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Westbury
United Kingdom
2010 Posts |
 Posted - 11/12/2017 : 09:54:16
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As the Forum is quiet at the moment; I remember in the early sixties when restoring my first NA ,having to obtain most of my spares from Thompson’s , I think they were located in Wimbledon.Parts such as valve guides,steering ball pins, oil filters and many other replacements were eagerly awaited when sent for by post.
Also remember Archway Engineering in Manchester where I sent the flywheel housing for preheating and welding also a couple of connecting rods for white metalling. These businesses were always advertised in the Motor Sport magazine which in those far off days would have a reasonable number of prewar MG cars and Spares for sale.
Great days and fond memories.Did anyone actually visit such places? I know there were quite a few other suppliers which I haven’t mentioned.
Chris |
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Dan F
USA
845 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 10:15:33
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Sounds like fun times....I wonder if anyone has any pictures of their inventory ???
Dan |
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dade
United Kingdom
513 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 10:20:12
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Hi Chris
I was visiting Thompsons at Wimbledon around the mid 60's, I remember Mr Thompsons hands were very badly affected by Arthritis and looking back I realise how difficult handling tools and spares must have been for him.
I also usually visited the other spares supplier at Kingston usually on the same trip as I lived in Ilford Essex at the time and had to make the trip count. Unfortunately I cannot remember the Kingston company.
Thompsons was a large shopfront in a parade of shops and that's about all I can remember.
Still got the TD and look back at these memories with affection.
since in those days it was the family car!!
Regards
Russ
TD/PB |
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Ian Bowers
United Kingdom
942 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 10:35:30
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Archway Engineering was an Aladin's cave under the railwaylines out of Central Station, with stuff everywhere and the larger items hanging from the walls, pretty chaotic as I remember, but ask for a 'left handed thostle bean' and it was dug out with some pride.
Those days for a MkII TD recently acquired as the only form of transport, reliable too!
Ian Bowers
OD 6791
J3 3772 |
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John James
United Kingdom
963 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 10:55:42
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John James
United Kingdom
963 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 11:09:14
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The following is an extract from Issue 21 of my bimonthly magazine Totally T-Type 2 www.ttypes.org/ttt2
Mention was made in Issue 14 of the file of correspondence between Bill Thomson and Björn-Eric Lindh which Björn-Eric kindly sent me. It makes fascinating reading so I thought I’d publish a few extracts:
February 18th 1964 (Bill says) “I’ve just bought a 1250 TF and doing a bit to it, and also bought a very dodgy M-type with a genuine back and a 4-speed ‘box with alloy front housing. It’s not all there (perhaps I am not also for buying it!)…..
December 18th 1965 (Bill says) “Price for reconditioned parts as follows:
Pressure plate £3.14.0, Clutch plate £2.16.0 Clutch thrust 18/8……………… Starters and dynamos cost about £7 exchange each.”
March 9th 1967 (Bill says) “”Sorry I do not write often but I never seem to catch up with the terrific amount of writing that I have to do. Do you know that in three days I dealt with 68 letters in England and eleven for abroad, this in addition to all the other work? So you can guess that I am beginning to dislike my typewriter.”
Throughout the correspondence Bill “shines through the pages” as a real gentleman. Not always in the best of health he struggled on and provided a much needed service. I never met him, more’s the pity!
JOHN JAMES THE MG T SOCIETY LIMITED
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tholden
United Kingdom
1638 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 11:10:53
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Wimbledon was quite well served by suppliers back in the sixties and in to the early seventies. Old Bill Thompson in Kingston Road was in those days one of the main Triple M Suppliers. He also had a building out the back of the shop which contained a lot of second hand spares and could be persuaded to dig out parts for special customers. When he finally closed down there was a rumour around for years that his spares had been moved to a building in Kingston but I don't think they ever emerged. There was another Triple M supplier of mostly second hand parts who also did repair work approached through an archway off Alexandra Road But I cannot recall their name for the moment. Also there was Leone of Wimbledon who were for many years the people to go to for steering box rebuilds.
TH |
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Westbury
United Kingdom
2010 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 11:42:58
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Thanks, everyone.
I must have cleared( now remember it was Bill) Thompson’s stock of valve guides out before I realised the hard way, that you ‘ draw’ them in and NOT knock them in ( despite using a block of wood.)
My excuse, I was only 15 at the time and had much to learn !
Chris |
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Mikeenty
United Kingdom
198 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 13:21:22
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I remember Archway engineering, the two Parker brothers and the mechanic, Alex, who was Polish I think. I wish I knew half of what Alex had forgotten. Parts and cars for sale in the “Posh” archway and the Magical Cave of Amazing Bits in the other arch. Alex took a shine to me and showed me how to file a Conrod and scrape the resulting oval hole to suit the battered journal on my NA crank. In my defence I will say that I was a student with no cash to spare and it gave me another two year’s motoring. It was about 0.090 undersized and quite oval!!
I repaid the debt by changing the uj joints on a Spitfire rear drive shafts, which he didn’t fancy doing.
The garage failed after both Parker brothers passed away. Some months later the place was up for sale lock stock and barrel, including from memory a TC and a TD but I couldn’t raise the 20,000 required |
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mjb
United Kingdom
248 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 13:30:03
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I well remember Bill Thomson's shop at south Wimbledon in the early/ mid 60s. New MMM spares were quite difficult to find in those days so his was the place to go.He was always very helpful,and as John says, was a true gentleman.
The other MG dealership, a bit further down Kingston Road close to South Wimbledon underground station was A.E Witham who I think had some premises somewhere off Haydons Rd but,as far as I can remember, were not really into MMM parts.
That location is not so far from Alexandra Rd mentioned by Terry but I don't remember another MMM supplier.
Cheers,
Mike.
mike bradbury |
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tholden
United Kingdom
1638 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 14:03:02
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Mike yes you are right well done A.E Witham it was. I looked on the map and was guessing at Alexandra Road so you are probably correct on Haydons Road, all a long time ago now ! Messy old place I seem to recall but they were one of the few garages around still doing work on pre war MG's.
TH |
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Cooperman
United Kingdom
760 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 14:33:42
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There were several dealers who could supply M.G. parts around, they were mostly BMC agents. I lived in Chingford in the early sixties and a garage at the bottom of King Head Hill supplied me with valves and springs when I was decoking the head of my T.A.
Spares for the 18/80, I then had, were much more difficult and a favourite place was Richardson's of Staines, a scrapyard actually, but very knowledgable and helpful people, even to getting an engine out to fleece of bits. Also wasn't Toulmin around somewhere along the Great West Road, near Performance cars or were they in Chiswick. Long before the M4 flyover was built.
I once called Dick Jacobs in Romford or somewhere nearby who use to race TF's and TD's wanting something for the 18/80 and was told "not a chance" however someone called back to say they had what I wanted. When I went to collect it the lad on the counter said something like "Mr Jacobs wants to see you". Out came this little chap hobbling along, he had many accidents racing, with a brown paper bag in his hand and he said "are you the 18/80 man? cause you might find these useful" The paper bag contained replacement corks for the clutch, there must have been about 100 or more. We used them at work as tokens when playing cards at lunchtime.
John Cooper M 628 |
Edited by - Cooperman on 11/12/2017 14:36:35 |
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mjb
United Kingdom
248 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 14:56:20
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Yes "all a long time ago" as you say Terry. I remember buying a new half shaft for my F magna from Bill Thomson and getting Withams to press the broken one out of the hub and press the new one in. Its still on the car to this day!
The other company which still worked on MMMs in those days was Toulmin Motors who were in Staines Road Hounslow and second hand parts were always available from Richardsons at Colnbrook or the Bone Bros whos spares collection was in Greenwich at that time.Happy Days!!
Cheers!
Mike
mike bradbury |
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David R
United Kingdom
289 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 17:45:24
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Like Ian Bowers I was a customer of Archway Engineering on Liverpool Road in Manchester. In the early 60s I had an MG TA (registration DAT 1!},followed by an MGA 1500 in which I started motor rallying with Newcastle University Motor Club. Some 30 years later I finally gave up motor sport,my last event navigating a 6R4 Metro.
Archway kept my early cars running with parts and helpful advice,and I had the MGA Workshop Manual bought from them until quite recently.I remember changing the MGA clutch one icy Christmas after the release bearing totally wore away.
There was also an engine parts shop on Liverpool Road nearby in what remained of a bombed out terrace,and they never failed to provide pistons,rings,bearings etc. for every car I and my friends owned.
Manchester was not short of motoring suppliers,and all along the nearby part of Deansgate there were motor accesory shops - some may be there yet.
David
J 3355
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Nick Dean
United Kingdom
444 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 17:47:50
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Also in the 60;s the old fire station in Greenwich housed the Bone Brothers stock of s/hand parts, I got my first P type (DG9126) on the road with great help from Greenwich on Sunday mornings. Nick.
N A Dean |
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powerplus
United Kingdom
599 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2017 : 17:56:03
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For those of us who lived in North West England, Hoffman and Robinson, who were wreckers in Canal Road, Bradford, satisfied our spares requirements during 1960/70s. They specialised in MG spares and always had a wide range of used Triple-M parts. The advent of Naylor Bros, who set up business in nearby Shipley, was too much for them and they subsequently closed.
Powerplus. |
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