News and views

Following on from the last Dispatch and the VE day pictures of Tom Goodyear’s D0494 I couldn’t resist including this latest picture of the car at the Owl Head Museum in Maine. It shows the car with a copy of Dispatch 87 in a lectern for visitors to read of its victory parade.

Onno Konemann (D0495) was presented with the John Kidder Memorial Trophy for 2024 at the Triple M Summer Gathering in June for his organising the Austin verses MG races at Zandvoort circuit in The Netherlands last year.

The picture shows a very surprised Onno, on the left, receiving the trophy. I’m afraid we haven’t the name of the photographer to credit. Huw Davies in D0353 was also at the Gathering.

For details of the Trophy see Dispatch 7.

July was a busy month for Mike Jakeman in D0427; on the 5th he was at the historic Grimsthorpe Speed Trials in Lincolnshire. Our picture shows him on the start line: without the helmet this would have made quite a period picture.

Mike tells me he managed 2 runs at 35 seconds then a miss fire with number 1 plug not firing ruined the third run. On the weekend of 19/20th he participated in the Vintage Minor Register weekend at Kyre Park, Worcestershire which culminated in another historic hill climb at Bromyard in Herefordshire although runs were untimed.

Picture shows Mike lined up next to a Stanley Steamer no less.
Vincent Dransart has had a busy season with D0456 – seen here on a river ferry during this year’s Dutch Triple M Rally in August.

Vincent Dransart has had a busy season with D0456 – seen here on a river ferry during this year’s Dutch Triple M Rally in August.

Cars for sale

Some of you may have noticed D0490 is up for sale and has been on the Group website from earlier this month. The car is in Weymouth and being sold by Peter Bligh petersbligh@gmail.com 07779 290444 who states – nearest to £10K get a lovely project. Part restored, lovely dash and instruments, screen and restored chassis and rolling gear. Body in primer. Most parts present – come and have a look.

Many more pictures are on the Group website.

Also still for sale and pictured on the website is D0481 being sold by Lorraine Noble-Thompson. Contact details as per the Cars for Sale page on the website.

Bits and Pieces

Some rare items for the D Type, all plus postage. Firstly a radiator core; not pressure tested but looks in excellent condition and all good threads.

Price £200; would recommend collection due to weight – near Prescott Hill Climb

Two brand new door catch plates in stainless steel – £15 the pair.
Also, brand new correct, Rotax ignition keys – £5 each.

Two only brand new brass pressed instrument panels, exactly as original and correctly engraved. Just need painting black. £45 each.

D Type’s in books

I don’t think I’ve mentioned D’s in books since Dispatch 5 way back in 2004. Most books about MGs hardly mention the D Type if at all, fortunately author/historian Malcolm Green has reversed that trend. In his book: “MG Midgets in Detail” which came out late last year, (and I should have reviewed before) there is a whole chapter on the D Type.

This features pictures of D0382 and quite a few of my own D0311 and D0464 besides a detailed text. Highly recommended.

As you would know the D body tub was built by the firm ‘Carbodies’ and Bill Munro wrote a book published back in 1998 titled “Carbodies – the Complete Story” in it the D hardly gets a mention and certainly no pictures.

After much research, just published, is Bill’s sequel: ‘Carbodies – A British Motor Industry Survivor’. In it is a whole chapter devoted to Triple M MGs and a section within that on the D and F models.

Two Ds are illustrated; John Emmett’s D0430 and Mike Jakeman’s D0427. Published by Troubador in July this year, posthumously as Bill sadly passed away in September last so he missed its eventual publication. Recommended.