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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 08:49:13
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Wondering if anyone can assist me. I have a '35 P Type that's ended up in South Africa at some stage in it's life. It's a matching numbers car [Chassis/engine/gearbox/dynamo/rear axle/body no.] based on factory records. It started life in Lee on the Solent in mid to late '35 and suggestions are that the owner did a bit of trialling/racing with it based on correspondence from the factory to the owner. I made contact with the daughter in law who still resides in Lee on the Solent but she was unable to give me any further info, nor early photo's.
I have record of it's ownership here in RSA only as far back as about the mid seventies when it underwent a restoration and changed it's colour from a black body to 2 tone blue.
It's currently 'off road' as I rebuilt the engine and gearbox, just need to re-transplant everything!
My question is, is there any way to find out when it could have left the UK shores for RSA as I'm interested to know when it arrived here, and possibly who exported/imported it?
Any assistance most welcome
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 12:31:38
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A snippet of interest, the cars first owner was Cyril Lawrence Bagley who's son was Laurence Cyril Bagley, a very well known and respected UK artist who died in 1983. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Bagley_%28Artist%29
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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Brian Kelly
USA
526 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 20:03:22
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quote: Originally posted by F0355
It's a matching numbers car [Chassis/engine/gearbox/dynamo/rear axle/body no.] based on factory records. It started life in Lee on the Solent in mid to late '35 and suggestions are that the owner did a bit of trialling/racing with it based on correspondence from the factory to the owner. I made contact with the daughter in law who still resides in Lee on the Solent but she was unable to give me any further info, nor early photo's.
Peter,
Are you keeping the chassis number and original British registration number secret?
Brian.
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 21:23:24
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Brian, not at all, it's chassis PA2208 [26/6/35]. I have no record of a UK registration unfortunately......I was hoping to get that from the daughter in law of the 1st owner with possibly a period pic or two of the vehicle when new at the time. It was delivered to main agents Knotts Brothers on 24/7/35. A solitary letter in reply to the 1st owner dated 21/10/35 discussing compression ratios and triple valve springs is all I got from the MGCC's archives together with the job card/build date details. It's registered with the Triple-M Register and there was no previous record recorded prior to my ownership which has been about 10 years.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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Edited by - F0355 on 08/01/2012 21:26:58 |
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tonym
United Kingdom
655 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 16:03:19
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PA2208 was on the 1982 and 1986 Registers as belonging to Tony Brier - there was no registration number listed. |
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 16:36:52
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tonym, that's info I never knew so very well received, thanks. Was Tony Brier from the UK or RSA?
EDIT: Just checked all the old license disks that came in the cars dossier. A Mr. T. Kearney owned this car from the late '70's to 2000 when he sold it to a mate of mine who kept it for a year and then sold it to me, so being registered under Tony Brier in 82/86 is somewhat intriguing. Do you think he was a previous owner to T. Kearney but never informed the Triple-M Register that he had disposed of it?
I have a Pretoria RSA registration that the car carried prior to T. Kearney's ownership on hand which I am about to send to our Northern Centre [Pretoria] to see if they have record of a Mr. Tony Brier having owned it prior to T. Kearney.
I will post the outcome once received.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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Edited by - F0355 on 09/01/2012 17:10:25 |
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Peter Green
United Kingdom
1682 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 19:51:28
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Peter,
PA2208 was isted as being owned by Anthony Brier up to 2000 then in 2001 as being owned by Monty Isaacs in RSA.
No country is listed against Anthony Brier so I suspect he lived in the UK. I expect Robin Hamblett can tell you where he lived.
Peter |
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:26:20
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Thanks Peter. T. Kearney definitely owned it from the late 70's to 2000. I have all the paperwork as well as license discs and registration papers supporting this. The mate I mentioned that I bought it from was Monty Isaacs. He only had it for a year and then I bought it. Monty sadly passed away a few years after selling it to me.
I keenly await news from both the Pretoria center of the MGCC as well as Robin. I have asked the Pretoria center if Anthony Brier was a member there in the 70's.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 21:22:41
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I have had UK contact from the grandson of the 1st owner and he's advised that he has no period photos in his possession. He's asked his sister to have a look to see if she possibly has something. A long shot I know, but holding thumbs nonetheless.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 21:37:05
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I have found an Anthony Brier on the UK T Register and have sent him an email asking if he was a possible owner of PA 2208.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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Peter Green
United Kingdom
1682 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 23:24:47
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Peter,
Obviously Anthony Brier did not tell us (the Triple-M Register) when he sold the car (possibly to T. Kearney).
Peter. |
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 11:14:39
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quote: Originally posted by F0355
Do you think he was a previous owner to T. Kearney but never informed the Triple-M Register that he had disposed of it?
Thanks Peter, as suspected.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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tonym
United Kingdom
655 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 16:16:12
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Peter S Tony/Anthony Brier definatly in the UK He did rebuilds or made stuff for old MG's - I forget which I think he used to advertise in Safety Fast Tony |
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John James
United Kingdom
965 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 19:18:54
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Tony Brier is no longer in business. He had a 'mountain' of T-Type spares and at least one chassis (and one complete car from memory)but has sold most, if not all, of it.
As far as I know he is still around anthonybrier@live.co.uk Tel: 01757 288344 |
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 20:09:42
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Gents, thanks for the confirmation that Tony is indeed from the UK. John, that's the details I was able to find for Tony off the T Register from an old for sale advert and have sent him an email last night. I have just spoken with him on a very bad line but he's unable to recall this particular P Type as he's had "plenty of P Types" over the years. He's kindly offered to look through his paperwork to see what he can find.
Says he still has some "MG spares" but retired about 10 years back. Says he's now into aircraft.
Will update as and when I receive more info.
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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F0355
South Africa
298 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2012 : 18:56:22
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Sadly this news from Tony Brier:
quote: Hello Peter, I have looked back through my books but can find no trace of your PA and have no recollection of running one. All that I can assume is that when owned by myself it was either dismantled or a basic chassis and parts and sold as such in my early business years or possibly even before I started full time restoration (approx 1965). Sorry I cannot help further and apologies for the bad line, Best regards, Tony
Tony must have been talking about T Types when he said he had had plenty of them......it was a terrible line! I'm thinking now possibly there must be another Tony Brier?
The search continues
Peter Steyn Johannesburg, RSA
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Edited by - F0355 on 12/01/2012 19:00:48 |
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