JustBritish

UK auto site Autoblog.com has a great, and hilarious, story on what must me one of the oddest match-ups since Oscar and Felix in the Odd Couple. Actually, I guess this predates them, but you get the point!

What we have then is a hybrid Jaguar Morris Minor Traveller. Well, to be precise, a Jaguar XK120 Morris Minor Traveller; that is also probably full of fur. The car was created to haul the owner’s dogs. To make matters even worse, they named the car the “Foxbat”. What? What the heck is a “foxbat”?

Quoting from the original article, “it was stitched together by chemist and Jaguar enthusiast/butcher Geoffrey Stevens. To give him some credit, it’s claimed the XK was in pretty horrendous condition when he started, so he’s done a decent job making the front end look good, at least.”

Sorry, I give up.

The MG Motor Company is using images of the past to stir desire for its new models. In a new advertising campaigned titled “It’s Time To Fall”, the company uses romantic images of the classic MGA extensively, but also the MGB, MGBGT, and MG T Series. While obviously playing to the nostalgic feelings for one of Britain’s most beloved brands, the ad makes it clear that the new MG6 can stand on its own to capture the driver’s heart.

You can view the shorter TV advertisement or the full “extended brand film” on the MG Motor site.

Tynemouth Priory, in North Tyneside, played host to more than 50 classic vehicles at the weekend for the climax of the MG Northumbria Car Club’s annual Heritage event.

Set against the impressive backdrop of the English Heritage site, dozens of club members got to showcase their pride and joy to admiring spectators, all with a common appreciation for the popular classic cars of yesteryear.

Among the impressive display was an MG Midget, a 1948 Riley 2.5 litre Roadster, an Austin Healy, a TVR and a Lotus Cortina. Overall winner on the day out of the 54 cars exhibited was George Dalgarno with his 1948 Riley Roadster.

Club committee member Mike Mitchell said: “The prize was handed out to the owner who had best maintained their vehicle. The rally is a great chance for owners to show off to the public what they’ve achieved, as well as showing off to each other. We were lucky with the weather – there were no breakdowns and we had a lot of people turning out to view the rally.”

Visitors to the priory, were also able to explore the ruins and learn more about the history of the site. The classic cars of MG and others were the perfect accompaniment to the location.

With almost 80 members, MG Northumbria is one of the largest areas within the MG Owners Club. Its members hail from as far north as the Scottish Borders down to County Durham, and west along the Tyne Valley. As an active club, it meets once a month at Backworth Hall, in North Tyneside, and stages regular events along with its own Heritage Run, attracting interest from all over the country.

As reported by Bring A Trailer, an auction will be held on September 24th in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania that will liquidate the 5-acre property and British car collection of the former owner. It is rare to find such a sale that includes restored cars and vintage racers in what looks like pristine condition. They are shown parked in a finished display area with hardwood floors! Find more info and photos here via AuctionZip.com.

A brief (?!) inventory listing of the auction…. Cars – 1966 Austin Healey 3000, 1962 Triumph TR4 vintage race car w/race history, Land Rover Series IIA, Morris Minor 1000, 1979 CJ5 Jeep & P/A plow, off road ATV like new buggy, Areins 14 hp Hydrostatic garden tractor & cart; Lucas items; hundreds of  vintage oil cans & oil & gas station items; British car parts; grill badges & rally plates; collection of vintage British car toys & slot cars; original sales brochures (Triumph, Morgan, Sunbeam, Humber, Morris, HRG, MG, Lea Francis, Jaguar, Austin Healey, Austin etc.); restored 1950s Texaco gas pump; working traffic light; lighted Triumph Import car sign; Dunlop Tire signs; Castrol signs & items; glass oil bottles; car & gas station adv.; collection of vintage license plates; garage items; tool boxes & machinist & air tools; air compressor; British car counter stools; steel work bench;  British car memorabilia; British car books & shop manuals; owners manuals; Check Point Turbo Boost pin ball machine (car game); original dealership flags & banners; orig. factory MG-Rover coveralls from car line; adv. signs & thermometers (MG, Jaguar, Jeep etc.); tin British car signs; sets of tires & wheels (Triumph, MG,  Land Rover etc.); car prints & posters; British items; Ford 1930s wire wheels; British motorcycle items & literature; helmets & goggles; Atlas battery & Jaguar novelty radios; maps; jacket patches; British police hat; street signs; small household oil cans; Mobil drinking glasses; oil can banks; & other car related items too numerous to mention.

Anyone who knows more about this auction or attends it, please let us know the details!

This in from the TopGear site…  To be honest, the presenters weren’t that impressed with the new MG6 during the show on Sunday. Or its recycled-racing-horse badge adhesive.

However, this latest old-car-new-tech offering from Frontline Developments seems like a valiant use of the brand. And a rather more affordable alternative to the Eagle Speedster.

Each car uses a new British Motor Heritage MGB shell, into which Frontline shoves a 2012 2-litre VVC MX-5 engine. It’s got billeted con-rods and crankshaft, forged fully-skirted and Teflon-coated pistons and it’s been hopped up with a 45mm direct injection throttle body and closed-loop Lamda set up.

That equates to 215bhp and 170lb ft at 4000rpm. That means 240bhp per ton (it only weighs 900kg). 240bhp. IN AN MGB!

But don’t worry, the sixties shell’s been uprated to cope with the 130bhp power boost (the B was just 85bhp when it launched in ’62). Each one gets strengthened sills, floors and rear quarters to cope with its re-jigged suspension systems.

Read the rest of the story, and drool a bit, over at TopGear.

I know nothing about this car, have no stake in its sale, and can do no more than to point you towards the advertisement. But, I just think this Austin A40 is very, very cool.

See more of this Austin A40 Countryman for sale at http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/2259843