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MG TD TF 1500 - 1950 Daily Express Car Rally

A few weeks ago I obtained an old b&w photograph off e-bay. As you can see it shows a small ceremony going on with an MG TD as centre of the activities. A bit of research on the internet made it clear the photo was taken at the 1950 MCC Daily Express 1000 Miles Car Rally held from 8th to 11th November 1950.
Unfortunately I couldn't find anything on the driver/navigator of this TD. Maybe one of our UK members can shed some light here ???
Thanks beforehand !

Nick (TD3232)

Nick Herwegh

Nice picture.
Christopher Couper

I checked the DVLA database and this car went off the UK list in 1982, probably sold abroad.
DVLA don't give any chassis numbers so I cant trace it.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Ray was right when he said this TD was probably sold abroad, it appears that it went to, or with, a new owner to Wellington, New Zealand. Identity of the driver/navigator in 1950 not known. It is TD503 fitted with XPAG TD862 built on 20 January 1950, finished in black. It is interesting to note that it is fitted with the early slotted wheels, not the later pierced wheels which are thought to have come in after TD601, MG did not record the exact date on the build records. Can anybody add to that?
Roy
R.E. Miller

Roy - I'm interested to note that you identify the car's chassis and engine numbers and confidently describe the paint as black - what is your source for this information? Is that in DVLA records?

Best thanks, Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Wasn't that the rallye where Sheila VanDamm drove her Talbot Sunbeam, navigated by Windmill Striptease Club artists?

Also, I remember seeing a programme for that rallye, which may list the entrants. There must have been a lot of entrants, but you may be lucky and find number plate info, from which you can determine the driver and navigator. I'm sure there must be examples of the brochure floating about in the UK - it was a popular and challenging event.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Thank you all for your replies so far !
Tom,
You're correct on Sheila van Damm. She was navigated by her sister and finished third in the ladies class. It was her first ever car rally. (She wrote a nice account of the event in chapter three of her biography "No Excuses")

What is more important though is that the event was won outright by Geoff Holt navigated by Stan Astbury in "FMO885" the TD Mk2 prototype (starting number 420). Probably the only time a TD won a National Rally outright...
Second was Ian Appleyard in a SS100 Jaguar, with Len Shaw/Doug Lawton third in a MGY saloon registered "OWL543" (The ex-Betty Haig Monte Carlo Rally car). MG also won the Team Award...
Nick Herwegh

Yes EFE151 is indeed in New Zealand.

I restored this car some years back. it is now Clipper Blue.

I need to get out the restoration file and look for the images taken as the rebuild took place.

I will contact the new owner and advise him.

We did not know of any UK history.
Rod Brayshaw

I love this BBS...!

Jasper
Jasper Nederhoed TD3966

iMAGE OF EFE151

Rod Brayshaw

Motor Sport magazine for December 1950 wasn’t exactly complimentary about the event -
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1950/7/matters-moment

I’m trying to track down the competitors list for the present owner of the car, so any pointers would be good. At the moment I think it might be case of contacting the archives at the British Motor Museum.

David

David Wardell

Roy Miller - I would be very interested to hear from
you in regards my earlier, as yet unanswered, question above. Thank you.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

One or two comments.

The car was registered in the City of Lincoln (my birthplace).

The door in the background carries a Matchless motorcycle logo, perhaps indicating the location was a garage or workshop.

Likewise, the clock on the wall suggests a place that employees would "clock in" to work.

Perhaps the car met with some success in the rally and had returned to its place of origin for publicity purposes.
R G Everitt

it is on the T Register complete with reg number and colour,
Ray
Ray Lee

Ray - Thanks very much.

Tom Lange
t lange

Hi all, I'm the owner of EFE 151 or #503 which now resides in NZ. It had an extensive restoration by Rod Brayshaw to the 2000s before we purchased it in 2007.

It's affectionately known as Clementine by the family and has featured on the front cover of a Moss Catalog.

I'n very interested in the history you guys have uncovered so if you have anything to add or that I can obtain for her file it would be greatly appreciated. Especially ownership in UK and who drove the car in the MCC rally?

Kind regards
Ross
R F Armstrong

Reactivated ...

Ross Armstrong the present owner of this car has managed to get a copy of the Programme and Results for the 1950 Daily Express 1000 Mile Rally from ebay.
These show that TD was in fact entered by a D.J.G Hindle and J.R.J. Mansbridge, whereas a previous article listed A.K. Dyke and co-driver Ron Goldbourn. Can anyone shed any light on this?

Researching history does take time ...

David
David Wardell

If the names are against just the competition number then maybe someone dropped out and that altered the list?
M Magilton

HI all,

I've listed a thread today but now found this link so here is the info again.

"MGCC T Register N Mystery Re EFE151 and Daily Express rally

I'm in UK until the end of July.

Have managed to get a copy of the Programme and Results for the1950 Daily Express 1000 Mile rally off Ebay.

Mystery is that entry No 419, EFE151, which was shown in the Daily Express article was in fact entered by D.J.G Hindle and J.R.J. Mansbridge Class B MG 1250 M.C.C. Starting in Manchester but not listed as losing less than14 marks. Actually 308.14

As you know that article was identified in the forum you kindly copied to me listed A.K. Dyke and co-driver Ron Goldbourn. Neither of these persons are listed in either the programme or the results.

So there are a few possibilities. The newspaper article was staged or the identification of the people was incorrect?

I'd appreciate your thoughts and may be if you could ask the question in the forum?

Naturally as the current owner I'd like to be able to get the correct info for my records.

I do have some ownership history for UK but can't access this until I get home in August.


Cheers Ross
UK Ph is 07718017127
R F Armstrong

Re JRJ Mansbridge - Mansbridge's was a car dealership in the City of Lincoln.

If you Google

Mansbridge Lincoln

you will find several of their adverts.
Geoff Everitt

Hi all,

I'm back in NZ safely.

Nick, you posted the original start to this with you photo. Do you or any one have a date for the Daily Express article. I'm going to dig into the archives and suspect if close to the rally end dates however.

Posted 26 January 2018 at 18:16:53 UK time
Nick Herwegh, Netherlands

Cheers
Ross
R F Armstrong

Further to above. I've searched the Daily Express archives and the photo Nick Herwegh listed doesn't appear so it may not have been in the DE paper.

Nick if you do read this I would be interested in obtaining the photo from you. Please feel free to email me.

EFE 151 photo below.

Regards Ross

R F Armstrong

Ross

Have tried Motorsport Magazine archives for 1950?

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/search/1950

Ian Fry

Tks Ian,

Had a quick look but nothing so far.
R F Armstrong

I love old pics! PJ


PJ Jennings

This thread was discussed between 26/01/2018 and 06/09/2019

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