MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Photo Help !!!

Gents,

In desperation I turn to you to help me find photos of the 1958 Earls Court London Motor Show.

I'm looking for photos on the MG stand in the hopes that it will show my car, which I'm recently told was on the stand as well as in the sales brochures.

I've checked with:
MGCC
BMIHT
eBay Magazines
LAT photography
ITNSource & British Patche films

Alas nothing other than what I already have.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hesterracing/MotorShowTC/Earls_Court_1958_Coupe.jpg

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hesterracing/MotorShowTC/Earls_Court_Motor_Show_MGA_1959.jpg



Does anyone know someone who either attended or has photos of this event?

Many Thanks
Mark

Mark Hester

Mark

I have a PDF of the 1958 Motor Show guide book on my website. I think I emailed you a copy. I will check to see if I still have the original or borrowed it to do the PDF. The Twin Cam shown in the car section descriptions is PJB 147.

Steve

Steve Gyles

Hi Steve,

The Show Guide books were printed in advance of the show. 22nd Oct - 1st Nov 1958, so not much help here alas.

Yes, PJB is my car but I have no photos of it on the stand and reports conflict if it was there or not. Thus a photo would provide a definitive answer.

Thanks
Mark


Mark Hester

Mark

Just a thought. The Daily Mail produced the Show Guide. May be (as sponsors?) they took photos during the show. Might be worth contacting their archive department to see if anything still exists.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Thanks Steve,

A quick look at their online photo archive reveals nothing alas but I will email them and ask anyway.

http://www.mailpictures.co.uk/

Anyone else got any clues ?

Mark Hester

British Pathe have film clips of the 1958 Motor Show which includes a cutaway Twin-Cam and also stills :-#Link below
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/motor-show-10
Cam Cunningham

Can I ask what might be a stupid question but how do you know if it is actually your car? Cars on stands at Motor Shows do not usually have number plates.

Malcolm
Malcolm Asquith

Good Question Malcolm,

Process of elimination.

The Earls Court Motor Show started on 22nd October 1958, thus the car had to be "dispatched" before this date.

So of the 2111+2 twin cam's

This only leaves 222 cars.
Factor in colour
Factor in visible options like mirrors and windscreen washers, seats and the odds continue to fall.

As they say a picture is worth 1000 words but without this photo I can't even start this process.

Production records show 10 twin cam's at various shows (as per my web site) but this is not the full picture, as dealers often supplied cars to shows from their own stocks, if the factory show department did not.

Thus the question remains.

Does anyone know of any photo archives I can contact?
or perhaps individuals who may have attended?

Thanks
Mark

Mark Hester

Have you tried Paddy Wilmer - I think that he went to most of the car shows in this period, and, as he also owned several MGAs, it's possible he may have taken a photo - or remember if it was on the stand.
rachmacb

Alas I don't have any contact details for Paddy Wilmer

Would you have any please rachmacb ?

Thanks
Mark
Mark Hester

hmmm - I'll try and dig some out - or I can ask him for you as well - give me a bit of time ...... It's PJB and 1958? Twin cam?
rachmacb

Sorry Mark - no luck :(

I do hope you get somewhere in your hunt though
rachmacb


yes that's correct:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hesterracing/PJB147/BMIHT_Colour_Photos1958.jpg

email me offline if you like

Mark
Mark Hester



Paddy Wilmer appears to be quite active on the T-Type front. I will try and contact him through them

Thanks
Mark
Mark Hester

Mark

Paddy is, I believe, still in the MGCC. He was a past editor of the Safety Fast magazine. You could try making contact through my contact at the HQ - Chris Seaward: chrisseaward at mgcc.co.uk

The MGCC also has an extensive archive. Have you tried them? Again Chris will be able to tell you more.

Steve
Steve Gyles



Alas no luck thus far with any of the contact.

Anyone think of a new lead I can chase?

Thanks
Mark


Mark Hester

Mark. You need to spend some time with your local reference librarian (if there is one) and identify what resources may be available through your local library. Then, you need to identify what sources may have had photos of the motor show you are interested in. I would think that the following may be a partial list:

US motoring magazines for the month after the show

UK motoring magazines for the month after the show

Australian motoring magazines for the month after the show

Major US and UK newspapers, particularly the Sunday editions which often have an expanded motoring section.

An appeal to the general public through major MG clubs in the US/UK/Europe requesting any photos that might be of interest. (This may require a small fee to be paid to place the ad.)

Personal letters to various people associated with MG and/or car shows. A short cover letter explaining what you are looking for, why you are looking for it, and including a stamped, self addressed return envelope. Note in your letter that a quick handwritten note on the back of your original letter is fine for a response. (This has worked quite well for me and many others over the years in various searches.)

I hope these ideas will be of assistance.

Les
Les Bengtson

Mark

Did you contact Chris Seaward at the MGCC? If not I am happy to speak with him on your behalf.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Yes Steve but MGCC don't have anything.

LAT photos have 6 million photos so they tell me with only 1 million available to view online. So waiting several weeks for them to get back to me due to their backlog.

I've emailed all the eBay vendors with period magazines from the start of the motor show and till just after but no luck on that front.

Cheers
Mark
Mark Hester

Red Roadster should be chassis number 56685 - not known to survive.

Coupe looks distinctly white in the photo but I can't tell if its a pushrod or a twin cam.

Perhaps the Magnette guys have more photos, as two of there cars are shown.

Mark





Mark Hester

This thread was discussed between 12/04/2012 and 09/05/2012

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.