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 TD TF 1500 - Nuffield Products badge

My 1954 mgtf possesses a "Nuffield Products, Chr. Odendahl Frankfurt/M, Tel 64336" metal/porcelain badge. I purchased it from the original (?) owner here in Ca.
From a 2010 thread started by Frank Cronin, I know this badge indicates that the car was originally purchased by an AmerIcan service man or woman.
Questions:
How do we know this car was sold to a service man or woman...Did Christen Odendahl only sell to Americans?
How many cars did he sell and how many still exist in the US?
What other cars did he sell and is there still a dealership doing business under his name?
I will continue my research but any info would be appreciated.
Thanks, Jack


jackdiehl

Sounds like another German T Type so Chris Couper should be able to assist you Jack. He'll no doubt jump in. Are you able to post a pic of the car as it may well display the distinctive German built characteristics. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

TF's were never produced in Germany, only some 25 TD's. So this is a TF made in Britain and sold by Odendahl, probably to a US soldier. Maybe he took it with him when he returned to the States.

Odendahl was a Nuffield dealer and I guess he was happy with any customer, US soldier or not.

Hope this helps.

Jasper
JL Nederhoed TD3966

Thanks Jasper. Made in Britain & sold in Germany so the car displays a dealer's badge that may or may not have been reserved just for US servicemen? Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Indeed, just a dealer's badge.
JL Nederhoed TD3966

Jack,

Welcome to the forum. What is the number to your TF?

The only information I've been able to find about Chr. Odendahl is mostly all from this forum. Chris Couper has done a fantastic job compiling history of European dealers on his Original MG TD TF webpages.

We don't seem to know much about the history of Christian Odenhahl other than he was an MG agent in Frankfurt. I don't think anyone knows where exactly the dealer address was. Colin Stafford who has a the same badge on his TF has done some research on him. Before the war he did race MG's in the 30's and his relationship with Abingdon granted him as a dealer after WWII.

American GIs were stationed in Frankfurt and Nuffield was marketing heavily to "Export or die" targeting Americans who had the cash to help rebuild Britain's economy. It was after-all American GIs stationed in England who brought back TC's after the War that started the American sportscar craze. MG was the sports car America loved first.

I was talking to a veteran who was stationed in Germany in the 1950's. He said if a GI wished to buy a car in Germany, he could have it shipped back to the United States for really cheap money.

Here is a link to Chris' site on European dealers.

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_european.htm


Frank
TF 1414



Frank Cronin

Thanks for the background. Frank C., my TF Number is TF5425. I will follow up with Chris Stafford and his research on European dealers. I lived in England from 1952-1955...my Dad was an (Air Force officer. I should have paid closer attention to car related things...
Were there differences if the cars were sold in Germany?
As requested, I have attached a photo.

Jack


jackdiehl

My father was an Air Force officer, as well, and we were stationed in Germany in the early 70's. Of course, policies change all the time, but in the 70's he was entitled to have a car shipped over and back for free. IIRC, he could also sell that car (typically to another serviceman, as they were US spec cars) and ship back one he bought overseas. Some servicemen took advantage of factory delivery cars in Germany and England and had them shipped back. They did have to meet any US requirements, so they would be "export" models.

We also were stationed in England in that time. Some of the less informed serviceman would bring their "yank tanks" over and you'd sometimes see a huge Buick or Olds station wagon with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side. A real challenge to drive on the narrow streets of the local village. Fuel costs weren't really a problem as US servicemen got coupons to buy their fuel without host country taxes imposed.
David Littlefield

Christian Odendahl was indeed the Nuffield distributor in Frankfurt am Main, and sold many TDs to GI's stationed in Germany. He had also raced a PB with lightweight custom body before the war. Later on he commissioned Hennefarth to build a custom body mounted on a TD, which most resembled a Jowett Jupiter (or, as some saw, a Jag XK120). We also find Hennefarth as maker of German bodies for the TD, in imitation of the originals.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

I was stationed in France 1958-1963.
We were allowed to buy fuel tickets. If the car was under 2 liters you would be allowed to purchase 200 liters of tickets prepaid. Cars over 2 liters were allowed 400 liters.
Fuel cost was 17.9 cents per gallon (imperial).The tickets were good at ESSO stns only.
Pump prices to French nationals at that time was well over $150.00 per gallon(converted from liters)
SANDY

I have a memory that the post-war German economy was so desperate for dollars that to buy a TD from a dealer you had to pay $1450 - IN DOLLARS. No Reichsmarks or Deutschmarks were accepted, so that made sales to Germans much less likely!

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Here is the original bill of sale on Bill's TD. Purchased in Germany by a British service man. For whatever it's worth


MG LaVerne

And... perhaps someone who reads German can translate this for me.


MG LaVerne

LaVerne - it's a receipt for 40 DM for clearance fees at the Cologne dock.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

This thread was discussed between 06/01/2015 and 07/01/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.