[IndrojitSircar]

So guys which do you think is the most desireable car of the lot?

[karlosdeville]

Some years ago BS Motoring magazine had done an article on Parsis and their love affair with cars. In that story was this MG TC in Bombay. Pic courtesy bsmotoring.com

[the mole]

There is one in the Ajit Bhavan Palace collection.

[IndrojitSircar]

This one is from a thread containg a collection of a person i think in punjab who is a fellow bhpian.






This is another pic of the MG in bombay.




These are pics uploaded by Julian of his friend in this TC being towed by a Harley.I wonder if this one still survives.

[speedy]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

This is another pic of the MG in bombay.

Attachment 236264

That is my brother (Passenger) in Mr.M.Jetha's Mg Tc during the rally.

[wasif]

Let me add my bit to this MG discussion.

In the good old days in Hyderabad there were two active TC to be seen frequently, one was APY 4242 which belonged to Kumar Varma who also owned the racing Lancia.

This car was a real stunner in that colour combo. It was found and restored at a great expence by the owner who had a lot of bits and bobs fabricated to complete the car. The workmanship was great and it went on to be part of a few Telugu movies, later was painted maroon. No idea where it is now.

The other was a white TC that was brough to events by the grandson of the owner. Original car sparingly used has since disapeared.

Late nineties brought the Pondicherry ashram's red TC to Hyderabad(AP10F). It was in need of work and was exceptionaly well restored by the owner and extensively used. It was car from some royal family then was with the ashram and now with its third owner. This car would still be with the third owner who is a great collector in Hyderabad.

There was another TC / TA that was brought to hyderabad by a dealer Dr. Iyengar, a colourfull charecter of many names and guises. This car had a fiber body in the lines of the MGA on the original chassis and engine. This gent was pushing the car for an astronomical cost saying that it was a special one off which he dubbed as an MG CF. On enquiries on what the "CF" stood for we were informed it was "California Facility" as this was specially designed for California.

Later we learned that the body had fallen apart and it was given this fiberglass body in Vizag !! Not sure what happened to this poor car.

Also the two carbrios pictured, the silver/black Punjab car and the Mallya car, are VA's with a Tickford Bodyies. They specialised in the DHC bodystyle with the exposed pram irons, their trademark.

Now coming to which would be the most desireable. In my opinion they are all the same and quiet desireable.

The really desirable ones would be the supercharged K series or even the PA/PB.

On a personal note I really love the original steel bumper MGB and its the car I would most desire, specially the red one posted by Karl.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by wasif

In the good old days in Hyderabad there were two active TC to be seen frequently, one was APY 4242 which belonged to Kumar Varma who also owned the racing Lancia.

This car was a real stunner in that colour combo. It was found and restored at a great expence by the owner who had a lot of bits and bobs fabricated to complete the car. The workmanship was great and it went on to be part of a few Telugu movies, later was painted maroon. No idea where it is now.

Wasif I think you mean APX 4243

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1544468-post83.html

[wasif]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Wasif I think you mean APX 4243

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1544468-post83.html

Yes APX 4243 my bad. Any idea where it is now.

Also are you aware of any of the supercharged Magnette cars having come to India.

[speedy]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Wasif I think you mean APX 4243

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1544468-post83.html

Now you got it wrong Karl. APX 4342 .

Originally Posted by wasif

Yes APX 4243 my bad. Any idea where it is now.

Two wrongs sir.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by speedy

Now you got it wrong Karl. APX 4342

Thank you Speedy. I agree.

[harit]

Originally Posted by speedy

Now you got it wrong Karl. APX 4342 .

Two wrongs sir.

Hi guys! And just what are the two wrongs, may I ask? Some order in a silly registration number? All can see pictures and look at numbers and find errors. But the big picture seems to have been left out. APX 4342 is not a TC, but a PB. Look again at the picture. So different from a TC. This car came once to Mumbai for a rally, that is where this picture was taken.

The copper/black car at the time when she came for a rally in Mumbai belonged to Birla's, but has since been sold, maybe to Pune. She had come from Rajasthan originally.

The next Saloon is also an MG, today probably scrapped and a few pieces may be lying around.

MRY is a Parsi owned TC. During my college days she was white and driven by a Parsi lady. Vohra purchsed and gave to a friend, who sold to present owner. Today she is one of the most original MG TC's, and is kept in his office on the 1st floor. I still remember when Vohra took delivery, 5 of us sat in the car, 2 in front and the remaining 3 on the hood with feet on the rear seat.

The BML TC is pictured as she was bought, the garage where she was lying had a sewer overflowing and I threw away my shoes after she was pulled out. In the next picture she is without a bonnet, that is how we drove around on Nepean Sea Road till one day one wheel overtook me. Then she was then restored in green, because red was too common a colour. That is my MG TC.

The BR Green MG belonged to Vohra, its aquisition was a story in itself. She is now in Europe, export was legal at that time. One of the best MG's I had seen at that time, around 1981. In the second pic one can see Diljeet's 170 and the Wraith in the background.

MPC must be Mallya's car, he has a white TC.

The two MYR and MYS appeared in a Rally in Bangalore where I happened to be by chance.

In general, MG's were good to use if you were young, have no back problem and were daring. Otherwise quite a lousy car for Indian conditions. Just drive into a bump and it will be clear what I am saying. These cars are delicate, wire wheels must be aligned properly, and many cars dance across the road.
Vohra brothers had atleast 4 of them at one time, one came from Calcutta and another from Jaipur. When the cars were sold, I was told that 2 went to Bangalore. But I have no knowledge to whom they went.

So why are MG's, particularly the TC so sought after? They do look nice and sporty, but mostly it is nostalgia. "My dad had one", "my grandad drove one in college", these are very common statements.

In some of the pictures there are Padmini's(etc) and an Amby in the background, these cars will fetch more today than what an MG cost at that time.

Mumbai had many many more MG's.

Cheers harit

[the mole]

Which 170V is that in the Background?, rather what does she look like today if she survives?

[wasif]

Yes Harit you are right with regards to the APX MG. Come to think of it even the dash and the firewall was different from a TC. More important it was from the late thirties when the TC was yet to be introduced.

The rear had a much more rugged and classy look comapred to a TC with that classic slab sided tank,

I must admit that at 40 I look like I might be suffering some lapses of memory.

Where is this PB now by the way. Do you know of any supercharged MG's in India ?

[tonrag]

I've attached a photo of CAN 734, that I snapped at the Westend hotel rally in 1987. The car was owned by Mr. Narain then and was the motivation for me to seriously look out for a TC, which I was able to acquire in 1988. Mr. Narain was very generous with his car and allowed me several sessions of measuring and taking photographs. At that time, Dr. Mammen's car was nowhere close to the shape it is in now - it was painted metallic brown and its dashboard had been completely modified. I saw his car in that shape sometime in the nineties, parked in an enormous bungalow just adjacent to the Hosmat hospital. It was with a gentleman whose name eludes me now - was it Zal? - for restoration. Dr. Mammen then slowly put his car back in shape, at enormous expense and trouble. So thats why I'm sure that CAN 734 is not Dr. Mammen's!

Come to think of it, Bangalore has probably the largest number of TCs. I know of ten, and another that is due to be moved here. Thats out of the 20 odd cars that I know exist, which I have photographed over the last twenty two years. Maybe we should have a get together one of these days!

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by harit

MRY is a Parsi owned TC. During my college days she was white and driven by a Parsi lady. Vohra purchsed and gave to a friend, who sold to present owner. Today she is one of the most original MG TC's, and is kept in his office on the 1st floor.

Wow, that should be a sight!

FYI

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1609189-post33.html