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MG TD TF 1500 - Very early TD...and a special one!

I got in email contact with Tony Southwick in New Zealand. He is the proud owner of TD #0351 produced in December 1949.

We exchanged pictures of our cars and I was surprised: TD0351 has interesting moments in her history.
So I asked him to join this BBS and publish the pics. Well, Tony subscribed but asked me to publish the two pics.

Meanwhile I checked Clausager's list of production changes. TD0351 is on top of this list! She was the very first TD that got the scuttle hoop in December 1949.

Further more, in January 1950 this car was featured in a roadtest of The Autocar. See pic.

Jasper









JL Nederhoed

Next pic shows TD0351 today. Still with the solid wheels and the same license number...very special, isn't it?

Tony, welcome to this wonderful BBS and thanks for sharing!

Jasper


JL Nederhoed

Interesting car indeed Jasper !
It was also described in the April 1994 issue of Popular Classics magazine (long out of print), and roadtested by the Motor for the February 22nd 1950 issue.
Furthermore the car was filmed on a trip to Val d'Isere for a Nuffield publicity film: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/safety-fast/query/safety+fast
the making of which described by Gordon Wilkins in a January 27th 1950 article for Autocar.
It acted as a camera car in that event driven by Wilkins (camera man Bernard Till) while it's red sister car registered FMO266, was the "star of the show" driven by Ian Appleyard and photographer Louis Klemantaski.
(And to bring this to real anorak level: background music in the publicity film was by Sidney Torch "This is the Business" and Robert Farnon "Canadian Caravan")
Just my two eurocents....;^)

Nick, TD3232
Nick Herwegh

Nick,

Wow...!

Now Tony must be a 100% convinced that this BBS exposes a massive knowledge of T-types...even of his own car!

Jasper


JL Nederhoed

I have the pages from "The Autocar" magazine that has the complete story and initial road test on the new MG TD. It also includes the story of Ian Appleyard's trip to Val d'lsere. There were 2 TDs on the journey, FMO 265 driven by Ian Appleyard, and FMO 266 driven by Gordan Wilkins, the author. FMO 266 was used as the camera car, but does appear in the story while at Val d'lsere. I wonder if FMO 266 is still on the road. It is wonderful to know that FMO 265 is still in use, and has a good home. If Tony Southwick does not have copies of the article, I would be happy to make copies for him. I am hoping that Jasper can pass my offer on to Tony.

George
George Raham [TD4224]

An update on MG TD FMO265 (chassis number TD0351)history from the information I have regarding the car.
It was registered to the MG Car Company on the 12th December 1949 (Reg FMO265).
It is also recorded as being the first car to have the scuttle hoop fitted.
As most of you know it was used as a press/demonstrator car until sometime in 1950 it was purchased by the english actor Dennis Price. There are photographs of him with the car.
In circa 1963 a replacement gold seal engine was fitted at 21496 miles, no doubt due to the hard use given it by the press earlier on in its life.
I would be really keen to find engine number B24268.
It had a few owners before being purchased by a museum in New Zealand where it sat for 18 years.
I purchased the car in July 2011.
The car was subject to a fairly indifferent restoration in the late 1970s, early 1980s which has resulted in a lot of corrective work to be done to bring the car up to the standard it deserves.
A question has been asked as to what happened to the red TD FMO266.
It is interesting that while I have been removing paint from the rear mudguards of FMO265 I have found traces of red paint.
I wonder if FMO265 and FMO266 sustained damage at some time and bits of one car were used to fix the other. Just a thought.
Tony Southwick

According to the DVLA database, a green MG FMO265 was last taxed in the UK in 1993. Date of initial registration given as 14 Dec 1949.

There is no trace of FMO266 in the database.
Geoff Ev

Thanks for that Geoff.
The car was exported to New Zealand in September 1994.
I have a list of previous owners with dates of transfer.
However not the old log book which I would like to get a copy.
Do you know how I can get a copy of the old log book which is held at the DVLA.
They will not provide it to me at a NZ address but have indicated that they will provided it to me with a UK address.
Tony Southwick

Tony, I have recently purchased TD0256, the fifth one made and the oldest one known to exist. Can you assist me in obtaining a list of previous owners?
Thank you Ralph.
ralph scarfogliero

Ralph,

Congrats! Please publish a pic...!

Did you already enter your TD in the database of www.ttypes.org?

Jasper
JL Nederhoed

Hi Ralph
It is good to see these really early TD,s show up.
The ownership history I have with my car consists of a series of documents (receipts etc) that have been collected over the past years and as luck would have it stayed with the car.
As I live outside the UK (NZ) the DVLA who have copies of the UK log book will not release a copy to me.
I dont know how you would go about this for the USA ownership.
Sorry I cant help.
Tony
Tony Southwick

Ralph,
Best wishes for some succes tracing ownership.
Hope you have better luck than I did.

Couldn't help notice "NJ" so had to speak-up.
(My car came from NJ)
I had been told NJ BMV could supply this info and mailed them a check for $50 about 2 years ago to do so.
I should have bought a NJ lottery ticket instead ...far less time consumming / frustrating and at least I would have got a ticket!
Never got anything but the "run-around".

Maybe you will have better luck ...but go into it thinking of it as a "donation" to the state of NJ if you go that route so you won't be dissapointed!
David Sheward

*** Nigel Atkins posted this on the midget forum a few weeks ago - I don't know if it's helpful. ***

Lawrence ... have you forgot my post, get the the V888 called 'Request by an individual for information about a vehicle' form enclose a cheque for a fiver and you'll get photocopies of all they have on their system/microfishe(?)

I've done it for several car so still at £5 is even better value now, whereas the Heritage certificate has risen in price

I think is well worth the fiver - available link on this page - http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/forms/onlineforms.aspx
Geoff Ev

This thread was discussed between 08/12/2012 and 12/12/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

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