Car of the Month

July 2008



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Owner: Paul Plummer
Make/model: MG TF
Month/year of manufacture: January 1955
Colour: British Racing Green
Engine size/type: 1466cc EXPEG
BHP: 63 @ 5000rpm
Top speed: 85mph
Gearbox type: Sierra Type 9, 5 speed
Area: Chackmore, Bucks
Date purchased: 2001

History: On the 17th of January 1955, this car (chassis number 8918) was assembled in the Abingdon works, one of only 197 home market cars built in that year, and was first registered in March. The last car to roll off the assembly lines was chassis number 10,100 in April of 1955.

The chassis number (HDE13/8918) describes the specification of this car. H is for MG Midget, D is for open two-seater sports body, and E is for green (MG or Almond green). The 1 indicated right-hand drive for the home market, and the 3, cellulose paint finish (normal on green TF’s). The engine (number 2578) is original and with the chassis remain a matched pair. This particular car appears to have no special pedigree, but was used as a normal road car for some 12-15 years, by which time it had become decidedly scruffy.

Anthony Whitworth, who carried out the subsequent restoration, purchased it in the mid 1970s. The engine seemed to have enjoyed a complete rebuild at sometime and subsequent stripping revealed it to be in good condition. The body, however, was only fit for a total strip and rebuild. During the period 1980 to 1984 the car was dismantled right down to the individual component level and restored or replaced as appropriate. The car was put back on the road in the summer of 1985, and eventually sold to Mr Clark at the end of 1990. David Clark carried out further restoration over the next ten years until it was sold to Paul Plummer in February of 2001. Paul has affected continuing maintenance and refurbishment, including the installation of a 5 speed gearbox and conversion to run on unleaded fuel.

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