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MG MGA - Simon J Robinson

This bit of MGA of history that may be of interest.

If you are not members of MGCC (and hence read the latest edition of Safety Fast) you may not be aware of the relatively early death of Simon Robinson. Newer owner may not be aware of his position in the history of MGA restoration.

In summary he probably produced the first replica parts for MGAs while operating from his uncle's moorland barn in a remote corner of Yorkshire by 1976, then in 'proper premises' in Darlington from around 1980 later selling this parts business to Moss. I am not sure where Moss came from but this was certainly the start of Moss in MGAs in the UK. As I am sure you know he continued to operate as a restorer/dealer and his brother is continuing the business. I understand some had problems with his later business but I only dealt with him as a parts supplier.

I won't/shouldn't reproduce the Safety Fast article but I have amended my knowledge of his very early days in the moorland barn that I have also submitted to the MGCC.

Incidentally the other company who were active in the early days of replica parts is was Motobuild.

Paul

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I was interested, and sad, to read your piece on Simon Robinson. I think I can add to the story.

When I first bought parts from Simon in December 1976 he was operating from a barn on a very remote moorland farm that I believe was owned by his uncle. It was Burns Farm, Dacre, Yorkshire (post address was nr Harrogate but it wasn't that near!) although I always approached via Blubberhouses on the A59. Having decided to 'cut the roof off' my 1958 coupe I was looking for roadster bits. My first purchase included used windscreen/surround, doors, hood frame but I also purchased remanufactured sills and shut plates. The hand written invoice is for £102 once I had let him have a grill for £0 that I had from the car I had broken. I made another 3 purchases before the move to Darlington. These bits are still on my car. Were these the earliest remanufactured steel MGA parts?

There were 2 halves to the barn one half having a loft full of smaller secondhand bits. I remember going once and he had the engine on the dirt floor off a car he had towed in the night before. He was turning it and trying to work out why the engine wouldn't run which was quite obvious to me standing at the other end of the engine where it wasn't turning, I thought a broken crank should have been fairly obvious!

I never actually met him after his move to Darlington although I did buy more parts from him. I have always being amused seeing the stylized signature and the image he portrays as being very different to the young farmers son I remember working in rather basic conditions.

Paul Dean
Paul Dean

Very sad news. I went up to Simon's place in Darlington to buy parts very soon after I bought my MGA over thirty years ago. I remember him taking me for a ride in his twin cam but apologizing for how erratically it was running at the time. He must have been the closest MGA parts supplier until Moss opened up in Manchester................Mike
m.j. moore

Paul,

Thank you for this news, bur very sad to hear Simon passed away.

I checked the June edition of Safety Fast but found nothing on this; please advise where you read it? I don't believe he was so elderly?

I also met Simon back in the 'seventies when I visited him for some parts for my MGA, quite a character I recall.

Doug
DRP Wallace

Hi Doug

It's in the July edition I got on Thursday. You won't miss it as it gets 3 pages. To my mind he wasyoung at only 61, it sounds as if it was skin cancer.

Paul
Paul Dean

Sad news indeed.I too bought alot from him. Back in the early eighties he was the only one that I could find that had the sheet metal parts I needed and who would ship to the states.
gary starr

This thread was discussed between 03/07/2015 and 05/07/2015

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