A record?

[antijam]

Back in 1966 as a callow youth I invested what was to me at the time, the considerable sum of £145 in the car of my dreams - an MG TC. Despite my lack of mechanical expertise it didn't take me long to realise I had been sold a pup. Whilst mobile, it was obvious that TC6468 had led a very hard life. The 16" wheels and flats on the brake drums from contact with the road suggested a possible racing history and the body seemed held together with rust and rot.

Nevertheless after a few months driving I decided that a full restoration wouldn't take long (Ha Ha) and completely dismantled the car in anticipation. As is the way with good intentions, lack of cash, time and inclination delayed the work and the rusting pile of bits followed me around the country for the next 50 years. However, despite a few false starts along the way, HWT 106 finally turned a wheel in anger for the first time in 53 years today!

So, what I'm wondering is, can I claim the dubious distinction of the longest T type restoration on record ?

[Steve Simmons]

CONGRATS!!! She's a beauty. I don't know whether or not it's a record, but you have a friend of mine beat. He bought his TC in 1960 and daily drove it until 1969 when he started the restoration. He just finished last year.

See his story here: http://www.tcmotoringguild.org/members/lemieux/

My latest TC was disassembled sometime probably in the 60's and still isn't done, so if we're counting multiple owners then I'll eventually (once it's done) beat you.

[jddevel]

Oh my God. My latest aquistion has been off the road since 1956. I`m 75 and when I read this out to my wife she fell about laughing thinking of my ambitious plans. I did at least clear some of the clutter from around it today coincidently with a view to getting it on the lift before starting an appraisal. Wow you`ve done a great job.

[TC9800]

Congratulations antijam that looks fabulous. 53 years well spent!

[Duncan M]

Looks good. Love the blue. It must stick to the road good with those fat tires/wheels!

[antijam]

Thank you for your generous comments guys. For Sunday afternoon drives I'm not sure the 16" wheels are ideal. These came with the car and I had intended to revert to 19"'s, but after a sobering check on the amount of money already spent I decided they'd have to wait for the lottery win.

The colour scheme was inspired by the previous restoration of my Daimler SP250 (that only took thirty years - I used it as a warm-up for the MG). I was so pleased with the effect on the Daimler I decided, rather unimaginatively, to reproduce it - body and trim - on the MG.

When I bought the car it was black, but strip down revealed the original colour as red. I'm not a stickler for originality and the blue does I think suit it rather well. So now I've got a matched pair!

[Mark McCombs]

Nice work!
Makes me feel a 'little' better; My car came off the road in 1964 for a rebuild, and the mechanics were completed but body was way out. Along I come in 1999 thinking it would take a few years, and I am just now nailing the last of the nails in the right side backboard to completion. I mentioned my kids were 2 and four then, now both in grad school. And yes, there was a period when I got frustrated and walked away for a while, which turned into two years...I wish I had a time machine.

[antijam]

Nice work!
Makes me feel a 'little' better; My car came off the road in 1964 for a rebuild, and the mechanics were completed but body was way out. Along I come in 1999 thinking it would take a few years, and I am just now nailing the last of the nails in the right side backboard to completion. I mentioned my kids were 2 and four then, now both in grad school. And yes, there was a period when I got frustrated and walked away for a while, which turned into two years...I wish I had a time machine.

Well, once you've finished your resto that will scupper my chance of a record! That first drive is well worth the wait, although I have to admit in my case the few extra inches of body mass that the intervening 50+ years have produced does make the car a very cosy fit.

Glad to report that my first 'shakedown drive' went very well apart from a few minor problems - one of my own making and the others the responsibility of a 'professional service'.

My fault was that I had left the locknut off the clutch travel limiting bolt. This chose to unscrew as I was driving along, with the result that gear changing became progressively more difficult and ultimately impossible - just as I arrived home.

The other problems were with the speedo and tacho. These had been professionally overhauled and had the dials reprinted in 2014 and then been in sealed storage until this year. The speedo records the speed in traditional chronometric manner, but doesn't record the distance travelled? The tacho was indicating engine speed satisfactorily until I stopped, when the needle returned to the 3K mark instead of zero and now still works but starting from 3K - presumable the needle has moved in the spindle? Anyway these two instruments are on their way back to the 'restorer' for sorting - hopefully back before we lose the fine weather!

[Franz Tenbrock]

you need a speedo to drive ????
you should enjoy the weather with the car, and drive it without the original speedo
get one gps speedo for bicycle to know how fast you are
the wonderful car hate it to stand still in the garage