Purchased in February, 2005 from a John Firth-Smith of Chippendale in Sydney, who at the time had (I seem to recall) 1; TA, 1: TB, 7: TC’s all in various conditions. The car that I ended up selecting as both affordable and suited my plans was a project that had been started but put aside for other priorities, was partly restored and in pieces. In due course
I organised a trailer to go and pick up my toy.
After a period of investigation in trying to establish what I had, I made a list of all the parts missing and over a length of time I gradually put together a complete car. Since the car was a 1946 model, period items like “U” shaped headlight lenses, and the FT27 fog light that were missing and a bit like hen’s teeth to find might just have to be replaced by repro
parts.
I decided that since the car was in reasonable shape to begin with, I would embark on a rolling restoration and hopefully be able to get the car on the road sooner.

The known history of the car is as follows:
TC 0798 arrived in Australia on the 26th August, 1946 on board the “SS Australin” . The car was first purchased by Stevens Bros. of Pacific Highway, Lindfield (a northern suburb of Sydney), on the 30th August, 1946. It is not known how long they owned the car or if it was owned by someone else between themselves and the next owner, a Mr. Bill Odd of Wauchope NSW, on the mid-north coast about 300 kms. north of Sydney. I understand that Bill Odd owned the car for 37 years until it was aquired by John Firth-Smith.
I brought the car home on a trailer to Krambach where my property is located, also on the mid-north coast. Obviously there is something about the mid-north coast.
The first job was to identify what was needed to get the car to completion, and ther were lots of small things like brackets and nuts abd bolts, especially things like BSF material that I have had to make. The instruments were all present, and except for the tacho, all needed an overhaul and restoration. Also since there was a hole in the dash where a temperature gauge was fitted, I decided to have one made to match the other instruments. This was a period option I understand at the time, so it didn’t seem out of place to fit one.
And so, we begin............................. It has taken about m18 months to get the car mobile and a great deal of enjoyment in doing so. The car is painted very dark BRG with beige trim, and although the colour is as the car was bought and is not politically correct, I rather prefer it to black which wouldn’t go well with beige trim which was already on hand.

Now that the car is on the road, I have had some enjoyable runs, the longest so far being about 300 kms. but as always something happens to alter plans (like broken rear shock brackets) I am tidying up some other items that will I hope all come together to give me more confidence to try some longer runs.

As I write this I have acquired a 1949 Y-type sedan, an MGB roadster 1972 Mk11, an MGBGT 1972 Mk11, all of which keeps me off the streets and out of mischief. Boy! what fun.

The ownership history:
Stevens Bros. 1946 – 1964
W. Odd 1964 – 2002
J. Firth-Smith 2002 – 2005
R.N. Oates 2005 –

Neville Oates