29th December 2009
When I took the picture below for my christmas greetings I had no idea
anymore where I got it from. The answer came jst a few hours later:
Just noticed the latest update on the Magnette Website, a picture of Grusty
has been recycled from the Magnette advent calendar from a few years back.
Thanks for posting it, it is a very fond memory, and the kids were thrilled this
moring to see it again. Not that we have white chistmasses in Australia !!
I have to say that this is the best photo of Grusty - as the snow actually
covers up the rust. The photo was taken a couple of years back in at an
overnight car rally (the MGCC Springtime Rally) October in Victoria in the high
country - when we had an unexpected blizzard. It was officially the end of the
snow season a fortnight earlier, hence the mountain not being prepared for a
snowfall, and 40 odd MG's being dumped by approx 30mm of snow. One of the best
rallys we attended based on the unplanned events. It was the first time our kids
had seen snow, so the three kids (i think 7, 5 & 3 at the time) had a ball.
Malcolm Robertson sent the photo in some time ago for your advent calendar.
The car was nicknamed Grusty as it is "Green & RUSTY" by John Hastie for obvious
reasons. Not that I am into naming cars, but the name just sticks. About 18
months ago, Grusty was onway to the start of the 2008 Springtime Rally, when it
broke its crankshaft, and was destined for the wreckers. Johns' father Doug
intervened and rebuilt the engine pro bono & used all his contacts in the MG car
club in Melbourne to locate crankshafts & original parts, and now has the best
looking engine in my fleet. Grusty lives on ! This christmas is its first
anniversary with the new heart.
Grusty will have to wait a bit longer before anymore major surgery as John & I
will be taking my other Saloon, a 1936 MG SA on the Peking to Paris next year
(to join the MGs of Harry and Jose) - so if you are in Paris to cheer on Jose's
Magnette, then you may see us as well.
Thanks enjoyed reading your website & the effort you go to with the regular
updates, and the photo this morning prompted to write and wish you & your family
"Grusty Wishes".
Rhys Timms
Many thanks Rhys and all the others who sent me season greetings!
19th December 2009
The Magnette Register wishes you all
a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
And as you may have some free time and time for some reading, here is a report of the Ex-works 6 cylinder Magnette...
13th December 2009
As promised here's a report of Jose de Sousa's
Casablanca Challenge...
The first dates for 2010 have also been added to the events
calendar.
1st December 2009
The headline says it: the year is comming to an end. Although the season has
ended here in Europe, the Magnette-world is still turning. Luis Bogarin from
Mexico sent some nice pictures which are a real contrast to our winter. And he's
doing a good job there, with videos about Abingdon and M.G.s! No wonder that he
again won the award for the Best
European Sedan! See pictures...
A new month also means a new picture of the month. This
time again from karel Vermeer's never ending colection of postcards with
Magnettes on.
The next update will bring a report and pictures of Jose de Sousa's Casablanca
Rally. Don't miss it. It's worth reading and great pictures. I hope I wet
your appetite enough. So come back!
29th November 2009
Please welcome Per Sćter with # 1663
from Norway, the 5th Norwegian car on the gallery.
Grant Howlett sent me an email:
I recently was asked to take the Magnette for a full days studio shoot for
classic cars magazine,they are doing a four page feature in the February 2010
edition on -" A MAGNETTE BUYERS GUIDE", The Feb magazine with it in,will be in
W.H.SMITHS shops and other news agents from the end of december.
In other European countries and also America, the magazine is called"
Thoroughbred and classic cars"
Here are some insight shoots...
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23rd November 2009
More for the gallery;
# 31503 is from Switzerland and belongs
to Daniel Ingold.
# 22300 is one of Rob Meier's Magnettes
in Ohio, USA
22nd Novemder 2009
Please welcome Tom Strickland with his Magnette # 32829 and Peter Chowney with # 34892 on the gallery.
18th November 2009
Sorry that I haven't updated for a while, but I struggle with my PC... Here
is another "CKD"-Magnette on the gallery. Terence Clark bought
# 29659 that was imported from SA
to the UK. I also updated Loz Scott's report on "Completly-kocked-down
"-Magnettes.
In Australia another Magnette restoration is coming to an end:
I thought you might like to be brought up to date with my ZA Restoration
project and I have provided you with a couple more photos to put into the
Gallery. As you ca see, I have not stayed with a standard ZA. After totally
stripping it down I sand blasted every nut, bolt, washer, body panel and
sub assembly. I have gone for a duotone non standard paint job which looks
fantastic. All relevant sub assemblies have been plated or powder coated, MGA
disc brakes fitted up front, a B eng
ine
and overdrive gearbox fitted and a better ratio Woseley differential
installed. All the glass will be new and all the woodwork fully restored.
I will be fitting 15 x 5 rims. All the upholstery and carpets will be new
and all the chrome re done. It will be fully re-wired and I have
even found an original valve radio. Less than a year to go and it
will be back on the road.
Bruce Bramhill , Melbourne, Australia.
9th November 2009
The
logbook seems to be the only remains of #
21141 whereas # 32278 was a
"straight" ZB, I spotted on ebay a year ago.
One of the roughest places were Magnettes cruise is Iceland. This picture shows
Johann E. Bjornsson's '58 Magnette Varitone in Iclandic countryside last July,
with his granddaugther standing by.
4th November 2009
It was my aim for the gallery to reach the 666 mark. Looking at the calendar
I have to rush. So please, send your picture, if your Magnette isn't on the
gallery yet.
Today we welcome Andrew Williams from Tasmania, Australia with #
16433 which is the 90th Australian
Magnette.
We stay Down Under: The Z and Y Register attended 60th anniversary of the MG TD
at George Hetrel's 'Como Gardens' ;located in the Dandenong ranges close to
Melbourne. See pictures and report...
3rd November 2009
Welcome in a new month again, which means we have a new
picture of the month. This time very magnettic...
# 6456 has changed hands (and national
flag), so please welcome Thomas Nebauer from Austria.
That's all for the moment as I still suffer from a long weekend. The Magnette
register committee met for the autumn meeting to discuss matters arising for the
next season...
28th October 2009
Jose de Sousa sent a picture of his Magnette while running-in the new engine
last week, already with Casablanca plates. The Casablanca Challenge is the next
rally he and his Magnette will attend.
27th October 2009
The webmaster of the
Wolseley 6/90
website recently contacted me as he found out we nearly have the same picture,
showing our cars in front of the Barley Mow Inn. A popular spot where many
Nuffield and BMC press pictures were taken. The spot looks nearly the same
today.
Please welcome Grahame Peacock from Qld. Australia and #
2793 on the gallery.
19th October 2009
Here is a nice article of "Restored Cars",
an Australian magazine. The writer likes wooden dashboards, and what do you
think which he likes most...?
And the 650th Magnette on the gallery:
# 32312 a restoration object on ebay
11th October 2009
Göran Johnson from Sweden brought some more light into the picture of
the month and
Jose de Sousa from Portugal
modified his Magnette for a Rally in Marocco...
2nd October 2009
We start this month with a new picture of the month and
an update on the gallery:
# 2411 for sale at an online dealer
# 7227 Seen on ebay UK
# 10557 found a new owner
# 10564 seen on ebay Australia
27th September 2009
The annual GoF at Wagga Wagga
in Australia
is a good place for Z type Magnettes to come together. This year saw a
very strong tem out...
14th September 2009
# 3844 is Hubert Fackler's car which he owns for 51 years now! This picture shows him with the first owner and the salesman. Can anyone look back on a longer ownership?
7th September 2009
The last event of the '09 season has finished at Norwich with 20+ Magnettes. Read Stephen Hicks' report...
6th September 2009
So here we are with an larger update than during the last weeks. Well, our
summer was that good that I enjoyed German Bratwurst on the grille and German
beer more than sitting in front of a computer. And I even got my MGA out for
some driving! So it's no sign of ennui, as someone thought to detect the other
day!
Here are five new and changed entries on the gallery, which I'm happy to upload
now after a computer crash before saving ;-((
# 1468 is Mark Gilliland's ZA. Look at
the rear wheel arch. Looks nice, doesn't it? Nearly what Gerald Palmer designed
in his first draft, when he designed the front "hockey-stick" to the rear
wheel arch, too!
# 22490 Joel Johnson, CA, USA bought
this car
# 23875 Stuart Batten, Australia is the
new owner
# 22720 Mikael Thungren, Sweden reports
of his slowly ending restoration after 13 years
# 36939 moved hands to Sue & Pockets
Knipe
All of you a warm welcome to Magnette-world! Hope to have you as regular
visitors on my site.
Looking over the border to Belgium:
A new movie of the latest tour
can be seen on Eddy Lepez' website. The movie seems to be a candidate for the
"Golden Rose of Montreux" but unfortunalety only shows the Magnettes in a few
scenes.
Does someone have some more pictures and perhaps a report?
1st September 2009
It's a bit calm on the Magnette frontier. So here's just a new
picture of the month... and a report of the
Queensland Concours.
In Europe our last event will take place in Norwich at the Shortens. So get your
Magnette out before winter starts! It's less than 4 months 'till christmas!!
13th August 2009
Here's a report of the Athelhampton event last weekend...
2nd August 2009
Please enjoy the new picture of the month... and have a look at the collectibles page, which has been updated.
29th July 2009
Another events report. This time from Down Under, where 6 Magnettes enjoyed the EMR...
23rd July 2009
Just a week after Silverstone the Magnettes assembled again at East Kirkby. See report...
Paul Barrow informed me, about the Original Workshop Manuals on CD that are for sale on eBay: The scan is image only so is not text sensitive and the quality is VERY poor.
19th July 2009
Last weekend MGLive! the biggest MG Event on the globe took place at the Silverstone race circuit. Read report...
18th July 2009
Some weeks ago a special presentation took place at the Royal Oak Club in
Wootton Rivers nr. Marlborough in Wiltshire. Register Chairman Paul Batho
made the presentation of the Magneteer of the year trophy to Warren Marsh,
with eight other friends from Warren's from the world of Magnette motoring
looking on.! From the mid 70s when Warren became the owner of
KCF 51 - a Birch
Grey ZA - to late last year when he sold the car, he drove the equialent of
a trip to the moon and half way back across many parts of the globe. He has
carried out regular modifications to his car in a constant quest to make it more
practical and useable as an everyday car and has contributed enormously to the Z
Magnette Register of the MG Car Club and the award was probably well overdue.
The picture shows Warren's Magnette with his trailer. A common picture for more
than 30 years.
6th July 2009
I'm a bit late with this month's update, but there are so many things to do,
including preparation for MG Live! at Silverstone. I hope to see many of you
either at the Register stand, where you can buy the latest register t-shirts, or
see you and your car at the register parking.
What about an bring-your-own-BBQ? I'm at the quite camping area. Drop
me an email, if you like to take part.
On update matters I have a new picture of the month for
you and another reprinted article. This time of Classic & Exotic Cars, a magazine
from the US. The article was spotted by Phil White.
