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tholden
United Kingdom
1649 Posts |
 Posted - 25/04/2013 : 19:34:27
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It is with much sadness that I have to report that Eric Tieche passed away peacefully today at the grand age of 97.
He was an amazing individual and a brilliant precision engineer of Swiss origin. Right up to these last few months he was still working on MG engines and parts to the very high standards which he set himself. Erics involvement with Triple M MG's goes back to the pre war era and his vast knowledge of our cars was legendary. For many many years all the best engine, gearbox and ancillary rebuilds were carried out by his company A.E.Tieche and co of Wembley under the watchful eye of Eric and his son Colin. His company was also responsible for the production of many new and replacement Triple M component parts such as the improved J2 engine blocks first produced in 1979. At any one time during the seventies and eighties you could find up to a dozen or more Triple M engines and other parts being rebuilt at the factory in Wembley and I think it is true to say that the engineering and parts manufacturing they carried out had a significant impact on the world of Triple M MG motoring for many years.
Eric rebuilt quite a few MG's over the years but his favourite was always his red J2 which he owned for over 50 years. It was always immaculate and incredibly quick for a standard J2, a sure testament to his high engineering standards. On one dark winters night in the mid seventies he decided to demonstrate to me how fast it would go. I have to tell you that Eric driving me around the North Circular Road at pushing 90 mph was one of the scariest moments of my life ! This car is today owned and actively used by Philip Coombes.
Eric with his vast knowledge of MG,s and his engineering skills will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Eric was always generous with the sharing of his knowledge and skills and I cannot begin to count the hundreds of hours that we have spent together in his basement workshop rebuilding engines and superchargers etc.
He is survived by many MG engines still running like the clocks he made in his early years, his daughter Pauline and his son Colin to whom we send our sincerest condolences. Rest in peace Eric.
TH |
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Jon Marsh
United Kingdom
49 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 22:03:47
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I am very sorry to hear this sad news. I met Eric a few years ago when I bought from him a spare J2 engine that he had rebuilt. He was a fascinating man, an amazingly talented engineer. He took great pleasure in showing me his workshops, with many of the machine tools he had made himself. He told me that my engine was the last he would do, but then, having shown me all the parts he still had he chuckled and said, "well maybe I'll do another". He also gave me and my pal who helped me collect the engine his life history (well clearly a potted version) and showed me letters he still received from the Swiss Embassy annually.
I felt privilaged to have met him, albeit briefly.
Jon Marsh |
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Barry Walker
United Kingdom
236 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 23:09:19
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I was truly saddened to learn tonight of the passing of Eric Tieche. To the older fraternity of the MMM movement he was not only a highly respected figure but one of the most intelligent and interesting characters you could ever meet. To me he was one of the finest engineers to cross my path, and when we lived and worked in South London, taught me much of what I know in the early years of my MMM life. Believe it or not, he was , together with his son Colin, my first customers in 1968, and apart from buying from me, produced some of the highest quality MMM spares that we had the privilege of stocking from the beginning.
He set a standard that I like to think was the benchmark in MMM restoration. His superb red J2 and the many exquisite cars that he and Colin rebuilt and campaigned over the years are testament to the attention to engineering detail that he never veered from.
In his basement workshop he produced parts so small I couldn't see them with the naked eye, and there probably isn't a Marles Weller steering box in existence that doesn't carry Eric Tieche hemispheres!
Sue and I send our sincerest condolences to Colin and all the family; and thank you Eric for the incredible contribution you made to the world of MMM motoring. Rest in Peace.
Yours, Barry & Sue Walker.
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3267 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2013 : 11:39:32
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Whilst I did not know Eric well I did meet him at Silverstone on occasion.
The Tieche family Triple-M cars certainly set the standard, along with the J4 of Geoff Coles.
The ex Hamilton J4 created a huge impression when it was raced in the 1970s, the attached photo dates from 1974. It was superbly built and also very rapid. The car also featured on the front cover of the 1973 and 1977 Yearbooks.
Their NA Airline was also superb, I recall Mike Hawke and I awarded Colin the Triple-M concours award at a MGCC Car Club Silverstone meeting.
George
L2023
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Edited by - George Eagle on 26/04/2013 11:41:09 |
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McEvoy
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2013 : 16:26:30
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I was very saddened to learn that Eric had passed away. Having known both Eric and his son for more years that I care to remember back to my R type days he was without doubt a truly gifted hands on engineer and most generous with his help and advice. It was a couple of years ago that I last met Eric when visiting Colin in his home in France and I can now well recall his enthusiasm and clarity of thought when both he and Colin were showing me their latest Triple-M work.
He seemed to thrive on an engineering challenge and took as much interest and time in developing the engineering solution as much as actually producing the final component.
His Triple-M contribution was immense, thank you Eric and my sincere condolences to Colin and family
Bob Milton |
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philcoombs
United Kingdom
77 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2013 : 18:52:18
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Sad news indeed and my sincere condolences to Colin and all the family. But what a great age to have lived to and still to have been able to continue with his passion to the end.
Eric's J2 is a testament to his skills and a constant reminder to me that doing something properly really does make a difference. Forty or more years on the car is still standard, quick and, almost more importantly, drives beautifully. Wendy and I use it regularly both for long distance touring and for competitive hill-climbing and sprinting all of which it undertakes without complaint. It is a privilege to be responsible for Eric's J2 and I like to think that he would approve of the way in which it is being used.
Philip Coombs |
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Christian H
Germany
58 Posts |
Posted - 27/04/2013 : 12:39:10
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I would like to send my sincerest condolences to Colin and his family. His father was a remarkable man. My dad and I have met him whilst I collected my J2330 a few years ago from them. I very well remember how Eric told us about his honeymoon trip to Switzerland in 1938 with his J2 and doing many Alpine passes, without any trouble. However, back in England when going back to work his crankshaft broke! I also remember Eric was particular interested in the J-Types.
Christian Höptner
Christian Hoeptner |
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