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G Martin
New Zealand
10 Posts |
 Posted - 21/06/2019 : 04:15:24
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A contact is seeking information about his father's MG. Has the car been a survivor and if so where is it likely to be today. My guess is that it is an MG F2. I understand that the photos were taken in the Netherlands
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6536 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 05:24:10
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It could indeed be an F2 but it could also be an early L2 with the flat fuel tank (see the discussion on this here http://www.triple-mregister.org/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16057&whichpage=2)
However, the mid mounted electric wiper - standard on the L2 but not the F2 - might slightly sway the argument in favour of the L2. Also, the flat line of the hood matches that of the L2 tested by Motor Sport rather than the more 'peaked' style shown in factory photos of the F2.
The factory records don’t show any F2s being exported to the Netherlands but L2044 was exported there in September 1933 to a Mr J.J. Molenaar in Amersfoot. By November that year it was owned by a Mr. W.P. Peletier. This car has apparently survived and is listed still in the Netherlands with Register number 1582. L2067 also went to the Netherlands to a Mr. C. Bakseio but nothing further seems to be known of this car. Both of these cars, however, would seem rather late in production to have had the flat tank!
I suspect that the registration number isn’t any help as it probably/possibly was allocated to the owner and not the car. Maybe our Dutch friends can shed some light on this?
Simon J
J3437 |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
748 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 09:39:50
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What splendid pics! Definitely taken in the Netherlands. The registration number is a provincial one still. From 1951 the system changed from local to national with the final cars being re registered in 1956. The E stands for Overijssel, a province in the east of the Netherlands. Unfortunately their records do not survive, but I've asked our historian Wiard Krook if he knows anything. He usually does, so fingers crossed!
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KevinA
New Zealand
712 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 09:40:23
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| That flat hood is rather attractive but I suspect not too practical for the taller members of society! |
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Matthew Magilton
Australia
179 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 09:50:57
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| Could the taller members have let a little air out of the seat pillow? (Did these models have the pneumatic cushion?). |
Edited by - Matthew Magilton on 21/06/2019 09:51:56 |
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Westbury
United Kingdom
2211 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 09:53:43
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Does anyone know for certain that any L2 was ever sold from the Abingdon works with cycle wings ?
I presume that an L2 could be so supplied at the request of the customer.
Chris
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Onno
Netherlands
1093 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 10:35:54
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It does look very F2 to me.
The rad, front valance and badge bar look F and not L
Onno "D" Könemann |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6536 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 11:54:43
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Silly me, I was overlooking the cycle wings. I keep thinking of the L2 just being a six-cylinder J2  . Those, and the flat tank, would certainly suggest an F2. At least one F2, F1449, was exported to continental Europe, to a Mr. R.A.E. Birch in Germany who also bought an L2.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
748 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 12:06:57
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| Your 'a Mr. Birch' and 'a Mr. Molenaar' were the actual importers for Germany and the Netherlands respectively, Simon! Molenaar very much officially, Birch a little less so, but still! |
Edited by - Cathelijne on 21/06/2019 12:07:23 |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6536 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 13:37:20
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Thanks, Cathelijne. Those little snippets of information are so useful when trying to piece a car’s history together. I did wonder why Mr Molenaar parted with the car so quickly. And also why Mr Birch bought two cars in successive years. Now we know.
Simon J
J3437 |
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tholden
United Kingdom
1663 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 15:31:25
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Mr Birch was responsible for arranging the export of quite a few cars to Germany. He either worked for University Motors or was closely connected with them. I think I heard somewhere that he was a friend of Hugh Hamilton who, of course also worked for UM as a salesman.
TH |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 17:41:53
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| RAE 'Tony' Birch was also - at various times - associated with Whitney Straight, ERA and Robert Arbuthnot (at High Speed Motors). He was also Dick Seaman's manager. |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6536 Posts |
Posted - 21/06/2019 : 19:59:04
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The F2, F1449, was sold to R.A.E. Birch through University Motors. An L1 and an L2, however, were sold to him through Morris Industries Export Division.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
748 Posts |
Posted - 22/06/2019 : 11:22:52
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Thijs did some research last night and came up with this postcard of Zijpe, in the province of Zeeland (south west corner & my favourite bit of the country), dated ca. 1935 and sent in 1938, so our young man was touring the country, being some 100 miles away from home in Overijssel.
I think we've established it's an F2 for certain, right? Plus I think we can now safely assume the pictures were taken before 1940.
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Edited by - Cathelijne on 22/06/2019 11:24:22 |
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G Martin
New Zealand
10 Posts |
Posted - 23/06/2019 : 22:14:49
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Thank you for the replies so far. Cathelijne, thank you for the research and photo of the postcard of Zijpe. The general consensus seems to support the car being an F2.
Greg Martin
PA 0817 |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
748 Posts |
Posted - 24/06/2019 : 16:24:13
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Wiard Krook has come back to me with the following details:
F1458 is the only F2 that is mentioned in the Dutch importer's books. In the column 'dealer' it says 'direct sale from England.' The entire entry is then crossed out as per the attached pics. The owner's name is - if we've deciphered it correcty - C.L.E.P. Bosch from Amsterdam. In another column giving extra info it says 'other car Huberts', again if read correctly. Whatever that may mean. The entry itself is undated but should be between 15 March and 1 June 1934.
Wiard also says our Dutch AA holds the archive for provincial numbers giving owner names at their headquarters in The Hague, which is actually where I live. Will try and pop down there to see what I can find!
The Register database says F1458 was newly delivered to University Motors having been built on 11 October 1932. No other details but the colours and the engine number are known.
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Has anyone got any information on this MG F2?
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