Another bumper crop!
First ‘out of the traps’ is a request from Alan Brittain for any information on the early life (pre-1975) of TC8168 (UML 270).
“My MG entered this world on 15th March 1949 finished in almond green with beige interior & hood, chassis number TC8168. It was registered in Middlesex at the end of March or early April 1949. I presume from the UML registration the car was possibly supplied by University Motors Ltd. Stratton House, Picadilly, London.
Who bought the MG or what happened to it for the next 26 years is a complete blank. The front offside wing tip and front apron have been repaired after a minor accident and a colour change to British Racing Green presumably before the trip over the pond to Minnesota for the next forty years.
The MG is still a matching numbers car with original engine.
I know this is a long shot to trace an MG that has resided outside the UK for over 40 years.
I will keep my fingers crossed that somebody might remember this little MG.”
Next: (from Switzerland)
TC6711 now residing in Switzerland
Swiss subscriber Erwin Kaelin has done a lot of research on his car as he details below:
“History is known back to the eighties. It’s told me, that HNX 639 was restored by Victoria Garage in Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. On 12th May 1986 Richard Procter of Plus 4 Motors in Mellor, Stockport, Cheshire bought it. Then TC6711 was sold to Charlie Yarwood, Adlington, Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 28th July 1986. 1998 Philip Ellis Mawnan Smith, Cornwall, bought the car. However, Philip never drove it and due to lack of space, HNX 639 was stored for 7 years in Wards End Garage of Nigel Schofield, Adlington, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
In 2005 Mr. Price got TC6711 by Internet, collected it directly at Wards End Garage by trailer and sold it to Roy Smith, Amlwch Port, North Wales. In the year 2007 my friend Allan Tucker, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, bought the car and in 2011 he sold it to me. I picked up HNX 639 in Buckinghamshire by trailer and drove it home to Switzerland. It’s obvious that all the paperwork which Philip Ellis forwarded on to Mr. Price has disappeared. The purchaser, Roy Smith, said he never received them. As Roy told me, Mr. Price lived somewhere in Cornwall.
There is no old log-book. The V5C shows 5 former keepers. I suppose that Victoria Garages, Plus4 Motors and Mr. Price weren’t registered keepers, as they sold the car directly to their purchasers. So that means, that Charlie Yarwood must be the 3rd keeper. But there are two other former keepers. Is there anybody who might help me to fill a gap or two? V5C shows the date of 1st registration as 9th Nov. 1948. Is there a possibility to find out where HNX 639 was first registered? Does anyone have any history of this lovely car, anything, even the smallest detail (or even a suggestion/assumption), would be appreciated.
Erwin Kaelin
Schoenblickstrasse 5
CH-6045 Meggen SWITZERLAND
kaelin.er(at)bluewin.ch {please substitute @ for (at)}
Ed’s note: HNX 639 is a Warwickshire County Council registration.
Next: GWS 490 (chassis number unknown).
Richard Hinton bought GWS 490 in 1966 and went to see it at Biggleswade on his scooter.
Sixteen years of age at the time, he restored it and 18mths later used to drive it to school. Going to College entailed keeping a car in a public car park in the open so he had to sell it in favour of a 4 year old 1098 MG Midget Mk 2, much to his regret.
The photos were taken in 1968 in Brookmans Park Hertfordshire.
Next: (from Bertrand Rohmer in Strasbourg, France).
TC904 (original UK plate FDG 155)
Bertrand has been trying for some time now to trace the history of his TC which he bought in 1975. The car had been “restored” in the 60ties, was dark blue and had bucket seats nicely trimmed in blue leather.
He remembers losing a front wheel twice before noticing that the axles had been fitted the wrong way round!
The car now sports its original black coachwork and has the correct seats fitted.
Next: Steven Dougherty e-mailed hoping to find the present owner of his father’s TB.
TB0444 (BRX 951) was owned by Steven’s father, who travelled extensively in the car in the 1950s.
With the help of Stewart Penfound, TABC Registrar for the T Register, the car was traced to a Swiss owner and ‘then and now’ photographs have been exchanged.
Steven’s father with TB0444 at an army barracks in the 1950s.
‘Then and Now’ – TB0444 parked in Galashiels, Scotland in 1954 and 60 years later in Epernay, France en route to Switzerland.
BRX 951 has a plaque on its dashboard “Supplied by Stocker & Shepherd Ltd., Waylen Street, Reading”. This rings true because ‘RX’ was a Berkshire County Council registration (Reading being in the County of Berkshire) and the registration mark was issued from 1939.
The car was bought in 1978 by Peter Farmer of Lutterworth, Leicestershire as ‘boxes of bits’, along with a TA in similar condition, from a Mr Dickon Daggit, then of Sunderland, but who moved to Cape Province in South Africa. Peter Farmer restored the TB and it was purchased by Darrell Hall, via Barry Walker in 1996.
The current owner, Carla Zolin-Meyer bought the car from a dealer in Chester and drove it back home to Switzerland. The TB will be motoring down to Sicily in June for the Targa Florio, organised by the MG Car Club d’Italia. I have been promised some photos.
Next: Pete Postle would dearly love to track down the original registration number of his TC (TC6993) which he thinks might have been in Lancashire with a second owner, possibly in Peterborough.
TC6993 has spent most of its life over ‘the pond’ (42+ years in California, 9 years in Oregon). It is in excellent order with original engine, chassis and body numbers.
TC6993 with age-related registration mark.
Next: Two enquiries from Keith Laddiman.
Keith owned this TA (registration mark FHN 229 – chassis number not known) in 1958; at 17 years of age it was his first car, which his father helped him to buy. Keith, being a bit of a ‘boy racer’, only knew how to drive one way and that was with his foot flat to the floor. The engine objected and became very sick and died. The resultant repairs, which included a replacement crankshaft, had to be paid for by his father and unfortunately for Keith his father decided to sell the car to recoup the money spent.
Keith has no idea where the car went but being his first he’d love to trace it.
Better luck with his other enquiry…………….
TC5795 – photo taken 40 years ago
Fast forward to the early 1970s and Keith purchased TC5795, registration mark KXD 505. The photo shows his wife in the driving seat with his son, two years old at the time, now forty two.
Unfortunately Keith was unable to keep the car and it was acquired by a restoration company, who then sold it on.
The present owner of TC5795 has been contacted and is looking forward to Keith getting in touch with him.
TC5795 as she is now.
Almost last, but not least, Simon Parker has just purchased TA0875, registration mark CON 771 and is keen to trace the history of his car.
Finally, Tom Eaves bought this TC (pictured in the snow in Cornwall) in 1972 and did a grand tour of Europe in the car. Where is it now?
