MG Quiz

alanrt54 wrote: ...but I think the answer is that Reliant designed and built the PR2 one of the 3 prototypes which were part of the design process for the MGF

:woohoo: Well Done alanrt54 and a very warm welcome to the MG Quiz. As the newest member of the Hall of Fame you have now earned yourself a slice of Pie :woohoo:

Yes your MGF/TF could well have had a Reliant heritage. See here for details of this and the other prototype MGF's

alanrt54 it is now down to you to set the next MG Quiz question. Questions can be on anything as long as there is an MG link; people, places, technology or even cars :yesnod:

alan your turn

Back in the early 1990s when the Rover Group were looking to produce an open-top MG roadster, they asked four companies to come up with working prototypes to evaluate.

One of these companies was Reliant - famous not only for their three wheelers, but also for their sportscars - including the iconic Scimitar GTE of the 70s and 80s.

Reliant built a sportscar, based on a lengthened version of their Scimitar SS1/Sabre chassis with a wider track. Front engined/rear wheel drive, it was designed to be able to accomodate the Rover V8 3.9 litre engine!

The styling was an in-house Rover effort, and Reliant built fibreglass bodies for the prototypes, based on the clay models Rover provided them with.


Two bodyshells were made and a fully-working prototype car was delivered to Rover in Gaydon to test. I am told that Reliant were the only company of the four to actually provide a fully-working prototype for Rover to test.

Rover decided not to use the Reliant design as it was set up for rear wheel drive, which would have cost Rover a significant amount of additional money in building a new chassis and drivetrain.

Two bodyshells were made and a fully-working prototype car was delivered to Rover in Gaydon to test. I am told that Reliant were the only company of the four to actually provide a fully-working prototype for Rover to test.

I am at Pride of Longbridge at the moment so I will keep my question brief.


Which famous 60s MGB racer shared his name with a successful football manager of the period?

Bill Nicholson.
Sorry guys, can't seem to find much in the way of info on him.
I could tell you lots about 'the manager' Bill Nicholson, but I'll stop short just by telling those who don't know that he was a manager for Spurs throughout the 60's and won the double with them. Brilliant. :broon:

Assuming I'm correct; here is a question to keep the quiz going.

I'm looking for an MG Special.
I will require
1. The name of the special?
2. What it was built on?
3. What was an unusual feature of the car?

First clue:

This man built cars during the 50's and 60's. Early on in his car building career though, he built the one off mg we are looking for.

Second clue:

More clues to follow as the evening progresses

Well done Rog1963. I cannot find much on the internet about Bill Nicholson the racer but remember the name well. I have managed to get 3 pictures from a thread on 60's racers on ten-tenths.com http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32039 It is a long thread started in 2002 and still going in 2011.







He prepared MGB and MGC cars but 286FAC was his most famous. The 1st picture shows the car racing in the 1960s the second shows the car last year. It belongs to his daughter who will not sell it or allow it to be restored. In 1965 he was responsible for the aerodynamic nose on the Paddy Hopkirk/Andrew Hedges Le Mans MGB DRX255C. Pictures of this car (and a painting) can be seen at http://www.mgexperience.net/archive/1965_Le_Mans_aero_nose/729750 .

The other Bill Nicholson was of course the long serving Spurs manage from the 60s who led them to the League and Cup double in 1960/1961

rog1963 wrote: Assuming I'm correct; here is a question to keep the quiz going.

I'm looking for an MG Special.
I will require
1. The name of the special?
2. What it was built on?
3. What was an unusual feature of the car?

First clue:

This man built cars during the 50's and 60's. Early on in his car building career though, he built the one off mg we are looking for.

Second clue:

More clues to follow as the evening progresses

Apologies for not doing the usual and posting a picture of the wanted car to be identified, but I thought that because of the distinctive feature on it, it would be very quick to find on it on google and thought a challenge might be appreciated. Also gives you a chance to find out about the other cars this chap built. So therefore, I'm giving you clues to lead to the man, which should then lead you to the car.

Third clue:
In the 50's a famous singer/actress showed an interest in one of his cars. In return for a publicity photoshoot she was able to arrange a deal and had one which was finished in an appealing colour quoted as 'nipple pink'. Later she purchased another model too.

Happy hunting. I will be back this evening to see how you are doing.

Thanks. Have you ever tried googling for "nipple pink"

rog1963 wrote:

rog1963 wrote: Assuming I'm correct; here is a question to keep the quiz going.

I'm looking for an MG Special.
I will require
1. The name of the special?
2. What it was built on?
3. What was an unusual feature of the car?

First clue:

This man built cars during the 50's and 60's. Early on in his car building career though, he built the one off mg we are looking for.

Second clue:

More clues to follow as the evening progresses

Apologies for not doing the usual and posting a picture of the wanted car to be identified, but I thought that because of the distinctive feature on it, it would be very quick to find on it on google and thought a challenge might be appreciated. Also gives you a chance to find out about the other cars this chap built. So therefore, I'm giving you clues to lead to the man, which should then lead you to the car.

Third clue:
In the 50's a famous singer/actress showed an interest in one of his cars. In return for a publicity photoshoot she was able to arrange a deal and had one which was finished in an appealing colour quoted as 'nipple pink'. Later she purchased another model too.

Fourth Clue:
Following on from Alan's comment re- googling, I thought for clue 4 that I'd post a picture of the person in question along with her 'nipple pink' car. This will hopefully avoid you finding other, ahem, actresses with vocal talents on google. :ohmy:

Happy hunting. I will be back this evening to see how you are doing.

Hope you don't mind me posting a couple of clues rog?



The creator is shown at the wheel of his car.

The creator also shares his surname with a famous landscape arist

i believe the gentleman to be John Henry Turner and the answers to the question are

1.Turner Special
2. Mg K3 Magnette
3.Twin rear wheels

i must admit I have been trying to solve question since it was posted but only the clue about the landscape artist gave it away. I still don't know who the actress is!

Correct Alan

.
The singer/actress is Petula Clark.

She showed an interest in the Turner 803 (pictured) and in return for a publicity photoshoot arranged a deal on the car which was supplied in 'nipple pink'. Later on she purchased another model

The Turner Special as a competition car that Jack built himself from a single seater K3 Magnette. The original running gear and chassis were retained and the engine was tuned by Jack himself. Twin rear wheels were fitted as the car was to be used for hill climbs and sprints and Jack thought the wheels would prove their worth. Jack raced this car himself. He used it as an advertisement as to what he could produce.

Over to you Alan.

PS Thanks for the extra clues Paul, much appreciated. I see you found the photo of Jack in his 'borrowed' helmet