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MG MGA - MGA POLICE CAR REGISTER

Hello,

I would like to ask if there is already a MGA POLICE CAR REGISTER existing on this world !

If not, I would like to start such a register and I'm asking for data about everything concerning those cars that were modified for police use. Pictures are also welcomed.

Thanks

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

Hi Giovanni,

Do you have an ex police MGA ?

Are you talking about UK police MGA's or world wide?

Certainly one MGA police car appears at goodwood most years.

Certainly the chassis numbers of some MGA's sent to various UK forces is known.

Thanks
Mark
Mark Hester

Hi Mark,

I do have a MKII that was delivered at Lancashire Police Dept. in August 1961. The car is in bits and pieces and I would like to restore it completely.
Therefore I'm trying to find people that have already gone trough this adventure :-)
I would alos like to know which additional features the cars had.

Thanks

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

There is a book "M.G.'s On Patrol" that is available from Amazon.com. It is supposed to give information on all MG models used in police service.

George
G Goeppner

Hi Giovanni , Looks like you have set yourself a task. For your information - I live in Lancashire and have a 1960 Mk1 roadster in Black. I am often asked if mine is an ex-Lancashire Police model ( it isn't)- [although I think that there is one on display at Holker Hall]. At a local shoe about 3 years ago a chap came over and asked that very question - he is now in fact the West Lancashire "town crier" and was in his full costume . He was asking because he was a traffic police officer in the Lancashire constabulary and drove a Black MGA every day. I thought that he was going to say how much he enjoyed it but he then said " God I hated driving that thing!". Having said that he is a big bloke perhaps 6'4" tall and around 20 stone ( no metric conversions available!). He said that he had spent up to 12 hours a day with the car and he ached after the day's shift was over. When he stopped a speeding motorist he had to get out of the car - which he described as rather undignified as he virtually fell out and then had to crawl before he stood up straight. I asked him if he had any photos and he said that he might have - but he has not produced any yet.
Good Luck with your project - cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

There is a bit on this site: www.policecaruk.com

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hello everybody,

For George : I do have that book, but it does not list all the supplementary features the car had when it was "Bult to full Police Specifications".
Would be happy if someone could list those "Specifications".

For Steve: Thank you for the link.

For Cam: I did already read your statement on another forum. I do know what "Stone" means :-) as the dimensions of the MGA were also given in "stone" !

As far as I read on the forum there is a police car in USA that was rebuild by University Motores and the owner is Mr. Geljack. He mentioned that he was supported by Mr. David Cox as "spare part supplier". Do you know him?
Could you establish a connection for me to Mr. Cox ?


Thanks to all.

Giovanni



Giovanni Delicio

Hi Giovanny,

here are some MGA police car pictures I shot some weeks ago at the Goodwood Revival. Unfortunately I had no opportunity to get a close look in the cockpit.

Cheers, Robert

Robert Mueller

next picture ...

Robert Mueller

... third one

Robert Mueller

... and the last one.

Robert Mueller


From the Holland register site:

http://www.mgaregister.nl/classic/police.htm

Mark Hester

Here is another nice picture.

Giovanni Delicio

Not constructive I dare say, but a former UK policeman that I know went to Oxford (not Abingdon) to pick up some new MGA police cars (coupes?) and were given afternoon tea, etc. I have two 1600s, a coupe and a roadster, that's what got us talking.
Barry Bahnisch

Hi Barry,

as far as I know there were NO coupé given to policemen (women) because they could not go out fast enough !!!
Giovanni Delicio

That would be an amusing sight; two big police officers rushing to get out of (or into) a coupe...

As Cam said it seems that it was difficult enough with a roadster!

N McGurk

Other sports cars used by the British police force were Daimler Dart SP250, MG TC, MGC, and MGB GTV8.

Dave
Dave Barron

Hi Giovanni! The top speed of a coupe exceeded that of the equivalent roadster (better aerodynamics)! My friend, who is rather tall, must have had quite a lot of trouble getting in and out! I remember seeing two large policemen in a Mini (in Wales, I think). I am now having the same trouble!
Barry Bahnisch

I own also a coupe and know well the difference when entering the car !!
The most driven car is the roadster ! Ask me WHY !!!
Giovanni Delicio

Someone mentioned earlier that there is one at Holker Hall in the Lake District. This whole museum (Lakeland Motor Museum) has now moved to Newby Bridge at the bottom of Windermere and I was there yesterday. Here is a photo of it. I have a few more photos too if anyone wants copies. I was going to ask to raise the bonnet and get its pedigree but as you can see it is jammed up against an Amphicar so this wasn't feasible.

Here is the web address: -

http://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/

There is a picture of the dash on their site and they use a full picture of it on their leaflet.

Their blurb says it is a '1600 with rear drums based on twin cam/deluxe spec'. I couldn't really check details but it certainly has tc/deluxe seats. It says the force had about 50 divided between White (Type A) and Black (Type B).

Note it even has a policeman driving and policewoman cadet in the cab, almost too realistic.


Paul

P M Dean

Paul, I noticed that last time I was there, they are just confused with the description. I think the fact that it has deluxe seats, which is not related to the rest of the spec. is perhaps the cause.
N McGurk

John Twist at University Motors in Michigan has just completed a restoration of an MGA police car. Go to <universitymotorsltd.com> Completed Projects 1961 MGA MkII. I don't know how accurate the restoration was, or if it was a "recreation", but John is very good at sharing information, you might want to contact him.

Good Luck, George
G Goeppner

Giovanni,

Your picture of the female line up.They are known in Liverpool as " Judy Scuffers".Some new words to add to your vocabulary.Cam will understand.
M Blencowe

Certainly do Mark - everyone else will have to read "Learn yourself Scouse"
Cam Cunningham

MG's on Patrol - Book detailing MGA's used by Police etc - currently on EBAY see link...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-MGs-ON-PATROL-ANDREA-GREEN-TC-M-TYPE-J2-MGB-MGC-MGA-/260798583756?pt=UK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET&hash=item3cb8ce93cc#ht_519wt_1093
A Stojanovic

Hello Cam,

I do know what "Scouse" means, it's Liverpool Dialect!!
But I don't know what is "Scuffers". Could you translate it for me ? :-)

Thanks a lot.

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

For George,

I know about the car restored by University Motors. The owner is Mr. Geljack.

I tried to get in contact with him. without success.
Attached you can see the car.

Regards

Giovanni

Giovanni Delicio

It seems strange to me that they went to so much trouble to recreate the period police specification so carefully and then fitted custom burgundy interior and chrome wires?
N McGurk

Hi Giovanni,
Correct - "scouse" is the Liverpool dialect ( and also the stew that is eaten in Liverpool).
In scouse a "scuffer" is a policeman and a "Judy" is a woman. cheers Cam ( I'm not actually a scouser but lived near Liverpool since I was 4)
P.S. The two photos appear to show completely different cars.
Cam Cunningham

Cam

I thought police were bizzies. I guess you are now a twirly.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Looking at the University Motors photo I am very surprised to see wires on a supposed police car, surely not a very practical option for them. Perhaps someone with the ref book can clarify?

As I am on again I have attached a photo of the info board at the Lakeland Museum. In terms of info being confused a couple of points. Fifty seems a lot of As for one force? With standard engine and brakes it would seem it isn't a Deluxe but a 1600 with Deluxe seats, it would have been intersting to see under the bonnet. The car in the photo with the policewoman isn't any model A! From the registration it appears a genuine ex police car as the next number to it is one of the cars in the photo of several leaning on the screen.

Paul

P M Dean

Right Paul - I too thought that wires were not used on the Police cars.
Steve - "bizzies" is the term used by the kids I used to teach in the 1990s. "Scuffers" was the term used in the 1960s - so I guess I am a "twirly" just like you!
Cam Cunningham

Neil,
Mr. Ken Geljack stated that he modified the car to wire wheels BEFORE knowing that this car was a former police car !

The necessary parts were organised by a certain David COX. You can read the whole article on Barney's site:

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/variants/vt105p2.htm


Regards

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

Does anyone know Mr. David COX ?


Thanks

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

Not directly, but I have an email address for Kenneth Geljack, who should know how to contact David Cox. I suspect they would both be friendly and helpful for another MGA police car owner. Contact me via personal email, barneymg@mgaguru.com
Barney Gaylord


I've sent Barney a list of rego numbers from all those photos both here and on barney's site.

Keep posting photos and I can look on DVLA if they still exist. sometimes this gives a 1st registered date, which matched with colour "could" yeild a chassis number

Of the 49 Police cars it appears very few still exist.

Cheers
Mark

Mark Hester

Hi Mark,

could you send me a PM with the rego numbers ?

giovanni.delicio@sidel.com.


Thanks

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

Hi Cam.I was hatched in the Royal Infirmary at the top of London Road.It's now the School of Tropical Medicine( which says it all really).

We did once have a kid in Speke who went to University. He's in a jar.
M Blencowe

Hi Mark - love that last comment - must use it myself sometime ( with your permission). In fact several kids I taught when I was in Halewood should have been pickled and put in jars!
Cam Cunningham

This thread was discussed between 03/10/2012 and 02/11/2012

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