Established 1965
ISSN 1447-803X
NEWSLETTER No. 1/2010: MARCH
Cec Warren behind the wheel of his Aspinall-bodied J3 (J3766) in Melbourne in September 1933
Photo from Tim Jackson and published with permission of the Warren family
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Feature: Gone but not Forgotten - the Australian-bodied J3 - page 5
Obituary: Moreen Dadd Remembered - page 7
Feature: The Allan Tomlinson TA "Replica" - page 8
Pictorial Feature - pages 11 to 14
Your Letters - page 15
Reports from our correspondents nationwide and NZ - page 16
SVW News - Australia and New Zealand - page 22
Plus all our usual columns………
Your National Executive
PATRONS
Allan Tomlinson
Walter Magilton
Albert Rd Warrandyte Vic 3113
Tony Sloan
22 Mullens Rd, Warrandyte, 3113
Brian Oxley
PO Box 3031 Weston ACT 2611
Malcolm Robertson
PO Box 3031 Weston ACT 2611
Fax:
Email us at:
http://prewar.mgcc.info/
Graeme Davies
REGISTRAR
EDITORS
WEBSITE
WEBMASTER
Winner of the 1939 AGP in an MG TA
(03) 9844 3616
(03) 9844 3631 fax
(03) 9844 0919
(02) 62812351 (evenings)
(02) 6288 9343 (days and evenings)
(02) 6285 1599
[email protected]
[email protected]
Contact Your State Correspondent
The Newsletter thrives on news. You enjoy reading about what the others are doing, the miseries that befall them and
the fun they have, so why not ring or email your State correspondent with your news:
ACT and surrounding region
NSW
Queensland
Victoria
South Australia
Western Australia
New Zealand (South Island)
New Zealand (North Island)
Brian Oxley
Jeff Newey
Ross Kelly
Graeme Steinfort
Barry Bahnisch
Allan Herring
Ted Loversidge
Geoff Broadhead
02 6281 2351
0421 903 669
[email protected]
03 9457 6821
08 8296 3202
08 9341 3210, mob 0408 918 863
+64 03 337 1828
[email protected]
COVER PICTURE…
Cover Photo
Cec Warren in his new Aspinall bodied J3 (J3766)
photographed in Melbourne in September 1933. The success
of this Australian-bodied J3 in races and trials, including lap
and national class records, was likely to have been partly
responsible for another five J3s being subsequently imported
to Australia in the mid 1930s. Having gone missing in the
1950s, the story of the first J3 to arrive on these shores has
remained untold until today.
STOP PRESS
BEECHWORTH 2011
The dates for our next Beechworth Rally have been
determined. Mark you diaries now, and book your
favourite accommodation for:
Friday 4, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 November 2011
Page 2
Editorial Contributions to:
The Editors
Pre-War MG Newsletter of Australia
PO Box 3031
WESTON ACT 2611
Pre-War Register of Australia
Editors’ Soapbox
Hello Everyone
We certainly don't know where the time has gone and we wonder if you do? Ten years we've been editing your Newsletter,
yet it seems only yesterday that we started this hugely rewarding and interesting job. Way back in 1999, with the new
Millennium looming and the millennium bug threatening to take all those modern electronic cars off the road at the stroke of
midnight, we put our hands up to take on the editors' role. Then suddenly, with the blink of an eye, here we are with our first
decade behind us, thirty issues edited, printed and posted, and our second decade underway - amazing. Still, Brian has
restored a couple of MGs along the way while Malcolm seems only to have travelled the world, flitting about like a butterfly
from MG event to MG event! But you, our readers, have been marvellous. We couldn't count the number of fabulous PreWar MGs that have emerged from your garages over this decade, nor the number of MG events that you have all been to.
We know what you have been up to, thanks to the marvellous features some of you have written for the Newsletter, and the
snippets of news our untiring correspondents have sent in for each issue. Thank you to all of them and to all of you.
Our first issue for the new decade is full of interesting Pre-War MG stories and news, and while not totally in full
Technicolour as we optimistically announced in the last issue, the colour centrefold continues our tradition of gorgeous
photos of our sort of cars in action here and overseas. We hope you enjoy it.
We would like to add our voice to those of you who met Philip and Rosemary BaynePowell on their "Downunder" tour. Many of you said that their visit reinforces the
international nature of our interest, so in the best tradition of bilateral relations, while in
the National Capital, the Register's bureaucracy arranged an official exchange of
newsletters for the international media. Phillip's comment, said with a wry smile: "I can't
publish that in the Triple-M Bulletin - it's got an SA in the background"! We'll see…
Brian and Malcolm
Patron's Comment
Walter Magilton muses on the friends made through MGs and reminisces about the passing of an old friend…
Australia - what a land of contrasts! Floods (and how!), fires, hail like tennis balls, mild summers,
heat waves! You name it, we've got it. Still, after our wet season, dry season, (depending on where
you live) and our Christmas holiday period, I hope you have been able to get some real enjoyment
out of your MG. Denise and I have had some great use out of her rather special MGA and my NA
Magnette - both very pleasant cars to drive.
For those of us fortunate enough to visit one of the many overseas places where there is an active
interest in Pre-War MGs, and made contact with the clubs and individual owners have, almost
without fail, been greeted with great friendship and hospitality. In many instances, we have been
lent cars to compete in or have ridden as passengers sometimes in the most exotic of models.
Certainly made long-lasting friendships. This marque of friendship is quite extraordinary, but no doubt it also exists with
other collectable makes of cars and probably in many other sports and leisure activities - a very nice aspect of human
nature. Over the years it has been very nice to host many overseas visitors to our events and to our homes, and continue
the tradition of friendship that goes with owning an MG. Many of these enthusiasts have been offered the use of one of
our cars and it has been great to see them competing in and enjoying the experience. I certainly have many very
pleasant memories of friends and events in England and New Zealand. I immediately think of Willie Williams from
Hawaii, Mike Hawke and Brian Woodhams from England, and a host of New Zealanders. There have been many others.
Recently it was very nice to be visited by Philip and Rosemary Bayne-Powell from Surrey (GB). They were on an
extensive tour of many parts of Australia, met many enthusiasts and offered return accommodation to numerous people
they met on their travels - but please don't all come at once pleased Philip. As most of us know, the Bayne-Powells have
some very desirable MGs that include a C-type, and Allingham NA and a very rare NA Salonette. They use their cars
extensively and Philip edits the Triple-M Bulletin (a very good read). Their interest in MGs extends well beyond Triple M
cars and even includes an RV8.
Unhappily I have to announce the recent death of Ross Williams and our sympathies extend to Margaret and to his
daughters Ruth and Athelea. Those of us who attended last year's Beechworth Rally will remember Ross and Margaret
in a very beautiful red F-type Magna that had recently been imported from New Zealand. Unfortunately Ross was not at
all well at the time and took things pretty easily. However, he did go on the extended tour after the formal Rally. The Ftype distinguishing itself by blowing a head gasket. I first got to know Ross in the 1960s when he was living at
Camberwell and restoring his PA. He had amassed a huge amount of spares and was trying to make a 90 mph fully
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 3
road-equipped car. At the time, I was restoring my NA Magnette and Bill Lockington and Fred Gray were doing the same
to their NEs. Needless to say, there was quite a lot of illegal running around in only partly assembled cars. Eventually,
Ross decided he needed to go to England and could not afford to keep both his Austin Healey and the P-type so I took it
over along with the mountain of spares (wish spares were as easy to pick up today as they were then!). As the P-type
was a bit closer to getting to a useable stage than the Magnette, I shelved the NA and concentrated on the P. This car
gave me several fabulous years of use in every conceivable kind of event - races, concours, trials, motorkhanas, tours. It
was an exciting car and fairly reliable once I had de-tuned it a bit (it was on about 11:1 compression when I got it from
Ross) and bored and sleeved out to about 950 cc. Over the years, Ross assembled a collection of some very desirable
sportscars and had an extensive experience racing, especially in VHRR sponsored events as well as in such events as
Targa Tasmania with his daughter Ruth. One car that Ross did own in the very early days was the Montlhery J3 that he
bought from Peter Beasley. This unrestored car was sold on to John Passmore , offered to both Bill Lockington and
myself by John (also England bound) taken to Queensland by Pip Bucknell and restored by Rod Hiley before coming
back to Victoria. Personally, I was delighted when Ross bought the Magna, a truly delightful car, and came back into the
Pre-War Register "fold". Tragically, the time was short. Ross certainly whetted my interest in cammy MGs.
OOE
From the Registrar
Tony Sloan may be rambling and disjointed but he is always fascinating…
I’m still kicking myself for not going to the “Maintaining the Breed” rally in Melbourne on 7 March. I
should have known that Jupiter Pluvius looks kindly on MGs and ignored the dire predictions of the
Weather Bureau. The storms held off until everyone had a chance to be home. It was, I am told
constantly, a fantastic day and what a good idea to tag along to a T-Register event so that Register
members could meet the Bayne-Powells who were visiting us from the UK. There is more on this
wonderful day from our annonymous reporter later in the Newsletter. As mentioned last Newsletter I am
now in the throes of finalizing the next publication of “The Register” and would like to solicit your help in
tracking down information on the following cars: Owner for TA0398 (ex John Firth-Smith) which is now
in Adelaide; address for Graham Flynn-O’Neill J3028; owner for TA0560 in NSW; address for Hein
Ottens TA1569 in Victoria; owner for NA0963 in Victoria; whereabouts of TA2841 (ex Tim Perrin) in Victoria.
It looks increasingly likely that Victoria is going to implement a system of Limited or Concessional Registration similar to
the excellent system operating in other states with the limitation confined to a set maximum number of days for use
together with a log book system. I can’t believe that Victoria has taken so long to take this step which, I am sure, will
result in our cars being used a lot more. (NSW and ACT do not have such a flexible system at all and seem determined
to tighten their concessional registration even further to the point of strangulation… - Eds.)
You will find in this Newsletter an excellent research article on J3 3766 from Tim Jackson (J3 3771) which makes
interesting reading and demonstrates that the information to accurately identify and document the history of our cars is
out there and freely available. Hopefully many of the myths and heresay surrounding some cars can now be confirmed or
discounted and we await with anticipation the next installment.
Finally in this rather disjointed ramble is a plug for the new Pre-War Register badges. These are available in grille or
badge-bar styles and are extremely attractive. It is a good way to promote the Register and at the same dress up the car.
Lapel badges are also available in the same style. Details on how much and how to get one (or more) can be found
elsewhere in the Newsletter.
MG TYme in Canberra 2010:
TAs and TBs Wanted!
Friday 1 October - Sunday 3 October 2010
The MG Car Club Canberra Inc invites you to celebrate MG T types and MG Y types at a non-competitive social event
coinciding with Canberra’s Floriade flower festival. What’s it about? This is a new event on the MG calendar that has
been designed as a celebration of the MG T type and MG Y type. The event will include:
•
a welcome ‘noggin n natter’ on the Friday evening,
•
a display lakeside near the Floriade festival on the Saturday morning,
•
a Saturday evening celebration dinner with a surprise guest speaker, and
•
a Sunday morning tea run through Canberra’s own Namadgi National Park.
We’ll finish the event at a Canberra landmark to say farewell and Happy MotorinG until next time. The emphasis is social
and the costs are moderate. The event program is not crowded and has been designed to allow you to choose to enjoy a
range of other Canberra attractions, including Floriade, during your time in Canberra. For more informations, and to
register, go to the Canberra Club's website: www.mgcccanberra.org.au
Page 4
Pre-War Register of Australia
Gone but not Forgotten - the Australian-bodied J3
Of the twenty two J3s to roll out the gates at Abingdon, twenty were fitted with 2-seater bodies; one was a salonette and
one departed as a rolling chassis. Many J3s went on to have successful careers in motorsport and as they survive their
stories are subsequently well known. One of the more special J3s, and the only car to be bodied outside of Abingdon, is
now no longer with us and so its story has remained untold. However, the chance discovery of a photo depicting Cec
Warren sitting proudly in a new J3766 in September 1933 has led Tim Jackson to investigate….
J3766 was completed at Abingdon on 28 March 1933 and left the works as a rolling chassis to be shipped through Morris
Industries Export Limited in Cowley to Lanes Motors in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Like many of its MG brethren that
were imported by Lanes as chassis, J3766 was immediately sent to Chas Aspinall in Armidale for the addition of one of
his doorless steel framed bodies before being delivered to its first owner, Cec Warren. The car appears to have been first
registered in September 1933 but Warren obviously expected to have his new mount earlier and in anticipation entered
the 29 July 1933 LCCA 24hour Trial. The Sun newspaper in Melbourne noted that “Mr Warren's MG is the latest
supercharged model, and has just been landed from England where cars of its type have competed in trials and speed
events with much success".
Warren certainly had the car ready for the 1933 spring trials and appears to have made an immediate impact. In the
VJCC Weekend Reliability Trial held in October, Warren was eliminated from the trial early when he had to break his seal
to attend to oiled plugs. However, he went on to achieved the fastest time of 13 seconds on the quarter mile, fastest time
and hill record on the hillclimb, and won the measured half mile in a strong cross wind.
In the pursuit of speed, modifications were undertaken for J3766’s first race and as well as the stripping off all road
equipment, a straight through outside exhaust was added. Warren entered the 1934 Phillip Island 100 on New Years Day
as part of the Lanes Motors team of Norm Putt (F1317), Les Murphy (J4112) and Les Jennings (L0546). Although he
finished well, setting a new 750cc lap record of 73.9mph in the process, oiled plugs forced him to stop at the pits early on
which effectively put him out of the race and he was finishing his last lap when the time limit expired.
New Years Day 1934 LCCA 100 Miles Race, Phillip Island - Cec Warren in Car 6 rounding Young & Jacksons cnr
with Les Murphy Car No. 20 (J4112) and Les Jennings Car No. 5 (L0546)
Photo from the Alan Bail Collection
The Australian Grand Prix was the premier motor race in Australia of the day and Warren entered J3766 in the 1934
instalment at Phillip Island and was given a 12 minute start on the scratch man Thompson in K3002. Unlike his previous
race, Warren got away well from the start (perhaps his plug problems were solved by spending the previous evening
shooting the Islands rabbits from a Hillman Minx) and was successful in establishing a new Australian record in Class H
by covering 70 miles 1527 yards in one hour from a standing start. Even at this pace he made little impression on the
leader and finished in 6th place, with a running time of 3hr 6min 58s, average speed of 65.4 mph and fastest lap of 72
mph (the K3’s fastest lap was 83.6 mph).
Cec headed off to visit the UK in May 1934 (where he purchased QA0257 from the factory) and left J3766 at Britannia
Motors where he was a partner. It is most likely that J3766 was involved in what was probably the first interstate MG raid.
Norm Putt and Neil Gullifer (J3), and Jack Clements and Smith in a J2 (J4116), drove overnight from Melbourne to
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 5
compete in the 13 May 1934 Robinson contest of the NSW Light Car Club near Sydney. They were beaten by John
Sherwood's J2 and Jim Wall's s/c Austin in their class. It was at this event where Norm Putt apparently started the
Whitney Straight Maserati rumour that Hope Bartlett was to drive a newly imported Maserati at the Phillip Island Winter
100 in three weeks time. As it was, Hope Bartlett drove one of the Britannia Motors Magna’s in the race and purchased a
J3 (J3762) to take with him back to Sydney - the Maserati was a furphy! J3766 was driven by Ken McKinney in the
Winter 100 as part of the Britannia Motors team but retired early due to engine trouble.
1934 Australian Grand Prix, Phillip Island-Cec Warren
VJCC 24hr Reliability Trial, Sep 1934-Jack Clements
Photo courtesy of the History of the AGP
Unknown period newspaper photo
While at Britannia Motors, J3766 was regularly driven by Jack Clements with particular success in trials. After 178 miles
of trialling, Clements won the 1934 LCCA Mountain Trial outright, including winning the teams prize with Jim Skinner
(J4211) and Colin Keefer (J4212) running as the Britannia Motors team. Clements also competed in speed events and
was at the 1934 Victorian Centenary 250 at Phillip Island where Cec Warren (competing for the first time in QA0257) and
Bill Thompson (driving K3002 for Lanes Motors) were on scratch, and the field included three J3s, two Ls, three Ps and
three J2s. J3766 started well but ran a big end on the third lap. Gardner in a Ford V8 won the race. The damage cannot
have been too severe as a month later Clements was called upon at the last minute to compete in the NSW LCC
Championship meeting at Maroubra Speedway when Warren in the Q-type withdrew before the event.
Also while at Britannia Motors, Tom Hollinrake (also associated with J3756 and J3767) and Hugh Syme appear to have
run J3766 at Phillip Island (although this could be confused with J3767), before Syme took on his J3 (J3767). Hollinrake
and Syme were a last minute withdrawal in a J3 from the 1935 New Years Day race at Phillip Island, as a replacement
crankshaft had not arrived from England in time for the race, but had more luck at the 1935 Australian Grand Prix where,
after having difficulty starting the engine and having to change plugs before getting away, they ran as high as third and
finished 6th.
From Britannia Motors, the trail of J3766’s history becomes a little difficult to follow. It appears to have been owned for a
short time by A. Morgan, who ran at Rob Roy Hillclimb and several trials, before vanishing from the entry lists in Victoria.
Perhaps it headed north or was used in speedway events, however it reappeared in John Nind’s ownership in NSW
where he ran at the Easter races at Bathurst in 1939. The car ran with a non-standard blower cover, indicating a Rootes
type blower had been fitted, and although ran during practice didn’t make the start. With no luck in the J3, Nind
purchased a MG TA to go racing and J3766 passed first to A.D.Robertson and then to Jack Jeffery in NSW. Perhaps
J3766 was starting to show the signs of a hard life on rough pre-war roads, with Nind having entered three races in 1939
for three non-starts and Ben Tarr retiring at Bathurst in 1939 due to overheating with a cracked block.
It is not known what became of J3766, however the engine is understood to have found its way into a speedboat being
raced near Casino on the Hawkesbury River around 1956. At that time the crankcase had been repaired around the
flywheel. The end of the speedboat came with another engine failure, sometime in the late 1950s, and the blower went to
the local dry cleaners to be used as part of the process equipment. The crankcase was again repaired and the engine
was destined for a Morris Minor special, and the Morris special is believed to still carry the J3 rocker cover and sump in
Brisbane somewhere. The remains of the engine, including head and block (twice repaired) were purchased by Lloyd
Hargerman who is using them as a basis for a J-type special.
Over the years Pip Bucknell and possibly others have searched the district around where the engine was located in
Northern NSW for J3766’s remains without any luck. If the knowledgeable MG mob in Queensland failed to uncover any
leads then it can be presumed that there is nothing left to find.
Anyone with more information on this car, or period photos, please contact Tim Jackson ([email protected])
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Pre-War Register of Australia
Moreen Dadd Remembered
We were saddened to hear of Moreen Dadd's death late last year. Many of us will share Philip Dadd's feelings as he
reminisces about a lifetime of shared motoring experiences…
The "empty seat next to me syndrome" is going to be hard to shake, I know. I am not sure whether this is an early reaction
or if it will become even more difficult in the months to come. Time will tell. Moreen and I met more than 55 years ago and
had been married 51 years (March 2009). Moreen became the most wonderful person that I had ever known, my very best
friend and my true soul (sole) mate. Our marriage was always a work in progress and strangely neither of us ever
considered that we had made the wrong choice.
Moreen enjoying the ambience at Beechworth
Moreen in her father's RACV clobber
Photo from Philip Dadd
Photo from Philip Dadd
Within the classic car world the priorities appear to be the car, the male owner and then somewhere down the scale, the wife
(or partner). It is generally assumed that the wife has no idea about the vehicle in which she is a passenger. In Moreen's
case this was not so as her Grandfather was one of, if not the first, RACV servicemen, and he was joined a little later by
Moreen's father. I would be surprised if the RACV would now be aware that they had a father and son combination working
for them in the 1930s. Moreen's father had his own workshop and during the late 20s early 30s built his own car. From this
environment came a girl with fair understanding of things mechanical to an extent that she would tell me when work needed
to be done to our cars.
I cannot recall the number of times she would ask "when did you last adjust the steering box" or "I think you need to have a
look at the SUs" or "do you think the brakes are pulling to the left (or right)", all of which added up to the fact that we had a
mechanically reliable car that could be driven with some confidence to anywhere in Australia. On the occasions when
some mechanical disaster happened she would climb up into the cab of the tow truck with the observation that at least she
would have a better view on the trip home. With me she had a fairly high tolerance level for my mechanical ineptitude but
this was beginning to lessen when I bought the Alvis which became beset with some irritants. About two months before
she died and after a run when the car overheated and vaporized, she said "fix it or get rid of it" and I knew that unless
professional help was called in and the problem resolved, the car would have to be sold. Unfortunately the problems were
not rectified until after her death.
Moreen was a quilter and seamstress. She loved to make the
latest fashion clothes for our four daughters, always dressed
immaculately herself, and regularly made clothes, dolls and
teddies for disadvantaged children. Her generosity extended to
supporting Soroptimist charity events with her excellent baking
skills, as well as being a volunteer at our local Anglican Retirement
Village.
Moreen always referred to herself as "a little grey haired old lady"
and she would have been bemused to find that around 200 of her
friends came to honour and celebrate her memory. She had an
ability to accept people as they were and make them feel most
welcome.
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 7
The Tomlinson MG TA "Replica"
In the last Newsletter, we showed an enticing picture of John Lackey's TA, built in the style of Allan Tomlinson's AGPwinning car from 1939. Here John tells the story of the car's creation…
If we go back to about 1966, the late Geoffrey McGrath has a lot to answer for. He encouraged me and showed me all
manner of MGs for sale – P Types and L Types, and then Paul Hamilton advertised his TC Special for sale (this was the
one for me). I still enjoy this car and have had my share of competition wins (not too many) and losses (lots) with it but I
have had a great deal of fun. I became a confirmed MG enthusiast, there is no denying it, I have this dreadful affliction.
But the lust in me for a Pre-War racing car just wouldn’t go away – I looked at all the advertisements in Motor Sport and
saw there that someone had made a Q Type Replica from MG TA and TB components. My good friend Graeme Louk
found an MG TA chassis in Michigan almost in the middle of America! I sent the money and Graeme organised its
transportation to Sydney (that’s a tale for him to tell). I had been acquiring MG parts for some considerable time and at
last acquired the basis of an MG TB engine and gearbox.
I knew what I wanted – a single seater Pre-War MG . Another good friend, John Phillips reappeared on the scene with
reports from the Pre-War MG Register of Australia’s Inaugural Rally to Beechworth – he started to talk about this fellow
Allan Tomlinson, a Western Australian, who was in attendance. At that time October 2005, Allan was about 88 years of
age - he was the winner of the 1939 Australian Grand Prix at Lobethal. The more I heard about Tomlinson the more I
became entranced with what had happened all those years ago. I was amazed at the speeds (130mph) that Tomlinson
was reported to have achieved to win the 1939 AGP. Now I had real proof that an MG TA could be made to go – not the
dog of the MG line-up that everyone espoused.
Allan Tomlinson at speed during the 1939 AGP at Lobethal
Photo courtesy Lobethal Grand Carnival website
Enter stage left one Robert Rowe. He is to blame for encouraging me, very subtly, further. Could the original car be
found and acquired? The car had a very chequered career – it was raced again in 1940 at Lobethal by Allan Tomlinson
only to be involved in a very major incident which put Allan in hospital for many months. The car was rebuilt by Allan’s
friends and sold after the war as by that time Allan had married and had children – he stated that “car racing was a single
man’s activity not for a married man with children” and so never drove competitively again. The car passed through many
hands – to name a few John Barraclough, John Snow, Hope Bartlett, Curley Brydon and Alec Mildren who re-engined it
with an XPAG motor (ex MG TC). Subsequently it became Holden engined with Holden front and rear suspension and
the body went to John Ralston. What is left of the original car is the centre of the chassis and perhaps the front beam
axle - Ross Alexander is its current custodian and he is not inclined to sell it.
So, why not make an Australian MG TA Special similar in looks and specification to that campaigned by Allan Tomlinson?
Not an exact replica but a car very similar that would be representative of what was achieved in Australia all those years
ago. So the team comprising Robert Rowe, Cliff King and myself set to work. Graeme Steinfort and Ray Skewes in
Victoria gave me an MG TA block complete with crank (cracked), pistons, rods, camshaft and cam followers. I bought an
MG TA engine complete with gearbox and all ancillaries on that auction website. So now I had nearly all the bits, the
basis of the car I wanted. Finally Cliff King and I completed the body frame to everybody’s satisfaction – not easy when
there are eagle eyed people who can see more in a photograph than appears to be there at first sight! The chassis is
Page 8
Pre-War Register of Australia
finally on wheels with most of the running gear attached as well as the body frame and we pushed it out into the daylight.
Then the car was delivered to Rodney Hoffmann and his son Gavin to put the aluminium skin on the frame. The first
body panel executed was the front apron. Then came the fuel tank. Rodney made cardboard templates of each panel
and fitted them to the frame before cutting any material. I rang Ed Farrar in Western Australia to see if there were any
other photographs of the car. Ed rang Allan Tomlinson in New York and within the week I had 28 tiny sepia photos that I
scanned and then sent the originals and blown up copies back.
Every step along the way seemed to be filled with drama – the conrods took forever, we couldn’t find a suitable
supercharger, the man who made up the push rods made them to an incorrect length and so these had to be remade.
The oil filter had to be sent back. The five minute jobs were all turning into five hour jobs – every component had to be
refurbished, cleaned and carefully assembled. Robert designed the bracket to mount the supercharger and we had the
inlet and exhaust manifolds manufactured.
Finally the body work was completed, so off it went to the painters to be painted a “smoky blue” as described by Allan
Tomlinson. We had some misgivings about the pedal arrangements as Allan had stated that the pedals were in the
normal places that you would expect in a TA! I sat in the car and couldn’t get both my feet onto the right hand side of the
gearbox – we decided to put the clutch pedal on the left hand side and just to be contrary the accelerator is in the middle
just where you would expect it to be on a vintage car, with the brake pedal to the outside on the right hand side. This
arrangement worked well – the clutch still running in oil as the TAs used to but with a Kevlar lining. The gear lever fell
easily to hand and seemed not to be too difficult to use.
The No. 2 engine and gearbox were removed and the No 1 engine and gearbox were installed. All the linkages
connected up. Supercharger fitted, carburetter attached, pulleys and the drive belts were aligned and tensioned. Wayne
Rowe gave up a couple of weeks of his life to help us drill this, mount that, put this screw there and that nut elsewhere –
he was truly wonderful. We put in a couple of late nights – the date for completion was drawing closer. The inlet manifold
appeared to be distorting the body of the supercharger. Allan Tomlinson used copper to make his manifold. The copper
allowed the supercharger some room to move without distortion – ours was steel, so Robert cut the manifold in half and I
went and bought some turbocharger tubing and that provided sufficient movement without distortion. Everything was
coming together and it looked as though we would make the deadline required so that we could be in Lobethal in time.
Allan Tomlinson had already left New York! Robert and Wayne had worked every day for the last two weeks. I was the
gopher, I picked up the methanol, all manner of nuts and bolts from Lee Bros in Parramatta, the magneto from the
magneto man etc. Both Robert and I drove the car up and down the road outside Robert’s works. It appeared to be
going well. Norm Bice came over a couple of times to buy us a meal and cheer us on.
First viewing - Allan Tomlinson sees the TA replica for the first time
Photo from John Lackey
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 9
We booked a session on the dynamometer to tune and run the car in. But the best laid plans of mice and men! Murphy
was going to have his input now after all the effort. We put the car on the dyno and within 20 seconds the supercharger
seized. Less than eighteen hours to go before we were due to depart for Lobethal! Robert determined that perhaps the
car could run on petrol if we disconnected the drive from the supercharger and set the vanes so that there was a passage
through for the mixture. So later the next afternoon we were back at the dyno with petrol in the tank and tuned the car to
run with a major flat spot – but at least it was running. We put the car on the trailer and made ready to depart for South
Australia the next morning.
Graeme Louk towed the TA to Lobethal and picked up John Medley and his son Benny on the way. Robert and I took my
TC over the mountains and met up with Graeme, John and Benny at Kyalite the next morning. We had an uneventful run
from Kyalite until just out of Hahndorf when we were informed that Allan Tomlinson was awaiting us in Hahndorf and that
the ABC film crew was ready in the hotel car park to film the car and interview Allan. So we pulled up just around the
corner from Allan’s hotel and got the car off the trailer. I drove the car into the car park and Allan saw the car for the first
time – I saw a tear rolled down Allan’s cheek. The “smoky blue” colour was perfect. We stood around and discussed
various aspects of the car with Allan and the film crew – lots of photos were taken.
Allan got in the car – not a word was spoken about the siting of the pedals. Allan stated that he liked to drive with his
arms extended and that was how he did it in his Ferrari. I responded telling him that he drove with the steering wheel
quite close to his chest in 1939! I had the photos to prove it! It was well known that Allan did not have an Australian
driver’s licence so I asked him about driving on the road. His retort was that they couldn’t take something away that he
didn’t have! I pointed out that maybe they could put him in gaol to which his reply was “an old man like me?” The engine
was started, Allan engaged first gear without comment and drove off out of the car park and onto the road outside the
rear of the hotel. He then proceeded up the hill across the road and then back to the corner opposite the car park. Now it
was Ed Farrar’s turn to have a drive. Ed drove the car up and down the street at an indecent rate showing all just how it
should be done.
We had missed the “bump in” time at Lobethal and so had to make arrangements for early the next morning. Allan stated
that he would not drive the car on the circuit as the car was not right and that he was having balance problems with his
ears. He didn’t have to prove anything – he did it all those years ago when he won the AGP on the 2nd January 1939.
His winning average speed was about 80 mph, an average speed not to be exceeded until 1956 by Stirling Moss at Albert
Park in the works Maserati.
Saturday morning dawned cold and overcast. It was drizzling, on and off. We “bumped in” and were scrutineered and
were ready for the first event. My son Christian let the tyres down to Robert’s recommended pressure to deal with the
moisture on the track and coolness of the day. Wayne had assembled our sandwich board with some of the pictures of
the car from 1939. People didn’t seem to have any inclination of what we were on about. The pit marshal started blowing
his whistle, the Alfas were started and warmed up. Hard plugs were substituted for start up ones. We warmed the TA up
and when the man with the whistle pointed to me I moved off at the head of the queue. I moved up to the start line. Glen
Dix was there with his immaculate white coat and Australian Flag. I had to switch off the engine as there were some VIPs
who had to make speeches. At last I was given the sign that I could start up. Glen Dix gave the flag to Allan. The flag
went up and down - I was away on my first lap! Only not to go too far – the inlet manifold iced up and the engine stopped
before completion of one lap! Of course after the ice melted the engine started again.
On the Sunday morning most of the people in the pits were aware of what we had achieved. Lots of photos were taken,
lots of questions were asked and responded to, and everyone was sympathetic about our icing-up problem. Some terrific
solutions to our problem were proposed. Allan autographed the car “authorised by Allan Tomlinson” a car so very close
to the original – now worthy of being called a replica.
John Lackey and Robert Rowe with Allan in the TA
John Lackey waits for the start at Lobethal
Photo from John Lackey
Photo from John Lackey
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Pre-War Register of Australia
Pictorial Feature
John Lackey at speed in his newly re-created Allan Tomlinson replica TA at Phillip Island in March 2010
Photo courtesy SDCPICS via John Lackey
Robin Page works his M-type hard at a recent funkhana in Victoria
Photo by Richard Collett
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 11
Pictorial Feature
Automotive Art: Alan Puckett's wonderful drawing of a pair of MGs (see Jeff Newey's correspondents report)
Picture from Jeff Newey
Maintaining the Breed - Victoria - February 2010: Timms (SA), Page (VA Tickford), Morrison (VA)
Photo from Matthew Magilton
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Pre-War Register of Australia
Pictorial Feature
Dino Mattea's L takes the slow boat to Italy for the European Event of the Year hosted by Italian MG Car Club
Photo from Ross Kelly
Ed Taylor's J3 at the Maintaining the Breed run - Melbourne - February 2010
Art work from Matthew Magilton
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 13
Pictorial Feature
Peter Lyttle's Tigress project is making great progress. Here is Peter's car with the engine and gearbox from
Tigress B0252; the car in the background is the one with B0251 components and the Derrington modifications
Photo from Peter Lyttle
John Barraclough gives an extremely lightened NE0516 plenty of stick up Rob Roy in 1947
Photo from Matthew Magilton
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Pre-War Register of Australia
Your Letters
Peter Lyttle writes from New Zealand…
Progress on the Tigress project has been slowed somewhat over the past nine months due to a
quite serious fire in our Coach House. Fortunately all of the vehicles it housed, both motorised
and horse drawn, were saved but some storage problems were created. However I have
managed to keep things moving to some degree. Work on the motor has continued and is close
to completion. The forged pistons were made by Ross Racing in the US and are pretty much to
the original specs (see photo). I have replaced the corks in the original clutch plate with bonded
wet linings which should be a bit more robust. The bodywork is complete and I have had the car
assembled so have been able to see what it will look like in the flesh for the first time, which was
very exciting (see photo opposite). I have now disassembled the car and have had most of the
chrome work done. The wheel spinners were very pitted and after polishing none of the
engraving remained. This is about to be redone exactly as the original by a local company at the
very reasonable cost of approx NZ$45 per spinner. I am now working through the running gear and can then start
building up the chassis. Hopefully I will have made some serious progress by the end of the winter.
Matthew Magilton writes…
I thought readers might enjoy these pictures of NE0516 that I have been able to dig up (left and below). I think they were
all taken in 1947 and possibly 1948 and all at the Rob Roy hillclimb near Melbourne. The driver is John Barraclough and
in one of the pictures we can see his mechanic 'Bib' Stilwell who went on to become one of Australia's best racing
drivers. The aluminium body picture would be 20th April 1947 and is very similar to a picture in the book on the history of
Rob Roy for that date. And on 2nd November 1947 the book refers to J.B. removing the body. J.B. also competed 2nd
April 1948 and 2nd November 1948 (maybe without the body!).
Bib Stilwell and John Barraclough with NE0516
John Barraclough (NE0516) ascends Rob Roy
Photo from Matthew Magilton
Photo from Matthew Magilton
Robin Page writes…
I'm not entirely convinced about the proposed change to the Kimber Award scoring. I feel that the best way to support
the movement is to use the cars and have them out in the public arena and this is exactly what the present system works
towards. Nominating some particular individual for "good works" strikes me as too subjective. Several of the Registers
in our Victorian club have annual awards for participation and these seem to work in encouraging people to attend events
and use their cars. I know the Kimber system has encouraged me at times when I may otherwise not have attended
some event. It has also encouraged me to take a Pre-War MG to club events arranged by other Registers rather than a
more modern MG.
Ed Taylor writes…
Not a technical tip! Just lessons learnt by bitter experience. I have had the gearbox of the J3 out numerous times, but
three times in the last 12 months I considered to be just a bit much. Little did I realise, that what was widely recognised
as an acceptable modification to accommodate years of wear on the splines of the input shaft, was what was causing me
so much grief. If you are familiar with the technical article on the Wolseley boxes (that are in nearly all of our MMM cars)
by John Needham, you will know that what you do for worn input shaft splines, ie you cut off the shaft, bore out the gear
and insert and weld in a new set of splines (see diagram below). The good old herringbone gear is almost always OK so
all should be fine.
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 15
I did this many years ago and I now know why I have
replaced numerous front bearings since that time. The
second last time was just before last years Beechworth. It
is a wonder I wasn’t banned from the event as a result of
the rather large noise coming from the J that started only
within a few miles of the repaired box being back in the
car. Why? One, when welding in a new shaft, no matter
how careful you are, it can end up a few thou out of centre
– the longer the shaft (as in the L type) the worse the
problem. What should be done is that a new bar is
inserted and the splines are then cut to ensure everything
is all concentric. This process requires the whole assembly to be “softened”, machined and then re heat treated and
hardened for a proper job. Two, the welding can potentially increase the diameter of the bearing mount area for the front
bearing. You will know this when you try and fit the bearing. If it is excessively tight - don’t! Get the bearing surface very
carefully ground back to the correct diameter, otherwise the bearing wears rather rapidly and is the cause of the
commotion that came from my box at Beechworth. And three, another post symptom of the welding is that it softens the
nice bearing area inside the gear for the caged needles that support the spigot of the main shaft. More noises (but not
quite as loud)! Solution, machine out and insert a modern, fully cased needle roller assembly. I now have a nicely
operating and quiet (well almost, those 70 year old straight cut first and second gears still make a racket) box.
Jeoff Turner writes…
Attached is my membership renewal for 2010. I note that the Newsletter's WA correspondent is one Allan Herring who I
think I knew many years ago. We were class members at Canberra High for a short time before I transferred to Lyneham
High, but the most memorable meeting occurred on the road to Sydney, then known as the Hovell (not Hume) Highway,
near Marulan. I was travelling north with my empty car trailer to pick up some furniture in early 1969 when I happened
across a TB MG in a forlorn state of mechanical capacity with an equally forlorn driver. I turned around and offered a lift to
the car and driver so we then returned to Canberra. My wife at the time was most surprised at my early return and the lack
of furniture on the trailer. I suspect the driver is the said same WA correspondent. (So do we… Eds.)
Reports from Correspondents
Brian Rainbow reports on T-type Tickfords from the UK…
Well the 2010 MG season in the UK got under way on Sunday 21st February with the annual ‘MG Show and Spares Day’
held at Stoneleigh near Coventry. Unfortunately it snowed heavily overnight (yet again!) so many people stayed at home
rather than venture out. The attendance at Stoneleigh was way down on last year, but most people were just happy to be
out and enjoying themselves. The European contingent was over in force, no doubt buoyed by the weak pound,
incidentally it was down to 1.55 against the Australian dollar this week! I met up with several Tickford owners at the
show, John Targett (TA2731) was over from Ohio, USA, David Tankard was there buying bits for his 6 TAs and 1 TB
Tickfords. Now that he is retired, he his determined to get on with the restoration of his collection. I also met up with
Chris Hill from Preston who is restoring TA3090. Back last August Chris went down to the newsagents in his newly
restored J2. When he came out of the shop with his paper there was an old guy standing and admiring his J2. During
the ensuing conversation the old guy asked Chris if he wanted another old MG to restore. Chris was naturally curious,
and it turns out the old guy had a TA Tickford that he had laid up over 50 years ago, because he had no time to repair it.
The car was stored on a mezzanine platform in the old chap’s factory, just 400 metres from where Chris lived in the
Fulwood area of Preston. The car was well covered up and in a dry warmish area of the factory, and was in reasonable
condition considering it had been stored for over 50 years! It turned out to be Tickford TA 3090 that had been fitted with a
Shorrocks supercharged XPAG engine. Naturally Chris jumped at the chance of buying it, and a rebuild is now under
way. He rang me shortly after buying it to find if there were any other Tickford owners in his area, sadly there wasn’t but
Alistair Naylor in Bradford was in the final throes of restoring one. I suggested to Chris that he ring Alistair and go and
visit him to see exactly what was involved.
The car that Alistair had been restoring was TA2687 (right), Salmons
number 4305, belonging to Glenn Cooper who lives near Warrington.
The car had been promised to be complete for Glenn to take to the 2009
Goodwood Revival Meeting held in mid September. There were still a
few bits short for the rebuild completion, so David Tankard came to the
rescue and loaned Alistair the necessary bits. The car made it to
Goodwood and looked absolutely fabulous painted in black with red
upholstery. Co-incidentally Derek Hopper had his black TA Tickford
TA2879 on the Meguiars Concours stand at the Classic Car Show held in
November at the NEC near Birmingham. Derek’s car looked stunning,
but was sadly beaten into second place in the Meguiars National
Concours by some yellow Italian Ferrari thing! Shortly after the show
Derek sold the TA Tickford, also having sold his TB Tickford earlier in the
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Pre-War Register of Australia
year. Now in his mid-70s he told me that is it, no more restoration jobs. A great shame because over the years Derek
has restored many TAs and Tickfords, and has won the Concours at ‘MG Silverstone’ numerous times. Being trained
as a fitter in the RAF in his younger days, his standards were always set incredibly high. He now intends to buy a TD
and enjoy driving the car around more for a change!
During the past year the three most impressive T types that I have seen were all painted black, not a colour that I am
normally drawn too. The supercharged 1939 TB of Frank Langridge that I saw in New Zealand in January 2009 looked
absolutely fabulous in black with green upholstery, and was a great credit to Frank. The two TA Tickfords of Derek
Hopper and Glenn Cooper that I have mentioned above again looked stunning in their black livery. It really makes a
change from all the red and green T types around.
Ross Kelly reports from Queensland……
From the depth of despair a new dawn has arrived for some of the Queensland Pre-War MG
owners. My sources have revealed that SA 1879 and an 18/80 have migrated to the sunny
climate of Queensland. The Mattea L is now on its way to Italy for the MG European Event of the
Year with a rebuilt engine along with the Ross Letten’s TD and the Kelly J3. The Kelly NB has
finally been fitted with the new crown wheel and pinion and is being prepared for the National
Meeting. Col Schiller has a new 18/80 about to grace the garage and hopefully he will provide
further details for the next edition. Murray Arundell from the Gold Coast has purchased SA1879
and now has it back on the road after brake overhaul plus a new clutch. Its first official outing was
in the Australia Day Run of the Bayside Restorers Club. The MG SA ran beautifully and behaved
itself in the 36-degree heat. Its driver and passenger did not fare that well and were glad to get home to the airconditioning. The interesting history of this SA has been included in the report (see SVW News).
Worrying times - three MGs about to be loaded
Italy or bust! Stage 1 completed
Photo from Ross Kelly
Photo from Ross Kelly
The MG Car Club d'Italia is this year hosting MG By The Sea, which is the European Event of The Year for 2010. The
event is being held at Gabbice Mare on the east coast of Italy from May 24 to 31. Three couples will represent the
Queensland Club, Ross and Shez Letten, Ross and Georgia Kelly and Dino and Margaret Mattea. The group will be
relying on Dino’s Italian language skills to negotiate the payment of speeding fines no doubt gathered during our
attempts to emulate past drivers in famous races.
After the event the group plan to follow the 1933 Mille Miglia (1,000 miles) route, which runs through many historic cities,
following in the footsteps of the Class Winning MG K3s. The distance was covered by the leading K3 in eighteen hours
one minute and four seconds at an average speed of 56.89 mph. “Circuit Dust” by Barre Lyndon gives an excellent
account of the preparation and running of the cars in the event. In 1955 Sir Stirling Moss with Denis Jenkinson set an all
time record in a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR of ten hours one minute forty six seconds for the event at an average speed of
97.8 mph. The group have allowed a leisurely nineteen days to cover the same route, and then plan to motor across
Europe to England, from where the cars (if still intact) will be shipped back to Queensland.
Jeff Newey reports from NSW…
After all the excitement of the Beechworth Rally and Lobethal there doesn't seem much to
report on this time! I did have a trip to Queensland in late January and enjoyed a weekend with
Ross Kelly. Called at the Ford's restoration establishment in Stanthorpe on the way north to
see Ross's lovely K1 Tourer too. The K1 is progressing nicely, so good to see a factory bodied
K1 - they nearly all seem to be turning in to K3 look-alikes these days. I believe it is now at the
trimmers. I accompanied Ross on an early morning Sunday run with the Queensland Vintage
club fellows in the spectacular supercharged L Magna. This car really gets going and stands
out from the crowd in Royal Blue with Red wheels. The big Marshall blower out front sure
looks the part too. Some very interesting cars were on the run, Railton, Delage, Vauxhall
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 17
23/60, Alvis, SS100(genuine) amongst them. Later in the morning I was delighted to drive Ross's J3 up Mount Coottha, Brisbane's famous lookout. Ross pointed out the course for the hillclimb up the mountain that he ran the "C" type
in last year - quite a tricky course.
Back here in Newcastle, Robert Gibson is progressing well with his PA project. The bodywork is essentially finished,
being based on J2/J4 with no doors it looks very correct for period and suits the cycle guards to be used. He is now
even keener to get some of the missing engine bits as the engine is shaping as the difficult part of the project. Any
leads on a P/N oil pump or camshaft bearing caps in particular would be appreciated!
Talking to Ron Taylor last week. His VA Tickford is progressing, most panels painted and bodyshell about to be painted.
The two-tone green should really suit the car too. My own work on the TC has moved on slightly (doors on!) the sooner I
get this one finished the sooner I can get back to working on the TB, hopefully late this year. Funny to think there is six
years between these two cars of mine (1939 to 1946) and yet the cars are only a few hundred chassis apart - 407
chassis numbers to be precise. The XPAGs have 444 engines between them and the whole of World War 2!
I have been in touch with Gary Wall over in the east island (well Kiwis like to refer to Australia as the west island) and I
understand that the Pre 56 Rally next January is to be based Geraldine (150 kms southwest of Christchurch). Both on
South Island of course. Gary is working hard to finish his TA Tickford for this event and should have his recently
purchased VA Tickford (from UK) home in plenty of time for the rally too. Gary and Heather are going to Europe to
take part in the SVW rally in June in the VA before shipping it home. I am looking forward to joining Gary's group for
the trip to the South Island, having driven one of his lovely TAs on a couple of previous Pre 56 Rallies.
Albert Johnson moved from Sydney to the NSW north coast and sold his PA some time ago, but has kept his M type
and is believed to be enjoying working on it. Albert has recently been honoured with Life Membership of MGCC
N.S.W. I heard that Alastair Clarke, down on the south coast, is thinking of backing off on his MG activities, but I hope
is still going to trot out his great little J2(C type) from time to time!
Ross Kelly and Jeff Newey in the L-type…
…and in the J3!
Photo from Jeff Newey
Photo from Jeff Newey
Admirers of automotive art will be saddened to hear of the death of Alan Puckett in October last year. Alan has done
several wonderful drawings featuring MGs, including at least one MG National Meeting poster, and a sample of his
work is shown in the centre pages.
Brian Oxley reports from the ACT…
Pre-War MG enthusiasm continues unabated in the ACT. What we lack in numbers is more than compensated by long
term dedication to the cause. We seem to have been discovered by our UK colleagues in recent times. Late last year
we had a visit by Andrew and Katherine Morland from Somerset. They run a P-type racer. In February, Philip and
Rosemary Bayne-Powell also visited and we took the opportunity to combine their stay with our annual “Kimber” get
together by the Lake. Real cars were a bit thin on the ground but Philip and Rosemary arrived in Malcolm’s SA and I
had the J2. Also Peter Dechaineux attended in his TC. Philip and Rosemary are of course well known in the MG
fraternity. Philip edits the Triple-M Bulletin and their cars include an NA Allingham, ND, C, F1 Jarvis. Rosemary has a
particular interest in encouraging partners to join in the fun of driving MGs.
Recent problems with my F1 clutch has produced an interesting result. The F1 has a very deep clutch release bearing
cover to obtain the correct position needed for the ENV box. I duly ordered one from Mike Dowley only to find it was too
long and I could not even get the gearbox in position. After a search Mike discovered he had a shorter one which had
been made some years ago for some forgotten reason. That was 3 to 4mm shorter and fitted perfectly. It seems there
must have been some unexplainable variation in ENV boxes. Perhaps a reader can help in answering the question.
Harry and Cathy Hickling are once again preparing for the next Peking to Paris in September. They were to use their
other SA being prepared as a tourer for the event but it will not be ready in time so they will being taking the SA used
last time. Harry will have more to report on that in the next Newsletter. Harry has advised that his ND is down at
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Pre-War Register of Australia
Historic Vintage Restorations in Melbourne having the body rebuilt and other work done. He hopes to have it ready for
the next Beechworth.
Brian's J2 and Malcolm's SA at the Kimber barbecue
Philip and Rosemary surrounded by ACT MG friends!
Photo from Malcolm Robertson
Photo from Malcolm Robertson
Barry Bahnisch reports from South Australia…
Sunday 14 February saw the staging of the twenty-sixth All British Day. For some years now it has
been held at the picturesque Uraidla Oval in the nearby Adelaide Hills. Entrants came from no
less than sixty clubs catering for English cars and there were nearly 800 cars on display. The
event has always been well supported by the MG Car Club of SA and this year we were the
featured club, attracting almost double the number of entrants compared with the next largest club.
It was an excellent opportunity to assemble a wide range of models, including a number of PreWar cars such as my M and F types, but also examples of J, P, N and T types, practically all (if not
all!) of which are included in our Pre-War MG Register. Altogether it was an extremely pleasant
day, perfect weather and many cars/models (sometimes even makes!) otherwise seldom seen.
Word of this event must have even reached the UK, as I was asked for some information by the editors of the “Safety
Fast” magazine. I sent a CD of photos (kindly taken by club member Fay Underwood, widow of club stalwart Jim) and a
brief summary which, I expect, will appear in a forthcoming issue.
The other item of interest is the forthcoming National Meeting which will be held in Adelaide over Easter. National Meetings
have come a long way since, in the early 1970s, when they comprised a small number of “diehards” who got together for
some enthusiastic (though, looking back, fairly basic) competition and MG camaraderie. This time we have some 380-odd
entrants and a full programme of excellent events. More particularly, there will be a small gathering of Pre-War owners and
other MG people with like interests at the clubrooms on the Sunday evening. This will be sponsored by local members who
have Pre-War cars and, much as we would like to have invited “everybody” the logistics would make this impossible.
Otherwise there is not too much to report. I keep in touch with the Triple-M website and also the F-type Magna one
which is very ably run by Ian Ross. Ian has assembled particulars of F-types around the world, perhaps hundreds in all,
and the site is well worth a look for anyone who has, or is interested in, this model. The address is, if I am correct (to
paraphrase the great Murray Walker!) http://fmagna.org/.
Allan Herring reports from Western Australia…
Once again, another season has passed with the concentration of my efforts still taken up with work
on the NA/NE, which has achieved a couple of milestones but is still not stripped, painted and in the
final assembly stage. We did a trip to New Zealand in January and February and as our schedule
panned out, we were in Auckland the first weekend, which just happened to coincide with the second
weekend of the Bruce McLaren Trust event at Pukekoe. I had purchased my ticket on the internet so
all I had to do was get there. I contacted John Hancock who was most helpful in facilitating my travel
to and from the Pukekoe Park Circuit, and of course along the way, a visit to John and Brenda’s
place where the K Special was resplendent prior to a car show in Auckland the following weekend.
It’s only when you actually do a major rebuild yourself that you realise how much goes into the
gathering of bits and assembly of a 75 year old car, and in so far as John said that some things had
already been substantially done when he bought the car, there is still an enormous amount to do to make it all work well and
look right. Check out the comments and photos of the K1 in the July 2009 Newsletter for a refresher. Otherwise, our touring
in New Zealand had me hopeful that sometime in the future, a touring holiday in one of the MG’s will eventuate.
On the day after our return from New Zealand, I took the J2 to the MGCC Annual Concourse at Bayswater on a reserve by
the Swan River, a great location with plenty of trees for shade if the day is hot and sunny. The only Pre-War cars there were
the Kilcullen SA Tickford and our J2, both of which departed early for other engagements. As Ron did not feature in the
winners’ enclosure, I presume that he had not officially entered, as he had won an award the previous year. I had not
Pre-War Register of Australia
Page 19
entered the J2, not generally being a participant in concourses, however, the social catch up is well worth the outing.
MGs and lesser cars on a Pre-War sports car run in the West in March
Photo from Allan Herring
As we leave another summer behind, we are heading into probably one of the nicest times of year here in Perth, clear,
sunny, and not too hot for comfortable open air motoring. We did have a very enjoyable run in early March with a Pre-War
sports car group which includes quite a few of our Pre-War MGs in its membership. On that day, we only had our J2, Lou
and Melody in the PB and a TC, with Mary-Anne and Ken Stewart-Richardson choosing the Amilcar instead of the SA. The
attached photo shows the three MGs with a selection of the others present.
During our New Zealand holiday I had missed the visit of Phil and Rosemary Bayne-Powell to Perth, which was a pity as we
have enjoyed their hospitality in England. I know that Phil reads this Newsletter, so Phil, sorry about that, and I trust that your
meeting with Peter Briggs and your old K3 was a memorable event, and that your other garage visits were also memorable.
An article by U.K. T-Type legend Paddy Wilmer in a recent MG Enthusiast
magazine reminisced on times gone by, and mentioned the performance of a “Mr
A Herring” in a TB in one of the so-called production car trials which were popular
in England when we lived there in the 60’s, and when I bought and used my TB for
daily transport. I cannot remember the event referred to but will write to MG
Enthusiast and try to find out of there are any supporting archival photos of the
noted event. I can remember entering these events and having a great time trying
to get to the top of a slimy, muddy hill with wheels freely spinning and mud being
sprayed everywhere. I do remember seeing a group of well dressed spectators
making the fatal error of standing behind the start line on one very muddy day!
Also coming to mind is a trip to a Wilsic Hall concours event in that same era, can’t
remember if there were associated driving tests, mud runs or the like, but what I do remember was the trip up from London.
We left on the Friday night and were soon too tired to continue, so pulled off the road, zipped up the tonneau, and settled
down for what turned out to be a disrupted sleep for the night. All through the night cars were pulling up, reversing back,
and then continuing on, having effectively alerted and woken us each time. Turned out we were parked at a quite precarious
angle such that it appeared as though we had hit a very close-by tree, and as such, cars were stopping to offer assistance!
Can’t imagine a night sleeping under the tonneau cover now, but then, well it was cheap and weatherproof. In those times,
the TB did at least one trip from Kent to S.E. London every day, a round trip of 30-40 miles to the college where I was
studying, and quite often another for a night out in London; so close to 100 miles a day was not out of the question.
A very ordinary-looking NE…
…surrounded by equally ordinary-looking cars.
Photo from Allan Herring
Photo from Allan Herring
The archive photos this time around are from a collection of photos from my sister-in-law’s uncle who apparently was a keen
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Pre-War Register of Australia
photographer also involved with car clubs and motor sport, mostly in the post-war era. This NE looks very ordinary at that
stage in its life, in fact it almost looks like the photo has been taken in a wrecker’s yard. Would most likely be a paddock
scene at one of the Sydney tracks of that time. Does anyone else have any more clues to the time and place? The
registration number on the car is NSW MG088, this should be enough to identify which NE it is. From the same source
came a Blower Workshop Manual which was offered to me; it is in very good condition and has a hand written note in the
front, “To Ross Usher, from John Goddard”.
Ted Loversidge reports from the South Island of New Zealand…
Not much is happening in the South of the long white shroud. At the end of last year I borrowed a friend’s trailer and carted
the P type body into night school to panel the rear of the body. In the way of simple things the year ended and Christmas
intervened before the work was finished. What looked like a few hours work in the New Year is still on-going. The rear body
panels have quite complex shapes with lumps and bends all over the place. The way round this is to cut away parts of the
main panels and weld in small shaped fillets. All very simple. That’s what the factory did and I have done the same. There
is a problem and I can only think that the factory panel beaters made up a set of special dollies because although I have a
large set they are either the wrong shape or I can’t get them in to tidy up and finish the fillets. For the M,D & J I have cast
up new water jacket plates. These are similar in shape to a P type valve cover and will increase water capacity in a place
where local overheating tends to take place. I will provide a photo when they are finished. I used to be very proud of the
useful bits I could find at swap meets. Of late the pickings have been slimmer than slim so I wasn’t looking to find anything
at the local Vintage car club annual boot sale. This year I got a pair of door locks and catches ex TD, the bronze rocker
shaft support ex J2, about 13 worn rocker bushes, two rockers, a flexible coupling and a brand new Lucas distributor base
plate. I could have bought a Morris 8 sports fold flat windscreen and a pair of pre-war horizontal mount 1in SUs ex J2. If
you don’t look you don’t get. Frank Langridge who bought Les Gray’s NA (NA 0833) is minus a few bits. The NA came with
the wrong steering column and box – a Marles Weller. Laurie Poolman wants a Marles Weller for some project but he has a
shorter PA Bishop box and column. I have an NA column and box which I was going to shorten for the J2. A three way
swap sees everyone happy and smiling.
Our anonymous reporter in Victoria has been busy…
T’was the night before Christmas,
And in the motor house,
The MG was firing,
And sounded real grouse.
Anon
How better to anticipate Christmas and mark the end of another marvellous MG year than to join the
Pre-War MG mob for a blast around the hills east of Melbourne, concluding with a Christmas Brunch.
Ian Mawson’s route instructions guided the gaggle of Kimber’s wonders along interesting winding roads
through picturesque country side, long after he and Loris aboard the fast, fierce, green 12/12 replica
M0872, had disappeared. We reckon that Ian Edgar in blown PA0749 and Alan Reid whose PB 0281 is
also supercharged and running splendidly, gave Ian a run for his money. Sloany Tony who had been
trying to get a head for a long time, now has it fitted to PA1299 and it works. He and Celia talked
excitedly about the new Brown Cracker Labrador puppy, to match his mudguards, which will ensure that
2010 is a joy filled year in the Warrandyte household. Margaret and Ross William’s F0581 is now fixed
after blowing a head gasket at Beechworth, and purred along behind the equally six-cylindered MG of the NA variety
(NA0579), the four seater machine driven by Andrew Fock. Bill and Gwen Bennett PA1566, Ray Skewes navigated by Mike
Donnelly, PA0487and Graeme and Tim Jackson TB0508 wisely had their hoods erect to deflect the hill’s mizzle. Graeme
Steinfort TA2581 unwisely chose to be at the start but to wander off to a competing VSCC function; his social life is a mess.
Pre-War MGs line up for brunch
The Captain's M and Andrew Fock's NA
Photo from Tim Jackson
Photo from Tim Jackson
Five MGTCs joined the rejoicing Pre-War throng along with a couple of Tiddies, VA people Bruce and Robyn Morrison
displayed their brand new red MGTF, and Patron Walter Magilton was aboard a Jaguar thing, with the excuse that he was
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trying to pick up something for Christmas. Kallista Tea Rooms and Pantry, now owned by T Type stalwart John Cochran and
family, proved a first class venue for a tasty brunch washed down with a proper latte. There was a bit of a rumour circulating
that John Gillett had bought K3030 just to make sure it would be at Beechworth in 2011, the more blue cars the better. The
day reached some sort of climax when Ray Skewes was presented with a trophy from the Geelong National Meeting for
coming second in the hillclimb in the Class for Cream MG PAs before Chassis Number 500. We mumbled “Well done Ray”
and enjoyed a very pleasant drive home, and, due to a loose headlamp, jingled all the way…
Three months later and the Victorian Pre-War mob again joined the local T Register, this time for their Maintaining the Breed
Tour which was more about sitting around a Yarra Valley winery slurping Sauvignon Blanc plonk, listening to an excellent
jazz band, and chatting to MG people than actually touring. Melbourne had experienced a series of impressive thunder
storms the days before, when large lumps of ice fell from a great height causing havoc with car windscreens, trams and
small animals. The weather warning for the Breed Tour promised more bonnet annealing hail but it came late in the day
after the precious MGs had been safely stashed in their motor homes. The delightful Phillip and Rosemary Bayne-Powell
arrived from UK driving John Gillett’s elegant four seater L0389, a car which is going like the clappers since a minor rebuild.
Their Oz odyssey had taken in such famous features as Ayres Rock, the Canberra Robertson’s, the Seaton Morgan’s and
the Wonga Taylor’s. They were interested that Pre-War MGs can function upside down, despite some oil falling out. The TRegister was happy to see Richard Millington’s TA2499 and TB0508 conducted by Tim Jackson so that they had a full range
of T series MGs on display. Richard has joined the super modified class with a reco change over hip replacement. His
MGTA is also handling impeccably now the recently discovered reversed front axle has been properly refitted. The poor
thing did no know whether it was coming or going. Bruce and Robin’s VA1416 saloon kept company with Jenny and Robin
Page’s concourse drop head VA1880, and Rhys Timm’s SA0945 saloon. Ed Taylor brought Leslie in the J3-3762, and
Graeme Jackson drove the Jennie-free J2-3418 whose rusty door was much admired by Phillip B-P. Gwen and Bill Bennett
did not risk the PA but Neil Cook chanced the Toofa. At photo time Matthew Magilton lined up the Pre-War MG people
behind the Walter Magilton NA0281 and John and Helen Gillett’s NB0904 so the folks back in the UK could not see that we
were all wearing thongs. On a sadder note, Ian Mawson could not attend because his great friend and F-type stalwart Ross
Williams had died the day before.
Philip and Rosemary surrounded again, this time by
Mexicans (Aussie joke - those south of the border!)
Living treasures - Walter and Philip
Photo from Matthew Magilton
Photo from Matthew Magilton
SVW News
Malcolm Robertson reports…
One of the great joys of our hobby with these old English cars is seeing new people
becoming involved and getting caught up in the fun of it all. And those of you with long
memories will know that young Jeremy has been one of the many sons we could name
who seem to have accepted their fathers' afflictions with good grace and even
embraced the hobby themselves. From an early age, Jeremy has taken our SA
(SA1787) as simply a part of his life and has enjoyed growing up with it, travelling
many long miles in it, first squashed in the back among the suitcases and eventually
moving to the front seats and finally taking the wheel himself. If you were at
Beechworth last year, Jeremy was in sole charge of the SA for the Rally while the rest
of the Robertsons travelled in heated comfort in a more modern MG. With him for her
first taste of cold and wet Pre-War MG motoring was his friend Jackie Drysdale. So it
will come as no surprise at all when I report that the SA was enlisted to serve in
Sydney in late March as the Groom's transport on another of his life's milestones, his
and Jackie's wedding day. Congratulations to both of them, and well done the SA!
Meanwhile, in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney, the other Australian-bodied SA
(SA2387) owned by Russell Turner is spread out across the workshop floor with
restoration well-advanced. A beaming Russell was very pleased to be able to report
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significant progress on this interesting saloon which has been in a derelict condition for as long as I've been driving SAs.
And in late breaking news, also from Sydney, comes an unconfirmed report that Don Cairns has sold WA0613 to a wellknown MG owner in Sydney. More on this in my next report.
With September 2010 looming, there is frenetic activity among Team SA Australia
as preparations for the Peking to Paris Rally reach a fever pitch. In Melbourne,
Rhys Timms' newly acquired SA0945 (left, ex-Bruce MacDonald) continues to run
up hundreds of miles in the search for total reliability. The car's most recent
adventure was a quick round trip to Adelaide for the MG National Meeting over
Easter. Rhys's hope of a clean sweep of the Class A awards was dashed when
Ron and Jan Kilcullen's elegant SA Tickford (SA2383) made a last minute
"entrance" to the concours arena to capture the concours award. Rhys's less
elegant, but supremely more robust car went on to win the competition awards for
the speed event and the motorkhana. In Canberra, Harry and Cathy Hickling
seem more relaxed about sorting out teething problems as they will taking their tried and proven Keller-inspired SA rally car
(SA2337) that they used in 2007 and again in the 2009 Nile Trial across North Africa. Their rumoured new rally car (SA
1885) will not be ready in time and may be relegated to wedding car duties. Harry has been busy on his second book, the
sequel to his acclaimed To Finish is to Win, this time chronicling the tribulations of the Nile Trial.
From Victoria comes the news that Robin and Jenny Page's VA Tickford (VA1880S)
has won the Melbourne MG Car Club's annual concours d'elegance in March
outright. A win such as this in a car as complex and large as an SVW model
(compared to those tiny sportscars) is the supreme accolade and is a tribute to
everyone involved in the restoration of this beautiful car. "Thank goodness that's
over," says Robin. "Now we can get on and drive the car in fair weather and foul.
And no more lying on my back underneath cleaning off the oil and road dirt!"
Murray Arundell sketches the history of MG SA1879…
I have often said that if cars could talk that their stories would be better than those spun
by our leading novelists. The story of SA1879 is a case in point, although its fair to say
that like most cars most of the excitement happened in its early life. SA1879 was built
on June 14th, 1937, and shipped to Australia where it used exclusively by Sir William
Morris (Lord Nuffield) for his personal transport while he was in Australia for an
extended period setting up Australian manufacturing operations. During the early war
years, SA 1879 it remained at Lanes Motors (Melbourne) where it was on display in
their showrooms. In 1940, it was sold to a Dr Reginald Spender Ellery who was a
psychiatrist and author of some note, and rumoured to have been a Communist
sympathizer. Wonder how the SA would have gone down with the other Comrades?
Dr Ellery was also an official of the Light Car Club who ran most of the races at Phillip
Island before the war. Given this I assume the black and white photos of the SA at Phillip Island are from this period and that
the people in them are Dr and Mrs Ellery and family. Dr Ellery also owned MG NA0550.
In 1947 Gordon Castles bought SA1879 and in his ownership the car really did see some “action”. Dr Castles was a
dentist, was the first Flying Dentist during the war and was a member of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Cloncurry. In
1947 he came to Melbourne where he set up a practice in Acland Street, St Kilda. During his ownership Dr Castles went
abroad and had the SA shipped over to the UK where he used it to tour England and Ireland to visit his family. Upon his
return to Australia, SA1879 followed. Its traveling days were not over as not long afterwards Dr Castles and SA1879
took off for an extended trip around Australia, which in those days would not have been easy to do. A subsequent owner
reports finding red dust in the car for years afterwards. Since then the car has had a few, but not really all that many,
owners and has lived in Melbourne, Perth, Maclean and Brisbane. Its only serious skirmish with other traffic seems to
have occurred in 1961 when it was sideswiped by a truck in Melbourne. The future for SA1879 is more touring, both at
home and abroad. Terri and I are planning to retrace the route taken by Cecil Kimber and two motoring journalist around
Europe on the occasion of the SA’s release. The journey will take us from England to France, Germany and Austria.
Timing is not settled yet, we’ve a house to finish building first but I would expect within five years. A little closer to home
we’re planning to drive to Beechworth in Victoria next year for the Pre-War MG Weekend and in 2012 to Tasmania for
the National Meeting.
Bill Brehaut adds from New Zealand…
To celebrate ten years since the inaugural NZ SVW Rally at Easter 1999, NZ SVW-ers decided to
hold a replay in Martinborough in February. From the Easter '99 report we noted twelve NZ SVW
owners names plus Peter Ratcliffe as guest of honour. For a number of reasons, the replay could not
quite match that number, but Gary Wall, Bob and Lynne Douglas, Terry and June Beresford, Elmar
and Jenny Gailitis, Gordon Vogtherr and Bill and Loreen Brehaut were successfully re-united at a
Happy Hour followed by a good meal at a Thai Restaurant. The next morning we gathered at the
Wine Centre for morning tea/coffee then proceeded out to Gary's workshop to get his cars going and
allocated drivers. It was then off to the Gladstone Country Pub of renown for lunch and photo
Pre-War Register of Australia
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opportunity. Following lunch, while the spouses went off to Greytown, a sorting of SVW car parts and an impromptu
technical discussion ensued at Gary's garage. Dinner that evening was enjoyed at the Circus Theatre Restaurant and
we were joined by Scott & Barbara Thomson who were hosting Gordon at their home in Masterton for the Meet, and Rae
& John Kennedy from Martinborough, good friends of Gary and Heather..
The next day followed a similar pattern as above, but spouses went off on their separate excursions and SVW drivers
went back to Gary's for a somewhat more structured Technical Session. Topics included conversion of the torpedo side
lights into side/turning lights, VA gearbox overhauls, water pump seal improvement, transistorisation of the S.U. fuel
pump, oil grades for gearbox and back axle/steering box, use of "colourtune" for twin carburetter balancing, and air filter
adaptation for easy cleaning/cartridge replacement. There was of course the expected lively discussion between the
"purists" and the "modernists", covering such items as telescopic shock absorbers, 5-speed gearboxes, electronic fuel
pumps and the like! Then it was time for all to join up at a delightful vineyard cafe. There, the enthusiastic owner
persuaded Gary to bring forth his other SVW cars so a complete showing was presented. Blessed with clear, sunny
weather, after lunch our convoy took off to the countryside roads to reach the "windmills" on the edge of the Wairarapa
coast. Back to our lodgings and it was time to rest up before gathering for the NZ SVW Meet period costume dinner at
the very good Est Restaurant. Special "MG" biscuits accompanied the desert and coffee.
On the final morning the established routine continued. This fine day we motored out to Lake Ferry hotel for a light lunch
culmination of the NZ SVW Twenty Ten Meet, before going our separate ways. Loreen and I returned to Martinborough
via the western side of the lake, enjoying the country drive on pleasant motoring roads. We also stayed the night and
experienced the hustle and bustle of the Martinborough Fair on Saturday
(500 stalls and over 30,000 visitors) before passing over the Rimutaka Hill
on Sunday morning and crossing to Picton on the afternoon ferry. We
were fortunate to experience fine, hot weather and great food and wine.
While numbers attending were low, all participants thoroughly enjoyed the
Meet and we did manage to have on show six of the 16 NZ SVW cars on
the road at present: SA2650 saloon, VA1075 tourer, VA1609 tourer,
VA2270 DHC, WA0332 tourer and WA0586 saloon. We were of course
disappointed that Heather Wall's health did not improve in time for her to
join at the end of the Meet, but she was toasted on many occasions with
our best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Market Place
For Sale:
For Sale:
For Sale:
Wanted:
Wanted:
NB four-seater, car is in good condition with recently rebuilt engine including steel crank and rods. Also available are the
following additional parts, Volumex supercharger kit including all manifolds and carburetter, ENV 75 pre-selector gearbox with
remote and bell housing, K3 style double level action cable operated brake drums. Contact Ross Kelly (0411 746 215 or
[email protected]) for owner’s details
MG VA chassis VA0517S, has been in a clean dry warehouse last 22 Years - it needs a new home. $11,000 ono Ph Michael
Brancato on 0409 906 100 or email on [email protected]
MG TA (TA0394) much work now completed, assembly and finishing off needed. Please ring to discuss work done and price.
Daniel Knoop 03 9786 0383 or email [email protected]
MG P Type engine parts wanted: oil pump, oil filter canister, starter motor, front engine/radiator mounting bracket Robert
Gibson 02 49684696
Brake cross-shaft for Q-type (to convert back to the original cable brakes - it is the same or very similar to the P-type
cross-shaft). Phone Richard Moore on 02 9560 2599 or email [email protected]
Register Grille Badges and Lapel Pins and the new Beechworth Book
The Register's fabulous new grille badges and lapel pins released at Beechworth last year
are available for purchase through Jennie Jackson. The lapel pins are $15, the grille
badges (which come in several different configurations depending on your fixing
requirements) are $65. Postage and packing is $5 extra within Australia. Ring or email
Jennie now to secure yours, (03) 9876 1452 or [email protected]. Jennie also
has a few older Beechworth grille badges remaining if you missed out on getting one of
these in previous years. Substantial discounts are now available to the astute buyer.
Please ring her for current prices. For those who were at Beechworth, and a "must have"
memento for those who weren't, is the new Beechworth Book - a pictorial record of the
event together with details of each of the attending cars. The price is only $20 including postage, and copies can be
arranged by contacting Jennie Jackson.
Deadline for July Issue: Friday 25 June
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Pre-War Register of Australia