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LewPalmer
USA
3300 Posts |
 Posted - 30/12/2024 : 22:44:53
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Is there someone that can put me in touch with a James Cowie, member of the Aukland Center MGCC? He posted a story of a PA Airline Coupe purchased in London and subsequently brought to New Zealand. Specifically: https://www.mgclub.org.nz/includes/download.aspx?ID=140180
and which is described and pictured in his father's book about early motoring in New Zealand.
I have been able to positively discover the ID of the car and may be able to fill in a few blanks.
Lew Palmer
Director of Vehicle Records, NAMMMR
Lew Palmer
PA1169, NA0651 |
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Geoff.Broadhead
New Zealand
32 Posts |
Posted - 31/12/2024 : 08:15:44
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Hi Lew,
I try to keep tabs on any Triple-M cars in NZ - if you go through the MGCC Auckland Centre website you can access details of what is out here: www.MGclub.org.nz/Information/Registers.
Your question on the Triple-M website discussion forum today was pointed out to me by Peter Yonge. I first saw this same article about this PA Airline Coupe on the Triple-M Forum a few years ago, and I tried then, unsuccessfully, to find out if anyone knew anything more about the car.
The only PA Airline Coupe I am aware of that has been out here is the following (sad story):
Car's History
Ex Vic Vischovich Airline Coupe. (could have been PA 0538). Vic was a fishmonger from Onehunga and he cut out (some tell me he hacked out!)the rear of the Airline Coupe to enable him to transport his fish boxes in the mid/late 1950s.
Owner's details
Doubtful this car still exists – I don't think that either PA 1189 nor PA 0538 are listed in the Triple M Register (UK).
I'm afraid that's all I know. I have been a Member of MGCC Auckland for 40+ years and don't recall any 'Cowie'. (My wife would probably say that if I had met Cowie yesterday I would likely have forgotten!!).
Lew, you say you have identified the PA in question - can you tell me the chassis number please?
All the Best for the New Year
Geoff |
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LewPalmer
USA
3300 Posts |
Posted - 31/12/2024 : 16:42:39
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Thanks, Geoff. The article that raised my interest may be found here: http://www.mgclub.org.nz/includes/download.aspx?ID=140180
The Airline Coupe in Mr. Cowie's article is PA1810 purchased new in 1935 by Lord Garvagh. Then purchased by James Cowie's father, driven around Europe, and shipped to New Zealand. The car is mentioned and pictured in the book "Yesterday's Motoring" by Graham Cowie.
Interesting about the other two cars you mention. PA1189 was never an Airline Coupe per se, however, you mention PA0538. PA0539 is (was) an Airline Coupe, now living in California. It is a bit of a mixture with parts coming from other cars. The engine is from PA1443 and The BODY IS FROM PA1189!!
So any more information you can share about the early life of PA1189/PA0539 would be most appreciated.
Lew Palmer
PA1169, NA0651 |
Edited by - LewPalmer on 31/12/2024 17:01:05 |
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LewPalmer
USA
3300 Posts |
Posted - 31/12/2024 : 19:40:54
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Geoff,
Assuming the Vic Vischovich Airline Coupe, is in reality PA0539, not PA0538 (which was never an Airline Coupe, although PA0537 WAS one) it would be most helpful if we could establish how the car came to New Zealand. It is simply too much of a coincidence to believe PA0539 wasn't the Vischovich car, especially given the fact that PA0539 now is fitted with the body from PA1189.
Lew Palmer
PA1169, NA0651 |
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Geoff.Broadhead
New Zealand
32 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2025 : 00:36:20
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Hello again Lew,
I have made some progress tracking down James Cowie. I am waiting for him to call me.
Geoff |
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Geoff.Broadhead
New Zealand
32 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2025 : 05:19:02
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Lew, I have reprinted your Discussion Forum post below and added some comments about PA Airline Coupes. My comments (in CAPITALS) are really those of P Type Registrar, Mike Long who, I’m sure you know, owns a PA Airline Coupe.
You said: “The Airline Coupe in Mr. Cowie's article is PA1810 purchased new in 1935 by Lord Garvagh. Then purchased by James Cowie's father, driven around Europe, and shipped to New Zealand. The car is mentioned and pictured in the book "Yesterday's Motoring" by Graham Cowie. (PA 0810 WAS NOT AN AIRLINE COUPE WHEN BUILT AND, AS GRAHAM COWIE, THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR PURCHASED IT IN 1935/6 IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE TO BE HIGHLY IMPROBABLE THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REBODIED SO EARLY IN ITS LIFE.
Interesting about the other two cars you mention. PA1189 was never an Airline Coupe per se, (CORRECT - THIS LEFT THE FACTORY AS A 2 SEATER SPORTSCAR) however, you mention PA0538. (THIS PA LEFT THE FACTORY AS A CHASSIS ONLY AND MIKE SAYS IT IS UNLIKELY THAT AN AIRLINE BODY WOULD HAVE BEEN FITTED BY A COACHBUILDER AS AIRLINE BODIES WERE SUPPLIED VIA MG CAR COMPANY), PA0539 is (was) an Airline Coupe, now living in California. It is a bit of a mixture with parts coming from other cars. The engine is from PA1443 and The BODY IS FROM PA1189!! (THIS IS ALL CONSISTENT WITH MIKE'S REPLY TO ME.)
So any more information you can share about the early life of PA1189/PA0539 would be most appreciated.
LEW, I'M AFRAID THIS DOES NOT SOLVE YOUR QUESTION - WHICH AIRLINE COUPE THE COWIES OWNED AND EXPORTED TO NZ. GRAHAM COWIE WAS A SURGEON AND HIS WIFE AN ANAESTHETIST. BEFORE THE WAR, VIENNA WAS THE WORLD LEADING CENTRE FOR LATEST SURGERY TECHNIQUES, AND GRAHAM AND HIS WIFE LIVED IN VIENNA FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF WAR (BRITAIN DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY IN SEPTEMBER 1939).
INTERESTINGLY, LORD GARVAGH THE ORIGINAL OWNER, WAS INVOLVED WITH THE FASCISTI MOVEMENT IN UK, IN FACT HE WAS THE MOVEMENT'S FIRST PRESIDENT.
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njnh
United Kingdom
418 Posts |
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Ray Masters
United Kingdom
575 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2025 : 11:05:56
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| This book is available from AbeBooks and being sold in New Zealand |
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LewPalmer
USA
3300 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2025 : 15:35:01
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Thanks, Geoff. I agree that PA538 was a chassis only as it left the factory. I don't believe I ever said it wasn't. My goal is twofold. 1) It has long been thought there was doubt over the identity of the Cowie car. Based on James Cowie's remark that it was purchased from a "Lord something", there was only one such named owner: Lord Garvagh. So I was only trying to set the record straight and to let James Cowie know that.
My second goal was to find the early history of PA0539, which DID leave the factory as an Airline Coupe which sometime in it's life acquired a different body and engine. This vaguely is reminiscent of your statement "Ex Vic Vischovich Airline Coupe. (could have been PA 0538).". I was simply pointing out the the Vischovich car could not have been PA0538 but might have been PA0539. (easy to misread one digit). If that is indeed so, I am interested in more detail on PA0539's early history and how it wound up in New Zealand. It's just that the description of the Vischovich car sounds like an explanation of how PA0539 get to be a mixture of parts and no longer sporting an Airline Coupe body.
Lew Palmer
PA1169, NA0651 |
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KevinA
New Zealand
684 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2025 : 00:40:35
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The Cowie article said it was sold to Hawera. It probably didn't stay there long as this was from September 1940
Six months prior to that, in March 1940 we also had this, which I presume was when the Cowies sold it
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Edited by - KevinA on 09/01/2025 00:45:13 |
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LewPalmer
USA
3300 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2025 : 02:04:44
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Thanks, Kevin. I assume Hawera and H.J. Jones, Masterson are/were both in New Zealand. It's pretty clear the car is PA1810, but it would be great to know its fate subsequently. Also, and especially what became of the Vic Vischovich Airline Coupe. Could the Vischovich car have been in reality PA0539? But at least we have (I think) closed the loop on PA1810.
Lew Palmer
PA1169, NA0651 |
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Geoff.Broadhead
New Zealand
32 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2025 : 23:50:05
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Lew, I can finally confirm that the Airline Coupe was indeed, as you thought from the outset of your original post, PA 1810.
I received a photo of the Airline Coupe parked in London (C.1936/8) from James Cowie yesterday which clearly shows the car’s UK registration plate.(Unfortunately, I find the photo will not attach to this reply. I can forward it to your email address Lew, if you like).
Last night Mike Long told me: "Thanks for the photo. The car is PA1810. There is nothing about it in the database apart from the transcribed factory file. It is an original Airline. The registration number is not in the DVLA database, so it was probably either scrapped or exported. I will add the photo to the database”.
The story goes cold after the Cowies, who lived in Masterton (Wairarapa, north of Wellington) sold the car to someone in Hawera (in Taranaki Region, west coast of North Island). The Hawrea owner on sold the car in late 1940 for 160 pounds (Kevin, I too had, this week, been pointed to the sales advert from Taranaki Daily News 04.09.40 by John MacDonald, but had not seen the earlier sales ad you also copied from March that year.
Lew, the March advertisement for the car is clearly the Cowies selling it. The Cowies were living in Masterton at the time and the Taranaki sale is the Hawera owner on-selling it 6 months later.
Ascertaining exactly what happened to this car after if left Hawera is unknown but hopefully, with a MGCC Pre 56 National Rally coming up in NZ in March this year, I shall take the opportunity to reach a wider audience by featuring the story of this car in the event programme and asking for anyone who recalls this car to contact me.
Ps.Kevin, I would love to have been featuring your car in the Rally programme!!
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LewPalmer
USA
3300 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2025 : 16:11:14
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Geoff,
Many thanks for the confirmation. Yes, I would appreciate any photos or documentation. I have started a file on PA1810 now thar we know the facts. I'm still anxious to identify the Vic Vischovich Airline Coupe, as I believe it may turn out to be PA0539.
Lew Palmer
PA1169, NA0651 |
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Geoff.Broadhead
New Zealand
32 Posts |
Posted - 10/01/2025 : 23:02:32
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| The posts by Nigel and Ray about the book written by Graham Cowie are correct. The book "The Life & Times of a GP" is definitely available, but James Cowie tells me the book to buy is "Yesterday's Motoring" by his father Graham, which is more focussed on the cars he owned and is also still available. |
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NZ_monty
New Zealand
67 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2025 : 03:43:18
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Hi,
I suspect nothing to do with James Cowie's Airline but I just stumbled accross this photo of Airline coupe taken 19 Aug 1945 at a "Winter Trial" in NZ. Run by the Northern Sports Car Club (so in the Auckland region.)
I'm going to try and get a better scan.
Also Kevin, where did you find those old newpaper ads? |
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KevinA
New Zealand
684 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2025 : 09:47:24
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quote:
Originally posted by NZ_monty
Hi,
Also Kevin, where did you find those old newpaper ads?
Hi Dan
They came straight off Papers Past. It's certainly a great resource |
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James Cowie of Aukland NZ
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