dealer I’d been using. As my everyday transport XYK was put to a variety of uses, in 1974 with the roof folded down it transported carpet and underlay back from the shops when buying our first house, a loft ladder and steps too, but also won concours trophies and in contrast autotest awards, because typically being an MG, it wasn’t too precious for anything. A year later we added a second, rather tatty, Blue Royale Midget, (PAR 177H) which we used for all-night road rallying. Only mildly tuned, we couldn’t compete with the RS1600 and RS2000 Escorts, Holbay Avengers, and 2.3 Vauxhall Firenza “Droopsnoots”, which were dominating, but did generally finish quite well up the results due to many of the quicker teams becoming intimate with the scenery. (The

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KOR 161L in final sprint mode, the Wharf’s owned this car for 17 years.

The present car LYL 411D alongside Dennis’s J2 in 2003

times we’d see spotlights arc across the night sky as yet another expensive car rolled into a ditch was extraordinary!) It was good fun, though, our pair of Midgets proving the versatility of these simple yet addictive and highly competitive cars. They were both swapped for a late chrome bumper MGB GT, (GMH 67N) in 1976, but once sold, I missed Midget motoring massively, so within a few months we had KOR 161L, a 1972 Blaze round arch Midget to live alongside our GT, this car remaining with us for the next 17 years. With work taking me to Buckinghamshire in 1983, I began visiting Peter Woods (the MGA Twin Cam expert) for spares and advice from time to time, where I’d noticed tucked away in a corner of the workshop LYL 411D, his own 1966 BRG MkII Midget. Always preferring the MkII’s simpler lines, after some lengthy negotiations I finally purchased the car from Peter, a decision I’ve never regretted. Original in appearance it does in fact enjoy much-improved performance,

the engine modified and enlarged to 1330cc’s produces over 80% more power than when in original 1098cc spec, while a few suspension modifications by Malcolm Beer has resulted in the car having plenty of power with handling to match. (I met Malcolm in 1974 at the family garage, Beer of Houghton, the same year Dick Jacobs Mill Garage was compulsory purchased and demolished to make way for the M11, Malcolm helping me ever since). So having owned a few modern sports cars alongside the Midgets, plus other MGs too, I’ve been asked more than once: “Why still drive that old Midget?” A good question, and easy to answer, for when drawing comparisons it becomes clear just how brilliant the model was when first introduced and has remained so since. All of our MG Midgets, being A series models, not surprisingly have enjoyed a similarity in feel. Each possesses that light, precise steering allowing easy, controllable oversteer, and the characteristic noisy

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 43

Touring the Alps in the mid-nineties.

first gear, but compact and balanced. They’ve been miles ahead of some other cars we’ve owned, including a few MGs from our own J2 to an MGB GTV8 in terms of the their shear sporting appeal. In standard form none had power to spare, but the willing “A” series always offered great tune-ability. Indeed, these cars can be transformed into seriously quick machines; class A race cars for example, able to reach 0-60mph in just a sniff over 4 seconds, but just mildly tuned and balanced they become smooth and responsive, and far more than just another form of transport, perfect if creature comforts are not high on your list of requirements. The excellent handling and instant response emphasises just how good Donald Healey’s original concept and layout was, especially so given the restrictive budget imposed by BMC for the design. Refined and improved by the Abingdon drawing office, but always relying on quite simple components, MG constructed low-priced sports cars enthusiasts could enjoy and compete with very successfully, too, it they wanted, and all for a comparatively small outlay. Never used for anything more strenuous than a few Club auto-tests, LYL 411D has taken us several times across Europe, on more than one occasion climbing a number of Alpine passes in a single day, visited en route some old circuits including the Nürburgring, Rheims, Rouen, Chimay, and Spa-Francorchamps, and a few old hill-climb courses also at Cenis, Susa-Mont and Klausen, and generated enjoyment way beyond

44 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

anything its modest specification might suggest. Quite simply they are one of the nicest sports cars you could ever wish to drive, which I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy almost unbroken for nearly 50 years. Regrettably, I cannot look forward to another 50 years driving an MG Midget, or anything else for that matter, but will nevertheless continue for as many as I can before my motoring days are finally over. Like I said at the outset, that old prewar MG all those years back has had much to answer for, but would I change anything... Not a chance. Footnote: When BJN 590K was just a couple of weeks old we attended Brands

In the pretty town centre of Arras on our way home from the Switzerland in 2001.

Hatch for the MGCC’s 1972 April race meeting. Sitting in the car while eating our sandwiches during lunch I was introduced to the Club by Mike EllmanBrown, something for which I’ve ever been grateful. Mike opened up to me a hitherto unknown world of other like-minded enthusiasts, and thus the opportunity to meet so many other lovely people, a number of whom have become life-long friends – thanks, Mike.

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FEBRUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 35 JUNE 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 SAFETY SAFETY FAST! FAST! 45 35

NEWSLETTER

Cathelijne Spoelstra +31 (0)6 41216600 cathelijnespoelstra@outlook.com www.triple-mregister.org

WELCOME TO THE

TRIPLE NEWSLETTER Hello and welcome to the Register’s quarterly four-page spread! Spring is finally properly here, pubs provide pints, races and trials are being enjoyed; all is well in the world. Well, getting there anyway… For starters, I’d just like to share this photograph of the two gentlemen who have done so much for the current racing crowd. It was Mark Dolton (right) who first initiated the plan to try to revive Triple-M Racing’s heyday. Of course, a couple of stout ones never stopped racing, but the times when grids of 20 Triple-M cars competed at MGCC events were long gone when Mark first got his licence. He set about attracting some sponsors, enthusing potential drivers and getting the Club to allocate us grids at the Silverstone and, later, Brands Hatch and Donington race meetings. Since then he’s passed the baton to his mate Duncan Potter (left) who is doing as sterling a job as Mark did before him. Apart from me wishing to thank them for their efforts, I’d also just like to point out that both lads are very young still and even though they did not ‘find’ the marque by themselves but rather by way of their dads, Tony and David, ‘infecting’ them at a young age, they do clearly show there’s hope for our Register yet! Due to Covid, this year’s Mary Harris Trophy at Brands Hatch on April 25 was the first one of the ‘revival races’ I’ve had to give a miss, and boy, did it hurt, but I’m so glad the chaps and chappesses got to go out and enjoyed themselves regardless. By the sound of it, all 25 entrants have yet again had an absolutely marvellous time with young Oliver Sharp winning both races in a not-so-standard NA0395 first owned by his grandad and now by his father, and Nigel Stroud securing the Mary Harris Trophy for improving most on his handicap in his basically standard J2414. Congrats all round!

Duncan Potter and Mark Dolton at Brands Hatch 2021

A BROOKLANDS FATALITY As I recently found, it’s not all happy discoveries when you delve into the MG world of the 1930s. Well, not all that recently of course, I am indeed aware of plenty of stories of racing drivers and mechanics who did not survive their cars somersaulting, catching fire, topping the famous Brooklands bankings or even simple test runs across the Isle of Man going horribly wrong. However, the story I’d like to share with you this month is of a more modest nature; Arthur Ewart Stephen Walter was not a famous racing driver nor was he a real part of Brooklands’ elite. I imagine he was simply an ordinary citizen, a young chap, newly wed to his beloved Hope Clayton, fooling around with his small Midget at the weekend by entering club events at the Weybridge track and plodding up the odd hill. It was during the Brighton and www.mgcc.co.uk

(Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News, September 13 1930) JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 47

NEWSLETTER

(The Scotsman, September 8 1930)

(Northern Whig, September 8 1930)

(Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News, September 13 1930)

Hove Motor Club’s Brooklands Meeting on Saturday September 6 1930 that 25-year-old Arthur hit a sand bank, and subsequently died in hospital soon after. The thing that strikes me most is that his young bride was there to witness the whole thing. How cruel! Anyway, I thought I’d share so that young Arthur’s memory lives on, in some sort of tiny way anyway. Unfortunately, with most of the M-type factory files being absent or at best incomplete, I have no idea which car Arthur owned, let alone what happened to it after the crash. However, Mike Dalby, our intrepid M-type

Registrar/detective/explorer, has found our Arthur also taking part in the 1929 Brighton to Beer Trial and in the 1930 MCC Land’s End carrying number 205 in the latter. Anyone with a photograph tucked away of said event and number, please? Otherwise, it’s off to join all the other as-yetunidentified M-types, I’m afraid.

(Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, September 12 1930)

MY HONOURABLE J1 Anyone remember these notes of November 2020 when I wrote to you of my incredible luck in coming upon two 1939 pictures of my car, J0577, and on Facebook too, of all places? I have now ... Drum roll, please! … found another two of when it was even newer! Seeing as I’m not one for summaries and it really is a wonderful tale of the Marque of Friendship at work, I’ll happily take this opportunity to bore you with the full story as to the how and why and who and such: For starters, we need to return to my December 2019 scribbles in which I wrote of Gordon Rhodes’ J2048 and its second owner, the Hon. Andrew Dalrymple, younger brother to ‘my’ Hon. Hew Dalrymple of Lochinch Castle up in Galloway, Scotland. Back then I did not communicate directly with Gordon but with the son of a 1950s owner of his car, so the first time I actually spoke to Gordon himself was months later when I had found some further pictures of his J2 in action in 1933 with Miss Dickson behind the wheel and which I thought

48 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

My Honourable J1 in its infancy. I know there’s not a lot to go on, but does anyone recognise the location? Cambridge perhaps?

I’d pass on to him. We ended up chatting about both noble chappies and one thing leading to another, Gordon sent me copies of the research the former owner of his car, Iain Wright, had done in the 1980s. Amongst this stuff was a letter from Hew in which he said “I am very sorry I cannot

remember the registration number of the MG which once belonged to my brother but enclose unwanted photos of my own J1. I have another showing its number plate FS 6208.” All excited at the prospect, it turned out Gordon only had copies of the letters and knew of no photographs

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NEWSLETTER … And so the next step was to try to trace Iain, a former Scottish Triple-M Registrar and still an active Club member, to see if the photos Hew mentioned had stayed behind with him. A post on Facebook enquiring after Iain’s whereabouts failed, as did an old-fashioned letter to the address the Register had on file. Luckily the people who now live in his old place returned my letter, otherwise I would not have known it never reached him and I’d be waiting still. Another enquiry, on our own forum this time (Why did I not think of that in the first place?) supplied

a quick response from Colin McLachlan who came up with a four-year-old email address. Worth a try, obviously, because lo and behold, there he was, within 12 hours Iain replied saying he’d be going up the attic shortly to have a look for me and a couple of hours later still, there he was again. With the original letter and the original photographs! Iain had kept them safe all those years just in case an owner would one day pop up. How fabulous is that? I am indebted and grateful to you all, Gordon, Iain and Colin, for collectively making my day! So, my message? That

even though we’re almost 90 years on, stuff will still turn up, so if you’re thinking that researching the early history of your car isn’t going to be worthwhile; think again! As an aside, both Hew’s son and his grandson have kindly informed me that they do not have any photographs of their (gran)dad in an MG and so this is where I really ought to give up on finding that one last picture Hew himself mentioned back in 1984 … or should I? A visit to Lochinch Castle to go and see for myself is called for, I’m thinking! Just waiting for our white metal man to get on with the engine…

NUVOLARI! Well, I never! Ask for Triple-M models, locations, events or people and the odd five or six members will take part, but post a pic of a certain Italian bloke and all of a sudden everyone is fighting to reach my inbox first! The answer to February’s quiz was indeed the tiny yet great Tazio Nuvolari! For completeness, the event was of course the 1933 Ulster TT, the car K3003 and the riding mechanic Alec Hounslow. Probably MG’s most famous win and rightly so. One of the quiz’s competitors was Edward Kirkland who sent me his photo of the master. Would you just look at that inscription? How marvellous! Going by the arm band, the photograph seems to date back to 1931 when Nuvolari’s Alfa Romeo was allocated number nine, but he did clearly wear the same jumper on both occasions. Another one of his many mascots? Edward is actually related to our ‘Founding Father’ by way of his marriage to Mr Kimber’s second wife Gillie’s granddaughter Easter which is how he came by this rather lovely memento. Though I heartily thank Edward for his contribution, the prize goes to Søren Elnef from Denmark. Søren owns a whole range of MGs, but not a Triple-M, so I’m hoping his prize, which comes in the shape of one of our yearbooks, might entice him to join the ranks. Congratulations, Søren, and thank you all for taking part! Thinking of Nuvolari, I could not resist a quick scan through the British Newspaper A mugshot of Nuvolari dating back to 1931, signed especially in 1933. Photo: Edward Kirkland Collection www.mgcc.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 49

NEWSLETTER Mascot no. 1 (Belfast News-Letter, August 31 1933)

Though he be but little… He will have been somewhat of a ladies’ man! (Belfast News-Letter, August 24 1931)

Nuvolari wearing the same jumper in 1933 as he did in 1931. Or did they just use an old photograph? (Belfast NewsLetter, September 1 1933)

Mascot no. 2 (Belfast News-Letter, September 1 1933)

(Northern Whig, August 31 1933)

Archive where I found some more gems. I wonder how it came about that Whitney Straight, who did not actually own K3003, entered the car for the TT. Could it be Kimber asked him to enter one of the Works cars in his name so as to avoid having to enter a car in the MG Car Company’s name, in turn avoiding speculation on who the driver of such a Works entry would be while he was still negotiating things with Nuvolari? After all, an eventual no from the Italian star would no doubt have come out, which may have been something Kimber wanted to avoid. And then there’s the clipping where it is stated nothing further had been heard of young master Whitney Straight since he entered both cars, but isn’t that him standing right there between McConnell and Nuvolari on August 31, two days prior

(Leeds Mercury, September 1 1933)

(Northern Whig, August 22 1933)

Mascot no. 3. Unbeknownst to Nuvolari himself, it seems… (Belfast News-Letter, September 4 1933)

to the event? Indeed it is! The Maserati is recorded as being a non-starter, but he clearly did travel to Ulster in support of

The elusive Whitney Straight squeezing in. (Belfast News-Letter, August 31 1933)

‘his’ entry after all. Funny how he is the sole one who remains nameless in the caption…

QUARTERLY QUIZ

Your next assignment is to name the track, the event and, finally, I’d like a count of the number of MGs on show, please. A date would be nice, too. And just because it’s you, I’ll give you a hint: our racing boys and girls will return to this very circuit next month where the Register will be celebrating a certain model’s 90th anniversary. Ready? Set! Go! Until next time; Safety Fast!

50 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

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NEWSLETTER

Jerry Birkbeck 01926 258691 Mob: 07855 566325 birkbeckjerry@gmail.com www.mgccyregister.co.uk

WELCOME TO THE

Y TYPE NEWSLETTER Welcome to our six-monthly Newsletter. In these trying times it does look as if the hard work of our scientists and the NHS may not only have provided us with protection against Covid but also an opportunity to travel and meet up once more. This issue includes a couple of articles, which I hope you all may find of interest, plus some artistic delicacies that some of

AN IRISH MG YT I am sure that most of you are aware of Mike Silk’s wonderful YT which he has owned for 50 years. He has kindly written a highly informative article about the car, how he discovered it, the restoration undertaken and the regular use that he and his wife Sue have put in it over the years. IR 4304 - MG One-and-a-Quarter Litre Tourer (YT) - 1949 Chassis Number:- YT/EXR/2744.Engine Number: - XPAG/TR/12665. My YT was originally an export to Ireland and was previously owned by Dr Brendan O’Hara, later on a well-known figure in vintage racing in the Dublin area. As manufactured, she was painted black with beige upholstery. It is thought that some – if not all – Irish Tourers might have been assembled in Cork from CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits. So perhaps he was supporting local industry! He had bought IR 4304 new in November 1949 while he was living in Tullamore, County Offaly, where I believe he also worked. He only owned her for about six months and he told me once–or I might have been told – that it was the only new car he ever bought. He had not been greatly impressed with the www.mgcc.co.uk

you may never have seen, In this context I would draw your attention to impressions and paintings of MGs that the Car Club are promoting and may be on display at the combined Triumph and MG Event to be held at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, over three days: Friday 13-Sunday August 15 this summer.

performance, so she was sold locally and was last taxed in October 1965. Not too long afterwards he acquired one of the prototype TR2s – TS2 which was over there for an Irish motorshow. Brendan was a member of the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club (IVVCC) and that is where I met him. I had joined the IVCC through a friend with a TD, Trevor Storey. I was living and working in Dublin from early in 1971 and had failed to find an MG T Type at the time. There were hardly any out there and certainly not one in my price range. Importing one to Ireland may have been a possibility at the time, but wasn’t something that would have been very easy to do on my very limited budget. IR 4304 had been bought for Trevor Storey’s mother as a second car. (Trevor’s father had just finished restoring a 1920s Star tourer and was setting about a Lancia Lambda). She did not really like that idea and settled on an MGA instead. Although I saw the Tourer quite regularly, I never thought to ask about buying her. In fact I had never seen one before and didn’t even know the model existed. When Trevor’s father offered her to me for £90 I jumped at the chance. She appeared to be reasonably sound, and an MG – what more could you want? A bank loan for the purchase was arranged – and enough to replace the

The articles include an excellent submission by Mike Silk, an entertaining recollection by Peter Sharp, artistic impressions of a well-known YT and YB. A humorous note, by Peter again, on the simple spare that you must have. Then finally a plea for someone to run the Y Type Register spares shop for us please.

IR 4303 residing in a lock-up in Dublin

hood as well. And so as a non-runner, complete with nearside front wing dent from its initial tow to Dublin, she was moved into a lock-up. The seized clutch was freed after removing the gearbox, and the car got into running order – of a sort. The day after it was finally ready for the road was race day at Mondello Park near Naas. The car was already entered in the ‘MG Veteran and Vintage’ handicap race at the ‘Crawford’s Golden 1000’ race meeting. I had acquired a racing licence and it was to be the car and driver’s one and only race – so far! She was driven to the race on her first significant run, then JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 53

NEWSLETTER

Trevor Storey in the MG N Type previously owned by Dr. O’Hara

ford’s Golden 10

aw Entry list for Cr

stripped of passenger seats, windscreen and everything that wasn’t essential and passed scrutineering. After practice, it was unsurprisingly in ‘pole’ position on the grid and there was quite a long wait before the next cars set off. The grid included Dick Lovell-Butt in his single-seater K3 (K3006) and the Tourer’s original owner in his streamlined ‘flat-iron’ Fiat Balilla Special. The K3 had a couple of laps to make up and it appeared at one point that it was going to be a close finish, until a con rod bearing went and we returned to the pits with a lap to go. Not the best start to ownership! I used her for everyday use whilst in Ireland, including a two week tour of the northern part of the country.

Somewhere in Donegal, August 1972

I brought her back to the UK when I returned in 1973. She was resprayed red not long after and used as everyday transport in the early and mid-seventies. Sue learned to drive in her and we left her parked at Luton airport for two weeks while we were away on honeymoon. I’m not sure I would do that now! I finally got around to fitting flashing indicators for the London traffic – it had been hand signals until then. After a couple of years, the YT was really ready for a restoration, but with a young family, the car gathered dust and was laid up in various garages from the late seventies through to the early nineties. A start on restoration was made in the mid-80s, but a move to West Yorkshire in 1987 meant that it wasn’t until 1993 that a complete restoration was started. This was completed very slowly. By early 2004 she was now finished in sequoia cream with a green interior and still has the original engine and back axle, but the gearbox had been replaced by a Hi Gear five-speed conversion. Although I have done a lot of the work myself, chassis and body restoration were carried out by Naylor Brothers of Shipley, and all the trimming by Mike Collingburn of Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Marshalling at the Dales Mintex Rally, North Yorkshire in 1974

54 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

She had her first real run to Oxford from West Yorkshire in April 2004 on the MGCC Y-Type Register Spring Run, and won the NTG Cup. In subsequent years she has regularly attended Register Spring and Autumn Runs. She has been back on the road about 16 years now and is a fairly practical car – especially for two passengers. We have toured Brittany – 1,400+ more or less trouble-free miles – the Loire Valley, and in 2019 the Isle of Man. A return to Ireland is long overdue! The Link to Triumph Roadster TS2 I had never heard of TS2 and certainly didn’t know that Dr O’Hara had owned her until I was passed by some Irish TR owners in mid-Wales in 2012. TS2 originally had the registration number IR 6360. This subsequently became 773 EWO in the UK for some reason. (When in Ireland it seems to carry its original registration, but in the UK it carries 773 EWO.) They noted the similar Irish registration number of my car and made the connection through a website where I had entered a few details of IR 4304, including its first owner. In 2014 the two cars were lined up at the annual Triumph Register day in Harrogate. Unfortunately the Irish registration number plates were not available for an otherwise memorable day. Mike Silk

MG YT and TS2 together at Harrogate

www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER ADVENTURE IN A Y TYPE When I was 19, I was at college in London (Leicester Square, in fact, but that’s a whole lot of other stories). At the end of my first year, I decided it wasn’t for me and moved back to my home town. Having a need for a car (the Morris Minor convertible I had as a schoolboy had dissolved in a heap of rust some time before) I searched the classified ads in the local paper. There I found an MG ‘Y’. I had no idea what that might be but a friend’s brother had a pile of bits in his garage which he was slowly putting back together, a sporty looking number with cycle mudguards that he called an MG P type. I assumed the Y type would be something like this so I went to see it. What I found, of course, was not a low, sporty roadster but a small, cheeky-looking saloon car. It belonged to a youngish schoolteacher who was moving to New Zealand with his wife and young family. They obviously loved the car; I drove it and loved it too, there was something about it that made me smile. I bought it for £35.00. It was black and a total contrast to all the other cars on the road then, the Minis and Ford Anglias and Cortinas. The leather seats and the wooden interior trim gave it a distinct look and smell. The walnut dash and octagon control switches and dials gave it class. The steering wheel was adjustable, the windscreen opened (the dashboard also moved. It was loose so that pulling the choke pulled out the starter, something it took me some time to realise wasn’t intentional). The Jackall system raised the car on all fours. It was like a fascinating new toy to me; my friends were amazed by it, girls seemed to like it. I drove it as an everyday car, I didn’t think of it as a classic. Well, I didn’t always treat it as an everyday car, time will forgive me the occasions when I drove down the town High Street with a friend standing on the passenger seat, saluting out of the open sun roof. Or when we screeched to a halt next to a bus queue and dragged a girl in through the back door after watching The Untouchables (we did know her). We were only young. My girlfriend at the time had family who lived in Devon. During the Christmas holidays I arranged to stay there between Boxing Day and New Year. I set off in the Y with a change of clothes and a toothbrush, a few quid in my wallet and little else. I can’t recall checking the oil or greasing the king pins or putting any air in the tyres. I had a full tank and it was only 240 miles. I can’t remember the route I took but it wasn’t on motorways, which didn’t join up like they do now. Remember going through Frome and Devizes but not much else, apart from the fact that it was freezing cold and getting colder and snowier every mile I drove. Just before my destination just outside Barnstaple, I hit a patch of black ice while going down a steepish hill. The car turned a couple of circles before slamming to a halt against a high nearside kerbstone. After this the steering was a bit stiff, with a distinct swing to the left. Something had been bent but I decided to struggle on. After about six hours driving, cold, hungry and tired, I arrived. My girlfriend had told me I could park on their driveway but the gates were locked. Before I could knock on the door she came out and got in beside me. Her mother, it seemed, had decided that I was no longer welcome and she would not allow me in the house. To explain: the time was 1969, I had shoulder length hair, www.mgcc.co.uk

an afghan coat that had a tendency to smell of goat in warm weather, patched jeans and cowboy boots. She came from a highly respected Devon family and sometimes wore pearls and tweed skirts. We were very much in love, but ill-matched. Nothing we (or her father) could say would sway her mother. I said I would go to the nearest town (a seaside resort) and find a B&B. I drove off into the night, girlfriend waving me off beneath a streetlight flecked with snowflakes. I didn’t find a B&B; they were all dark and shut up for the night. I slept in the car under a single thin blanket, awaking at first light to find my hair frozen to the glass of the side window. I had to cup my hands and huff onto my hair for a time before it thawed enough to let me move. I had no money; I’d spent what I had on petrol and expected to get more from the bank when it opened on Monday (no holes in the wall then) but I was hungry and freezing cold. I got out to stretch my legs; noticing that I had stopped beside a municipal park with an ornamental pond. People like to throw coins into such ponds, possibly confusing a shallow grey concrete pit with a romantic fountain in Rome; how or why I have no idea. In this pond there were a fair number of half-crowns, florins and shillings glinting among the pennies in the early morning light. Taking my boots ands socks off, I braved the needle sharp cold of the water and soon had a couple of handfuls of silver. I dried myself on the blanket, stuck my numb fingers under my armpits and went into the first open greasy spoon I found. I’ve eaten many full breakfasts with tea and two slices since then, but none have compared with that one. The bacon and fried bread warmed me from within and grasping the pint mug of hot tea warmed my hands from the outside. My experience soured our relationship, though it wasn’t her fault. Her mother would never have let it work. I did stay in a B&B for a few days; the Y went into a local garage for some TLC to the front suspension and a new set of points and plugs. The journey back was warmer and uneventful. The car developed a few serious faults over the next few months which, when I went to a new place at university, I didn’t have the facilities or money to put right. It eventually went to someone who was rebuilding a Y Type, as a donor car. Do I remember the registration or the chassis number? Do I have a log book or any photographs? No, I don’t. Do I remember it fondly as the source of experiences, fun and memories? Yes, I do, and that’s what owning cars is all about; isn’t it? (Many years after this, I came across a die-cast model of an MG YA at a toy fair. Asking how much it was, I was told £35.00; exactly what I’d paid for mine and in the same colour, too. I bought it and not long after, bought my second real one – same colour, too.) Peter Sharp Peter’s YA on a cold winter’s day

NEWSLETTER Y TYPES IN ART A couple of examples of Ys in art. Peter Vielvoye’s YT is a lovely example and painted by his sister. Little Gem is a YB that was left to the Car Club by a long-term member who died in 2009, maintained by the Y Register through the care and attention of Neil Cairns. It was finally auctioned in 2016 at MGLive! and acquired by Paul and Maggie Grafham, both Y Register Committee Members. The painting was commissioned by the Register and hangs in Kimber House. The artist is Kevin Parrish, who is well known for his excellent railway images.

PETER VIELVOYE’S YT An example of the rarest post-war MG. I have owned her since 2001 and over the years have restored, repaired and improved her lovingly. This watercolour picture was painted by my sister Sally Ann Mancell for my 70th birthday. Sally was a Spode/Royal Dalton designer and now practises as a freelance

A USEFUL MG TOOL The one problem I have with my MG YB is the fact that the choke will not lock on. I was finding it inconvenient holding it out while pulling the starter and getting the engine warmed up/the oil pressure to the right level, so I looked around for a solution.

56 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

Artist Kevin Parrish. http://www.kevinparrish.co.uk In 2009 MG YB MDF 630 was bequeathed to the MGCC and for seven years she was used to promote Club activities. When she first arrived at Kimber House Y Register members paid her a visit. From left to right: Suzie Arnell, Peter Arnell, Jack Murray, Ted Gardner and Jerry Birkbeck. Suzie remarked “She’s a Little Gem” and the name stuck. After Little Gem was sold, the Club commissioned this oil painting to commemorate her. She is now owned by Paul and Maggie Grafham’s grandson… who is all of ten years old!

I discovered a specialist firm making ‘Choke Assistance Devices’. These are customised for different makes and marques of vehicles and are available to order. I have attached a photograph of mine; it retails at £22.50 (inc. VAT). Perhaps the Y Register shop could stock them? Peter Sharp

YOUR REGISTER NEEDS YOU! As you are all aware, the Register is once more allowed to sell its Regalia. These are parts that are not manufactured by any mainstream supplier. However, Mike and Sue Silk, who have been running the Shop for well over a decade and a half and have been primarily responsible

THE NAMING OF LITTLE GEM

for finding appropriate and trustworthy individuals and organisations to recreate some parts, are looking to retire from the post. Hence we need someone to take over the reins and to continue to distribute the spares and seek potential suppliers.

It is a low-level commitment and the service is run online. Have a look at the range we offer on our Register website www.mgccyregistershop.co.uk. If you are interested then please contact Mike – mikesue4304@gmail.com

www.mgcc.co.uk

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JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 57

NEWSLETTER

John Thompson Tel: 01702 298833 johnt5@btinternet.com www.mgcc.co.uk/zedregister www.facebook.com/zrzsztregister

WELCOME TO THE

ZRZSZT NEWSLETTER Welcome to our second newsletter of 2021. It seems the Government’s Covid-19 roadmap is still on schedule so hopefully by the end of this month we should be able to feel a sense of normality returning at last. Please see below our confirmed events for the remainder of the year. The BMC & Leyland Show is a late, but welcome addition to our events calendar. Thanks to all those members who answered our call for display cars at such short notice. The six that were chosen should make for a very colourful display. Our display area at MGF 25+1 is beginning to fill up, too. If you would like to bring your Zed this event it’s not too late register your interest. Please contact Rob Johns at thezedregister@hotmail.com and let him know.

58 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

Sun July 11 Sat 17-Sun July 18 Sat July 24 Sun August 15 Sat 4-Sun Sept 5 Fri 10-Mon Sep 13

BMC & Leyland Show Donington Racing Round MGF 25+1 Zed 20 Snetterton Racing Round ‘Zeds at the Lakes’ Road Trip

NMM Gaydon, Warks Donington, Leics NMM Gaydon, Warks Burghley House, Lincs Snetterton, Norfolk Kendal, Cumbria

ZED 20

Our plans for Zed 20 continue to shape up and it’s looking to be a great weekend. The only thing we can’t plan for is the weather! Changing the venue has given us the opportunity to go bigger and bolder with our ideas over two days. The weekend will include: • Dedicated Parking Areas for ZR, ZS, ZT, 260s, and ZR Express • Monogram Showcase Parking • Show & Shine Competition on Sunday • 51st Street Display Area • Indoor Display Area • Register Merchandise available for sale • Build Data Available on Request • And Much More!......... 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. Our Show & Shine competition will be taking place on the Sunday. All Zeds present on that day will automatically be entered into the competition. Judging will take place during the early part of the afternoon, with winners presentations taking place at 4.00pm. The categories will be: Best ZR, Best ZS, Best ZT/ZT-T, Best ZT/ZT-T 260 and Best Monogram Zed. We have also created a Facebook page dedicated to Zed 20. Please feel free to join the group and post some pictures of your Zeds. Look out for further announcements and information being posted for this event.

www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER ZEDS AT THE LAKES & ZEDS IN THE NORTH

£299.00 Per Person - 10th to 13th (Price is per person, based on

September 2021 - 4 Day, 3 Night

2 persons sharing a car/twin/dou

ble room. £398.00 per person

in a double room for single

use)

Tour

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 BOOKINGS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED - CALL: 01732 beautiful Lake District. The revised https://www.my-holiday-b ooking.co.uk/availability/ch 879153 OR BOOK ONLINE: eck/index/i/13/t/LAKES-M GZR 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” 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 – due to the Government’s restrictions having been lifted, the hotels they use are popular and may get booked up well in advance with other guests. This will help them ascertain the number of reservations required. The Lakeland Motor Museum

Price includes the followin 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’ Commemor ative Tour Rally Plate 24 hour out of hours helpline whilst on the tour

This tour is operated for the MG Car Scenic Car Tours - www.scenic Club by our Travel Partner cartours.com

A TALE OF 2 ZEDS

After few different vehicle changes (all MG or Rover Cars) I really wanted to get Having owned a few Rover Group/MG Rover hold of a Monogram ZR (specifically a MkI) and a MkII MG ZS 180. Group Cars over the years, it was almost The first arrival was my 2004 MG inevitable that I would own a Zed car at ZR 105 3-door in Biomorphic Green. some point. My first encounter with the Zeds was a 2002 Solar Red MG ZR 105 base model – despite its basic specification, I was hooked on the driving experience and excellent running costs.

Bookings are made with our

travel partner Scenic Car Tours and are bound by their conditions of booking

I paid approximately £450.00 for it in 2016 from a fellow enthusiast on the MG Rover Monogram page on Facebook. The car came without MOT and was in need of some work, such a replacement fuel tank and a few other

The Monogram Biomorphic MG ZR www.mgcc.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 59

NEWSLETTER

The MG ZR, slowly being restored to be a show car

The matching interior of the MG ZR

The sorry state of the MG ZS when purchased a couple of years ago 60 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

bits before going through its first MOT in September of that year. I have slowly been incorporating additional options to the car, along with some customized parts. Modifications include: Fitment of an early MkI Rover 25 dashboard with the dash insert and heater surround being colour matched to the car; door cards and rear interior trim cards from an early MkI 25; half leather and Grey Alcantara seats (both front seats have height and lumbar support) with rear headrests to replace the original base spec matrix seats; Rover 200 BRM centre console; speaker and tweeter grilles from a BRM fitted to the door cards and an early MkI Rover 25 leather steering wheel fitted. After much thought, I decided I wanted to make some modifications to the car, but I didn’t want to go down the standard route of taking out the 1.4 engine and replacing it with a 1.8vvc, so following discussion with the MG Rover specialist who looks after our cars (MJS Auto & Marine) I opted to go for the following, all of which was carried out in August and September of 2019. I purchased a 1.6 litre K series engine with only 23,000 miles on from an X reg Rover 25 which was being broken for parts. This was then fully rebuilt with MG TF 135 Cams, head was ported and polished with new head gasket fitted as a precaution, MG TF alloy manifold, ITG Induction Kit, the ECU remap by Kmaps, modified MGF exhaust manifold, pre cat deletion and a Cobra centre exhaust and Oval back box fitted. The suspension was also replaced all round with GAZ adjustable coil overs lowering the car’s stance by approximately 20/30 mm. After a year of enjoyment driving the car, it became clear that although the mechanicals were now spot on, the bodywork was beginning to suffer in all the usual places. Both rear wheel arches have started to go rusty, front driver wing was just starting to bubble and the MOT found that the rear section of the front subframe was badly corroded. The front bumper also had some damage and following a gust of wind catching the bonnet one day, this now has some damage around the hinge fittings leaving a large gap over the front bumper. www.mgcc.co.uk

NEWSLETTER As a result, the ZR is currently off the road and I have purchased the following parts: a replacement rear and front subframe, brand new front wings, brand new front bumper, repair panels for both rear arches, brand new indicators, headlights, and fog lights. The car is currently in the body shop having the first phase of its body repairs done, with both rear wheel arches having the bad metal cut out and the replacement panels fitted, and colour matched. My ZR will eventually be a show car only, so I will be spending the next 12 months having all the above replaced the car painted and eventually finishing off with the alloy wheels being fully refurbished. As if having one rather large project car was not enough, approximately two years ago, when a friend in the MG Rover community was moving their garage to smaller premises, they had to clear their yard which was full of a multitude of MG Rover cars, I noticed parked in the corner a pearl black MkII MG ZS 180 Saloon which had been with him for some time, having been taken to his garage with clutch issues. Unfortunately, the owner had seemingly abandoned the car there for some time, and following discussion it was decided that they would be happy to sell it on rather than fix it. A price of £450.00 (seems to be my lucky number!) was agreed. The car had one key and handset and no service history provided – the price taking this into account.

Out and About in the MG ZS

After being moved from a friend’s yard to another temporary storage facility of theirs, I arranged for the car to be transported to a garage I had rented to dry store it and put the money by to have the work done. Knowing that there was a lot of work that would need doing on the ZR to make it into the show car I wanted it to be, and having bought a lot of parts for the ZS over the intervening few months, during the lockdown release in the summer of 2020 I arranged with Mike at MJS to come and pick the car up from its storage and take it off to be fully serviced and the initial recommissioning to be done. Once Mike had finished the car it then went on to another mechanic we know, Martin at M Baker Auto Care, who then did a full clutch replacement while completing welding to both front jacking point areas (usual places for rust to set in), replacing one of the brake lines and fitting a new rear back box. Other work carried out includes replacement half Alcantara and leather seats

with rear headrests, replacement headlights, and early MkI ZS door cards with grey trim inserts. I also have rear electric window set up to be fitted later, along with getting the headlining replaced (again a common fault as it’s starting to sag!). The ZS passed her MOT in October of 2020 and is now being used regularly as my daily car (although working from home means it is not used daily, given the current circumstances!). Progress on both my MG projects can be found on a dedicated Facebook page:Project Bio ZR & Project ZS 180 As part of my duties on the MGCC ZR/ZS/ZT Register committee, the ZS will be attending a few events this year as part of the ZED 20 celebrations, including BMC day at the British Motor Museum, MGF 25+1 also at Gaydon, MG & Triumph Weekend where the main ZED 20 celebrations will take place and the ZEDs in the North and Driving weekend in the Lakes this September. Rob Johns

MG ZS in good company, look out for it at MG shows this year www.mgcc.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 61

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TECH TORQUE

A MkII MG Midget with an Ashley Hard Top

BUYING AN MG MIDGET If you’ve considered buying an MG Midget, but not sure where to start or what to look for, here Mark T Boldry gives you hints and tips to get you started

BODYWORK Apart from the Mk1 Austin Healey Sprite, the body shape on the rest of the Midgets and Sprites looks the same. That’s as far as it goes, as there are quite a few changes as production and models move through the years. However, there are many publications that go into great detail on all the minute changes, so I will just touch on a few more important ones. When looking at a Midget or Sprite attention should be paid to two main areas, corrosion and body damage/repairs. Starting at the front of the car, we have quite a few things to look at. The bonnet is often an area that has had some attention at times. Due to its design and the way it is held open, the whole assembly flexes. This causes stress in the front of the bonnet and where you have stress, you get corrosion. This, with the fact that the reinforcements of the panel at the front are a water trap, means that this is a serious corrosion area. Likewise, the lower front panel is vulnerable to corrosion, plus the lower parts of the front wings. On a detail note here, it is worth researching the model year of your car, as in 1968/69 there was a change in sidelight position. The later cars were fitted with the light unit slightly lower in the wing below the headlight. It is amazing how many cars are fitted with either the wrong wings or even odd wings! Look also to the front of the wheel arch – if it is out of shape or appears to be pushed out slightly, this could

www.mgcc.co.uk

indicate accident damage. Moving back, the rear of the front wings is also a mud trap where it meets the top of the sill. This area will rot away and also the footwell panel and sill with it. In extreme cases, the inner sill and front floor can be affected, too. The ‘A’ posts (door hinge panels) are very susceptible to rust, again a stressed area and a water trap. Pay particular attention here, as unprofessional repairs in the past have been common. The doors are often an area to be aware of rusting; pay particular attention along the bottoms and the front lower corners. Because

There are quite a few things to check at the front of the Midget. The bonnet is often an area that has had some attention at times JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 63

TECH TORQUE

Ingress of water through open-top motoring, or just leaks, can often lead to constantly wet carpets

boot floor where it meets the rear panel. Check for poor repairs here also. The rear of the front wings is a mud trap where it meets the top of the sill. It’s worth checking the sills thoroughly as well

of the nature of these little cars, being a convertible, they have often been used in wet conditions; ingress of water through open-top motoring, or just leaks, can often lead to constantly wet carpets and thus, over time, rusting floors and sills. Because the roof is NOT a supporting panel, the main strength of the shell is in the inner and outer sills and the gearbox tunnel. It is very rare that the gearbox tunnel will be found to have any corrosion, due to engine and gearbox oil leaks over the years protecting it. The sills on the other hand are a key area of corrosion. Badly fitted sills or a damaged car can quite often be noticed when opening and closing the doors. The gaps should be neat and equal and the door should open and close with ease and should certainly not nip. The next areas of concern are the rear spring mountings. The early cars with the quarter elliptic are more vulnerable to corrosion as all the stress of the mounting is taken up in one area at each side of the car. Look for collapsed spring box mountings or an uneven ride height as an indication of trouble. I have come across some frightening so-called ‘professional’ repairs in this area, most of which were totally unsafe. The later cars with the semi-elliptical springs are still a cause for concern, but less so. Rear wings and inner arches are quite often rusted away – pay particular attention to the area behind the back of the rear wing where it is a double skin and comes up to meet the boot floor. Finally the boot floor itself. Areas of corrosion are common along the back of the

ENGINE In most cases, Midgets and Sprites had the trusty BMC ‘A’ series engine fitted. It came in various sizes ranging from the early cars with 948cc and then 1098cc to the later models with the larger 1275cc unit. From there a major change was made and in 1975 the ‘A’ series engine was replaced with Triumph’s 1500cc unit. In general the ‘A’ series engine was a trustworthy lump but as in all cases, neglect and over-enthusiasm often brought them to their knees earlier than desired. Look for low oil pressure particularly when the engine is fully warmed up; a worn engine will breathe and you can smell burnt oil and fumes from under the bonnet as well as the exhaust. One engine that perhaps should be mentioned to pay particular attention to is the early 1098cc version fitted to the Mk2 Midget and Mk3 Sprite. These engines shared the same crankshaft as the Austin A40 and Morris Minor 1000 and whilst seemingly OK in these models, was not a strong unit in a Spridget. A more substantial crankshaft was fitted to the later 1098cc engines (with engine number prefix 10CC) and this shared the larger journal sizes of the Mini Cooper S range. The 1275cc engine was and still is a tuner’s delight, it is one of those engines that can be bored and stroked to nearly 1600cc and develop very healthy power. I will not go down the route of tuning here, except to say beware of tuned and tired engines. None of these engines have the life of today’s engines and one would expect to be rebuilding an engine at about 70-80,000 miles of normal use. The later 1500 engine when in good fettle is a good unit and develops good power and torque. However, it has a weakness. Its crankshaft journals are small and therefore their life is not long. I have heard of modifications to the lubrication system that drastically improve matters, but this is not an everyday modification.

GEARBOX

The A Series engine came in various sizes, and is pretty reliable. There are a few things to check though 64 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

The early cars were fitted with what is known as a ‘smoothcase’ gearbox, easily distinguishable by its smooth appearance. These gearboxes are weak and spare parts are almost impossible to obtain now. However, those with early cars do have less powerful engines and tend not to suffer too much trouble. The later gearbox is the ‘ribcase’ and again it can be easily identified by its appearance. A much stronger gearbox and one that can be rebuilt. You may find some cars that have had various five-speed gearboxes fitted. Beware of this if you are after a ‘pure’ car, that is all I am going to say about five-speed conversions.

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TECH TORQUE

Another thing to be aware of is worn synchromesh and gearbox internals

There are between three and four greasing points on each front suspension and steering unit

Going back to the standard gearboxes, the problems to be aware of are noisy first and reverse gears. These gearboxes have a straight cut first and reverse and do have a ‘whine’ of their own, but this should not be mistaken for worn gears and bearings, which is much more pronounced. Another thing to be aware of is worn synchromesh and gearbox internals. These gearboxes both ‘smoothcase’ and ‘ribcase’ are pleasant and easy to use. They have NO synchromesh on first gear so it is not advisable to try to change down to first whilst on the move. The later gearbox fitted to the 1500cc models are a lot stronger but carry a weight penalty; they certainly are not a cause for major concern.

again and the rears require regular adjustment to keep them performing well.

AXLE, STEERING and SUSPENSION I have grouped these together as I feel it is one area of the car that can be covered as a whole. The front suspension and steering is often the MOT tester’s favourite area on these cars, if you decide to take your Midget for one, and particular attention must be taken to inspect these items carefully. Wear and corrosion cause problems here and this is usually down to poor and irregular maintenance. There are between three and four greasing points on each front suspension and steering unit. These need lubrication very regularly and NOT with grease but with thick oil or a waterproof grease. The most common cause of MOT failure here is what is known as ‘Kingpin’ wear. Most cases that I have had to deal with over the years show little or no wear at all but excessive corrosion to the bottom of the ‘Kingpin’. Likewise, the ‘Fulcrum’ Pin suffers in the same way. Other problems to be aware of may be track rod ends and play in the rack ends, but neither of these are major areas of concern. The front springs give little trouble but the rears start to sag after time and may require re-setting or replacement. The rear axle usually gives little or no trouble but listen for a noisy differential. Occasionally the rear hubs may leak oil into the rear brakes but this is usually due to lack of inspection and servicing and is easily sorted.

BRAKES The brakes on these little cars are very reliable when in good condition. Drum brakes all round on the early cars, and disc/drum combination on all models from the 1098cc engine onwards. Bad maintenance and worn parts can lead one into thinking that the brakes need uprating. The fronts require inspection now and

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EXTERIOR TRIM The trim on the outside of the car is an aesthetic thing only. Sprites were fitted with no fancy strips on the bonnet or waistline, whereas the Midget was until 1969 when the trim vanished in stages of production. Later cars were fitted with a sill finisher and sill lettering. Careful inspection may reveal corrosion around the fittings for these trims.

INTERIOR TRIM The trim changed slightly almost from model to model, so if you are looking for an accurately detailed car, your research should be thorough. Many cars over the years have been messed around with and items swapped from model to model.

MAINTENANCE As with any car, servicing and routine maintenance is compulsory and certainly aids the reliability and enjoyment you will get from your trusty steed. The engine requires oil and filter to be renewed every 6,000 miles or 12 months (whichever occurs first) plus air filters, plugs, points and condenser should also be renewed at the same time. Gear oil is usually fitted for life, but regular changing can’t do any harm at all; likewise the rear axle oil. Brakes, as mentioned above, require looking at frequently even if only to dust them out and adjust them. However, more importantly, remove the front brake pads and push back the caliper pistons every now and then, just to be sure that everything is free and working. Looking after the bodywork is easy. Regular washing under the car and cleaning out trapped mud and deposits will help prevent corrosion, and touching up stone chips will do likewise. Remember, cellulose paint and chrome are both porous so regular waxing will also help these areas. Finally, an underbody wax such as Waxoyl or Dinitrol is also a good deterrent against corrosion. Points of reference taken from “Original Sprite & Midget” by Terry Horler Thank you to Nigel Guild of Former Glory for allowing us to take the photos, to see Nigel’s current stock of MGs for sale please visit www.classicmg.co.uk

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 65

COMPETITIONS Ben Tovey (57) in his MGB GT V8 leads Guy Samuels in the MGCC BCV8 Championship. Photo: Dickon Siddall

BRANDS HATCH SPRING OPENER T

By Graham Keilloh

he MG Car Club held its 2021 racing season opener on a sunny spring weekend in Kent for condensed dicing on Brands Hatch’s Indy circuit. Six of MGCC’s race categories were present and, underlining the Club’s variety, cars from pre-war right up to the modern day were catered for. And, adding to the assortment, they were joined at Brands by no fewer than eight packed and eclectic Equipe Classic Racing contests, as well as by the Morgan Challenge. MGCC MG Cup powered by Cherished Vehicle Insurance We are long used to Mike Williams winning MG Cup races, but don’t be fooled into thinking the two more that he won at Brands Hatch were straightforward. Firstly, due to 11th hour technical problems with

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his Metro and then, having resolved those, he had a new on-track challenge in the shape of Morgan Short, son of famous racer and team boss Martin. Morgan raced in a Class A Rover 216 GTI last year, and he has now upgraded to a frontrunning MG ZS 180 that he raced for the first time at Brands. Matt Simpson led from the start in his Tomcat, while poleman Williams dropped to third behind Short. The Metro man passed after a few laps’ battle, but soon had to do it all again as the race was red flagged when Ian Boulton went off at Surtees, and Williams dropped back behind Short on countback. Both Short and Williams vaulted past Simpson at the restart, and a few laps later Williams got the lead from Short exiting Graham Hill Bend. Short dropped to third behind

Simpson by just 0.039 seconds with a lastgasp track-limits penalty. Iain Dowler, in fourth place overall, comfortably won the Class B contest in his ZR 170, while Jon Gil got the Class A win, and Driver of the Race with it. It looked like race two would be more straightforward for Williams as he led from Short, but at mid-distance he spun at Graham Hill Bend, letting Short by into first. Williams, though, was able to quickly hunt Short down and pass him for the lead, again on the exit of Graham Hill Bend, aided by the fact that Short’s MG ZS was surging due to being short on fuel. Darren Harris won Class B, and took the Driver of the Race award, after passing Dowler mid-race. Gil again won Class A. Hickford Construction Limited MGCC MG Metro Cup The MG Metro Cup shared the track with MG Cup and provided plenty of its own drama. In the opening race’s opening stint Mark Eales, Dan Willars and Tim Davies led the way, but then in the restart all three came together in the run to Paddock. The trio continued, albeit well down. That left Phil Goodwin in first but he soon pulled off when he lost drive, which he suspected was due to a gearbox seizure. Tim Shooter then led and kept the

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COMPETITIONS

Nigel Stroud MG J2 (8) ahead of Fred Boothby in his MG J2 and Barry Foster in his MG Montlhery Midget. Photo: Dickon Siddall

place to the end, and the birthday boy got an additional present of Driver of the Race. Eales recovered to second and was chasing Shooter, but spun at Paddock on the final lap when a car ahead put fluid down. He was not able to re-join due to a cracked radiator from the restart incident and this kept him out of the second race too. David Javes and Richard Garrard completed the race one podium, while Les Tyler also spun on the treacherous Paddock surface and recovered to finish fifth. Shooter made it a double in race two. Davies led from the off and Javes jumped

Shooter for second when the latter lost momentum after attempting to pass Davies. Javes and Shooter soon cleared Davies then Shooter took the lead he wasn’t to lose from Javes at Paddock. Tyler completed the top three and fourth-placed Davies got Driver of the Race. MGCC The Boretech Engineering MG Trophy Sam Kirkpatrick at Brands continued his strong form from last season by taking two wins from pole position in his ZR 190. And it was two young guns who fought

for first in both races from the front row. In race one Kirkpatrick just held off his fellow young gun Fred Burgess, who also continued his good 2020 form. The MG Trophy’s qualifying was disrupted by many incidents as drivers reported the surface offered little grip at that point, and this resulted in a somewhat jumbled pair of grids. Doug Cole was one impeded by this but he recovered to finish third in race one. James Dennison beat Fergus Campbell to the Class B win, pipping him in a thrilling run to the line, and Dennison got Driver of the Race with it. James Moreton in his ZR 160 won the Class C race. Race two was a similar story at the front though this time Kirkpatrick beat Burgess with a little more comfort, managing to get Burgess out of his slipstream. Adam Jackson – newly graduated to Class A – completed the podium, climbing from a 14th-placed start amid the disrupted qualifying. He finished eighth in the first race as he’d left the track avoiding the suddenly slowing fourth-placed Patrick Booth ahead whose car had seized. Dennison made it a double Class B win in race two, winning by 9s, and he was awarded Saturday’s Driver of the Day. Moreton made it a clean sweep of MG Trophy doubles in this meeting by winning Class C’s race two, he also got Driver of the Race.

The Metro GTi of Les Tyler alongside the MG TF 160 of Darryl Davis. Photo: Dickon Siddall

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JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 67

COMPETITIONS MGCC BCV8 Championship Reigning champion Ollie Neaves was another at Brands to start 2021 in a similar vein to 2020, in his case continuing his allconquering form. He won both races, in both being decisively clear of his closest chaser Russell McCarthy. Neil Fowler, learning the set-up ropes of his new MGB V8, completed the symmetry with third place in both races. Reigning class champion Jim Bryan was race one’s Class C victor after long-time class leader James Wheeler retired late on when his coil lead detached. Reigning AB class champion Russ McAngus comfortably won his class contest. Simon Cripps had a particularly eventful meeting. He started qualifying in a Class D MGB GT V8, but its clutch failed early in the session then he had a collision when pulling off the track. He therefore dashed away to fetch a Class B MGB, and he won in class in race one despite a quick pitstop to check his pressure gauge. After returning to the track he swiftly recovered his lead. This all got him Driver of the Race. Wheeler made up for his race one disappointment by winning Class C battle in race two, holding off Andrew Young, though Young got the compensation of Driver of the Race. And McAngus doubled up in Class AB, winning by 1.4s from Simon Tinkler. MGCC Lackford Engineering MG Midget & Sprite Challenge The MG Midget & Sprite Challenge, also competing for the Steve Everitt Memorial Race, didn’t let us down in the drama stakes. The opening counter had a thrilling four-way all-Midget fight for first between David Weston, Martin Morris, Richard Wildman and Michael Chalk. Chalk led early but then was jumped by his three pursuers leaving a Paddock Hill Bend yellow flag zone, and not long later had a quick gravel detour at Clearways. This left Morris and Wildman disputing the lead, but the pair at half distance touched at Paddock and Weston got momentum on both to take a lead, while Morris immediately parked on the outside of Druids. Weston won with Wildman and Chalk still close at hand, and the victor got Driver of the Race too.

68 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

Pippa Cow won the Class E contest in her Austin-Healey Frogeye Sprite. Dean Stanton in his Healey Sprite comfortably won Class D. Race two featured a straightforward win for Chalk as the only one from race one’s frontrunning quartet to take part, with Wildman and Morris sitting out and Weston’s son Edward taking over his car. Chalk won by 10s over the Class E battle that Walker edged from a closing Cow, Walker relieved by a late spin from his opponent. Cow, though, got Driver of the Race for her effort. Stanton was again a clear Class D winner. Baynton Jones Historic Motorsport MGCC Triple-M Racing Challenge for the Mary Harris Trophy Brands was the scene of a welcome return of the pre-war Triple-M Challenge contest, and it too provided its share of thrills. The first race had a diverting victory fight between Oliver Sharp’s Class C MG N Type Magnette and Tony Seber’s Class D Wolseley Hornet Special. Seber seized the lead from Sharp early

on but Sharp was able to stick with his opponent. Then Seber sensationally spun at Surtees on the last lap, letting the closely chasing Sharp by to win. Sharp also got Driver of the Race. Harry Painter’s MG PA was a clear third overall and an equally clear Class B winner. Barry Foster in his Montlhery Midget just beat Fred Boothby’s J2 by 0.5s to win Class A1, while Simon Jackson in his MG PB was a clear Class A2 victor. Sharp won again in race two, and it was less dramatic this time as he led throughout from Painter and David Seber who had taken over Tony’s car. Foster again beat Boothby in the Class A1 bout, this time by 4.2s, and Jackson also doubled up in Class A2. Andrew Long got Driver of the Race after finishing sixth overall and third in Class C in his KN, while Sharp was delighted to receive Sunday’s Driver of the Day for his double triumph. The Equipe races and guest races were equally exciting; a full report featuring these and driver quotes can be found at www.mgcc.co.uk/motorsport/

The MG Trophy grid power around Paddock Hill Bend with the MG ZR 190 of Fred Burgess leading the way. Photo: Dickon Siddall

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RACE TORQUE

RACE TORQUE W

by Mark Baulch

ith summer well on the way and positive news in good supply, I thought that I would start this month by introducing the newest member of the MG racing family! Born to proud parents Kayleigh Powell and Josh Nicholls, baby MG Trophy Championship driver (pictured) already has a good number of racing laps on her clock, having been ‘on board’ at Snetterton last year! In more good news, we will have welcomed spectators to our Oulton

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Park meeting in May and now know that people will be able to attend our Silverstone event on June 12-13. This will include an opportunity to drive your MG on the hallowed tarmac, including the Sir Lewis Hamilton straight, which has also seen many fellow Members chauffeur the F1 drivers around a couple of years ago. Details of how to book for this will be on the Club website, and for spectator tickets see silverstone.co.uk With barely time to catch our breath, we then move on to Donington Park

on July 17-18, with a programme that includes all of our MG Championships, guest appearances from Morgan and the wonderful pre-War Triple Ms and more entertainment from Equipe Classic Racing. The latter will host the three-hour relay once again this year, which always attracts an amazing array of cars, which we now expect that you will be able to come and watch. 2020 saw 40 teams take part! We are also starting to put together an exciting show from the Motorsport family at the MG and Triumph day in August. This will mean that you will have a chance to see cars from all of our MG Championships, as well as having an opportunity to speak to some of the drivers. Many of our amazing organising team will be there, too, so please do come along and chat to us about ways in which you can be involved with this side of the Club in the future. The racing year then reaches its climax in September, as we head to Snetterton for the 2021 finale. Many of the Championships often go ‘down to the wire’, so a trip to the East Anglia circuit is definitely encouraged. I hope that this snapshot of the year and all of the good news that it contains may encourage you to find out more about the racing side of the Club and that we will see you in the paddock or at an exhibition soon. JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 71

MGs ON TRACK

MG on track

Richard Gormley richardg@mgs-on-track.com

OPENING UP! F

inally, after a long and uncertain winter for all of us, things appear to be gradually edging towards normality and we are delighted to see enthusiasm for track days appears undiminished. Despite the slightly delayed start to the track day season, we have now enjoyed excellent events at both Cadwell Park and Goodwood. We were blessed with the weather on both occasions and the eagerness to get back on track was demonstrated as both events were quickly sold out. Cadwell Park took place on April 12 and coincided with the lifting of some significant restrictions in England. Despite the obvious temptation to spend the whole day in a pub garden wearing hats and overcoats, the track day was fully attended. The “mini Nürburgring” of Cadwell with its exciting changes of elevation and twisty, narrow bends provided an appropriate start to this year’s series of events. Goodwood delivered fantastic weather and, as ever, some interesting cars and great driving opportunities. Dave Pearce made a nicely understated arrival in his 465hp MG SV-R, one of only

72 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

around 82 produced. Meanwhile, Michael and Alice Baggs, who shared the same session with me, quickly appeared in my rear-view mirror before being courteously invited to pass in their beautiful 180hp Frontline Midget. During May we visited Snetterton, and I look forward to reporting back on this event in the July issue of Safety Fast!. On June 21 we make our first visit this year to Castle Combe. At the time of writing this event is sold out, although the reserve list remains open so it is worth registering your interest if you can make it. Castle Combe is a friendly club circuit with two chicanes, technically challenging corners, and some high-speed sections. If you can’t make it this time there will be another opportunity later in the year, as we will be visiting the circuit again on September 8. Bookings for the Leicestershire Circuit of Mallory Park on July 1 are open. Mallory is a short, fast course with Shaw’s Hairpin, the tightest corner of any circuit in the UK, and Devil’s Elbow, a blind, downhill lefthander. August 9 sees us visiting Anglesey which competes with Brands Hatch as my personal favourite. Anglesey is beautifully

positioned with spectacular views of the coast and Snowdonia National Park. On a track day, however, you might want to exercise caution when choosing your moments to admire the scenery. The Circuit may well be familiar to fans of Fifth Gear who use the Coastal layout for the “Shoot Out” segment of the show. A wide, open circuit with some fast straights and the technically challenging “corkscrew”, Anglesey is a real pleasure to visit and to drive. Some Covid-19 restrictions necessarily remain in place, meaning we can’t offer helmet hire for the moment, and second drivers and passengers need to be from the same household as the main driver. However, a big step forward has been our ability to return to offering in-car instruction and coaching with Association of Racing Drivers Schools (ARDS) Grade A qualified instructors. It’s well worth taking advantage of instruction and it is beneficial for all levels of experience. It can be particularly useful if you are new to track driving to help you get comfortable and build confidence. While not a substitute for time with a qualified instructor, if you fancy some homework while looking forward to the next event, there are some excellent resources available. Haynes, familiar to us for their workshop manuals, produce a Track Day Guide by Mike Breslin which offers useful advice on basic car preparation and circuit guides for most of the venues MGoT visit – well worth a read. There are many other publications around and some of the circuits feature videobased guides on their websites. Great if you have never visited a venue before. These guides are helpful in acquiring overall familiarity and the briefings on the day ensure you are fully aware of any variations to layout or procedure. The combination of all these things helps ensure you have an enjoyable, safe and rewarding day on the circuit. We look forward to seeing regulars at future events and always welcome newcomers. We will keep you up to date with our regular newsletters and encourage you to keep an eye on the website for bookings opening.

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MGS ON TRACK – 2021 CALENDAR Please visit www.mgs-on-track.com to register, check availability, or to book a track day. Registered members will receive regular newsletters and notification of event opening dates.

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

GOODWOOD REPORT

Castle Combe – June 21 The first of two annual visits to this very friendly circuit in Wiltshire. Mallory Park – July 1 An opportunity to enjoy this fast and exciting circuit with some very special corners. Andrew Till pushing hard in his MG ZR at a previous MGCC Speed Championship event. Photo: David Doolan

Anglesey – August 9 Experience this challenging circuit and splendid views on a day shared with the Lotus 7 Club. Blyton Park – August 16 Not a traditional racing circuit, but a fun and friendly venue boasting a layout with real character. Castle Combe – September 8 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!

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It was a beautiful, sunny dry day for the Regis Sprint on Saturday April 17, the second round of this season’s MGCC Speed Championship. Ten Championship contenders formed part of the capacity 99-car entry at the legendary West Sussex circuit, along with a further handful of marque representatives spread out among the event classes. Definite stars of the show were Ben Rolls and John Egan, the latter making his speed event debut, as both achieved maximum 104 point hauls. Ben’s immaculate Healey Sprite won Class 9 with a very impressive 98.28. The car looked totally planted and carried real speed through the chicane onto the start/finish straight. John Egan’s 1800cc K series-engined Midget took a massive 13 seconds from the Championship Target Time with the same level of improvement from first practice to final competitive run and netted a class win in the Sports Libre up to 1800cc division. Not bad for a first ever event! The other MG class winner on the day was Andrew Till with his ZR105, who beat a Mazda MX5 and Lotus Cortina to take Class 3 honours. Andrew couldn’t match his personal best at the venue, though, so had to be content with 99.06 points. Another high scorer was Alan Fairbrother, taking his white MG3 round in a best of 122.51 to bag 103.72 points on his way to 3rd in Class 1. Jamie Stevens’ blue ZR160 was absolutely gleaming due to a recent respray after an off at Abingdon towards the end of last season. It was Jamie’s first time at this very fast circuit and he also

gained confidence and speed through the day, matching John Egan with a 13 second improvement from morning practice, finishing 3rd in class 2 with a best time of 112.23, which wasn’t quite good enough to catch Alex Smith’s MG6 which took the class win from a Toyota GT86. Richard Farrow and Phil Thompson shared their MGB in Class 4, Richard coming out on top of the pair’s personal battle with a best of 113.16 against Phil’s 118.66. Howard Harman’s British Racing Green TC gave a good account of itself against much more modern machinery in Class 1 and Paul Bernal-Ryan’s Modsports Midget only completed two timed runs. Most unfortunate Championship runner was Neil Walmsley who retired after practice with a fuel feed problem on his Midget. However, worse was in store for Club member Harry Rice who lost control of his Midget, exiting the chicane on his final run and hit the pit wall hard on the passenger side. His second run had been good enough for 3rd behind Ben Rolls and a Davrian in the up to 1400cc Modsports class. Charlotte Dawson also competed in a Midget in this class and Andy Porter ran his ZR160 in Class 10. Some very good performances from MG competitors on a great day of motorsport. The FTD contest between the quickest single-seaters was pretty tight as well, with Stephen Miles taking the prize in his Van Diemen with a 75.70, just 0.06 ahead of Steve Broughton’s Dallara. Andrew Till JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 73

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CENTRES ABINGDON WORKS Richard Martin sfscribe@mgabingdon.org.uk www.mgabingdon.co.uk With the easing of Lockdown restrictions and the appearance of some sympathetic weather, there have been opportunities over the past few weeks to give our cars some exercise, albeit a little chilly if you’re top down. The sunshine of Drive it Day saw us out in our B on a 50-mile round trip through the Vale of White Horse and Berkshire Downs during which we saw a couple of other Bs, a FrogEye plus a few other classics enjoying the quiet country roads. David Cato went on a nostalgic trip into Oxford in his B to visit a couple of former MG homes, whilst members of the North Oxon MG (NONG) Natter visited The Old Shed, Charlbury, for breakfast. I hope that you managed to get out and about in yours. With the approaching prospect of Natters getting under way, we’re pleased to report a new one in the Chilterns. It will be on the second Tuesday of each month at The Inn at Emmington (OX39 4LD) under the stewardship of Greg Smith.

Details from Greg on 01844 351418 or gregory.gp.smith@gmail.com

Thanks to David Cato (yellow MGB) and Brian Fisk for the photos published above.

diagnosed that the new clutch master cylinder, a copy part that Simon had fitted, was faulty. We then trawled the paddock to try to find someone who had a spare cylinder. The boys from Oselli had a refurbished original. We fitted this and Simon had a fantastic couple of races, fighting his way through the field and finishing a very close second in class in race two – a great day. A week later, I received a penalty charge of £140.00 from ‘Dart Charge’ for using the crossing without paying! I knew I had enough credit in my account, but it seems that because I had not used the crossing for over a year, my account had been deactivated. It seems I had been sent an email, but I never saw it. I was let off the charge as it was my

first offence, but it’s worthwhile checking your ‘Dart’ account BEFORE you use the crossing if, like me, due to lockdown you haven’t been over for some time.

ANGLIA Rob Muir 01206 862619 scribe@mgccanglia.com www.mgccanglia.com The Road out of Lockdown, or how to negotiate Dartford Crossing ‘Dart Charge’ With the easing of Lockdown restrictions, the eagerly anticipated MGCC Race Meeting at Brands Hatch arrived. Although spectators were not yet admitted due to Covid restrictions, I was able to attend as a nominated mechanic to Simon Tinkler and James Walpole, both of whom are drivers in Class A/B of the BCV8 Championship. On the evening before the race my phone went. It was James, to tell me that when he was loading his race car onto the trailer, the engine suddenly locked up. With no time to investigate, poor James was going to have to miss the event. The drive to Brands was uneventful and I met up with Simon in the paddock. Qualifying went well, except Simon reported an ongoing difficulty disengaging the clutch. We bled the system but it still didn’t feel right. Fellow competitor and MG expert Steve McKie pitched in to help and it was www.mgcc.co.uk

Anglia Centre Picnic There is still time to book – see May Safety Fast! or Anglia website, for our Centre Picnic at Holkham Hall on June 27. The 2019 event had record numbers. This year’s event will follow full Covid-safe protocol and is just the place to enjoy your MG as it was meant to be used. Drive It Day The photo above shows George Wilder and Roger Martin’s MGBs at Long Melford JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 75

CENTRES CALEDONIAN Bob MacGillivray 07870 407111 mgcarsscotland@gmail.com www.mgcaledonian.com Pleased to say that we have a run this month! The annual Solstice run is on June 18, note, a Friday evening. Starting at Kirkintilloch and heading for the Stirling area, it is always a good night, so check the website and please enter. There will be other one-day runs in July and August and details of these will also be on the website. Do not forget about the Kames show on August 8. We already have a good entry but can take plenty more. This year there are several anniversaries, 60 years of Midgets, 25 years (plus one) of MGFs, 20 years of ZEDs and 10 years of MG6s. To celebrate any or even all of these we need cars, your car! So please check our website and enter. For MGA owners, do not forget that the date for your run has been altered. It is now on August 7 starting from the Dunfermline area. Details are on our website.

DEVON & CORNWALL Young Janner II bobslatter@hotmail.com www.mgcc.co.uk/devon-cornwall-centre Well, we are nearly halfway through 2021, and some sort of normality appears to be returning, albeit very slowly. This is a good indication that we may be able to start holding some sort of gatherings very soon, even if they are in small numbers. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. I think that quite a large number of members did their own thing on what would have been Drive It Day in April, as we did not organise any official outings this year as we have done previously. When we drove around, there were a very large number of classic vehicles on the road

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I do not think there has ever been a time when the Committee had two of its members closely connected with a Register. I am pleased to say that we now have two such. For some years, the MGF Register had a Scottish section but it fell into disuse. However, Glenn Neilson is now responsible for promoting this north of the border and has already arranged a couple of F Register events. They have their own Facebook page, so look out for more info under MG Fun. And most of you who have attended recent shows will be familiar with Peter Chalmers, well turned out, MG3. Peter is now on the 635 Committee representing these Glenn’s lovely TF 85 at Kames last year models. Is there a 5 in Scotland? bought a C roadster but I began to wonder how I was contacted last month by an MGC GT many we have in Scotland. Hands up all who owner and new MGCC member. He was seeking own one! some help from other C owners, but I could not Do not forget that we have a surfeit of think of any more than perhaps two or three Regalia stock for sale at prices you will not and one of these cars is for sale! An Aberdeen believe! Contact Leslie for info, thanks. member, previously owning a B roadster, has now

or parked outside the owners’ homes, which again shows the enthusiasm and value of the Classic Car market to the country. Long may it continue. At the beginning of June, we would have been recovering from a great trip to the MGCC Silverstone Race Meeting held over the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend for many a year. There was always a good number of Devon and Cornwall members camping (we were always allocated a specific area for D&C, I wonder why?) and participating in everything from the racing to the California Cup Autotest and Concours. The Saturday evening would consist of a Centre

barbecue followed by some very lengthy discussions with our other MG friends from all over the world in the Club marquee, usually well into the early hours of Sunday morning. The pictures show Bob Slatter competing in the California Cup in his 1500 Midget in 1978 and John Bishop racing in his 1350cc PA/TC Special in the Kimber Trophy Race on 2009. If any members have items of interest to others, let me know as both Ted Lawrence and myself want to keep in contact with you, but due to the lack of events at this present time, that is getting more difficult.

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CENTRES LINCOLNSHIRE IAN MACKENZIE 01529 497849 MaccaV8@aol.com www.mgcclincolnshire.co.uk WELCOME BACK! Octagonal Life Restarts Here! Our first East Kirkby ‘Post Lockdown’ Autotest took place on April 18. Bob Welch came out tops in the ‘Specials’ class, Danny Reid took the honours in the ‘Long Wheelbase’ class, and Malcolm Clark took fastest time of day in his

Midget. Well done everyone who took part, either as a competitor, marshal or picture taker. It was fab to see you all in the great Lincolnshire outdoors (and the sun shone) (in Lincolnshire) (in April). Around 20 of us braved the elements to attend our first outdoor picnic of the year, held at Woody’s, near Ancaster, organised by Richard and Victoria, who intend to continue with similar events throughout the year. They are also involved in the organisation of the Allington Car Show, near Grantham. This will take place on Sunday August 29. For details of this event, plus an

Despite the disguise, we recognised that Danny Reid had won his class

MIDLANDS Paul Hollingworth Paul_irene@btinternet.com As I sit writing these notes, many of us would have been preparing for our Welsh Rallye in Telford which has had to be cancelled again for the second year due to the COVID situation. We have now rolled the booking over with the hotel for a second year. Fingers crossed for 2022. I hope you enjoyed Tony Lake’s excellent report on the Spring Sprint. The large entry of 83 led to the event being a great success. A factor in that was that it was a round of Shenstone and District Car Club’s championship combined with the pent up demand for any form of MG motorsport. We hope to repeat the arrangement for 2022. A significant contribution was made to Centre funds, which was a blessing. Any surpluses from our Sprints and Trials had not been enough to cover the operating expenses of the Centre. Let’s hope we achieve the breakeven entry of 40-odd for the Summer Sprint (August 1). By the time you read this you should be just in time to get an entry for Bob Blackstock’s Naviscat

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competition which takes place in Herefordshire on June 5. This style of event involves plotting onto an Ordnance Survey 1:50,000-scale map 20 or 24 clue-point locations and then selecting a maximum of three quarters of them to visit. They will likely be within a radius of eight to ten miles of the start and the plotting will require an understanding of basic navigation techniques, such as grid references, tulip diagrams, map symbols, spot heights or herringbone diagrams. Bob has written a beginner’s guide which is available on the Centre website. June 8 sees our inaugural ‘Super Natter’ evening at BMM Gaydon. Refreshments and toilets will be available, so why not come along to meet up with old friends (socially distanced of course). The Centre and the MGB Register will have a presence at the Classic Nostalgia weekend at Shelsley Walsh June 17-18. Discounted tickets are available through the MAC website on the car club’s page. Bob has arranged a Tulip Run with of 50 miles around the Herefordshire and Worcestershire countryside, to be held on the Saturday morning (August 14) starting at the Triumph and MG event at the Three Counties Showground. If there is sufficient demand, we may repeat on the Sunday.

intended lunch meeting on Wednesday June 23, feel free to contact richard.withington1969@ gmail.com or call on 01949 844066. We are hoping to hold the Centre’s AGM at Abbey Lodge on Thursday July 1 – the room is booked, the stage is set, we await Boris’s nod. East Kirkby’s Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre will surely be a hive of activity in the ‘released’ second half of the year – and we expect to enjoy the MG Rover day there on Saturday July 3. To find out more, contact Dave Stonehouse.

Even Lincolnshire’s ‘hot fuzz’ want to get involved

MIDLAND CENTRE DIARY JUNE 2021 Saturday 5 ‘NAVISCAT’ Contact - Bob Blackstock blackstocks2000@aol.com Tuesday 8 ‘SUPERNATTER’ EVENING 5.00pm at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. Saturday 12-Sunday 13 MGCC RACE MEETING Silverstone, Northants. Contact – www.mgcc.co.uk/motorsport JULY 2021 Tuesday 13 ‘SUPERNATTER’ EVENING 5.00pm at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. Saturday 17–Sunday 18 CLASSIC NOSTALGIA at SHELSLEY WALSH The Hill Climb Circuit is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Classic Nostalgia and is offering an action-packed weekend. See https://www.mgccmidlandcentre.co.uk/ events.htm for more details and entry forms.

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 77

CENTRES NORTH WEST Paul Goodman 01625 876300 Two meetings at the Plough and Flail are the highlight this month. The normal gathering will take place on Tuesday June 15. This will be the welcome back to all our members as the restrictions on meeting are lifted. Then two weeks later our annual concours event will take place on Tuesday June 29. The organising team have been working away to make this an evening to be remembered. Drivers have been invited from several other sports car clubs and a big turnout of MGs is expected. Parking will be organised so that cars from each era will be parked together. Attending drivers will be invited to select their favourite cars and at the conclusion of the evening there will be an awards presentation. There are some new awards sponsored by “Pinkstones” the MG dealers located in Stokeon-Trent. The Plough will be serving food and drink outside under their canopy. The organisers would like cars to be in place by 7.00pm, as far as the attendees are able, so that the event can be concluded before it gets too dark.

SOUTH EAST Ray Ruffels and William Opie scribe@mgccse.co.uk www.mgccse.co.uk The first outing in 2021 for the Centre was an excellent charity Drive it Day run on April 24 from Denbies Vineyard to the finish at Rottingdean via some delightful roads. 60 cars took part in this Covid-compliant event in cold but sunny conditions, raising funds for the NSPCC Childline charity. Afterwards many enjoyed the beaches and villages along the South Coast. The same weekend, Brands Hatch hosted an excellent MG Car Club event with six categories of MG racing around the Indy circuit – for full details go to www.mgcc.co.uk/motorsport Natters and Wanderers gatherings and runs are now going back into action as normality returns. For example, the Fairmile Natter is arranging a Brooklands Museum Car Display on June 12 which always proves very popular with members. Contact your local Natter Leader or see the SE website and facebook pages for up-to-date details of all events.

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On the racing scene, the Club ran a superb race meeting at Brands Hatch in April. Although the Cockshoot Cup did not have any races, a few of the drivers appeared as guests in the MG Cup. The Committee is going to consider running Cockshoot rounds at Brands Hatch in 2022. This month rounds three and four of the Cockshoot Cup will be run at Plough and Flail Concours, June 2016. Photo: Paul Goodman Silverstone on the Grand pre-war cars. Highlight of the Saturday will be the Prix Circuit on Sunday June 13. It is anticipated Equipe three-hour relay race for pre-1965 sports that spectators will be allowed at this event, and saloon cars. which runs over two days, and that there will be The Speed Championship is now well circuit parades on both days. Entry tickets and underway with two opportunities this month to participation in the parades will have to be prewatch the cars and chat to the drivers, these being booked and information about this will appear on June 13 at Three Sisters near Wigan and June 26 the main Club website. You should also be able at Aintree within the Grand National fences. to book to see rounds five and six which will be run at Donington Park on July 18. This two-day Looking further ahead, the Centre is hoping to meeting will be a superb festival of MG racing have a stand at the Tatton Park Show and at the with all the Club Championships plus the MMM Gold Cup at Oulton Park. More details next month.

Potential Car Insurance issues: it has come to light that many policies need checking to make sure you are compliant with details regarding parking at home, hoods erected to comply and locked vehicles even on your own drives in some cases, so it is worth checking the small print! Sadly, note the Speldhurst Natter at the George and Dragon, Tunbridge Wells, is no longer operating after many years under the organisation of Grahame White. We all wish him well for the future. Finally, if you are not receiving the quarterly SE newsletter it may be because your up-to-date email address is not held by the main administration at Abingdon.

Start at Denbies Vineyard. Photo: John Morgan

David Chase and Charlotte Braithwaite selfie on the Drive it day run

To update your details either go to the Members login area of MGCC website, email office@mgcc. co.uk or call 01235 555552.

Les and Fran Hudson at the Rottingdean finish. Photo: Will Opie

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CENTRES SOUTH WEST Ian Beningfield ianbeningfield@gmail.com www.mgccsw.com www.facebook.com/MGCCSW After a long period of enforced inactivity, the improving situation means that once more we’re in a position to restart SW Centre events and motorsport. Obviously, we are still at the mercy of government restrictions so please keep an eye on the Centre website and Facebook page for the latest info. For me, this return to normality has meant I’ve been out and about with the Midget as the MGCC speed championship also returns for 2021. A few weeks ago, I was down at Wiscombe Hillclimb; the team there had done an amazing job preparing the hill and putting on a safe event. The weather was glorious; really, the only things missing were spectators and the beer tent – hopefully both will be able to return when we run our own event there in September. Putting on an event like this takes a huge amount of effort and we are urgently in need of

TYNE-TEES Tony Wood anthony@scrutonvillage.co.uk Have you successfully passed the audition for human pincushion yet? I just managed to resist the temptation to wear my underpants outside my trousers for the rest of the week, but don’t be swayed by my natural reticence. (Why do superheroes all wear impractical outfits? Discuss.) I don’t want to labour old news. Can I welcome the new board on behalf of Tyne Tees Centre; we are eager to continue working with them and the spirit of co-operation and communication that came out of the April General Meeting was very welcome. Even more welcome is the prospect of roaring back into action, well more like a gentle throatclear at first. Our Coffee and Cars meetings are due to resume outside in June following the rule changes due on May 17. June 16 in the North and June 23 South are your diary dates, check Tyne Tees Tidings for our venues. We have already published our provisional calendar for the second half of 2021 with events old and new to hopefully entertain you. All Clubs have had to adapt to www.mgcc.co.uk

volunteers to help with the organisation and running of the hillclimb. No prior experience is needed, so please get in touch if you would like to know more. Before then we will be holding our first competitive event, MGs James Burmester 1934 MG PA Monoposto Special at Wiscombe Hillclimb May 2021. Photo: Colin Murrell on Grass, on Sunday July 25. The popular grass autotest is suitable for to view some of his amazing personal collection. cars of all eras and no experience is needed. A July 4 will be our Summer Picnic, to be held at quick reminder as it’s been a while, that all drivers the East Somerset Railway at Cranmore, a chance will need a Motorsport UK licence to take part. not only to view the usual collection of MGs in The licence is free so no excuse not to join in. Like attendance but also the stream trains which will Wiscombe, we are also always on the lookout for be running on the day. marshals to help with the event; details of how to For members in the New Forest or volunteer are on the website or get in touch. Southampton area, John Sampey is keen to get By the time this issue lands on the doorstep, a few events going and would like to hear from hopefully we would have held a first social event any fellow members in the area who might be with the Wye Valley Social run. I’ll leave it to next interested. John can be reached on 07904 265939. month’s scribe to report but I can let you know Finally, we are hoping to restart all of our about two more events coming up. Centre Natters after June 21. Details of all the June 27 we will be visiting Middlewick House venues and contact details are on our website, near Corsham, home of Pink Floyd drummer and along with more information on the classic car enthusiast Nick Mason, with the chance upcoming events. the times so change in format of some events is inevitable. The Newby Hall event organised so efficiently by our friends at NECPWA has had to reduce numbers to 1,000 cars with no Club stands or group parking. This means we cannot support it in our usual way, but for members who wish to enter individually I will be organising an outside meet-up venue so that we can arrive and park together. Contact me for details. One event we will be supporting as a Club

is Classics at the Castle at Witton Castle on July 11 where we will have a Club stand. Just off the A68, this is an ideal venue in the middle of our area, accessible to all, so come along. There is something for everyone, so check in with Noel if you are coming and enter via the Durham Auto Club website; entries close on June 21. This month’s photo is of Owen Frankland’s TA Numbum leading out the circuit parade at the much-missed Croft Nostalgia weekend.

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 79

CENTRES YORKSHIRE Ken Cothliff kencothliff@hotmail.co.uk https://mgccyorkshire.co.uk

Summit:Layout 1

24/8/12

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Summit

The MG Specialists

X-Part Auto Service Centre Well, at last there is some ‘light at the end of Car sales Car sales joined by Malcolm Dodd, a new member, the tunnel’ and we might be able to meet again Free courtesy cars and his MGB Roadster. Photo shows in a month or two. Certainly, those of us here in Free courtesy cars READY TO WEAR AND BESPOKE COVERS FOR ALL CAR MODELS the group led by Malcolm’s YB. Marjorie Family owned/run business Yorkshire are starting to make arrangements to be owned/runfacilities business Full workshop and Julian Rogan, South Yorkshire MembersFamily active again. Some of us have already made plans .co.uk who have moved north, took their MGB to for the popular Newby Hall show, at Ripon in mid& repairs FullService workshop facilities Beningbrough July. The vintage enthusiasts of the 24/39 Group| t.01780 www.carcovershop.co.uk 654088 Hall, near York. Bodyshop • MOT Station In the meantime, here are a couple of are busy ‘fettling’ their vehicles, and Bob and Beth Service & repairs

photos, taken at Beningbrough HallLocated in 2014, on the outskirts of Maidenhead town centre, Walker went out for a test drive in their “Cream and at the start of the Dales Run at the Bay Cracker” F1 Magna after getting their second Covid Berkshire, we are second to none when it comes to MG cars. Horse, Skipton. It is hoped the run will take jab - see photo. place this year. The South Natter has been busy. To support Opening Hours There was no news of Members of the the Drive It Day, Denise and Malcolm Perry Mon-Fri 8am–6.30pm other Natters organising anything. West organisedSoft a run through South and Stretch Indoor Covers fromYorkshire £99 Waterproof & Breathable Outdoor from £179 Sat + Sun Closed – but our Web Site is open! Yorkshire look to be planning theirUnit first 2, Furze Platt Industrial Estate Off St. Peters Road, the Peak District National Park, with five other PROTECTOR4 FLEECE LINED BREATHABLE FROM £112 Natter meet on Tuesday June 22 and no Natter Members in a selection of MGs. They Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7QU OUTDOOR CUSTOM WATERPROOF FROM £275 doubt the other Natters will be looking to stopped at Langsett Dam reservoir and a tea CUSTOM INDOOR COVERS FROM £279 Parts +44(0)1628 629707 Workshop +44(0)1628 636001 meet up around the same time, and then break at the Old Hall Hotel and Tea Room, where Website www.summitmg.co.uk Facsimile +44(0)1628 580291 REVEAL COVERS FROM £159 we can all get back together with our MGs. E-mail enquiries@summitmg.co.uk suitable outdoor seating was available. They were $LU&KDPEHUV &7(. %DWWHU\ &RQGLWLRQHUV 'HKXPLGL²HUV +DOI &RYHUV +DUGWRS 6WDQGV

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1949 MG TC 9006 UPDRAUGHT SPECIAL £59995.00 The car was part of the US collection of Robert (Bob) Koons. Bob was great friend of Leroy (Roy) Gane who he met whilst doing university holiday work at Penske Racing. They kept in touch over the years and in later life opened a workshop called Updraught Enterprises. TC9006 was bought by Bob in 2007 with the intention of creating a road/race car, and the work as described in a magazine article was completed in 2009.

The work was done by Roy Gane and his signature is on the underside of one of the bonnet panels.

The car appeared at Watkins Glen vintage GP in 2009 and again at the 1948 re-enactment in 2010 - as indicated by the decal on the aeroscreen,

SPEC

• Tubular Manifold • Stainless Steel Exhaust System • Twin SU Fuel Pumps • Electronic Ignition • 5 Speed Gearbox

There are also scrutineer decals on the roll bar too.

• XPEG 1500 block • Laystall Lucas Alloy Head • Roller Rockers • Steel Crank • Steel Rods • Forged Pistons

Sadly, Bob died in early 2018 and Roy died in 2019

The list is endless so for more information and spec please contact us!

Photos taken at Bob’s collection in 2015 show him with TC9006 alongside the historic Kerrigan Special TC7514 which was also rebuilt by Roy. VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT!

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REGISTERS VINTAGE Rob Constant rob@littleabingdon.co.uk Welcome to June’s Vintage Register notes! June already? How the year is flying by… but at least we are now seeing some of our normal freedoms carefully resuming. With this in mind, we are delighted to announce that at long, long last we can invite you all to the Vintage Register 60th Anniversary event! One year late, but we simply couldn’t let it pass without a suitable occasion. You are therefore cordially invited to attend our summer gathering on Saturday June 12, from 10.00am at Brooklands Museum, Surrey. All Vintage Register members, friends, owners, ex-owners, MMM and other MG owners and supporters most welcome! We are also fortunate to be sharing the event with the South East Centre who are holding a gathering at Brooklands on the very same day. The itinerary is presently being brought together but a Vintage raffle and presentations will feature, along with lots of long-overdue catch-ups with old friends! For booking please both contact the museum and our Secretary/Bulletin Editor/Events

SVW Paul Campbell svw.safety.fast@gmail.com www.svwregister.co.uk Many of us, at least in the UK, have been able to get out and about in our MGs in the last few weeks and perhaps enjoy a pint in a pub garden. We’ve had a flurry of new members on the Facebook group; we now have 203 group members (end April). Remember that you can click through to the Facebook and MGSVW forums via the Links tab on the website. By the time you read this there will have been at least 12 ‘Useful Tips’ on the website too; so far these have covered diverse subjects such as SA distributors, low oil pressure, E.I. failure, LED headlamp bulbs, VA inlet manifolds, steering box wear, seat construction and plenty more besides. It’s full steam ahead for the SVW Event at Battle (July 27-29) – the latest news is always on the website. It looks like being a good turnout, with owners making sure their cars are ready for what will undoubtedly be a superb event, especially following such a fallow period.

84 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

Organiser extraordinaire, Debbie Brading on debbiebradingvr@yahoo.com so we can have an idea of the numbers who are due to attend. We will be parked as a Register, and, of course, strict Covid guidelines will be adhered to. Everyone, including Brooklands Members, will need to book with the museum in order to attend. Entrance will be via the Campbell Gate and postcode for satnav to enter the visitor car park is KT13 0SL. Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey. www.brooklandsmuseum.com With us all emerging from the enforced ‘sabbatical’ from events and social gatherings, this is the perfect opportunity to safely meet up, catch up and look forward together, whilst celebrating

Jim Andrews had a good day out filming for Great British Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo. The programme was screened on April 26 on BBC2 (Series 12, Episode 1). The last few minutes of the programme included a chat with Adam Sloman at Kimber House before Jim was brought in to tell Michael about his VA Tickford before taking a drive on the old factory test route. I’m sure the few minutes of footage meant a full day of filming and hanging around. You may still find this episode on i-player if you missed it. Jim Andrews also reported running problems with his MGC with sooty spark plugs. Jim remembered something similar I had had with my VA Tourer, which had baffled me for some time before it was traced to the electronic ignition. Based on this, Jim went straight to the culprit, refitted his points and cured the problem. We’re hearing more and more about issues with E.I. systems, probably because many have been installed for 10 years and more. Malcolm Robertson says: “The 2021 edition of the SVW Register’s annual SVW Review is currently being compiled and will be ready to post out in the near future (estimated late June

60 years (well 61 actually!) of the MG Car Club’s oldest Register…catering for the earliest cars. It honestly will be a pleasure to see you all – and where better than Brooklands, the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit…

– Ed). Early bird orders can be placed through the MG Car Club shop (https://shop.mgcc. co.uk/product/svw-review-2021-yearbook/). The Review has 52 pages packed full of articles and colour photos of your favourite SA, VA and WA MGs, covering a full range of current, historical, technical and social topics from the UK and around the globe.” This is free to members, of course, otherwise advance orders are available at £8 instead of the £10 cover price. My grandfather used to say: “There’s nothing like a full tank of petrol and the open road.” Perhaps now we should say “be careful of the ethanol in the petrol, don’t leave it in there too long, try to escape the traffic and watch out for potholes”! Stay safe….

Filming at Kimber House for the Great British Railway Journeys programme

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REGISTERS T TYPE Paul Plummer 01926 854574 scribe@tregister.org With the lockdown regulations slowly being eased, we can begin to think about getting out and about in our T types and doing a bit of socialising, and by the time you read this, Stage 3, May 17, will have passed, and more freedoms may be available to us. We were able to get out on the road on ‘Drive it Day Sunday’, did a short country lane run, wind through our hair, and took a garden meal at a local hostelry, a welcome taste of things to come. T Register Tours We have two tours lined up for you, both subject to usual caveats, and both hoping to go ahead. The Summer Tour to France, July 5-9. Hostellerie Saint-Louis, Bollezeele. Based upon the prevailing regulations in both the UK and France, a decision will be taken on June 5, whether go ahead or not. The Autumn Tour to the Malverns, September 10-13. Puckrup Hall Hotel, Tewkesbury.

MAGNETTE Stephen Tickell 01737 760330 stephen.tickell@gmail.com www.magnette.org If you happen to read this before our Crich Tramway Museum event on May 29 (and haven’t already made arrangements) you’ll still be very

At the time of writing this fully booked tour is going ahead, with all routes planned and hotel reservations in place. So, let’s hope all remains stable, safe and things continue to improve such that both these events can go ahead together with all the camaraderie normally seen.

crystalline and were no longer doing their job properly. I keep detailed maintenance records, so I looked up when I fitted them and found that it was 17 years ago! So, they do last longer than rubber bushes, but they are not everlasting.”

Barrie’s Bushes Here is a salutary tale from Barrie Jones, our own TF technical advisor. Barrie writes… “When visually checking my TF recently, I noticed some blue particles on the ground under the rear end. The polyurethane bushes fitted to the rear spring shackles were flaking at the edges, which came as a great surprise to me as these are usually regarded as ‘fit-and-forget’. I raised the rear end and dismantled one of the shackles and this is what I found. All eight bushes had turned

welcome to join us, but note that only Magnettes included on David Griffith’s booking list will be able to park on the museum Main Street. You may remember that the David Johnson trophy for 2019 was awarded to John Beesley for his work with Peter Martin in applying modern technology to Magnette repair panel manufacture, starting with low-volume production of the complex rear wheel arch pressing which had not previously been available to restorers. Although it’s taken a while to organise, John was recently presented with the trophy at his home – outdoors and suitably distanced of course – by Competitions Secretary Anthony White. Magnette prices At the last online committee meeting we reviewed our valuations for Magnettes divided into broad condition categories. There hasn’t been huge change

over the last year, but we noted that while previously our top bands have been higher than seemingly over-cautious guide prices in a couple of the classic magazines, the latter have now caught up and in some cases exceeded our estimates. So for example, dealer prices for Magnettes in excellent condition are now listed as £15k+, although it should be said that the majority of cars changing hands are still in the £10-12k ‘good’ range, which is the most in-demand judging from enquiries received. As there are fewer sales in lower conditions it’s difficult to be as accurate with price estimates, especially as some of these are auction sales, but certainly one or two sold recently for £7-8k have looked superficially at least to be quite good value. One good result of rising prices is that fewer Magnettes are now being broken for spares, although on the other hand you may be less likely to pick up a real bargain, and as always, a car in a lower condition category is likely to only be a bargain if you’ve got the means to restore it yourself.

John receives his trophy from Anthony

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JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 85

REGISTERS MGA Edward Vandyk 01488 608810 mgascribe@vandyk.co.uk As we hopefully progress towards the resumption of more normal socialising, Register members should check on the Register website as to the status of forthcoming events for any updates; so far, all events are on track to proceed as published. MGA SouthWest Day is Sunday July 4 and we will be joining the Car Club South West centre at East Somerset Railway, Cranmore, BA4 4QP for a picnic and hopefully steam train rides. Starting time is 10.00am onwards at Cranmore. Most readers spotted that last month’s incredible four-door Coupe was but a product of computer art. Unfortunately, no new photos of “The Cement Garden” but here, as promised, is David De Saxe’s story of how it all happened. Around 9.00am one morning the telephone rings: “I believe you have a red MGA”. Me, cautiously: “Uh-uh”. Girl on phone: “Can you be in east London with it for 11.00am?” Me: I doubt it, though I might make it for 12.00pm –

MGB David Broadhurst 01209 614704 newsletter-editor@mgb-register.org www.mgb-register.org I was chatting to Chairman John Watson and he asked that I use this newsletter to publicise the following events where your Register intends having a presence or is the organiser. The Spring Run is going to be held on June 27 starting at Millett’s Farm Abingdon, OX13 5HB, at 9.00am and will ramble through the countryside of North Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to Stowe. This event has been held over from last year. Please view the website www.mgb-register. org/events/spring-run/ for precise details. On August 1 John Prewer is organising a visit to the Crich Tramway Museum in Derbyshire. Again, please view the website www.mgb-register. org/events/crich-tramway/ for precise details including contact for John Prewer. The MGB Register Summer Picnic at Millett’s Farm Abingdon, OX13 5HB, will be held on August 8. Astonishingly, all details are… guess where! www.mgb-register.org/events/picnic and John Watson himself is the organiser. 86 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

but what for?” Girl on phone: “I am in charge of a film set for which an MGA is needed; they sent the wrong car”. Me: “I have my 12-year-old nephew with me and…” Girl on phone: “The film is about children and he could be an extra”. Nephew Anthony was beginning to take to the idea, so off we set from Surrey for what used to be the Charlton gas works, a huge derelict wasteland near the southern end of the Blackwall Tunnel, upon which site now stands the O2 stadium. We were met and effusively welcomed by Amanda who was clearly beyond relieved to see the car. She told us she was the set-dresser for the production (i.e. the person responsible for procuring all the props for the film). Apparently the car that had turned up at 8.00am that morning was an MGB embellished with a rollover bar. Upon catching sight of it the director, one Andrew Birkin (brother of Jane) had flown into a rage and had told Amanda in no uncertain terms to get an MGA instead, and smartly. The film’s title was “The Cement Garden”, a poignant book by Ian McEwan about a young family of four whose parents had died and whose house was likely to be condemned and they feared

they would be split up. The 18-year-old girl, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg (daughter of Serge) has met a handsome fellow, played by a German actor, whose name I forget. My role was to teach him to handle the MGA with its fly-off handbrake and crash bottom gear – which latter turned out to be the one most often used. Barry Brownleader sent me this photograph. Friends of Barry’s were moving and decided not to take this “peace plant” with them. They offered it to Barry who, having accepted the gift, realised it could not be easily moved. Barry then had an MGA brainwave – hood down, the plant would fit perfectly in the passenger seat. Barry tells me that a few people were pointing and laughing at him as he drove home – that I can believe!

A real treat this year is the British Classic Car Show. This will be held on Thursday 19 to Sunday August 22 at Farnborough International Expo Centre GU14 7JG. The MGB Register will have a stand at this huge event and wishes to have ten MGBs on show each day on the stand. If you are interested in showing your car on the Register stand please contact John Watson, mob 07775 75236, email:chairman@mgb-register.org in the first instance, and sooner rather than later. All details of this event are, predictably, on the Register web page at www.mgb-register.org/events. I noticed some comments on one of the MGB Facebook discussion groups the other day about changing from a dynamo to an alternator. Obviously, this only applies to MkI cars and would also involve a change of the polarity of the car from positive earth to negative. I contemplated this myself a few years back and was strongly advised not to do it on two counts by two separate motor engineers. Point one was that an alternator pushes out far more power than a dynamo so the risks to the venerable wiring loom increase (possible insurance implications) and two, apparently, the change in polarity causes an increase in the rusting process. I have little reason to doubt the veracity of what I was told, and

reduced the load on my wiring loom by fitting LED lights and installed a replacement dynamo when the original gave up the ghost, but wondered if anyone else had any knowledge of this rust increase suggestion? The picture of my engine shows the one visible alteration I have made. I have put the sump breather gulp valve in a plastic bag and stowed it away. Instead, there is a catch can mounted on the offside inner wing with a vent down into the airstream which successfully carries fumes away from the sump and eliminates the risk of the rubber diaphragm in the gulp valve rupturing.

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!"#6#"7#89:;<= The then owner, a retired engineer, had bought relevant enclosed sections. the car in 1996 and ran it for about 2 years (he Suspension is all new and polybushed. also has a 1930s Chrysler 8 cylinder “imperial”, a Brakes are all new, with particular attention to collection of barrel organs, long case clocks and a the correct shape of the new cupro-nickel pipes (so Windermere yacht). many cars are let down by poor brake pipes). The car was very sad. We got it into the Engine fully rebuilt in house from my past workshop and discovered it was the 11th produced experience working in David Brown’s engine in the UK market. development department. >&?)#%-&#-1&$%#.$#1$+&(/$#+#@+/#A$1-/$#*&#*)#/$+B5#&-#C-,#A(&#&'*)#-%$#*)#)-#)D$@*+E#.$#.+%&$B#&-#C*2$#D-&$%&*+E#%$.#-.%$/)#2*)*A*E*&5#-1#*&#$+/ The ever helpful MGC registrars, Barry and E5F#7'*)#9:;<# !"#6#"7#*)#-%E5#&'$#99&'#D/-B(@&*-%#!"6#&-#A$#A(*E&#8:&'#-%$#*%#&'$#GH#I+/J$&=F#K$1-/$#+//*2*%C#*%#-(/#.-/J)'-D,#*&#'+B%?&#/(%#1-/#-2$/ Gear box fully rebuilt with all new bearings and Ginny Cartmel, advised that it was built on the #L4#5$+/),#+%B#* @(//$%&E5#(%B$/C-*%C#+#1(EE#/$)&-/+&*-%,#*%@E(B*%C#+#1(EE#$%C*%$#/$A(*EBF# synchro’s. 27th December 67, presumably as a “launch stock” Axle stripped, diff and bearings perfect but new M%B#'$/$?)#+#D*@&(/$#8E$1&=#-1#)-I$&'*%C#&'+&#5-(#D/-A+AE5#'+2$#%$2$/# car and dispatched to A Smart MG dealers of half shaft bearings fitted. )$$%#A$1-/$#-/#.*EE#$2$/#)$$#+C+*%F#>&?)#&'$#(%B$/%$+&'#-1#&'$#@+/,# Newcastle on 14th February 68. )@/+D$B# A+@J#&-#A+/$#I$&+E,#/$D+*/$B,#/$)&-/$B,#/$+B5#1-/#D+*%&*%C#+%B# All new interior trim, wiring harness, all new lights. We know nothing of its early life but MG /()&Nwas D/--1*%C#N car club records revealed that the car first O$#B-%?&#)D/+5#PAE+@J#)DE-BC$?#(%B$/#-(/#@+/)QQ In short, no expense spared. restored in 1985 when its original mineral blue End Result? The car drives magnificently. O$#C$&#&'$I#+)#%$+/#&-#%$.#+%B#+)#)&/-%C#+)#D-))*AE$#.*&'#-(/# colour was bare metal changed to tartan red. If we did not have 2 C GTs all ready, a university R*%#and '-()$S#I+C*@#.$EB$/#T+%F Mileage was recorded then as 77,500 was motors example, owned by me for 49 years and 90,500 as we found it. We soon decided that this my Father’s car from 1968, this tartan red example car was the ideal lockdown restoration project. would definitely be a “keeper”. As such we stripped to a bare shell, carried out Will only be sold to the “right man or woman” U*)*&#-(/#.$A)*&$#8...FV(+//5@E+))*@)F@-F(J=#&-#1-EE-.#&'$#@+/#+)#*&# @-% all necessary repairs to the body and refinished &*%($)#*&)#D/-C/$))#A+@J#&-#&'$#/-+B#%$W&#)D/*%CF who will cherish and love it. in two-pack tartan red with wax injection to all

Please go to our website www.quarryclassics.co.uk for more information and videos of the engine on bench test. XE$+)$#2*)*&#...FV(+//5@E+))*@)F@-F(J 1-/#I-/$#B$&+*E)#+%B#D*@&(/$),#-/#@+EE#Y-'%#T$%&-%#-%#4ZZ94#<4<4<[F Ring John Denton on 07710 808084.

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88 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

FEBRUARY 2021 SAFETY FAST! 65

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REGISTERS MIDGET Chris Hale c.hale1962@btinternet.com www.midgetregister.com It’s hard to believe but it’s 60 years ago this month that our favourite sports car first entered production. Look out for a number of celebrations happening both at events and in the classic car press/social media. A very important issue that will affect all Midget owners is that from September this year the default “standard” 95-octane unleaded fuel will contain up to 10% ethanol – E10 fuel. Potentially, this may cause difficulties for persons running historic vehicles. The good news is that the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs has secured the continued supply of 97+ octane E5 “protection grade” fuels for at least the next five years. Much has been written about the potential adverse effects of ethanol on classic car fuel systems including possible performance issues and the degradation of fuel system components including destruction of rubber parts. Whilst all of this is very troubling for classic car owners, the most potentially disastrous effect is on the

MGC Mike Haughton mgc_mike@btinternet.com www.mgcc.co.uk/mgc-register/ This month brings with it a tale of woe from our Technical Wizard, Vic Young. It relates to the fitting of an uprated anti-roll bar. What happens if you fit a 7/8” anti-roll bar over the standard 11/16” is that it is far too heavy for a road car and imposes too much stress to

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flexible fuel lines. Within a very short period of time, ordinary fuel rubber will perish and become porous/leak, spraying fuel around. You only have to look at the position of the carburettors situated above the exhaust manifold to realise that this is a lethal situation waiting to happen. Following on from the Tech Torque article published in the April issue of Safety Fast! Register technical expert Mike Authers emphasises how dangerous current fuel hoses are with the ethanol in fuel, including the E5 protection grade. Mike has been replacing all fuel hoses on cars he deals with as a matter of course, as even fuel hoses two years old are breaking down and with any braided hose (a popular “upgrade”) you cannot see its condition and it’s very unlikely to be ethanol-proof. Fuel hoses must be R9 or R14 rated and a good make from a reputable supplier. It’s not that easy to find and is £12 to £15 per metre. Anything cheaper probably won’t be genuine. A reputable

supplier should be able to confirm the provenance of any fuel hose they supply. Mike has done a little research and there are only a couple of manufacturers that have a good reputation. Cohline, and Gates. We recommend you check your fuel lines on a regular basis and if in any doubt have them changed for fuel hose that is compatible with ethanol in fuel. While we’re looking at hoses in the engine bay, the following picture shows a common issue of cracking and perishing cooling hoses. There appears to be a real issue regarding the quality of replacement parts in recent years and it is well worth making a regular check of your car’s critical components to avoid a breakdown or worse, an accident. Safety Fast!

the mounting bolts in the front chassis legs? The photo shows the possible outcome. If you wish to uprate the anti-roll bar assembly, then a standard bar which is correctly mounted is far better and use rose jointed or urethane drop links and nyltron mounts. Vic has done this swap over so many times for owners. He runs a 7/8” bar on race cars only and 3/4” bars on road rally and sprint cars. If the burning desire is to fit a thicker anti-roll bar then it is essential to reinforce the chassis mounting or you can end up pulling the mounts out of the chassis legs. This has happened many times.

It is also possible to put a set of extra mounts in a reinforcing plate between and in front of the existing mounts by welding nuts on the back in order to move the bar 3/4” forward. Vic has swapped bars over both ways for many ‘C’ owners. He can provide you with a bar to swap over at no charge, just a straight swap. Mounts, however, have to be charged extra. I hope some of you were able to enjoy your cars on the recent Drive-it-Day. Basking in the sunshine is a photo of a lovely CGT above Broad Campden in the Cotswolds. Happy C Motoring. Colin Howes

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 89

REGISTERS V8 Victor Smith 0208 392 9434 victorsmith@v8register.net www.v8register.net Updated 6-monthly MG V8 market and price review As the various regions in the UK move out of lockdown, advertising and sales activity is likely to increase again when it’s very likely more MGV8s will be seen on offer through adverts, traders’ showrooms and at auctions with greater sales activity, particularly when seasonal interest in classic cars tends to rise in any case. Our charts provide a useful indication of current prices for the MGBGTV8 and MGRV8 models. The guide is also useful for reviewing the agreed value for your insurance renewal. See the two reviews and guides via our “More” page at: www.v8register. net/more.htm V8 AGM at Malvern The V8 AGM 2021 will be held at noon on Saturday August 14 2021 at the Triumph & MG Weekend event at the Malvern Three Counties

MGF Tim Morris 01932 882467 scribe@mgfregister.org www.mgfregister.org MGF25 With June’s arrival the lockdown eases further and we can look forward to some great events hopefully. I am sure that you have or are about to buy your tickets for MGF25 on July 24. If not, then I shouldn’t hang about – the first four hundred cars to book in through the British Motor Museum will receive a free “Goodie” bag full of wondrous things, such as a free souvenir programme and special souvenir “favours” amongst others. We are approaching that number, so to ensure your free bag book now! If you want to enter the Pride of Ownership competition and/or the evening Glo Car competition, then go to the MGF25.org website and enter now. You can also find out how to buy your tickets for the show itself. The Sunday Heritage run for 100 MGF/TFs is now sold out and the reserve list is getting longer!

90 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

Showground. A formal notice and agenda will be published this month. Enjoying memorable routes As we emerge from the lockdown constraints, many fellow enthusiasts will be keen to drive their MGV8s again and enjoy being out and about visiting interesting places. A useful source of routes is our Memorable MG Routes series,

If you only do one MGF/TF event this year then make sure it is MGF25. Go to www.mgf25. org for all the details. MGs Go North We are supporting the MGs Go North event on Sunday September 5 which is being held at Eden Camp in Malton, Yorkshire. It is a great historic location, a former WW2 Prisoner of War camp with some brilliant exhibitions about the war housed in the original camp huts and there will be reduced entry for MGF/TF owners. There is space for around 110 cars and there will be trophies for the best cars and special timeline, monogram and modified car displays. If you would like to join us then please check the www.mgfregister.org website or email johnprewer@rocketmail.com Cockshoot Cup MGF Special Trophy The first round of the Cockshoot Cup takes place on May 22 at Oulton Park and we will be following the racing closely as we have introduced a new trophy to be presented by the MGF Register. There is an ever-growing list of MGFs

including one over the Berkshire Downs and on through Faringdon to Hook Norton, one down to Goodwood in West Sussex, another round the old Factory test route near Abingdon and three wonderful touring routes in the NW Highlands. Above is a long view down to Ullapool from Braemore Junction on the A835 from Inverness to Ullapool. You can see all the routes at: www.v8register.net/mmgr/mmgr.htm

taking part and we hope that with the addition of an additional annual trophy from the MGF Register we can increase the number entering. The Special Trophy will be awarded on the completion of the four-race series, with Silverstone on June 13, Donington on July 17-18 and Snetterton on September 11-12. Situations Vacant We are looking for someone who can take on our regalia operation. Finding new stock, keeping stock up to date, maintaining an online shop, holding some stock at home and attending big shows (MGLive, NEC, MG/Triumph Spares day) to help sell items and promote the Register. Alongside that, we would like someone to organise our presence at those big shows – booking the stand, arranging cars and displays and people to help out. They are linked in a way but are really two separate roles. If you would be interested in helping your Register out then in either position, please get in touch with Nigel at chair@mgfregister.org ASAP. It would be great to have someone in place by MGF25!

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Built from a Paul Luti (D seam welde porated. On seals in plac always gara No expense race winnin many toys a Please note coming through our doors, MG’s, Race cars, Classics of all types. MG16 - BUCKS SPORTS CLASSICS_BUCKS SPORTS CLASSICS 26/09/2012 Page 1 SERVICES_MIKE ROLLS SERVICES 13/12/2012 09:50 Page 1leaving glea - MIKE ROLLS D OUT, SO THESE SALE CARS ARE AT, OR WELL BELOW THEIR COST TO ME. I’m very dealable! B3214:24 TRADE MEMBER £6995ovno.

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gentry don’t get tired arms, Interior is in reddish brown and Mint, Exterior is likewise and you’ll never find another like this. £9,750

2016

Bucks Sports & Classic Car Centre

2016

1936 Morris Eight Tourer. This absolutely beautiful car has had only two owners and has been fully restored by it’s last owner of 29 years. I don’t think you’ll find another one like this. £11,995

MG Power Steering and restoration specialists

CALL DIRECT UKON: 07787 528131 Based Buyer

FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING GT - ISSUE 1967 IN THE MGB NEXT OF Finished in black with painted wire wheels and Michelin XAS THE MARQUE OF FRIENDSHIP

www.mgcc.co.uk

EST’D

1989

BRG in abso only 13,156 new with la miles (05/17 and 2x keys Leather (cre set of Falken (06/18) and Tel. 07785 3

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

Tyres, it comes with an impressive spec of a 1950 fast road engine, Weber, 3 branch big bore manifold with 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

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

1997 (D

TEL/FAX: 01258 All conditions wanted, from barn ﬁ820337 nds to concours. Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8am-6pm, Wed: 8am-5pm, 8am-1pm Complete collections purchased. Cash buyer. Sat: 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.

For friendly advice contact Pete Giles on Tel: 01296 433550 or Mob: 07831 404968 www.mgsonthenet.co.uk

Colne Classics

SERVICES FOR MGs

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

TRADE MEMBER

MG YB Saloon Still they emerge! MG YB, the rarer of the forgotten MG. 3 owners, 1 for 40 years and owner history from new. It has never been restored and is still wearing its original and very nice paint. Being interred for so long it has missed the ravages of time and has no apparent rust problems on its very straight original body. The interior, always a problem with “Y’s” is intact and only needs cleaning. The carpets are very original and the sunroof water tight. Excellent chrome and square tyres make this the barn slumberer of the year. Unrepeatable and complete with dust £8,950

UNIT 18, PARK STREET IND ESTATE, OSIER WAY, AYLESBURY, BUCKS HP20 1EB

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

TEL/FAX: 820337 Specialising in all MODELS! MG’s WANTED ALL01258 MG

TRADE MEMBER

Specialist in MGA, B, C, V8, RV8, Midgets, and MGF. Also specialists in early Minis

riecartermg.com

....... 65 pares 91 ....... 13 ....... 35 on ...... 4 ....... 94 ....... 95 ....... 31 Ltd .. 91 ...... IFC ....... 50 ....... 44 .....OBC ....... 81 ....... 36 , 96, 97 . 85, 91 ....... 56 ....... 65

TEL/FAX: 01258 820337

B32 - MIKE ROLLS SERVICES_MIKE ROLLS SERVICES 13/12/2012 09:50 Page 1

CC10.12/MG16/p

0 miles and 3 owners, s in as new, unrestored s as faultless as the rest re that has never been

Lancia Appia 1960 RHD. This superbly restored Car is a 4 door pillar less replica of the same car as competed in the Acropolis Rallye in 1960, It has had £ thousands spent making it the superb example you see, Luxurious red leather trim, All the required navigation equipment, Drives free and flowingly, I doubt there’s a better one anywhere. Enormous amount of boxed history and receipts, Gorgeous, £19,995 - May Part/ Ex for something tasty.

Specialising in all MG’s

August 2019 Volume 63 Number 08 £3.95

E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com PLEASE CALL NICK • www.mikerolls.co.uk E-mail: mikerolls4mgs@compuserve.com • www.mikerolls.co.uk ON 01452 730770 “Friendly Quality Service”

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

CLUB

CAR LT D

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

Mail Order

94 SAFETY FAST! FEBRUARY 2021

The “Lo

THE BATTLE OF THE BABIES ● CLUNKING AND CREAKING ● JEKYLL AND HYDE

Safety Fast_Cover August2019.indd 1

25/07/2019 09:09

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

TC Racer Although there has been much interest in my ex-championship and well known T.C. race car, I don’t want the part xs offered. It is already very cheap and has so many rare and expensive parts I’m not giving nd ex. manifolds, 13/4 50s copics, alloy panels, 72 build this would cost £50k old as a rolling chassis all h a less modified engine sh. It’s very cheap and will petition. Ring for a price

Tel: 07722 175473 Breach House, Chessels Lane, Charlton Adam, 2000 MK II Estate. Somerton, Somerset TA11Triumph I’ve 7BJ seldom seen car that looks like it’s just come out of the showroom as this does, Not only pristine top, but underneath too, It shows 47,000 miles Email: smudgemg@yahoo.co.uk and is fitted with Power Steering, so us older

SERVICES FOR MGs

Cisitalia Spe in 1952 by M Burke in Cal a 1946 Cisita 50 coupes fo make a doze made only O a barn for n a Vintage Ra with steel b Laystall Hea is a wonderf on street or mation ema $145,000.00

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 91

CLASSIFIEDS How to Advertise

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

1954 MGTF 1250

White with wire wheels and luggage rack. Complete body and engine rebuild by previous owner, all documents retained. Owned by me for 15 years, summer use and garage stored. Excellent condition, including the hood and side panels. 5 speed gearbox conversion, original boxed to go with car. OIRO £24000. Contact Richard 07710 027580 (South Tynedale)

MG TD 1953

Red with biscuit trim. I have owned the car for the last 27 years and it has been displayed at various events. Very good condition but not concourse. A UK supplied car with a history of previous owners. The car has always been garaged and has side screens, hood, tonneau cover, luggage rack and heater. The engine was recently overhauled. £27,500. Contact John at Tel. 01761462560 or email john@jcburton.plus.com (North Somerset)

1978 MG BGT

Tax-free fast road/trackday car. Debumpered, with Sebring-style valances, FIA-spec half roll cage and 144bhp MG Motorsport-built 1950cc engine. Inca yellow paintwork with black interior. Always garaged and maintained and upgraded regardless of cost, with all bills in current ownership. Recent £2.1k engine and clutch ‘refresh’ and new heater matrix. Needs to be driven! Full details/photos available on request. £8000 ono email: gavin-s@btconnect.com mob: 07905 220680

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

92 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

Fully refurbished. Low mileage. Last owner 3 decades. Tundra Green repainted professionally. Ziebart Wax, picture history. Many new parts. original Rustic fabric interior. £21,990. Tel: 07958 431991

Island green with green leather. 5 speed gear box, this car was on front page of Safety Fast January 2018 Vol 62 no 1, also Classics Monthly spring issue 267. South Africa export bought by English vicar on retirement and brought back to Wales. Car is rust free and believed never welded. One of the best. £17500. Tel 01873 858123 (Abergavenny South Wales)

2002 MGTF 135

2008 MGTF LE500

Trophy Blue with a Blue hood. Grey Alcantara Seats. Currently 52261 Miles. 12 Month MOT. Sports Pack, Bright Pack, Wood Pack. Stainless exhaust. Mud flaps all round. With Hood Cover AND Full tonneau. Wind stop and many more extras included as well as the TF02 FUN Reg Number. £2500. Phone 07711 290389 or Email: jji3064@sky.com for a full list of extras. (Oxford)

No; 117. Private Plate included: MG58 TED. Colour Orange, two previous owners. Excellent Condition. 37002 miles. Hard Top included in sale. Canvas Winter cover also included. £7,000. For more info Tel: John on 01622 720593. (Maidstone Kent)

1994 MGRV8 1972 MG Midget

Flame Red. Full restoration in 2017. Mint condition inside and out – new hood, wheels, brake servo and roll bar. All new parts, too many to list. Tax and MOT exempt. £9250 ono. Tel 07836628134 (Northumberland)

1953 MG TD Midget

Red with original steel wheels and beige trim. UK car with 4 owners from new and has been in the vendors family ownership for the past 18 years with original log book. Body resprayed and re-chrome in 2007 and new hood and tonneau cover. Recent improvements include heat shield, rocker cover gasket, front brake cylinders and shoes, master brake cylinder, core plugs and new tyres all round. Price £23,000. Contact Lucy 07788158853

1975 MGB GT V8 3.5

Two tone maroon with matching leather upholstery. The car was totally professionally restored approx 5 years ago and has been garaged since then. The engine has all new pistons and new camshaft plus all white metal bearings. I have owned the car for over 50 years and have the original buff log book. £55,000 ONO Telephone: 01474 362313 or Email Jeffsprig@btinternet.com. (Gravesend Kent)

1956 MGZA

1946 MGTC

Chassis No. 0525, Red. VW steering box conversion. High Compression Unleaded big valve head. Furneaux half shafts and rear hub oil seal conversion. New Panhard Rod. Rose jointed steering arms. New hubs, stub axles, brake shoes. Wheels sand blasted and painted. New carpets. History file back to 1960s. Buff log book. £23950 (photos on request) Telephone John on 07806707078 (South Wales)

Race car with Papers. The car was rebuilt on a new Heritage shell and fitted with genuine ‘Works’ hard top. Newley rebuilt engine, 3 syncro close ratio gearbox, 4:3 diff with Quaife LSD, 5 1/2 J Minilite style wheels, Ridgard seats. £32,500. For full spec and more info call 07710 327590 peter@fiamgb.co.uk (Reigate Surrey)

1934 MGNA

1974 MGB Roadster

Very good condition, suspension polybushed, brakes fully overhauled copper pipes new rubber hoses etc, all fuel lines replaced from tank to carbs, full tourist trophy stainless exhaust, leather interior. New hood. £11995. Mobile 07484283620. (North Wales)

1964 MGB FIA HISTORIC

Woodcote Green, with Stone interior and leather seats. 35,000 miles, with comprehensive history file. MoT Feb 2022. Spax shocks, Moto Lita wooden steering wheel, private MGR plate. Black mohair hood in excellent condition, with cover and tonneau. Always garaged and covered. Maintained by B&G. Great to drive, smooth and powerful. Generally in great condition. Offers around £19,750. Tel: Steve on 07806537553 (Bedfordshire)

1973 MG Midget

Chrome bumper, RWA in Blaze Red. Great car with a huge history file. Features, amongst many other things, a stage 2 Oselli Engine, Frontline Front Damper Conversion, recently refurbished dashboard, aftermarket hard top and all weather cover. Car is running on genuine Minilites but will come with original Rostyles, all with nearly new tyres. Price £7000. For more information call 07769 934004 (North Yorkshire)

MG RV8 1993

Original UK spec, BRG, Condition 3, 73k miles, EPAS, Spax, polybushes, Optimax, s/s exhaust, new hood, windstop, Michelin Cross-Climates, MOT until 08/21, £20,000, Tel: 07485 592788 (Hampshire)

1949 MG TC

Owned and fully restored to a high standard over the last 22years. Recently serviced and MOT’d. Offers circa £26.000 For further information and photos please call 01453 882034.

www.mgcc.co.uk

SOMETHING FOR THE SUMMER... SIR? Estd.1968

1934 MGK3 REPLICA - CHASSIS KN...0377

NOW REDUCED...£42,500...Just view it

One of the well built early K3 reps, on a factory K chassis with K axles, high ratio diff., twin lever brakes, and the big pre-select g’box able to ‘take the power’. Original KN engine with fully c/balanced crank and rods, and blown through a Marshall 85 s/ charger. A ﬁne example qualifying for all VSCC and MGCC events and having the advantage of the more practical slab-tank body giving luggage room for long distance tours and rallying ........... £165,500

1933 CYCLE WING MG J2 SPORTS.

A TRULY MAGNIFICENT WOLSELEY HORNET SPECIAL.

Known as a “Shelsley Special”, being built by Samuel Holbook Ltd, this unique car is in close to concours condition. Straight 6 cycl. crossﬂow engine fully rebuilt by 2015. All original bodywork now ﬁtted, 4 forward gears with syncho on 3rd and 4th. 12” hydraulics, twin carbsand extremely quick. History back to 1934. Restored by professional engineer to the highest standard throughout, and is a VERY valuable Wolseley............. £49,500

WE HAVE SPARES, SPARES, SPARES FOR ALL PRE-WAR MGs – BOTH NEW & USED Visit www.barrywalker.com or phone or email

1934 SWEPT MG J2 AVAILABLE SPORTS HERE ARE SOME RARE & DIFFICULT PARTSWING NOT OFTEN Just a lovely all original motor car, A very handsome J2 ﬁnished Series cyl.overhauled block...excellent...............................................................£850 and ready in deep claret with a counter* Precently head...excellent..............................................................£950 the cyl. road. Excellent engine, balanced crank and rods. A * PforSeries of 12”dash, cableCollingburn brakes...per interior corner.....................................................£250 correct quality rebuild with original * Set orig. J/F/D cable brakes...whole andofquality double-duck weather car...........................................£650 engine, Collingburn deep red * Set rare 4-star steel J/L/P/N differential.................................................£975 Correct lamps and interior and virtually unused * V.equipment. ROAD WHEELS....................................................................£50 ‘M’ 9:44 REBUILT niceMG paintwork in 2 tonediff........................................................£850 blue. v. high quality weather each * V.v. rare V. rare J2 windscreen...£650..........................................P type..........................£550 Comes with mass of history, equipment. A truly lovely car for * rare D/F1 dash panel,and complete...totally rebuilt as new......................£950 paperwork original the coming Summer’s events. * V.DVLA £36,500TO SEE IF YOU CALL IN Reg. No. ........................... Huge invoice and history ﬁles SO,SO MUCH MORE and correct DVLA paperwork. ALL PRICES PLUS CARRIAGE & VAT OR CALL IN FOR BETTER BARGAINS ON PRICE MMM registered ..............£37,950 Complete NEW 12” cable brake sets now coming back on stream, available as full sets or pairs. 8:43; 8:41; 8:39 brand new crown wheel & piston sets to suit 2 or 4 star diff. units.............the very best available. * * * LUCAS ORIGINAL LAMPS...HEAD/TAIL/SIDE for all early MG models...all totally restored, outright or exchange. Off the shelf FULLY restored & rebuilt MMM & TA/B/C DYNAMOS & STARTER MOTORS, * * INSTRUMENTS - we carry one of the largest ‘off the shelf’ stock of early MG gauges, OUTRIGHT OR EXCHANGE (2- BRUSH MMM also available). all types, any model, outright or exchange. * NEW LUCAS TYPE 160 REAR VIEW MIRRORS FOR ALL MGs FROM 1930 - 1950 with ‘King-of-the-Road’ medallion....................................available with RH & LH arms. - factory specification KITS...NO REPROS. original, all correct, all MMM & TA/B/C. WE HAVE PURCHASED A HUGE, HUGE COLLECTION OF PRE-WAR MG TOOL SPARES FROM M All TYPE TO N TYPE * Remember button/parallel sided MMM getting horn button your dip switches Remember - we carry off the shelf, both- NOSE-MOUNTED & SIDE1000kgs. MOUNTED * We can now offer original large (Thoroughly worth ‘wish/wants’*lists to us. No obligation any quote. Over in black or brown with chrome plinth..............long overdue.........................................£96.50 each. supercharger installations for all pre-T models.

British Motor Heritage approved

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

Tel: 01789 400181

Mob: 07836 244103

please ‘phone before calling in

Email: barry@barrywalker.com Web: www.barrywalker.com

SPECIALIST IN CLASSIC SPORTS CARS enquiries@mgsforsale.com

www.mgsforsale.com

01707 876089

07831 556666

MGBCGT Roadster V8 Heritage Older Shell Rebuild (PCP706K) MG 1968 AUTOMATIC Nut & Bolt Restored1972, older late 90’s MG V8 conversion utilising a Heritage Shell and GT donor/ (RWD628G) CGT 1968, automatic, excellent Mineral identitycoachwork at a cost ofwith circa nicely £15k back then, 3.5original litre engine with 5 Blue mellowed Black el speed gearbox, rear axle, Offenhauser brakes to leather interior 301.7 trim, original genuine leathermanifold, bound MGC e TL enquiries@mgsforsale.com V8 specification, coachwork with only minor steering wheel, Blue nicely detailedpresents enginewell compartment 0 miles imperfections commensurate the passage of time and circa housing the smooth 3.0 litrewith engine ideal with the Borg rease) 18” 23k miles, nice Stonegearbox Beige leather interior with sports Warner automatic making this trim, particularly rareseats, T’d until Blue Mohair hood and hood cover, alloy wheels withpart 185/70/14 tyres, Spax adjustable model an ideal classic today, this walnut vehiclepack, apparently formed of a collection of a deceased ads as well shock absorbers, history with invoices including Heritage Shell, DVLA estate, on inspection onefile can seevarious the of the rebuildthefrom a number yearsinspection/ ago and or, satMGquality CGT 1968 AUTOMATIC Older Nut &ofBolt Restored approval old mot’s unique opportunity tojust acquire a V8£24,950.00 Roadster built with likelydocumentation, little miles since is stilletc.etc. very fresh in appearance, arrived ll service (RWD628G) MG CGT 1968, automatic, excellentnicely Mineral a new shell providing peace of mind of vehicle’s structural commission rebuildBlack today or 2016 UK Tech-MG6 on Blue coachwork withcondition, nicely to mellowed original GT diesel to same cation costleather twice the sale price, just arrived £24,950.00 MG BGTspecifi 1972 Last Ownerlikely 37 Years (LLF951K) MG . Spacious, interior trim,BGT, original genuine leather bound MGC Facelift model. Top-of-the range TL would last owner 37 Mk1 years,Bare chrome bumpers, overdrive, MG. £6500 steering wheel, nicely1963, detailed engine compartment model. 1.9 turbo1972, diesel. 48,000 miles MGB Roadster 1963 Tub Rebuild (USL 292) chrome Rostyle wheels, coachwork now requiring 44(daily driver so mileage housing the smooth 3.0 litre engine ideal with the Borg will increase) 18”Aqua Mk1, pull door handle model, chrome bumpers, overdrive, chrome some improvement butrebuild a verybysolid vehicleautomatic indeed with a Warner gearbox making this particularly rare alloys, red bumper inserts. MoT’d wire wheels, bare until tub renowned MG restorers Fisher nice original feel and appearance, navyTartan cloth Red June 2020. Recent discs and as well Services Ltd pads of Sydenham, Londonoriginal in midstyle 2000’s, gold seal engine ttedvery midnicely 80’sclosing and drives as new tyres. Fullinterior leathertrim, interior, satcoachwork with good panel gapsfiand doors not nav, Bluetooth connectivity. delightfully, good history filemodels, with original usually foundFull on service these older as newdocumentation Black interior trim, history – servicedback by SAIC Motor UK Tech- of invoices from renowned specialists Brian Brown Classics & B to the 80’s, a plethora sensible modifications to ease modern day motoring including 5 nical Centre. In good condition. Spacious, Hive, original Unipart Goldseats Sealwith papers, old mot’s etc.reel justseat arrived bearing engine, reclining headrests andetc. inertia belts.£5,950.00 Original style weather economical engaging modern MG. £6500 equipment of a pack away hood in excellent condition and provides that elegant early 60’s ‘clean’ ono. Call Adam on 07530734044 look when no soft top is present, drives as it looks, just arrived, £20,995.00

01707 876089

1976 MG Midget, Flame red, black trim, totally restored car, new bodyshell, W/W, all new trim. Family owned car restored awww.mgsforsale.com few years ago by the engineer owners son, superb condition, new shell so no rust, everything was replaced or restored, a superb car which would cost £30k+ to renovate now. Fantastic classic summer motoring £12,995

1967 MG Midget mk2 Black, black trim , w/w , 1380 fast road engine, lcb exhaust, all new chrome bumpers, totally restored by the long term previous owners, who now are a liitle too old to enjoy the car. Original rare steering wheel. Drives excellently and a lot of fun, excellently maintained and loved. Superb fun classic best and rarest midget model. £9,495

1967 MGB Roadster, Flame red, black trim, w/w, o/drive. Reshelled restored car. Last owner 30 years. Original trim and steering wheel, correct front wings, 1.3/4” carbs, lcb, recent new hood. Superb classic early 3 synchro MGB ready for some summer freedom! £18,995.00

1953 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. Well sorted and maintained car, has been used regularly so lovely patina, looks and feels like a 10 year old well maintained car. Original R/H/D car, was exported and returned to UK before being completely restored. If being very picky, has a slight 3rd synchro lag. Super car. £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. £32,995.00

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. Suspension poly bushed. New clutch and slave cylinder, new boot stays, in fact all the usual RV8 foibles all sorted out. Excellent example.£21,995.00

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 in Switzerland) The power of the motor is 79 PS and had be changed to lead www.mgcc.co.uk freeBarry petrol. The car is black with a beige Tel: +44 (0) 1953 717618 Fax: (0) 1953 717850 Walker October 20.indd 1 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 717618

JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 93

15/09/2020 09:27

1938 MGTA

This is a magnificent example. 5,000 miles since total rebuild. New Body Tub, rebuilt MPJG engine and ancillaries. Gerry Brown rebuilt gearbox. Collingburn interior, bespoke hood and side screens, matching burl walnut dash. New loom, brake and fuel lines. Re-chromed by Pebble Beach award winner. 5 new wires. Heater and winkers. All for £29,000 ovno. Pos PX + cash considered. Call Laurie 07860 478794 or email; lauriendt@aol.com

1956 MGA ROADSTER Old English White, with red trim. Originally a North American

MGF 1.8VVC

75th Anniversary no.1351/2000. Comes with some service history. Interior is leather and in good condition. 60,000miles. Roll hoops, windshield, SS exhaust and coolant pipes. Lolarm water alarm and H.R.W. £3000. Could even throw in a tandem. Tel. 01507. 442256. (Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire)

1968 M

In Snowbe ago on new with new r and tonnea fast road e and NEW M assisted br cooling fan tic halogen car for tou including a £29,950. P (South Oxo

1956 MGA 1500 In Signal Red. Restored in the

2004 MGTF 135

late 2000’s by MG specialist Simon Robinson, and religiously

Export. Brought back into the

serviced every year after. Red

UK in the late eighties and given

trim and black carpets. Kenlowe

a ‘Nut & Bolt’ restoration to

fan, period radio, chrome wire

concourse condition. Restored to

wheels, full weather equipment,

RHD spec. A stunning example

new starter motor, alternator

and one of the best MGA

conversion. Recent full body

Roadsters we have owned.

respray & detailing by ourselves.

£36,995

£32,995

1950 MGTD

Supercharged. California lhd rust free original body. Rebuilt 1380cc engine with all ancillaries. Shorrock supercharger 73 bhp. 5 speed type 9 gearbox. George Edney 3.9 diff. New braking and fuel system. Rewired. New Apple Green interior. Bespoke hood and side screen. Overhauled instruments with KPH and vacuum gage. Twin reversing lights containing winkers, side and fog lights. £28,500 ovno Pos PX + cash. Call Laurie 07860478794 or email: lauriendt@aol.com

In excellent overall condition for year,33k genuine miles, in Pearl Black. Black and Grey Alcantara sports seats and interior. 16” multi spoke alloys, colour coded hard top, chrome packs and wind deflector. 3 carefull owners from new. Extensive amount of previous MOT certificates,Service and parts invoices etc. Drives and performs very well. £4,400.00ono. Contact Grant on 07811106632 or granthowlett@btinternet.com (Suffolk)

2005 M

In Sonic Blu new. In as out. Upgra owner incl with lower pipes, Bilst original sho heater resi tory. Featu Car Weekly For more in (South Oxf

1963 MGB Roadster

1957 MGA 1500 Glacier Blue with black trim. Weather Equipment. Steel wheels. North American Export, shipping out 18 September 1957. Returned to the UK in 1991 and then restored by Batheaston Artefactors. This included a body off the chassis restoration. It comes with a Heritage Certiﬁcate, invoices for work and parts, plus a photo album documenting work done. A beautiful example in the rare Glacier Blue colour scheme. Covering just under 4k miles since restoration.

1964 FORD ANGLIA Maroon with grey trim. Only 3 owners from new covering just over 42k miles. In fantastic

BRG with black leather upholstery. Overdrive, wire wheels, stainless exhaust. Extensive history file with photographic record of restoration. Owned since 2009. £19250. Tel. 01568 610236 (Herefordshire)

Owned 50+ years substantial rebuild in 1981. 3 bearing engine with oil cooler, overdrive, wire wheels, as new hood and tonneau cover. S/steel exhaust, some work needed, willng to negotiate £7500 Paul 01189571933 (Reading Berkshire)

condition. Restored 5 years ago by ourselves. Bare metal respray/ rebuild costing £24k! Very little

2003 M

Three door miles. Cylin gasket and water pum recently. M shod, good be viewed phone Pete birdpj@bti

use since.

£14,995

£34,995 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

94 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

1968 MGCGT

1951 MG TD

Maroon with beige leather trim. Bodywork in very good condition as are the mechanicals. Drives very well with engine rebuilt in 2014 and rear axle in 2015. Five speed gearbox fitted in 2016. Hood. Tonneau and sidescreens all good. £21,500 Tel 01568 610236 (Herefordshire)

1974 MGBGTV8

Factory model no. 1626. Owned since 1986 but lack of use forces reluctant parting. The car deserves to be used more than 240 miles per year. Not quite perfect but good condition overall and thoroughly usable. Recent extensive engine rebuild. Original but for SD1 heads and tubular manifolds. £13500. Email: johnbennett698@yahoo.com or Tel: 01227 637813.

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

www.mgcc.co.uk

1968 M

Overdrive. including s Full body r and photos also with r modificatio cluding ligh 6 branch m Stainless st rear shock Recent MO 1991. £23,5

0. ry. condition. hield, Lolarm 0.

or year,33k lack and d interior. coded hard eflector. tensive ficates,Drives .00ono. or gran-

church square

1968 MGB Roadster

In Snowberry White. Fully rebuilt a year ago on new British Motor Heritage shell with new red interior, leather seats, hood and tonneau cover. Oselli 1800 balanced fast road engine, completed 32,000 miles, and NEW Mazda 5 speed gearbox. Servo assisted brakes, electronic ignition and cooling fan. Painted wire wheels. Quadoptic halogen headlamps fitted. Excellent car for touring. Considerable history file including all receipts for the rebuild. £29,950. Phone Roy on 07802253937 (South Oxon)

d since ctant used Not quite rall and nsive SD1 heads . Email: or

New leather interior and grey hood. Under 10,500 miles since bare chassis restoration. Receipts from MGOC workshop for all panel restoration and paintwork. Previously featured in the June 2013 Edition of ‘Enjoying MG Magazine’. Modern upgrades include a Type 9 gearbox conversion and 123 electronic ignition. Original gearbox available if required. Certificate of Confirmation from the Heritage Trust. Superb collector’s car. £28,750. Call 01563 538285 (Scotland)

autos FAMILY BUSINESS ESTABLISHED 1981. Our ofﬁce/ showroom is at 62B HIGH STREET SHEPPERTON TW17 9AU VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT PLEASE MG MGB GT in rare Bronze Yellow 1973 (L Reg). Manual. Petrol. Later ‘73’ spec model with face level fresh air vents, centtre console with armrest, Black honey combe grill, new type steering wheel, overdrive. Blue cloth/leather interior. Huge history file, restored from 2010 to 2015. Just fitted with new brakes alround plus new alloy wheels new tyres and moted. Just 5,000 miles since 2010. Road Tax free. £7,995

MG MGF 1.8i vvc Freestyle ltd edition 53,000 Miles

1964 MG Midget Mk2 2005 MGTF 135 Spark

In Sonic Blue. Only 9,700 miles from new. In as new condition inside and out. Upgrades carried out by previous owner include uprated MLS headgasket with lower oil rail, stainless steel coolant pipes, Bilstein suspension upgrade, (have original shocks), water low level alarm, heater resister upgrade. Full service history. Featured in Classic Car Mart, Classic Car Weekly and Safety Fast. £10,500ono. For more info Tel: 07733097674. (South Oxfordshire)

BRG with black trim. Wire wheels and fitted with a rebuilt 1275 engine in 2013. Full restoration in 2000 and subsequent bodywork in 2014 with a full respray. Body, mechanicals and weather equipment, hood and tonneau all good. £7250 Tel 01568 610236 (Herefordshire)

2003 MGZR 1.4

Three door hatchback for sale. 57,500 miles. Cylinder head skimmed, new gasket and cam belt fitted, alternator, water pump and drive belts all renewed recently. MOT until February 2022. Well shod, good clean car. £1995.00. Can be viewed in Bedford. Further details phone Peter at 01234261574 or e-mail to birdpj@btinternet.com

2001 (51 Reg). Manual. Petrol. Low mileage MGF vvc Freestyle ltd edition (rare vvc). Trophy front and rear spoilers, ‘SE’ 16” alloys, blue hood, silver interior trim, black leather sport seats. Over £1800 spent in September 2020 on a Super Sport stainless exhaust and a full MG/ROVER (Suplex) suspension kit (kit cost £953) its new shockers and SPRING CANISTERS replacing shockers & displacers so no more pumping up. Outstanding immaculate condition thoughout. £4,695

MG MGF 1.8i Convertible Just 39,000 miles

1994 MGRV8 (No. 0923)

ebuild in cooler, hood and , some ate £7500 erkshire)

1960 MGA Roadster 1600

Woodcote Green, total mileage from new 39,000, returned from Japan end of 2004, I have owned the car since then. Air conditioning, alarm, tonneau cover, Waxoyled and new Koni shockers 2005, wood veneer replaced 2009, new hood 2010, various replacement parts as required during my ownership, excellent condition, drives beautifully, all MOT’s since re-import in December 2004. Price: £18500. Call Mike on 07767 690441 email: mike.rahim20@gmail.com (North Oxon)

2001 (Y Reg). Manual. Petrol. Finished in Alumina (light green metallic) with Black leather. Having just been though our workshop and fitted with a new headgasket/ cambelt/water pump/stainless water pipes. Full service and new mot. With its last owner for over 10 years. This MGF is in outstanding condition. £3,695

MG TF 135 Rare Sunspot Yellow, Just 14,000miles Here we offer a very rare and very very low mileage TF135 in Sunspot Yellow ( Kinetic monogram IAC) with Black leather sport seats, black soft top, front fog lights, wind deflector, mud flaps engine water level sensor etc, having covered just 14,000 miles repeat 14,000 miles. Always garaged and not used in the winter. Totally immaculate show car condition £8,495

MG TF 135 Spark Facelift model + Hardtop 37,000miles Very rare facelift model SPARK ltd ed one of only 2 we have owned. Lots of extras, Black hood with glass rear screen, colour coded hardtop , poly bushed suspension, Mike Satur quickshift gearchange, softride suspension, underbody protected. FSH Including headgasket and cambelts. Serviced and has a new MOT. Outstanding condition. £6,995

MG TF 160vvc 80th ltd edition Just 37,000miles

2002 MG ZTT 190+ 1968 MGC GT

Overdrive. Chrome wire wheels (5 including spare). Outstanding condition. Full body re-build in 2016 with receipts and photos. Full engine build in 2013 also with receipts and photos. Many modifications carried out at this time including lightened and balanced flywheel, 6 branch manifold. Unleaded head. Stainless steel exhaust. Koni adjustable rear shock absorbers. Electronic ignition. Recent MOT with MOTs going back to 1991. £23,500. Tel: 07989 318737

www.mgcc.co.uk

My car for 9 years, one of only 6 finished in Monogram Mirage 1, with undamaged Alcantara interior. In the last 12 months the car has had belts, water pump, vis motors, new hoses, clutch & master & slave cylinders, new brakes, new Avon tyres, new badges & wheel centres. 101000 miles. Tow bar. Sunroof. Stainless back box. Walnut dash & steering wheel. Long MOT with no advisories. Used as an event support car by the Caledonian Centre. TBH I am not sure I want to sell this car! It is not perfect, but it is very good! £2450 ono (Private plate excluded) Tel; Bob on 07870 407111 or email: mgcarsscotland@gmail.com

Offered here is my rare 80th HERITAGE ltd edition 160vvc. #1577/1600 just 189 160vvc being made, and even less Heritage models. These where finished in Goodwood Green with a Tan cockpit wood finishes tan leather with black alcantara sport seats +logo. Just serviced plus fitted with a new headgasket/cambelt/and much more.Supplied with MG’s Certiificate of Authenticity £5,995

THIS IS JUST A SMALL SELECTION FROM OUR STOCK

07836 281493 or 01932 241843 mgsales@churchsquareautos.com www.churchsquareautos.com

SALES &PARTS FOR YOUR MGF/TF JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 95

Call for a quote today

01376 574000 DON HOODS

Insurance for all MG’s classic and modern

www.peterbestinsurance.co.uk Mike Sa

UNBEATABLE QUALITY – UNBEATABLE VALUE!

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

Pair of 1 1/4" Carbs

complete on inlet manifold. All parts working freely, probably need new floats. £75 + £5.50 p&p.

4 Speed Gearbox

For MG ZA Magnette. Suitable for rebuilding, certainly needs new bearings. Have a wooden crate for transport. £60. Buyer to collect or pay carriage.

Hand Winch

Suitable for car trailer. 2 speed, 2,500lb capacity. This is brand new and unused. £60 + £5.50 p&p. For further details please contact Graham on 01888 544437 or e-mail : sue.graham71@gmail.com (Aberdeenshire)

1979 Midget 1500

Breaking for spares all parts available. Tel: 01993 823560 for details (South Oxfordshire)

Various Parts for Sale

MGB inlet manifold and carburettors £150 MGB cam shaft good condition £60 MGA CI exhaust manifold £80 MGA front coil springs new £30 MGA gearbox and remote £190 New MG XPAG T type polished aluminium rocker cover £180 Set of 5 SAAB Minilite aluminium wheels 15 x 5J £150 (Fit other makes) £150 Powerlite starter motor for MGA AC134432 used but good condition £140 New MG T type instrument wiring loom £25 MGA clutch activating lever with bearing and retaining clips £60. Email beckside.41@gmail.com or telephone 01833 660000

MGA Parts

Pair 7” Used Osram Sealed Beam units 60/45w RHD £40 Pair 7” New Wipac Halogen headlamp units with bulbs and Boots RHD £50 Pair Used Lucas Front light Units good chrome and lenses £25 Rear Used Lucas No. Plate light unit good condition £16 Pair New Door Hinge Fixing Kit NTG T142K £15 24 New Floorboard Screws & Washers £20 5 Used Wire Wheels painted 48 Spoke VGC splines Need TLC £125 Buyer Collect. MGA New unused Chrome Boot Rack £150. Would also fit MGB. chrisnorman2211@btinternet.com Tel. 07591177490

ous diffs. w rostyles, ins and exhaus All located Email- kdun

DIRECT FROM THE MAKERS – WITH OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE

•BETTER THAN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT QUALITY •STITCHED AND WELDED FOR MAXIMUM LIFE •WIDEST CHOICE OF COLOURS AVAILABLE •ALL FASTENERS & FITTINGS INCLUDED D PRICE FOR LEAFLET AN MG3 Bonnet T AC NT CO T LIS This unique bonnet is for an MG3 Co. Ltd mming Tri2018. n to model from Do 2014 Specially 7JJ B23 m Trio mingha commissioned byRoa med,it Bir depicts this Hampton 13 of MG’s coming up through Eau Rouge 13 3 37 21 01 Tel: Spa. Price £150.00. Contact Roger on E HERN SALES OFFIC UT SO 07454-006080 or roger@briscoe.net00

Tel: 01202 7422

MIDGETS! WANTED

Choice of heavy duty PVC, ICI Vynide, Everflex, Duck and Mohair

ALL Contact the Midget MAKESpecialist S& incl: MG, MODELS Tr MIKE AUTHERS on Abingdon Escort, Giumph, olf 07703 465 224 CHROME etc. BUMPERED MIDGETS in excellent condition bought up to CARPET SETS £8,000. View current stock at FOR MOST MOD ELS

www.mgmidgets.com www.donhoods.com

Sunmate To New and un fore use. Gi heat build u nylon with reflect heat ers the win seals giving Suitable for including fr bag. Cost £ now! £3.50 son. 01983 (Isle of Wig

Books Cla

MG A Picto Magic of th Magic of M Works MG 1 Mike Allison Lucas 8” CHESTERFIELD • DERBYSHIRE Works MG Flat glass headlamps. Nice oily rag Ho2 MG Log. Pe MG3 Alloy Wheels condition. Fitted with dipping bulb, Members Thecharge Classicin Set of 4 Specially machined and finished bulbholders. An appropriare alternative members MG3 wheels with white inserts, MG for those unavailable Rotax used on J,F MG by McC posted wheel centres and MG valve caps. and L. £250. Contact Martin on 01344 MG 1911onto To place a These have never been on the road and 424258 (Berkshire) Great Marq email co this is a one off set produced for me. MG SportspC attached MGF/TF Spares Price £300.00. Contact Roger on 07454M-type to T car, your AP Big Brake Kit- comprises single pot 006080 or roger@briscoe.net car, area Classic MGw red calipers embossed with MG, 304mm Suppliers of parts for MGA SPARES number discs, pads with fitting kit, New and Triple-M 19 K &N High Flow Air Filters, fit inside 70 words • MGA • MGB • MGC • Midget unused £180 Project Pho to edit lo Vokes canisters Moss 222-928. Chrome fuel filler cap with one key in IanAdcock insertion • T Type • MGF/TF Duplicate purchase used condition £15 A to Z of Ca Silver grey wing beeding. B&G (OE Spec) Photos available on request, can postco Michael Sed AFH1692 contact: liam.mccarthy@tiscali.co.uk Various unused repair panels from NTG. Repairing & (High Peak, Derbyshire) T121R+L, T!57R+L, T155, T110R+L, ponents, Pe SPARES WANTED Tel 01246 454527 • Fax 01246 453681 T703R+L, Autocar mo WANTED O/S Front wing bottom panel and Front (1950s)£4 Albert Street North, Chesterfield, S41 8NP Restorable MGB Cylinder head 12H906 door pillar bottom repair pieces. Haynes Clas wanted for Magnette ZA project. ConEmail: jump2close@btinternet.com tact Howard Ellis 01609 780445. Email Haynes Wo howardjamesellis@gmail.com (1969-87) £ Safety Fast: Steve McKie Sports Cars Hi-Res.indd 1 23/06/2010 13:46 Volume 40, £3 each Octagon MG ZRCa Built from (August 198 Paul Luti (D 1995) to 43 seamPlease weld £30. porated. O on 01483 8 seals in pla 1942mgma always gara nigelguild@hotmail.com book or to o No expense

CLASSIFIEDS STEVE McKIE SPORTSCARS

Specialists in the repair and restoration of MG cars

www.stevemckiesportscars.co.uk

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

TED

AN GW

U YO

r e m

r o F

y r o Gl BY

01844 281700

race winnin many toys Please note leaving gle £6995ovno

MGOC Recommended Dealer Plea Call for a quote today Adve 40 MGs in Stock Insurance for Best all MG’s Februa Prices paid with friendly advice. Est 1986 classic and modern Fast payment and issue www.classiccarinsurance.co.uk collection

01376 574000

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

WANTED

How to Advertise

MG Y Type

Members can advertise their spares Radiator grilles- two available. free ofFAST! charge FEBRUARY for items less 2021 than 96 SAFETY One is complete with radiator and cap. £250 in Safety Fast! The cost for Grille is free of dents, straight slats. spares more than £250 is £20. The Ideally needs rechroming as it is dull but advert will also be posted on the no flaking. Second item consists of grille, Club website. To place an advert in false nose and slats only, free of dents AllFast! conditions wanted, barn ﬁnds concours. Safety please email colin- from with slats in good to condition, chrome grant@mgcc.co.uk Please keep Complete collections purchased. Cash buyer. Discretion has reasonable shine , ideally should be your advert96to 60 words Safety Fast_Feb21_49-98.indd assured. rechromed. Will sell separately. Open The editor reserves the right to edit to offers. on 01761 Pleaselonger do not hesitate to contact meContact if youAndrew are interested adverts. 221893. Or andrewowst@hotmail.com your MG and for a prompt hassleThisinis selling for one insertion only, forare looking area) free cash buyer! Please free to contact me for a no additional insertions please emailfeel (Bristol MGBV8 Radiator chat. Colin Grant obligation friendly

WANTED ALL MG MODELS!

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

96 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

UNBEATABLE QUALITY – UNBEATABLE VALUE!

In good condition, internally clean. Has

1997 (D

BRG in abs only 13,156 new with la miles (05/1 and 2x key Leather (cr set of Falke (06/18) and Tel. 07785

provision. models: £50. I am especially interested inOtter theswitch following MG MGB Bootlid, good rust free condition, 1974 Midget 1275cc. TC, MGA, MGB, MGC, MGB V8, Magnette and Midget. tartan red. modified to carry spare wire A veritable Cornucopia of spares. Too

wheel complete with fixing spinner. much to list, but includes panelwork, (free-up boot space for her shoes!)£60. engine/gearbox 3 types of Carbs. variUK Based Buyercollect for both items please Buyer ous diffs. wire wheel axle and wheels, from Leicestershire. Please phone Keith rostyles, instruments, lights, Manifolds 07551653890. and exhausts etc.,etc. All located Didcot. Collection only. Workshop Manuals www.mgcc.co.uk Email- kduncan1940@gmail.com The MG Workshop Manual From 'M'

CALL DIRECT ON: 07787 528131

FOR DISPLAY ADVERTISING IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

Mike Satur MGF/MGTF

Sunmate Total Protection Hood Cover.

type to T.F. (Tenth impression Published 1967)

The “Lo

Cisitalia Spe in 1952 by

868884

‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ - ‘T-type’ ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ - ‘X-pag’ Call for a quote today

I’ve decided to create space for the work that’s doors, MG’s, Race cars, Insurance for allcoming MG’s through our 01376 574000

WE ARE OPEN AND NOW IS THE TIME TO HAVE ALL YOUR WORK CARRIED OUT, SO THESE SALE CARS ARE AT, OR WELL BELOW THEIR COS classic and modern www.peterbestinsurance.co.uk

01308 868884

TC Racer Although there has been much interest in my ex-championship and well known T.C. race car, I don’t want the part xs offered. It is already very cheap and has so many rare and expensive parts I’m not giving it away. L.S.D. Derrington inlet and ex. manifolds, 13/4 50s vented brakes, trampbars, telescopics, alloy panels, 72 spoke 16” wheels, Avon ZZR. To build this would cost £50k but it’s a proven car. It can be sold as a rolling chassis all complete TC Racer Although but less engine, or with a less modified engine or whatever combination you there has been wish. It’s very cheap and will give you lots of fun, road competition. Ring muchor interest in my ex-championship and for a price

ie Carter r r a B and Alan Bartlett

07885 768830

Triumph Dolly Sprint. Probably one of the finest you’ll see. Superbly restored by a Concours judge! So it won prizes! I rate it as one of the best. Pictured history of a superb restoration including a new I’ve decided to create space for the work that’s coming through our doors, MG’s, Race cars, Classics of all engine and OD. Immaculate and with a Webasto roof,types. it leaves EscortsBELOW in the dust for COST far lessTO money. WE ARE OPEN AND NOW IS THE TIME TO HAVE ALL YOUR WORK CARRIED OUT, SO THESE SALE CARS ARE AT, OR WELL THEIR ME. £21,995 I’m very dealable!

email barriemgracer@yahoo.co.uk

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

My MGA race car. I’m hanging up my helmet. This fully prepared virtual FIA ex-championship winning race car is available as rebuilt for the coming Triumph Dolly TD TFwith XPAG SaabMG 99TC 2 litre season. It’s 1840cc steel full race engine was sealed by an MSA scrutineer Sprint. Probably completely rebuilt during its build at Sigma and has only rolling road running time. The one of the finest only 33,000 miles and engine with you’ll see. Superbly suspension, straight cut CR gearbox, LSD etc were all rebuilt to the correct well known T.C. race 3 owners, Absolutely specification, box restored by a car, I don’t want the specs and the car was repainted at the same time. It handles superbly, Concours judge! unmarked body that is with remote, carbs, part xs offered. It is 1964 especially in the wet. It has had 2 Thoroughbred and Classic Championship already very cheap Pull handle So it won prizes! I manifold, starter, in as new, unrestored and has so many rare MGB Roadster wins historically and is capable of winning again in the right hands and rate it as one of the dynamo.all ready to and expensive parts gorgeous condition, the historyclassic of a superb Absolutely with its correct full width screen is eligible forbest. just Pictured about every racerestoration including a new drop.in and use. Youll I’m not giving it away. enginebones and OD. Immaculate and with a Webasto roof, it leaves interior is as faultless series available. I’m 79 now and the years, aching and a promise L.S.D. Derrington inlet and ex. manifolds, 13/4 50s vented brakes, stunning trampbars, never build or find the Escorts in the dust for far less money. £21,995 telescopics, alloy panels, 72 spoke 16” wheels, Avon ZZR. To build this would dear wife means I’ll no longer My MGA race car. to I’mmy hanging uplate my helmet. This fully prepared virtual be racing after 55 years. Nothing condition in as the rest of ensemble this rare complete cost £50k but it’s a proven car. It can be sold as a rolling chassis all complete FIA ex-championship winning race car isisavailable asfor rebuilt for the coming doing to it and ready the next owner to carry on its successful career. for this price £6,000 everyway, but less engine, or with a less modified engine or whatever combination you RHD beauty, A Treasure Saab 99 2 litre with season. It’s 1840cc steel full race engine was sealed by an MSA scrutineer wish. It’s very cheap and will give you lots of fun, road or competition. Ring It is and a UKhascar, road registered during its build at Sigma only and rollingisroad running time. The with its original number. £35,000 I may overdrive, only 33,000 andbeen restored and is lovely. £6,999 that hasmiles never for a price suspension, straighttake cut CRagearbox, LSD etc wereif all rebuiltit.to the correct part exchange I like 3 owners, Absolutely chrome wire

Insurance for all classic and mod

specs and the car was repainted at the same time. It handles superbly,

1964 Pull handle I can’t especially in the wet. It has had 2 Thoroughbred and Classic Championship wheels. MGB Roadster wins historically and is capable of winning again in the right hands and fault it, beautiful. Absolutely with its correct full width screen is eligible for just about every classic race stunning £17,995 series available. I’m 79 now and the years, aching bones and a promise to my dear late wife means I’ll no longer be racing after 55 years. Nothing condition in doing to it and is ready for the next owner to carry on its successful career. everyway, It is a UK car, and is road registered with its original number. £35,000 I may overdrive, take a part exchange if I like it. chrome wire 1964 Pull handle MGB Roadster Absolutely wheels. I can’t stunning condition in everyway, overdrive, chrome fault it, beautiful. This lovely 2cv has had a wire wheels. I can’t fault it, beautiful. £17,995 £17,995

unmarked body that is in as new, unrestored gorgeous condition, the interior is as faultless This lovely 2cv has had a as the rest of this rare total body off restoration.All RHD beauty, A Treasure panels new..The that has never beenchassis restoredwas and is lovely. £6,999

Citroen 2CV.

TD/TF Engine rebuilt. Unused, with Lada Niva. clutch, gearbox, These carbs. A total forgotten package. 4 We can offer adrive fitting wheel servicerotted too. usually £6,000

URGENTLY WANTED

restored and painted..New Singer Vogue shocks , brakes, clutch, and Citroen 2CV. 1962. A locally Lada Niva. so.much more... Lovely plums away. This one These total body off restoration.All owned car in nice and custard and a new roof. forgotten 4 hasn’t. Its’ panels new..The chassis was Its gorgeous..and ranks, in my wheel drive restored and painted..New condition. Nice Early Thas Type chassy Singer Vogue shocks , brakes, clutch, and humble and very biased opinion, usually rotted Engine. 1962. Abody locallyand interior so.much more... Lovely plums never been away. This one one of the best... owned car in nice and custard and a new roof. Used. Converted hasn’t. Its’ and excellent welded. It Its gorgeous..and ranks, in my I love em. £9,995 condition. Nice to canister oil chassy has humble and very biased opinion, drives great, performance. body and interior never been filter. Inspected one of the best... and excellent welded. It nowith dents I love TD/TF/Y em. £9,995 headoroff and Ready to show Engine. drives great, performance. FULL condition. horrors justor a great FWD.RACE Many XPAG spares,ENGINE includinggood off road when no dents Used but inspected and in very nice condition. Ready to show we can. TD/TF/Y Engine. £2,250 horrors just a great FWD. Many spares, including off road wheels and With tyres, engine, gearbox, etc. MoT Feb’22. £5,250 when we can. Used but inspected and in veryReady nice condition. Derrington manifolds £6,750 to install. £2,750 wheels and tyres, gearbox, etc. MoT Feb’22. £5,250

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

Any Condition from non runners to rebuilt cars

£6,750

Singer Vogue 1962. A locally owned car in nice condition. Nice body and interior and excellent performance. Ready to show when we can. £6,750

Ready to install. £2,750

Please call Edward and carburettors. Complete as 01923 840236 or any time on 07774 484497 raced and ready to go £5,500 Email: ejwclassiccars@btinternet.com Website: www.mgandporsche.com 23/9/09

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

(Northwood, Middlesex)

www.mgcc.co.uk

This is fo additiona

www.barriecartermg.com www.barriecartermg.com1974 M DONHOODS-SFAug07.QXD:Layout 1

4Sight Lighting Company........ 45 Adrian Flux ............................ 52 Barrie Carter .......................... 97 Barry Walker .......................... 93 Beech Hill Garage................... 91 Brown and Gammons ............... 9 Bucks Sports and Classic........ 91 Chisbon Restorations.............. 52 Church Square Autos ............. 95 Classic & Sports Cars (Essex)............................. 82, 83 Clive Wheatley........................ 25 College Motors Burford............ 80 Colne Classics........................ 91 David Manners Abingdon MG... 39 Distributor Doctor.................... 45 Don Trimming......................... 97 EJW Classic and Sports........... 96 Fiennes.................................. 13 Fishers Services...................... 88 Footman James...................... 27 Former Glory WANTED............ 96 Foston’s Ash Inn..................... 81 Frontline ................................ 28 Halls Garage........................... 80 Hipel...................................... 57 Hoyle Suspension.................... 45 Hydragas................................ 62 Just Right Autos Ltd................ 46 London Classic Car Show........ 35 Longstone Tyres ..................... 30 Machine Mart........................... 6 Manor Garage........................ 52

How

Members free of ch £250 in S spares mo advert w Club webs Safety F grant@m your The editor

Martin Smith Used MGTF Spares .................................. 91 MG Motors ............................ 11 MG Motorsport....................... 62 Midland Classic Restoration....... 4 Mike Authurs Classics (MG Midgets)................................. 96 Mike Rolls ............................. 91 Modern Garage Classics Ltd ... 93 Moss Europe Ltd.................... IFC MV Classics............................ 51 NTG Services........................OBC Oak Cabin For Sale................. 74 Oselli Ltd ................................. 6 Peter Best................. IBC, 96, 97 Precious Wheels..................... 37 Quarry Classics MGC.............. 87 Quik Fit Safety Belts................ 70 Raceglaze .............................. 62 Rees Bros............................... 52 Retro Sports Cars ................... 37 Rimmer Bros Ltd..................... 18 RJH Automotive Transport........ 88 Robin Lackford Motor Engineering ........................... 57 Sherwood Restorations ........... 94 Skiptune................................. 88 SMR....................................... 93 Steve McKie Sports Cars......... 97 Summit MG............................ 62 Sussex Classic Car Parts......... 25 The Hutson Motor Co Ltd........... 4 Torro Sports Cars Ltd.............. 96

16:22

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.

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

mingham B23 7JJ

Hampton Road, Bir

13 Tel: 0121 373 13 E SOUTHERN SALES

OFFIC

00 Tel: 01202 7422

CARPET SETS FOR MOST

A veritable much to list

Page 1 engine/gear

MODELS

www.donhoods.com

ous diffs. wi rostyles, ins and exhaust All located D Email- kdun

Mike Sa

Sunmate To New and un fore use. Giv heat build u nylon with a reflect heat ers the wind seals giving Suitable for including fro bag. Cost £6 now! £3.50 son. 01983 (Isle of Wigh

Books Cla

MG A Pictor Magic of the Magic of MG Works MG 1 Mike Allison CHESTERFIELD • DERBYSHIRE Works MG 2 MG Log. Pet The Classic M MG by McCo MG 1911 to Great Marqu MG Sports C M-type to T Classic MG Y Suppliers of parts for Triple-M 19 • MGA • MGB • MGC • Midget Project Phoe IanAdcock £ • T Type • MGF/TF A to Z of Car Michael Sed Repairing & ponents, Pe Tel 01246 454527 • Fax 01246 453681 Autocar mo (1950s)£4 Albert Street North, Chesterfield, S41 8NP Haynes Clas Haynes Wor (1969-87) £ Safety Fast:JUNE 2021 SAFETY FAST! 97 Steve McKie Sports Cars Hi-Res.indd 1 23/06/2010 13:46 Volume 40,4 £3 each Octagon Ca

STEVE McKIE SPORTSCARS

Specialists in the repair and restoration of MG cars

www.stevemckiesportscars.co.uk

ED NT

y r o l

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 2019

Editor: Andy Knott 01235 849730 / 01235 555552 andyknott@mgcc.co.uk Deputy Editor: Colin Grant 01235 849733 colingrant@mgcc.co.uk Editorial Committee: Andy Knott, Colin Grant 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 Vice Presidents: President: John Day Ron Gammons, Peter Best, Ian Quarrington, Bill ViceSilcock Presidents: Ron Gammons, Don Hayter, Peter Best, Bill Chairman: Dave Tynan Silcock. Vice Chairman: Peter Cook Chairman: Dave Tynan Treasurer: David George Rainsbury Vice Chairman: Wilder Directors: Gosling, Roy Locock, Colin Withers, Treasurer: Howard Richard Colston Lorraine Noble-Thompson Directors: Dave Saunders, Peter Opie and Peter Cook

ollowing our MG Midget theme this month, we thought we’d look back at a selection of adverts that were used to promote the Midget. From the Black and white adverts of the MkI which featured in various issues of Safety Fast! in 1962, to one of the final colour adverts promoting the rubber bumper MkIV before the factory closure in 1980.

Staff Members: Andy Knott Company Secretary: Colin(01235 Grant 849730), Liz Allsworth (Membership Secretary 01235 849734), Mark Baulch (Motorsport Staff Adam Sloman (General Manager 849732), 07554Members: 160840), Colin Grant (01235 849733) and 01235 Gemma Bray John Hutchison (Competitions Secretary 01235 849738), (Communications Administrator) Andy Knott (01235 849730), Lauran Gallacher (Assistant General Honorary Members: Michael Allison,(Membership Ron Gammons, Peter Best, Manager 01235 849735), Liz Allsworth Secretary John Paddy Norman849733), Ewing, Rob Oldaker, 01235Quenby, 849734), ColinHopkirk, Grant (01235 Jade Beckett Steve Hanegan, Gerry McGovern, Ann(Finance Hawke, Officer John Dutton, (01233 849731), Cherina Scarrott 01235 John Day, and JulianIneke White, Bill Silcock. 849736) Sherman (Merchandise 01235 849737) Honorary Allison, Ron Gammons, Peter Best, Company Members: limited byMichael guarantee Don Hayter,asJohn Quenby, body Sir Stirling Moss, Paddy The Club, a corporate established as theHopkirk, MG Car Club Norman Piers Hubbard, Robguarantee. Oldaker, Steve Limited, Ewing, is a company limited by EveryHanegan, member of the Gerry McGovern, June Wallis, Ann Hawke, John Dutton, John Club undertakes to contribute to the assets of the Club in Day, the event of its being wound up while he is a member, or within one Julian White, Bill Silcock. year after he ceases to be a member, for payment of the debts and liabilities of the by Clubguarantee contracted before he ceases to be a Company limited member, costs, charges and expenses of winding up, The Club,and as athe corporate body established as the MG Car Club and for the of the by rights of the contributors among Limited, is aadjustment company limited guarantee. Every member of the themselves, such to amount as may be required, Club undertakes contribute to the assets of not the exceeding Club in the one pound. event of its being wound up while he is a member, or within one year after heeffort ceases be amade member, for payment of theofdebts Whilst every hastobeen to ensure the accuracy and liabilities Club contracted before he The ceases to be a information at of thethe time of going to press, neither Publisher member, and the and expenses (herein referred to costs, as Hinecharges Marketing), the Editor,ofnorwinding the MGup, and Club for the of the rights of the contributors Car canadjustment accept any responsibility or loss occasioned toamong any themselves, amount from as may be required, exceeding person actingsuch or refraining action as a resultnot of any material one in thepound. publication. The opinions of authors are their own and Hine Marketing, Editor themade MG Car Club are boundofto agree Whilst everythe effort hasand been to ensure the not accuracy with opinionsatexpressed in whole or in part information the time ofherein. goingReproduction to press, neither The Publisher withoutreferred written to permission is prohibited. The MG (herein as Hine Marketing), theSafety Editor,Fast! nor and the MG Car Club Club can badge are protected through or trademark registration in Car accept any responsibility loss occasioned to any the UK acting and in or therefraining foreign countries where person from action as aSafety result Fast! of anycirculates. material Readers are warned that if they attempt any mechanical or other in the publication. The opinions of authors are their own and Hine modifications methods to herein, theynot do bound so at their own Marketing, theorEditor and referred the MG Car Club are to agree risk no liability will attach the MG Car Club, the or Editor nor withand opinions expressed herein.toReproduction in whole in part Hine Marketing. Neither shall the MG CarSafety Club, Fast! the Editor nor MG Hine without written permission is prohibited. and The Marketing have any responsibility for the accuracyregistration of the content Car Club badge are protected through trademark in of the the content of any advertisement the editorial, UK and inneither the foreign countries where Safety Fast!published circulates.in Safety ReadersFast! are warned that if they attempt any mechanical or other

or methods referred herein, they so atnor their Itmodifications should be noted that neither HinetoMarketing, thedo Editor, theown MG risk Club and no liability will attach to theinMG Car Club, Editor nor Car make any recommendation respect of anythe goods and/ Hine Marketing. Neither shall theinMG Club, nor Hine or services advertised or featured thisCar issue. It isthe theEditor responsibility Marketing have anythemselves responsibility accuracy of theoffered contentorof of readers to satisfy thatfor thethe goods or services the editorial, the and content any advertisement published in referred to areneither bona fide in noofinstance shall Hine Marketing, Safety Fast! the Editor or the MG Car Club be held responsible for the quality or of noted any such Itsuitability should be thatitems. neither Hine Marketing, the Editor, nor the MG Car Club make any recommendation in respect of any goods and/ or services advertised or featured in this issue. It is the responsibility of readers to satisfy themselves 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.

98 SAFETY FAST! JUNE 2021

www.mgcc.co.uk

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Safety Fast! June 2021

Articles inside

Classifieds

Looking Back

Centre Updates

Cherished News

Young Members Branch

Race Torque

MGCC Speed Championship

News

MGs on Track

Club Matters and Kimber House News

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