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MG TD TF 1500 - Looking for TC Owner

I have located a 1948 TC, red, car no TC/4719, Engine no XPAG 5326, and I'm trying to trace its owner or relatives / descendants of its owner.

The car was built in February 1948 and shipped to Australia. (TC/4718 is still there, by the way!) While there it acquired a cast alloy rocker cover with the legend KLEINIG SYDNEY cast in, and the NSW registration OD 982.

At some time, thought maybe to be in the 80s, it came to Texas, where I live. The story goes that it was never titled or registered in Texas. About 25 years ago it was left at a repair shop "for safe keeping", and the owner has never returned to claim it, and its keeper cannot remember the name of the owner.

I'd like to acquire and restore it, but I'm reluctant to do so while its ownership is in doubt. It seems the owner wanted to keep it a secret from his family, but if something unfortunate has happened to him, they may never have known about it.

Anyone got any ideas, please?
R French

Can the repair shop claim ownership because it has been abandoned? I believe that is possible in Australia and may also be possible in Texas, it would be worth checking out.
Max Irvine

To my knowledge, the owner of a facility where an abandoned car was left for a determined period of time, determined by the state it's located in, can qualify for a mechanics lien which gives the right to sell the car to cover work that's been done and storage fees. The regulations vary by state.Some can file after 30 days. The owner of the property/dealership must file for the lien. It can get to be quite a battle, depending on previous ownership and family involved. It also can drag on for months/years! I've been down this road on a TD and a Jaguar. PJ
Paul S Jennings

IMHO: "story goes" would be suspect to me.
Have you looked to see if Texas BMV has a site where you can do a "title inquiry"? (I have recently done that in Ohio with some surprising results.)

Again , not sure on Texas law, but in Ohio a licensed shop can apply for a "mechanics lean" and secure title that way. I would put the burden of supplying a title on them before making the purchase.

If they are unwilling/unable to do that I would make sure the vin and engine #'s are recorded on any bill of sale, that they supply the owners name, and make an attempt to contact the owner and/or executer of the owners estate before proceeding.

I don't think I would proceed with any restoration work without clear title in hand. Last thing you want is someone making claim to it after you have done all the work.

Good luck!
David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

I didn't ad that I offered a very good price for both, but backed away from the TD and the Jag due to title and ownership complications. As far as I know, both cars rotted into the ground! That was in Myrtle beach South Carolina. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Thank you all gentlemen. I have no idea who the owner is or was, and the present-day keeper doesn't remember and in any case is quite ill.
I will make enquiries with Texas DMV, just in case a title was issued at some time.
R French

TC4719 XPAG5326 was first registered in the state of Victoria on 5/8/48 (5th of August to us Aussies) with plates LW.584 and re-registered with the same plates in 1955 (again in Victoria). Probably imported by Lanes Motors who were the agents for Victoria. I have one B. Rosenthal owning TC with plates OD.982 appearing at the NSW MGCC Concours in 1974 Ref: "Spotlight" -MGCC NSW club magazine 1974.(and I can now connect the car here, thank you Mr French). I wonder if Rosenthal sold the car or took it to the states?

Matthew.
M Magilton

If you haven't read : "Thread: Lost Parts MG TC 6741 HELP!" on this BBS, I would urge you to do so.

A few months ago I passed along a local Craigslist advert on this board for "MG parts".
Tom L bought them and I picked them up to re-package for shipment to him. We are now working with the police trying to get Tom's money back from the seller and the stolen parts returned to the owner.

I am still shocked that even after a title search, two trips to the BMV in Ohio (with "title inquiry" info from inter-web), searching both police & insurance company's stolen car data basis nothing showed up as this being stolen. We only learned it was from contact Tom made with MG clubs in Ohio. It has taken 2 months to find the owner of this car.

IMHO: Dig deep and don't give up. I am still very unsure what might have happened had Tom restored the car and then learned it was stolen when he tried to get a title. When I ask the lady at the BMV about this I was told the "red flag" would not have gone up until she tried to process/transfer the title.

Lesson learned here! Have paper work in order before you start working on a car.
David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

Matthew - thanks a lot. Fills in some details on the car's history.

David - exactly what I'm worried about!
R French

This thread was discussed between 03/10/2014 and 09/10/2014

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