TC0542 – BXJ 477
Jeff Brodrick has contacted me with the following request:
“For some time, I had wanted to re-acquaint myself with TC ownership having owned EVA 950, a green ’49 TC in the sixties when residing in the Solihull area. This car has also done a vanishing trick. Much later, in 2003, eureka! the US dollar was 1.90 to the pound so the quest widened to the US where I discovered TC/0542 for sale in California on the internet, in black with a red interior. The seller was Davis Dutton, who owned a chain of bookstores over there, and he was reducing his collection of classic cars. So, a deal was done, but he was not overly forthcoming about the car’s history.
I know this is a (very) longshot, but as the engine number was XPAG 1250 someone somewhere may recall the car. Of amusement when purchasing, a “four candles” conversation took place, with me saying yes, I know it’s 1250 cc but what is the engine number, as you could well imagine. TC/0542 was built in March ’46 and exported to South Africa from new, where it is said to have stayed until 1989. Then shipped to Washington state US residing in the Seattle area. Then later its move to California where it resided until my purchase in 2003, at which time it was first registered by myself in the UK as BXJ 477. “
Ed’s note: Jeff can be contacted at jeffreybrodrick(at)btinternet.com {please substitute @ for (at)}
For the benefit of our overseas readers, the following should help grasp the context of the “four candles” reference:
TC4313
Roger Roodhouse has a log book for this TC, dating back from the 1960s, at which time it was registered as MZ 245. If the current owner can be traced, Roger would be happy to pass the log book on – rogerandbarbara(at)talktalk.net {please substitute @ for (at)}
TC4610 – NI 4918
Alasdair Reid at alandlynne(at)aol.com {please substitute @ for (at)} is keen to track down this TC which he used to own. His request is as follows:
“Looking at my old photos I’m made aware that in 1967 a TC was just a student’s cheap scruffy old sports car. Nonetheless, I have many happy memories of the year and a half that I owned it.
I do remember lots of vibration from the engine, (XPAG 6022) which of course led to a broken crankshaft right in the middle of the Clyde Tunnel.
The towing fee was about £5.00 so I drove it out and home, broken crank and all.
Next day, a visit to the local Scrap yard saw me buying a Y-type engine for £3.00………Yes, £3.00!
Fitted the engine (XPAG SC 2 17446) and off we went again.
I finally sold it when I noticed a break in the O/S chassis above the front axle. Bought it for £120, sold it for £180. Happy days!
My TC started a lifelong love affair with Classics;
MGA, MGA Twin Cam, Mk1 Midget, MGB, 3 MGB GTs, Triumph Stag, Scimitar, 8 big Austin Healeys of all models.
Currently I have a MK III Healey 3000, and of course my TD.”
TA1346 – AWV 69
Geoff Davison emigrated to Western Australia 15 years ago and took his TA and several old motor cycles with him. He has some history of the car but would like to find out more. Originally fitted with engine number MPJG 1572 it was given an XPAG engine ‘transplant’ (XPAG 8849) by University Motors on the 19th July 1950. A brass plate fitted on the right-hand side of the engine records these details.
A small brass St Christopher badge situated near the grab handle is stamped “Performance Cars – the Sports Car People”.
Under the green paintwork there is evidence of cream patches, which could be the original paint.
Geoff purchased the TA on the 2nd August 1986 from a gentleman in Glossop Derbyshire, a Mr B Bell, who was a lecturer at Sheffield. He believes that the car had come from the Manchester area before that, as he has an old MOT certificate dated 19th June 1969 and issued by Normans Service Station, Hollinwood Avenue, Chadderton, Oldham.
Geoff is at clewstroka(at)westnet.com.au {please substitute @ for (at)}
TC1682 – EBT 610
Jonathan Smith jon(at)lemoncherry.co.uk {please substitute @ for (at)} is seeking information on the whereabouts of this car, once owned by his father.
EBT 610 was restored by Arras Fiori, who we think sold it to Terry Bone, who exported it to the USA. It was last heard of in a dealer’s showroom in Dallas, Texas.
MG TA – GNU 610
Brian Rainbow brian(at)brianjrainbow.free-online.co.uk {please substitute @ for (at)} is enquiring about this ex-Derbyshire police car (chassis number not known) on behalf of Ben Gadsby of the Morris Register, whose father used to own this car.
MG TD – NNF 444
Tony Hewitt tonyhewitt741(at)hotmail.com {please substitute @ for (at)} used to race this car (chassis number not known). He now has another TD, but is curious to know where NNF 444 has ended up (it is not listed via a DVLA search).