Liz McElwee sent me this fascinating WWW2 period picture of her late father’s TA and crew. Her covering email read as follows:
“This was probably taken at the family home in Co
ningsby in about 1940. My father bought the car from Bill Maiden’s garage in Sleaford when he was at 13 OUT Bicester. He was a Blenheim Bomber pilot and was in 18 Squadron at the time. Here with his crew – George driving, next to him Jim “Dinty” Moore his Wop/Ag and Ron Millar his navigator. He then served in 84 Squadron ending up in the Far East, became a Far East POW. Survived and returned to his family in Coningsby in October 1945.
He owned the car up until about 1950/51.”
A very old T Register record shows the car as being in Lisburn, Norther Ireland, but it is thought that the car may have come over to the mainland in October 2011. It comes up from the DVLA search facility as Taxed and on the road, with a last V5C date of October 2011.
Liz can be contacted at: lizmcelwee(at)btinternet.com [Please substitute @ for (at)]
Ed’s note: ’OUT’ Operational Training Unit’ ‘Wop/Ag’ Wireless operator/Air gunner.
MG 7193 (TC but chassis number not known)
Ths car was featured in Issue 75 (December 2022). As the chassis number is not known, it was not possible to say whether it is a TA, TB, or TC. Reader, Gordon Bubb got in touch to say that his TC0878 (DAS 782) was originally registered MG 6996, so we can safely say that MG 7193 is a TC.
TA???? (BNG 660)
Chris Offer’s parents owned this TA in the late 1940s/early 1950s. It comes up from the DVLA search facility as ’Untaxed’ with a last V5C date of 4th March 1998. The contact details for Chris are chrisofwight(at)hotmail.co.uk [Please substitute @ for (at)].
I somehow managed to miss this one when I was compiling the first list of TAs that appeared in Issue 68 (October 2021). I think that the reason was that it appeared on the MGCC T Register website after I had published Part 1 in Issue 68. It was (possibly still is) for sale for £17,500. It is said to have had a rebuild which is 95% completed with just interior trim and carpets to finish.
TA1639 (was EGP 608)
A true ‘barn find’, last driven in 1969, for which the asking price is £12,000.
TA1830 (ARX 440)
Another ‘barn find’ (actually, in the ‘barn next door’).
According to the owner, this one was registered to the MG Car Company in 1937 and used as a publicity/show car. There is a picture of it on page 126 of Mike Allison’s wonderful book The Magic of the Marque.
The registration plate was used by the Factory more than once to promote sales. A period photo in the December 1995 issue of Safety Fast! shows George Tuck in a publicity shot for the new TA Tickford. It was used again to promote the TB Tickford and a photo can be found on the front cover of the T Register’s Yearbook for 1988. Also, according to the owner, the registration plate was used on a VA saloon, albeit I have not been able to find a reference to this.
Unseen and in storage for 49 years, it is said to have a University Motors reconditioned MPJG engine which turns over and has good compression.
The asking price is £13,500 o.n.o.
Unfortunately, the registration number is not recoverable.
TA2121
Yet another ‘barn find’! This one is in Austria and was sent to me by Gerrit Gartner, TC and TD owner, with whom I correspond from time to time. Gerrit says that the car is not far from him and has been resting for 25 years.
The owner cannot be tracked down at present, but it is known that his father drove the car in the 1960s when it was used for racing in Austria. It is said that it was even driven by Jochen Rindt in its early days. It has a 1500 cc engine.
The premises in which the car is stored belongs to a mechanic who needs the space, so it looks as though a decision will have to be made about its future.
Gerrit has promised to keep me updated.
TA2756 This is currently (at the time of writing – end of December) advertised on eBay.
The reference is eBay item number 385303558341.
The asking price is £5,500, but in my view, the chassis is not recoverable.
TA3124 (CSF 886)
This is a lovely old unmolested TA which had been in store for several years and only had 30,000 miles on the clock. It sold at Mathewson’s Car Auctions in Pickering, North Yorkshire for £12,200.
Keeping it in the Family (TD29527 (YMY 312)
The following has been received from John Grimwood, via Brian Rainbow.
“Sir, many of your senior readers will remember YMY 312 as it belonged to the late Bob Brassington. After his tragic death in 2009 I became the custodian of his wonderful car. Bob’s twin brother was married to my sister, and she persuaded me to buy it to keep it in the family. I did not take much persuading.
After many enjoyable years of happy MG motoring, it is time for me to pass it on. You will be delighted to know that Bob’s niece, (she is also my niece), will be the new owner and that she has a son, (also called Bob and not old enough to drive yet but an MG enthusiast), as they too want it to remain in the family.
It is pretty much the same as Bob left it, with the content of the toolbox and glove box hardly disturbed. It has been maintained to a high standard by Steve Hall of Morton, Nr Bourne.”
Ed’s note: I well remember Bob. If my (failing!)
memory serves me right, he also owned an NB, which he spent quite a few years restoring. Having looked up the MG Car Club Triple-M records, I have renewed faith in the few ‘marbles’ I have left because the records confirm that Bob owned ADG 100, a 1935 M.G. NB 2-seater. The car (a desirable 6-cylinder M.G.) is taxed and on the road and has been in the same ownership since 2010 when the car was sold at auction.
Where I am on less certain ground is that I seem to recall that Bob was a keen motorcyclist. Also, that he used to organise ‘Chilly Willy’ runs in Cheshire in early Spring (March winds?) to blow out the ‘cobwebs’.
Anyhow, enough of this! It really is heartening to know that Bob’s old TD is staying in the family and that the younger generation have an interest.
Ed’s further note: For thebenefit of those readers whose first language is not English, you could say that ‘marbles’, as used above, is similar to ‘brain cells’, so that ‘losing one’s marbles’ can mean losing one’s memory – a natural consequence of getting old.
HARRY LESTER HIS CARS & THE MONKEY STABLE
I have had a few requests recently about the availability of Stewart Penfound’s book.
It can be ordered direct from Stewart using the email address [email protected]
The book costs £25 plus postage.
Greaser on TD/TF Brake Shaft
The following has been received from Matt Sanders:
“I am about to do the RHD conversion on the 1950 TD and noted on an old TF LHD brake shaft it was drilled and has a greaser on it. On my MGF I had a greasable clutch shaft fitted which B&G sell, wonder if this idea came from the LHD TF one? Seems a common fault on the MGF, the shaft corroding stuck and happened on my car.
A friend of mine milled the slots in this RHD shaft pictured, and drilled it for me it is also drilled through lengthways and plugged one end with a flush screw, there is plenty of steel there in the wall thickness so I don’t think this drilling will be a problem for strength.
This milled area in the picture is the pedals end, the idea is to allow grease to be present to stop it seizing up – I have since added 2 holes on the other end of the rod.
On the B&G chassis tube, it has 2 bronze insert bushes inside. I have drilled these bushes and added radial grooves on the lathe to the external side of these to make some grease channels, so hopefully, it will keep a film of grease there to stop any corrosion and, also, any problems of metals growing on each other. These bushes are very tight and I had to relieve some metal from them to get a sliding fit.
I think this modification (see pic of finished job) is hopefully going to avoid the brake shaft from seizing up.”
Stainless steel wood screws
Matt Sanders sent me the following details of a S/S wood screw supplier; (useful on T-Type bodies).
Kayfast Ltd Unit 10 Flanshaw Way Wakefield West Yorkshire WF2 9LP United Kingdom
Unleaded Fuel Diamond for petrol & diesel vehicles
Matt also drew my attention to this product.
One has a right to be sceptical as similar products have come and gone in the past. Matt says that he has used them on his Land Rover, Rover, Chrysler and Chevrolet and they have improved the economy and running – plus they help stop the E5 and E10 problems.
A scientific explanation as to how this product works to help to stop the E5 and E10 problems would no doubt be useful.
TF heatshield
I supplied one of Barrie Jones’ heatshields to David Mendoza. The heatshield does, of course, fit in front of the exhaust manifold. As this hides the MG logo on the manifold, David decided to add one to the shield.
A scientific explanation as to how this product works to help to stop the E5 and E10 problems would no doubt be useful.
TF heatshield
I supplied one of Barrie Jones’ heatshields to David Mendoza. The heatshield does, of course, fit in front of the exhaust manifold. As this hides the MG logo on the manifold, David decided to add one to the shield.
“A TALE OF TWO GEOFFs”
Geoff Fletcher has been sending me updates from time to time on the progress of his restoration of TC8365. There was a feature on Geoff, which included a photo of the superb restoration job he did on his Austin Healey 100, in Issue 57, December 2019.
I haven’t heard from him for some time, not since he sent me this picture, back last June.
“The other Geoff” (Geoff Broad), was busy restoring TC8100 at the time. The picture below shows what a first-class job he made of it.
Issue 65 (April 2021) gave some history of Geoff’s car, which originally came for Co Tyrone in Northern Ireland and ended up in Yorkshire, where it had two owners, one of whom had started to restore it. The car had been left out in the open, so the body was ‘shot’, which no doubt was a factor in deciding to use a period racing body.
This leads me to suggest that, had the car not been saved, it might well still be rotting away in a field, like this one, with probable terminal damage to the chassis.
I must say, I do like the shade of red of TC8100.
A GOOD SUPPLIER
I’ve just had the exhaust manifold on my J2, ceramic coated by Adam at AD Moto in mid-Wales.
It was significantly less expensive than had I gone to Zircotec in Abingdon. I may not be comparing ‘apples with apples’, but the job that Adam has done is good enough for me.
You’ll note that the business is a motor-bike workshop and if you are also a ‘2-wheeler’, you are sure to like what you see.
Unusual Stamping on a TC Guarantee Plate
Tom Lange in the US recently contacted me about the stamping of the engine number on this Guarantee plate.
It shows the replacement engine number XPAG B 34978 stamped on the Guarantee plate.
There are a couple of points to make about this stamping when comparing it against the Factory stamping on the Guarantee plate of my old TC (TC0750).
Firstly, there are 3 ‘boxes’ on the plate for the chassis number and engine number, when only 2 are required.
In making this point, I am assuming that the number of ‘boxes’ on the Guarantee plate for later chassis numbers stayed at 2 (I don’t have a picture of a late chassis number plate to hand).
Secondly, the car would not have left the Factory with just a replacement engine number stamping. The engine originally fitted to TC9031 was XPAG 9595 and this is what would have been stamped on the Guarantee plate.
Citing the Guarantee plate fitted to TC0750 as an example, if a replacement engine was fitted by the Factory, (as was the case when replacement engine B 51135 – replacing original engine number XPAG 1403 – was fitted by Abingdon in 1955), the original engine number would have been crossed through and the replacement number stamped immediately below.
We’ll probably never know the circumstances of how the Guarantee plate queried by Tom came into being, but my guess is that it could have been supplied and stamped by a dealer at the time of an engine swop.
Well, I managed to save up £200 and buy my 1937 MG TA (DKT 634) at the age of 19 in 1971. It was in a roadworthy condition (well only just about!) with its original MPJG engine. I have only just discovered from this fantastic website that it was an ex-Kent Police car.
I drove the car everyday whilst working for BOAC at Heathrow Airport, and believe it or not, up to London on quite a few occasions on the M4. I also did a two-week tour of North and South Wales, covering over 1500 miles without any problems, except for an exploding silencer that split open with a very loud bang! I was parked on a hill so I guess fuel from the carbs ran down into the silencer. Anyway, I just wired it back together until we got home.
Driving in those days was so different, and cruising along on the M4 at 60-65mph back to London was no problem. Also, I cannot recall ever having had any issues using the brakes in those far off happy days.
I owned many other MGs during the 1970/80s and brought most of my used spares and MG cars from a breaker’s yard called Richardson’s in nearby Staines Moor. Also, from Toulmin motors in Isleworth which was managed by the well-known Tom Davis, who owned his famous MG TF with number plate FR 13. He was a real character and I got to know him well.
I bought my MG TC from the UK in 2018, which was 50% completed and had it shipped over to Cyprus where we live permanently. After 18 months I managed to complete the restoration and she passed the MOT with flying colours. As all cars require MOT’s here every 2 years, it only costs €35. Furthermore, if any Classic car is FIVA registered, the road tax is only €31 a year for everyday use.
My TC, ‘Matilda’, has a 1350cc engine with 100 thou pistons and a 5-speed gearbox conversion, so can keep up quite well with all the boring modern plastic hair-dryers on the roads these days!
The only problem I found driving my TC was that I never felt very confident with the brakes after driving modern cars for so long. So, after reading Steve Priston’s excellent article (Thanks, Steve!) on upgrading to TLS, it gave me the confidence to tackle the upgrade myself, using Steve’s article as a guide.
I decided to use MG TD parts for the upgrade, which requires much less work than Steve’s conversion. Luckily, I managed to obtain a pair of complete front brake hub units on eBay for £250. I then had them sent to Paul Busby in the UK, so he could strip them down and just send me only the essential parts that I required. (Cheers, Paul!). Parts required like the essential backplates for templates, and the all-important TD brass pipe unions which are the next most difficult and very expensive parts to find. I bought brand new TD brake shoes, x4 wheel cylinders and x4 return springs/adjusters cheaply on eBay.
I removed my TC front backplates and stripped them down, and cut/welded up all the redundant holes just like in Steve’s excellent article, using my Lidl Parkside inverter welder which is excellent, just like all the other Parkside tools I own!
I then lined up the TD backplates as templates by clamping them directly on top of the TC backplates, making sure they were the correct sides, as they are handed (with the small redundant hole pointing to the front on TD backplates). Then marked them ready for drilling through to get the essential correct position for the TD cylinders. I then used a hole cutter to cut the centre holes for the TD wheel cylinders. Everything lined up perfectly after a trial assembly. The TD flexible brake hoses have different threads to the TC, so I had to have some special hoses made up to fit the TC brake pipes to the TD wheel cylinders.
I also had a problem with two of the TD brake adjusters being on maximum adjustment, so had to weld on an extra 3mm thick plate to take up the free play like in the photo. This was a TD owner’s solution found on a website.
I also had to drill a hole in my Alfin front brake drums to enable adjustment of the brake shoes.
I used some ‘Blue-tack’ on the adjustment screws with a dab of engineer’s blue on the end to find the correct position inside the drums for the holes to be drilled. I also fitted some brake shoe stabiliser pins/springs as shown in the photo.
The TD TLS front brakes feel so much safer for modern driving conditions, and they should improve when the shoes are bedded in properly.
Kevin Morrison, Cyprus.
Ed’s note: Kevin’s TC is TC8565. At the time when he brought it over from the UK (2018) it was registered GSL 341, a non-transferable number. It is now registered 2004A The ‘A’ denotes ‘Antique’, as all imported classic cars in Cyprus need to be registered with an ‘A’.
As a former British colony (until 1960) old habits die hard and old style British brown log books are still issued in English/Greek for all classic and vintage cars.
This is Part 3 of the exercise. Part 2 which listed chassis numbers 3252 to 4928 was featured in the December 2022 issue. This issue lists 4931 (4929 and 4930 are not known) up to and including 6908. Chassis numbers 6501 to 6650 inclusive are not listed, since these belong to TF1500 production and have previously been listed under the T1500 exercise; similarly, 6751 to 6850. TF1250 production ended at 6950, albeit the last one currently known about in the UK and listed is 6908.
VIN Reg. no. Status Remarks
4931 BEF 514 Taxed Home
4932 SB 9891 Taxed Home
4933 405 BMG Untaxed Home
4934 PTF 179 Taxed
4961 LED 861 SORN Home
4963 TTE 817 Taxed Home
4976 DTS 482 Taxed Home
4977 VPB 585 Taxed Home
4979 DTS 482 Taxed
4984 WVS 538 Taxed
4990 PGJ 70 Untaxed Home
5017 PEL 345 SORN Home
5019 CSV 797 N/k to DVLA Home
5020 OTG 425 Taxed Home
5025 OXW 610 Taxed
5058 8330 MG Taxed
5068 MOT 73 N/k to DVLA Home
5069 VPB 438 Taxed Home
5070 SWB 961 Taxed Home
5072 MOW 214 SORN Home
5087 225 YUW Taxed
5090 KNV 431 Taxed Home
5096 JFK 202 SORN Home
5101 PLK 14 N/k to DVLA Home
5104 WPA 963 Untaxed Home
5107 XSL 618 N/k to DVLA
5118 ???
5119 MMY 247 N/k to DVLA Home
5120 1923 MG SORN Home
5122 SCV 805 Untaxed Home
5139 ???
5141 VPA 800 Untaxed Home
5146 TKE 308 N/k to DVLA Home
5149 VPD 272 Taxed Home
5150 RLX 62 Taxed Home
5152 KVA 241 Taxed Home
VIN Reg. no. Status Remarks
5153 ??? Home
5196 GJD 99 Taxed Home
5197 TKX 663 Taxed Home
5198 OYE 444 SORN Home
5200 BSL 684 Taxed
5202 ??? (was 9546 AP) Home
5216 TYX 22 Taxed
5217 KFY 76 Taxed Home
5218 TKE 146 Taxed Home
5219 TLG 62 Taxed Home
5220 KEA 719 N/k to DVLA Home
5224 782 GLT Taxed
5234 WYL 61 Taxed Home
5235 JRX 840 Taxed Home
5236 FXD 1 Taxed Home
5237 MYS 107 N/T for road Home
5238 MWO 111 SORN Home
5239 RBP 575 Taxed Home
5240 BSO 330 Taxed Home
5242 MER 770 Taxed Home
5253 RSK 442 Taxed Home
5254 690 YAE N/k to DVLA Home
5255 POV 914 N/k to DVLA Home
5257 MOT 165 Untaxed Home
5261 MER 933 N/k to DVLA Home
5270 RAL 30 Taxed Home
5288 NWX 353 Taxed Home
5290 ULG 338 SORN Home
5292 79 CMP SORN Home
5295 ???
5297 ??? Home
5324 TRL 804 Taxed
5326 DER 813 N/k to DVLA Home
5327 TAF 320 Taxed Home
5328 562 BMM N/k to DVLA Home
5329 OYW 484 Taxed Home
5331 297 CMD Taxed Home
5332 RKA 348 N/T for road Home
5344 THU 333 Taxed Home
5345 202 CMM Taxed Home
5347 231 APU Taxed Home
5348 TSU 274 Taxed
5349 PNA 496 Taxed
5350 ASH 987 Taxed Home
5351 STE 952 Taxed Home
5352 STE 951 Untaxed Home
5354 TYW 138 Untaxed
5357 ???
5358 ???
5363 RKB 288 N/T for road
5364 PLJ 151 Taxed Home
5365 661 EPW Taxed Home
5369 SKR 647 Taxed Home
5371 GES 307 N/T for road
5392 576 BMP Taxed Home
5394 VPG 444 Taxed Home
5396 861 BMY Taxed Home
5398 BJM 802 N/T for road Home
5400 APB 532A Taxed Home
5401 MYS 466 SORN Home
5409 623 YUE Taxed
5428 TKK 444 Taxed Home
5429 MOR 85 Taxed
5430 JAP 222 Untaxed Home
5431 ??? (was MHO 966) Home
5432 MJW 906 Untaxed Home
5438 NCY 684 Taxed Home
5450 ???
5468 955 CMV Taxed Home
5469 HHV 7 N/k to DVLA Home
5470 585 UYL Taxed
5472 TLG 550 N/T for road Home
5473 JRX 500 Taxed Home
5477 TSJ 124 Taxed
5490 SRL 386 N/k to DVLA Home
5491 HBD 567 N/k to DVLA Home
5496 ???
5503 CFA 510 Taxed Home
5504 3031 TF Taxed Home
5508 MUS 550 Taxed Home
5511 515 BML Taxed Home
5513 JVY 888 Taxed Home
5515 371 UYS N/k to DVLA
5535 AJF 708K N/k to DVLA
5544 SRO 267 SORN Home
5545 TSJ 121 Taxed Home
5546 430 BMG Taxed Home
5549 PGF 385 N/k to DVLA Home
5555 THT 164 Taxed Home
5559 157 HYN Taxed Home
VIN Reg. no. Status Remarks
5561 TF 40 Untaxed Home
5562 KJB 181 Taxed Home
5563 PGJ 260 N/T for road Home
5564 USY 206 Untaxed Home
5571 ??? (was 325 CMD) Home
5575 CSV 284 Taxed Home
5579 VWL 620 Untaxed Home
5592 PYT 658 SORN Home
5594 ??? (was BS 6923) Home
5597 HSJ 862 Taxed Home
5598 BSO 504 N/k to DVLA Home
5601 PNY 523 Taxed Home
5603 NDA 43 N/T for road Home
5605 RKA 648 Taxed Home
5614 OXY 144 Untaxed
5615 612 XUM Taxed Home
5617 85 CMG N/k to DVLA Home
5621 ??? (was TUA 5) Home
5622 54 ELW Untaxed
5647 LAM 394 Taxed Home
5649 KKY 194 SORN Home
5652 ORU 880 Taxed Home
5653 931 EXY SORN Home
5656 NCR 642 Taxed Home
5657 ESV 906 Taxed
5658 MRK 712 Taxed Home
5659 636 AEV Taxed Home
5660 UTH 721 N/k to DVLA Home
5668 ???
5681 KDN 248 Taxed Home
5682 UVK 40 SORN Home
5684 SNK 108 Taxed Home
5685 PLB 797 Taxed Home
5687 KBK 68 Taxed Home
5690 LJF 51 Taxed Home
5701 RKB 315 Taxed Home
5703 ??? Home
5706 357 XUW Taxed Home
5710 GJD 343 N/k to DVLA Home
5712 RPO 436 N/k to DVLA Home
5714 THT 268 Taxed Home
5716 ??? (was MRK 224) Home
5717 PDT 400 Taxed Home
5718 KVA 628 Taxed Home
5721 UBB 711 N/k to DVLA
VIN Reg. no. Status Remarks
5733 ???
5737 580 BMP Taxed Home
5739 JKG 738 N/k to DVLA Home
5742 PGF 471 N/k to DVLA Home
5744 PGK 49 Taxed Home
5753 ULR 535 SORN
5754 LRD 233 Taxed Home
5760 PUP 155 Taxed Home
5767 KWN 391 Taxed
5798 8890 EH Taxed Home
5800 651 CMF N/k to DVLA Home
5802 870 BMT N/T for road Home
5813 495 APU Taxed Home
5817 LAJ 100 Taxed Home
5822 DSK 172 SORN
5844 KNV 905 N/k to DVLA Home
5848 LJF 148 Taxed Home
5851 CEU 929 N/k to DVLA Home
5853 MWO 339 Taxed Home
5866 ???
5872 RTA 717 Taxed Home
5873 NWX 184 Untaxed Home
5886 JFN 480 Taxed
5923 TTB 651 Taxed Home
5924 HFE 411 Taxed Home
5944 ESU 531 Taxed
5953 NDA 4 Taxed Home
5956 BJS 241 Taxed Home
5957 ??? (was PLJ 75) Home
5976 STE 959 Taxed Home
5982 MG 4893 Taxed Home
5983 PRT 339 Taxed Home
5994 NGA 882 Taxed Home
5996 TMB 420 Taxed Home
5997 902 UYL Taxed Home
6001 CEN 841 Taxed Home
6013 ???
6015 753 BMU Taxed Home
6017 TTC 515 Taxed Home
6026 TUA 690 N/k to DVLA Home
6027 PGY 349 SORN Home
6028 SJH 794 Taxed Home
6029 358 AEV Taxed Home
6030 ??? (was MDK 8) Home
6031 PNB 580 Taxed Home
VIN Reg. no. Status Remarks
6034 846 UYX Taxed Home
6038 ORU 939 N/T for road Home
6043 NAB 585 N/k to DVLA Home
6061 480 YUG Taxed
6064 TWA 169 Taxed Home
6065 OYP 926 Taxed Home
6066 NWX 586 Untaxed Home
6068 SNK 857 N/k to DVLA Home
6072 OYY 924 Taxed Home
6073 204 CMV N/k to DVLA Home
6078 OSU 815 Taxed
6086 TLK 707 Taxed Home
6087 TLK 706 N/k to DVLA Home
6088 428 BMG Taxed Home
6089 RZ 1234 N/k to DVLA Home
6108 FRC 145 Taxed Home
6111 VPD 680 Taxed Home
6115 UCR 779 Untaxed Home
6116 168 CMG Taxed Home
6134 PGT 615 Taxed Home
6137 RPO 621 Taxed Home
6139 ??? (was 2336 MG) Home
6141 XLO 411 N/k to DVLA
6144 LWS 283 SORN Home
6146 544 NOU N/k to DVLA Home
6148 YSK 919 Taxed Home
6157 OSU 166 Taxed Home
6161 TMA 287 Taxed Home
6162 PLD 549 Taxed Home
6169 PUU 844 SORN Home
6184 YSU 115 Taxed
6189 VXW 49 N/k to DVLA
6196 NAB 888 N/k to DVLA Home
6198 PGH 328 Taxed Home
6199 762 CMD N/k to DVLA Home
6214 OAD 847 Taxed Home
6216 MRK 832 Taxed Home
6217 JUH 579 Untaxed Home
6218 RKD 14 Untaxed Home
6219 ??? Home
6223 WPA 132 Taxed Home
6225 TKL 399 N/k to DVLA Home
6227 SYB 350 Taxed Home
6228 791 CRF Taxed Home
6229 POF 868 SORN Home
VIN Reg. no. Status Remarks
6252 OXY 178 Untaxed
6253 OUW 778 SORN
6265 256 CMG Taxed
6269 ??? Home
6280 819 YUC Taxed
6290 KAV 863 Taxed Home
6292 212 UYX Taxed Home
6293 326 CMD SORN Home
6304 YVX 310 Taxed Home
6305 PLD 808 Taxed Home
6311 ???
6324 TAF 311 Untaxed Home
6326 RKH 654 Taxed Home
6337 OXE 118 SORN
6346 DSV 498 Taxed
6349 572 UYL Taxed
6359 NWY 102 Taxed Home
6361 MOT 385 SORN Home
6362 ??? Home
6363 455 RKL Taxed
6364 782 XUX Taxed
6379 ???
6380 LFW 225 Taxed
6383 TAU 395 Taxed Home
6387 KKY 19 Taxed Home
6389 974 NOK Taxed Home
6398 PEL 433 Taxed Home
6402 867 CMG Taxed Home
6403 PNB 14 Taxed Home
6433 ???
6441 84 CMG Taxed
6443 FSK 630 SORN
6452 TTD 705 Taxed Home
6453 PND 204 Taxed Home
6454 BU 5113 N/k to DVLA
6468 TF 4011 Taxed Home
6470 624 UXM Taxed Home
6483 614 YUB Taxed
6487 PUE 24 Untaxed Home
6490 NWX 818 Taxed Home
6659 969 UYL Untaxed
6718 TSL 459 Taxed
6877 551 UYP Taxed
6908 472 YUN SORN
Analysis of Results
The total number of chassis which have been listed in the October & December 2022 issues of TTT 2, and in this issue, is 719. The breakdown of this figure is as follows:
Registration number not known by us 76
Registration number not known to DVLA 98
TF1250s which are Taxed 411
TF1250s which are Untaxed 65
TF1250s Not Taxed for on road use 14
TF1250s on SORN 55
Of the total number identified as included in DVLA records (there could be more, but we do not currently know about them), the breakdown is as follows:
Total number (411 + 65 + 14) 545
of which:
75% are Taxed (and on the road in the UK) 411
12% are Untaxed 65
3% are Not Taxed for on the road use 14
10% are on SORN 55
The totals for ‘Registration number not known by us’ (76) and ‘Registration number not known to DVLA’ (98) are not insignificant.
In the case of the former, some of this can be attributed to a chassis number having been advised to us with a follow up registration number promised, but in the event failing to materialise.
In the case of the latter, it is possible that some of these vehicles have been exported. However, a more plausible explanation is that several of these vehicles (which are likely to be ‘barn finds’) were never advised to DVLA when the licensing system was centralised in the 1960s/1970s. As the vehicles were not in any fit state for the road, there would not have been any imperative to get them on the central computer.
In this respect, cases are regularly still turning up for vehicles which were never advised. Under the DVLA V765 Scheme they can be registered with their original registration number, as long as they are complete, roadworthy and have their original log book or Factory evidence linking the chassis number with the registration number. If they do not have this documentation, they can be registered with an age-related number.
The difficulty of keeping records up to date (which crucially depends on owners advising of changes) can be illustrated by the following losses of registration numbers, replacements of which don’t appear to have been advised:
Chassis number Original registration number
0693 ASH 858 (now on a Land Rover)
3065 MAA 161 (now on a Lexus)
3396 GJT 710 (now on a Triumph m/bike)
5202 9546 AP (now on a VW)
5431 MHO 966 (now on an Aston Martin)
5594 BS 6923 (now on a Nissan)
5621 TUA 5 (now on a Mercedes-Benz)
5957 PLJ 75 (now on a Morgan)
6030 MDK 8 (now on a Mercedes-Benz)
6139 2336 MG (now on a modern M.G.)
Whilst we are about it, the following for TF1500s:
6787 NSU 542 (now on a BSA m/bike)
8299 1672 TF (on retention?)
8419 PAR 919 (now on a Peugeot)
8773 9732 TF (now on a Vauxhall)
8781 TUR 170 (now on a Porsche)
8938 987 UYL (now on a tractor!)
9124 220 F (now on a Bentley)
9282 PSU 146 (now on a Vauxhall)
9332 RNA 240 (now on an Alfa Romeo)
Errata
TF8772 recorded in Issue 72 (June 2021) as ‘Not known’ and ‘previously registered as TAL 723’ is TAL 323 and ‘Taxed’.
TF9024 recorded in the same issue as WSU 820 and ‘Not known to DVLA’ is 7155 MG and is on SORN.
Apologies for these errors!
I’d like to thank Barrie Jones of the MGCC T Register for his assistance in compiling both the lists of the TF1500s and the TF1250s. I’m currently thinking about doing a similar exercise for the TCs – I ask myself, “am I that brave?”
The author’s (Bernie Wood) TD and TF at home in New Zealand
Well, it has been an interesting time! After breaking numerous rocker pillars and not having found any definite answer, it was time for “off with her head” – then, all was revealed. The inlet valves had been hitting the block.
This Laystall head, purchased new about 12 years ago, was a special-order high compression head.
But it seems that instead of leaving the head thickness standard and machining the chambers to suit, they appear to have kept the chamber area roughly the same and not sunk the valves in as deep and maybe machined the head. Thus, when fitting a high lift cam there was not enough clearance for the inlet valves as shown below. This was a so-called original head, the second one I purchased was from a refreshed mould and used 10mm ¾” reach plugs rather than the original 14mm ½” reach. How this effected the machining I don’t know.
Measurement with other my heads as comparison.
Laystall Oval Round
Head Head Head
Thickness 73.7 74.7 74.8
Depth Plug 11.4 13.2 14.7
Opposite 7 9.2 8.4
Centre 8.55 12.4 12.7
I read somewhere that Laystall heads were 75mm thick but I cannot verify this, I suspect it may have been 76mm as per a standard head. The critical point is just off the centre line where I get a depth 8.55mm, that plus 1.14 for the gasket, gives 9.69mm, not enough for a 10.5mm lift cam.
Not knowing quite what to do, I tried contacting the supplier but they did not answer my email. I do recall that at that time George Edney was manufacturing the Laystall heads, but he has had no online presence since 2010. There was some talk that Peter took over but then he had that big fire, so I doubt any records exist.
Ed’s note: withreference to the above paragraph please see the explanation of the current position at the end of this article.
I decided in the meantime to fit the original TF steel head, this was still dressed with valves and springs, so I had to pull the high rate springs off the Laystall head and fit to the steel one. No problems were noted and the engine was reassembled.
Everything was set up and off down to the testing station for its WOF (MOT) and about 3km there and back. A couple of days later I had time to go for a longer drive, got 800m up the road and the car just died. With a combination of rolling down hill, pushing and a tow it was back home and investigating again. Turned out no 7 valve was stuck wide open, off with the head again to find the valve stem had a slight bend at the top, not enough to worry at standard 8.3mm lift but enough to catch at 10.5mm lift.
Replacement valve ground in, engine assembled again, fired up and not running properly, with all the on and off’s I had managed to upset the front carb jet so it was jamming on the needle. Sorted that, then we had thunderstorms so a test drive had to wait a couple of days. Finally got in a 5km run before the rain came back and looking good so far.
Hurray some sunshine today! Out for a 24km run to the local Jaycar electronic store for some hi-fi parts. Running good up to the speed limit of 100kph, unfortunately quite a bit of traffic so no performance runs. When I got home, I pulled the plugs to have a look and found them porcelain white, just like what had happened with the TD. The standard GJ needles were not rich enough. Another wait while I got a pair of H1 needles, I should have realised this and ordered a pair in advance.
It would seem from comments I received after Part 1 was published that modern technology let me down. Either there was a problem with the app I was using on my iPhone to do the acceleration tests, or I was not using it correctly. The results it gave for certain measurements was not correct and I did not notice, so sorry for that.
I have repeated the runs and obtained better data.
Performance figures, purely as a comparison, single runs one way, no accuracy implied. These were done on the flattest straight piece of road I could find near me, maybe when the MGCC has its next drag days I can get some proper numbers in a controlled environment. After multiple runs, I could not get a standing ¼ mile time that made sense.
TDTF
0-60 km/hr 05.0 sec 07.0 sec
0-60 mph 14.0 sec 17.0 sec
0-100 km/hr 15.0 sec 18.0sec
Well, what started out as any easy swop out turned out to be a nightmare. What I have learned (again) is don’t assume anything, as in measure twice cut once. The installation on the TD went so smoothly, I expected this one would be the same, how wrong could I be.
Now I have got the car back together and running, I am not going to do anything to it for a while. In March we have the New Zealand Pre56 Rally in Blenheim, so it is needed for that, it will get a good work out going from home, just north of Auckland, to the ferry in Wellington in one day, only 661km.
When I get back and winter sets in, I will be refitting the Laystall Head with a 1.2mm decompression plate which will give it about 9:1 compression ratio. Not sure about the 4-branch manifold as I haven’t done any further work on the pinhole leaks. I also have a 4.55 crown wheel and pinion to install and will probably do that at the same time.
Would I do it again, probably yes, all the dramas with flat tappets and worn camshafts hopefully gone forever. Only time will tell.
Aren’t old cars fun.
Bernie
Ed’s note: Bernie mentioned George Edney and thought that he has not had any online presence since 2010. George is at ‘XPAG Engineering’, whose website is https://xpagengineering.co.uk
The Home page of the website says, under ‘Parts supply and manufacture’,…….
“We are the manufacturers and suppliers of the Laystall Lucas aluminium cylinder head.”
An email to info at xpagengineering.co.uk should find George.
This period advertisement was included in the August 2020 issue of TTT 2 (Number 61), which also reprinted period road tests by Autosport magazine and Road and Track of a TD fitted with a Laystall Lucas head.
So, to the front cycle wings, purchased from Moss (part number 457-025). I had been considering the choices for how to mount them…
on their outer or inner face?
and, in a fixed position or turning with the wheel?
It was probably a walk around a vintage hill climb paddock that finally helped me to settle on inner face and fixed position. Both for aesthetics and how by utilising most of the two original struts, it would allow me to retain the standard headlamp mounting.
My design would use an original headlamp mount, a slightly modified wing mounting strut from the chassis bush up to a neater headlamp strut support bracket, a new curved tube from there to the edge of the cycle wing and a curved support strip under the full width of the wing. To prevent stress cracks, I insulated my bracket from the wing with the aluminium strengthening strips supplied and a thin rubber gasket, cut from an old inner tube, as shown below. To stiffen the assembly, I deleted the rubbers from the headlamp to wing strut joint.
Drawing of wing mount
Starting with a new wing mounting strut to ensure no internal corrosion weakness, it was modified by increasing the angle of the two standard bends and applying a slight twist to the top one to move the under wing support forwards to clear where the side lamp mounting screws would be. The neater headlamp support bracket mount was made by cutting a 5mm thick mild steel oval spacer to match the end of the cast bracket and welding it to the wing strut aligned with the bottom of the slots. The upper portion was then cut off flush with the spacer and the open ends of the slots filled in with weld to leave just the open end of the 21mm bore tube.
Above: 5mm thick mild steel oval spacer to match the end of the cast bracketBelow: then welded to the wing strut aligned with the bottom of the slots.
Next, wooden formers were made to position the cycle wing directly above the centre line of the tyre, the gap and its rotational position determined by eye. My preference was for the wing to have the same camber as the tyre, as opposed to it being vertical. With the curved 32mm x 3mm support strip, aluminium and rubber strips clamped in place under the wing, a 21mm OD tube was double curved and fitted to bridge the gap. As it was a thick (2mm) wall tube I bent it by sand filling, plugging the open ends and heating to cherry red. I decided against tack welding so close to the aluminium and instead chose to measure and mark the position of the pieces, remove, make a simple jig and tack in place with MIG. Refitting confirmed that it was not quite in the correct position and that several more adjustments would be required before I could finish weld it.
Two views of the wooden formers in place (note the Bridgestone Ecopia 155/70R19 radials). Adrian Martin has fitted these to his TC and said that they really came into their own in very wet weather around and over the Apennines in Italy.
Tack welded assembly
Drawing of gaps
The close fit of the tube to the strip under the wing, to achieve tyre clearance, clashed with the planned position for the inner mounting screw so I changed the design to two inner screws, one either side of the tube.
I was able to retain the original loom routing by opening up the headlamp hole through into the new tube and drilling a new one at its far end for the sidelight wires.
The bottom bracket, was going to be a copy of the top one with a different angle bend. However, the reduced wing to tyre gap which I wanted to see at the bottom in the straight-ahead position virtually disappeared as the wheel steered. The only solution was to retain the under wing curved strip but braze a short-stepped tube directly onto the back of it to protrude through a hole in the wing.
To achieve the correct angle for this joint I positioned the curved strip relative to the tyre, then clamped the stepped tube to it with an M5 nut and bolt. By grinding the angle of the flat and rotating the joint, I was able to align the tube with my chosen point on the chassis rail, then remove and braze the joint. Brazing gives a smaller fillet and hence requires a smaller hole in the wing.
Clamped in place, ready for brazing.
To cut the only one chance to get it right hole in the wing, I first cut the corresponding one in the easily replaced aluminium strengthening strip, and when satisfied with its position it was easily transferred to the wing proper.
For assembly, the support tube back to the chassis would now incorporate a clamping screw where it slid over the stepped tube. The nearside chassis mount would be an oval plate requiring two new 5/16 inch holes, I just couldn’t find a way to avoid drilling the frame.
The offside chassis mount would be more complex as that plate would have to be spaced away from the frame in order to bridge the brake pipe.
The component parts.
Whilst the design had evolved to solve problems, I was happy that enough of my original intent remained.
To produce the other side, I machined a long bush which was a tight fit in the frame mounting tube at the bottom of the wing strut. Pressed it through both struts back-to-back and this time, by measurement, bent and assembled the second one as a mirror image.
I decided to install and road test to ensure steering and suspension deflection did not cause a foul before removal for finishing and powder coating.
To mount the sidelight, I positioned the car so it was sitting level, then with a marker pen inked the ridge and drew a spirit level held horizontal across it to identify the crown of the wing, which becomes the fore/aft centre line of its mounting flat.
The mark on the ridge has established the best position to mount the sidelight as described in the text.
The raised centre ridge was cut open and metal removed until it would press to a flat edge-to-edge joint for gas welding, filing, and drilling.
Metal removed and gas welded joint.
The result should be a horizontal flat on which to mount the sidelight ensuring an aesthetically vital vertical lens (as below).
View from the front of the finished job.
View from the rear of the finished job.
I still need to complete the water spray control comparison test against full length wings.
If you decide to do the same, please do not underestimate the time required to set the wings in a position that looks right, doesn’t foul, is aligned with the tyre, sets the sidelight horizontal and is the same on both sides.
The mention of Larry the Downing Street cat seemed to go down well in the last issue. It is thought that he has just (in January) celebrated his sixteenth birthday, so he’s not done too badly so far. I’m told that the age of 16 for a cat is the human equivalent of age 80 – a little old, I suggest, for chasing mice!
Have you booked yet for the MG Centenary event on 27th May at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire?
The advertisement for it can be found on page 8 of this issue.
The dedicated website for the centenary is www.mgcentenary.co.uk where you can book your tickets, via the British Motor museum. You can also buy from this website, a centenary window sticker, badge, mug, cap, polo shirt, grille badge, rally plate, and book a place at the centenary dinner in the evening of the 27th. If you want to sell your car at the event, you can book a pitch; if you are an autojumbler you can also book a pitch.
There are three organized road runs (and one still to be organized). The three organized are:
The Abingdon Road Run (starting from Abingdon) The Arkell’s Road Run (starting from Arkell’s Brewery, Swindon) The Octagon Road Run (starting from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire)
The run still to be organized is The Longbridge Road Run.
The entry fee for each run is £20; this is based on two persons in a car, with additional passengers charged at £10 per person. This entitles you to a welcome breakfast roll and hot drink at the start point, a route book with limited edition rally board, and priority parking on arrival at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon.
There is a limit of 100 cars for each start point and it is stressed that there is no competitive element attached to any of the road runs.
I have been asked to point out that you must book your event tickets before booking for any of the road runs.
The event is being held in support of:
Air Ambulance UK Prostate Cancer UK Sporting Bears Motor Club
The Sporting Bears, or the “Bears” as they are affectionately known, are a dedicated group of classic and sports car enthusiasts whose primary aim is to raise money for children’s charities.
Brian Keywood of the Midget and Sprite Club has contacted me with an invitation for ‘T-Typers’ to join MASC members on 21st May at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon to celebrate 40 years of the Club. The Club missed out on the Midget 60 Years due to Covid, so are making up for it this year with a series of events from all the regions throughout the year with Kent Region deciding on Gaydon.
Tom Wilson has been in touch regarding the upcoming MG GOF Central gathering in June at South Bend, Indiana. This is one of the major “kick-off” celebrations of the MG 100 year anniversary in the USA. You can read all about it at https://www.gof2023.com/ and also view a nicely made video. The poster advertising the event is reproduced on page 23 of this issue.
As I advance in years, and currently am 76 ‘not out’ I am constantly reminded of man’s mortality and ‘there but for the grace of God go I’. This was brought home to me yesterday when I was with a very dear terminally ill friend to see his treasured M.G. picked up by a new owner.
A further reminder, if one were needed, is the number of deceased entries I have come across in the MGCC Triple-M membership list whilst looking for likely cars for the Timeline of 100 MGs at the MG Centenary event.
I was privileged to know Len Goff, who sadly died at his home in Pury End, Northamptonshire, on 11th December 2022. Len was a self-taught cabinet maker, also excelling in drawing, painting, poetry, music writing and sculpture in wood. A keen cyclist and a member of the A5 Road Club in his earlier days he was a life long fan of M.G.s and owned several over the years, including a K3. He is pictured here with his TC, which he bought in 2021.
Condolences to Len’s three daughters, Kimberley, Melanie and Lindsay, and their families, R.I.P. Len.
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