MG Quiz

Mr Forgetful wrote: Is that a yes or a no or to quote my "source"

Were any TCs made with left-hand drive?

No. The first left-hand drive model was the TD, again, introduced in 1950.

Is it true that the TC actually "introduced sports cars to America"?

Yes and no. Many United States servicemen discovered the T series while serving in Britain during World War II. A few prewar machines were brought back to the United States. And again, only 1820 TCs were exported to the U.S. during the 1946 - 1949 time period so that was not much of a foothold. Also, given the ancestry to the TA, which dated from 1936, the TC model was constructively 13 years old when it yielded to the TD in 1950. It did, however, help dictate the TD design. In addition:

The TD with the first "T" series to offer left-hand drive.
The TD eliminated the classic 19-inch wire wheels for the more cost-effective and practical smaller 15-inch disk wheels. (At not insignificant and initial protest.)
Rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension made the TD a much better riding and handling car.
Finally, ten times as many TDs were shipped to America than TCs so it was the volume of the TD that more fully introduced the U.S. to sports cars. The TD gave people something to actually own and try vs. merely admire and crave.

I think I'll read the paper, then go to bed, then look at this tomorrow before or after I play golf - hopefully by then I will have a diffinitive answer .Night Night

SORRY :oops: it was my fault :oops: The green MG in the photo is a 1953 MG TD chassis number 24796 EXLNA (EX is export L is Left Hand Drive and NA is North America) it was made on 5th Feburary 1953 and was White when it left the factory, it had two owners in the USA and was unused from 1977 until 1998 when it was re-imported, Mechanical restoration was carried out in 1999/2000 and the car has been in regular use in all weathers since. The green respray was carried out in the USA and the exact colour is unknown! what you see is the original paint that was applied in the seventies or earlier. the car still has the original XPAG engine.

There were 28,643 TDs made, most of which were exported ~

Hope i can be forgiven :yesnod:

Bryan said what?....... Oh no, not again

The facts, ................he didn't check the facts ............ again.....






Don't worry Mr Forgetful, you'll get used to it

Suitably chastised, wont happen again

Given the “interest” in Pavlova and it’s description, part of the answer to the following has a possible “link” to it although tenuous (aren’t they always?) and, as previously discussed between Brian and Paul, depends on a "definition" of such an item - anyway

What is the link between

Deroy
Cowley
Moths
A Vaporiser
A Javelin
A Hoist
MG
And the picture of course.



Given that these clues and answers should be informative as well as a "test" could the answer be a little more than XYZ - those who get it will see why (what each actually represents with a brief résumé of the overall )and those who don't may then "gettit". I'm off to golf and I'm sure one of the Brians of MG - So sorry, that should read BRAINS of MG will soon get this one

After last night!, i think i should leave this one to the experts :woohoo: (definition : X is an unknown quantity and SPURT is a drip under pressure!!!!!) good luck to the winner. i am going to the club awards night tonight, 107 coming and its black tie.

Ooooooooh, sounds fun - mine last night was Past (it) Captains :silly: (black tie) but much smaller hence my typing typos (less people more wino). Have fun Brian - I knew you would get this so I hope all the clues help those, like me, who would need to "think" and then research. :lol:

The answer is:
Gerald Marley Palmer 1911 - 1999
See quote below for story: ( Very interesting! - PS no idea why the diagram is of special inerest!)
Gerald Palmer, who died in June at the age of 88, was a designer par excellence. Known to M.G. enthusiasts as the creator of the ZA Magnette and an important influence in the Y-type, his achievements also included a number of BMC's cars of the 1950s as well as, and perhaps most importantly, the Jowett Javelin, which he created from the ground up, and which demonstrated that function and utility need not be at the expense of style and performance.
He was born In 1911 and spent his childhood in Southern Rhodesia, where his father was a railway engineer. By the age of 16 he had made a rakish two seat boat-tailed body for the family's old Model-T Ford before being despatched to England to start an engineering apprenticeship with the commercial vehicle manufacturer, Scammell.
While at Scammell, Palmer was privately commissioned to create a unique sports car for the racing driver, Joan Richmond, and thus was born the Deroy. With independent suspension front and rear, the Deroy was in many respects well ahead of its time, and it served as an important Influence on Palmer's life. Seeking to get into the mainstream of the motor industry, he went for an interview with Cecil Kimber at M.G. He drove to Abingdon in the Deroy, which clearly impressed the great man. This resulted in the offer of a job in charge of M.G. work at the Morris drawing office in Cowley, where the Y-Type was under development.
With the onset of war, car production ceased and Palmer became involved with the manufacture of Tiger Moth trainers and the repair of Spitfires. Then in 1942 he moved to become chief designer with the Jowett Car Co. In Bradford, where he was responsible for one of the first new post-war cars, the brilliant Javelin, launched in 1946.
The Javelin's innovative features were received with much acclaim by the industry, which resulted In Palmer being offered the job of designer for the new range of M.G., Riley and Wolseley saloons back at Cowley in 1949. His work reflected the strong Influence of Italian designers in the industry at the time, and his interpretation of this theme, seen first in the Wolseley 4/44 and shortly afterwards in the M.G. ZA Magnette (which was designed first), produced some of the most elegant cars of the decade.
Palmer was made chief engineer of BMC and a director of the company In 1952, but in 1955, having seen the introduction of the new Riley Pathfinder and Wolseley 6/90 models, he became a victim of the internal politics of the BMC group at the time and was dismissed by its mercurial chairman, Leonard Lord. He subsequently joined Vauxhall Motors, and the team responsible for the Viva and Victor ranges, before retiring in 1972.
But Palmer was much more than a car designer. During the war, his talents were turned to the production of the Oxford Vaporiser, a portable anaesthetic apparatus for use in the field of battle, versions of which remain in use today. Then after his retirement from the motor industry, he was responsible for the creation of the Oxford Hoist, an apparatus for assisting disabled people that is still widely used both in the UK and around the world. And in addition to his design talents, Palmer was a true motoring enthusiast. He restored and competed in the 2-litre Mercedes-Benz that won the 1924 Targa Florio, as well as a T44 Bugatti.
In recent years Palmer attended a number of gatherings organised by the M.G.C.C ZA Magnette Register, and more than once expressed surprise at the amount of Interest and enthusiasm still shown for his cars. Particularly memorable was the 1996 event, when the five Palmer-designed cars - an M.G. Magnette ZA, a Wolseley 4/44 and 6/90, a Riley Pathfinder and a Jowett Javelin - were brought together in a display for the first time.
Gerald Palmer will be remembered for his courtesy and thoughtfulness. He was an extremely modest man and appeared unconcerned that his talents were eclipsed in the public eye by those of Alec Issigonis, who succeeded him at BMC. It was only when Christopher Balfour began to assist him in writing his autobiography that many of his past achievements were revealed for a wider audience to appreciate. The book was published in 1998 and its title, Auto--Architect, Is a true reflection of the life's work of a real professional whose creations continue to bear witness to his talents
Palmer's wife Diana predeceased him. Our sympathies go to his daughter Celia, who has devoted the last ten years to looking after her father.

Warren Marsh and Paul Batho

Well done TSleight even more than my "abridged" version would have shown so I won't bother. The "pavlova" reference and it's description was the hope that Huntley & Palmer - biscuit - would help with the clue. The diagram/picture is one of his patents http://www.google.com/patents?id=Bd9rAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=ininventor:Gerald+ininventor:Palmer&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q=ininventor%3AGerald%20ininventofor%20a%20vehicler%3APalmer&f=false

So well done - I was beginning to think I was getting a bit too convoluted. I must admit to finding it increasingly difficult to think of "new" MG related stuff to find and post. Over to you

What is special about this particular MGF?

It is a model.

It's tiny and the door doesn't fit very well?

Red Devil wrote: It is a model.

Damn! Unfortunately I couldn't find a very realistic pic of one! I was hoping to get someone thinking a LITTLE longer!!!!