News and views

Firstly, on a personal note, and with many thanks to John James (DVLA representative for the MG Octagon Car Club) I’ve managed to get the original registration number back for D0464. When imported back in 2015, due to lack of documents, it was given the number WXG 718. Now it has KF 9531 back, the number it was given when first taxed in Lancashire on the 13th May 1932. The late Jim Hodges would be very pleased.

On a sad note, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away in April and I was reminded of D0311’s visit to Windsor Castle on the occasion of the MG Heritage Festival back in 2009 which included one of each model driving past the Duke in the Castle’s inner courtyard.

We were the D Type and followed the late Bob Hudson’s C Type which had an impressive exhaust note! The commentator next to the Duke in the picture is the motoring author/historian Graham Robson who has written several books on MG.

On a happier note, D0494 has been ‘found’ alive and well in the States and is set to be restored by new owner Thomas Goodyear.

We knew this car existed quite a few years ago but could never get hold of the then owner.

Albeit without spectators racing got underway at VSCC Silverstone back in April. We were represented in the Triple M race again by Chris Edmundson in D0442.

This interesting back view of Chris was taken by ace photographer Colin Murrell.

Pre-War Prescott

At the time of writing there are 7 D Types booked into Pre-War Prescott, this year on 17th July. One of those is Vincent Dransart and his D0456 all the way from France assuming travel restrictions allow by then, fingers crossed! Herewith pictured on an outing earlier this year in typical rural scene.

As most of you know we have always had a presence at Pre-War Prescott ever since the Vintage Minor Register held their first event there. Normally with our own marquee which has been very useful on rainy days! I know surviving Ds are scattered all across the globe (must ask Bill to do a geographical survey/listing sometime) but if you plan on coming to this year’s meeting, with or without your D spectators are welcome, do come and say hello.

Our record for D attendance was 8 back in 2016 – see Dispatch 52.

Body Tub

As many of you know the D body tub can be quite a challenge to restore with particular regard to the wooden framework.

As many of you will also know the tub is identical to that used on the F Magna (and apart from the doorline, on the J1 as well) and on the F Magna Registry site www.fmagna.org.uk is this super drawing of the wooden components. Ian Ross, who runs the site and Registry, and is responsible for the artwork, has kindly given permission for it to be reproduced here. It may be too late for some of us but hopefully might help others in the future!

As an aside on this I do have some reasonable pieces of original woodwork which are available to borrow and copy. Let me know if of interest.

Scottish Adventure

Hot off the press from just a week ago is Alaister Cowe’s trip in D0338 to the Isle of Skye with a group of T Types. The first picture shows the red D in the bottom left corner of the Glen Elg Ferry. This is the last turntable ferry still operating in the UK. Co-incidently the lady in blue waving is none other than Lorraine Noble-Thompson, new owner of D0481 recently collected from Hampshire but here in her TF.

The second picture shows the car on top of ‘Bealach na Ba’ (which translates as ‘pass of the cattle’) with the Isle of Skye in the background. The road to it climbs 2053 feet in just 4.1/2 miles – much 2nd and 1st gear work but Alastair says that the cool headwind managed to keep the car from overheating! He enjoyed ‘crashing’ the T party and managed somehow to keep up!