In the midst of the Sports Car Services shop we have a 1955 red MG TF.  We restored this car from the ground up, it’s basically a brand new car at this point. It has a full engine rebuild, body rebuild, new drivetrain and now new interior.

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Lets take a brief minute or two to discuss the history of the MG and their TF and TF 1500 model. MG was a European car company founded in 1924 by William R. Morris, before getting involved in the motor vehicle industry Morris was a bicycle repair man. He ran MG motors until he was appointed to be Lord of Nuffield, a title he kept for 4 years. The British sports car company continued without Morris and made many more models, one of which is the TF/TF 1500 Midget.  The TF Midget was launched 15 October 1953 and was basically a TD with a facelift and the TD Mark II engine.  In 1954 the engine capacity was increase by 17% and the bore was increased to 72 mm (2.8 in) and compression raised to 8.3:1 giving 63 bhp (47 kW) at 5,000 rpm and a 17% increase in torque.

When we received the TF that we have in our shop we basically started from the ground up and built a whole new car.  As you can see in the slide show above we started with a rolling chassis and from there we added the drivetrain, the body, the engine and then we started on the interior. First thing done with the interior was the wool carpet and the guys did an amazing job. Tight fits and beautifully hemmed edges is what you’ll find on this car and you can thank Albert and Butch.

Next up was the leather on the walls and doors inside the car and the glove boxes. Albert did an amazing job with the leather work. With his intense concentration and his  precise attention to detail, Albert has been a key person in finishing the interior of this TF.  The seats are being sent to the seacoast and Albert will be going with them to assure that the standards of Sports Car Services are kept alive and well.  Thanks again to Abington Spares for providing this perfect interior kit. The quality of their product was immaculate.

Last week we talked about the beautiful Jaguar Mark VII we are in the midst of partially restoring. This week however, I’d like to take the time to talk about the 1917 REO Model M Touring car that we have in our shop.  The Reo Motor Company was based out of Lansing, Michigan and they produced automobiles and trucks from 1905 until 1975. The company was founded by Ransom Olds. Ransom Olds was an entrepreneur who founded various automobile companies and in 1897 he founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company. In 1905 he left Oldsmobile and established a new company, the REO Motor Car Company. The company was originally to be called “The R.E. Olds Motor Company”, but upon facing legal action from the owner of Old’s prior company, Olds Motor Works, the name was changed to REO Motor Company. Early spellings of the name list it as REO, as later listings list it as Reo. The pronunciation however was always pronounced as one word, Reo.  The 1917 Reo Model M Touring vehicle was a four door seven passenger car.  It had a 5 litre engine that was naturally aspirated with an overhead inlet, side exhaust and  6 cylinders that produced 45 bhp of power at 1800 rpm. It was three-speed, rear wheeled drive with a carburetor fuel system.

The ’17 Reo Model M we’re working on in our shop is quite unique.  From The hand painted flowers on the door and fenders, down to the hand painted peace sign on the back. It has the original wooden wheels and the engine itself is in good shape.  Albert did a great job replacing the running boards as well as some miscellaneous body work. This Reo was purchased brand new in 1916 by the current owners great grand-father.  In 1935 he was going to junk it but his grandson, the current owners father, said no and took it under his wing for the mere price of $25.00.  Her mother and father drove it from that point on naming it “Joesphine”. Her father was the youngest professor at Toledo University and her mother was a nursing student.  At one point an article ran in the local newspaper that read “Oldest Car In University Parking Lot Operated By Youngest Faculty Member” Her mother and father were very active in racial equality and human rights in the 1940’s, this unfortunately lead to her father being accused of “communism” and being terminated from the university. Upon his termination the Reo was sold to a family friend. He owned the car for the next 15 years or so until they bought it back around 1967, the summer of love. The current owners sister outfitted it with a peace sign and flowers, and I think it’s safe to say their family got the last laugh; peace, love, equality and fine motor vehicles will always win.

If you are a hopeless petrol-sniffer like most of us are here at Sportscar-Services, chances are you’ve already seen the 1970 BSA 441 Victor Special which was posted on last weeks Bring-a-Trailer daily finds–if not, here’s a link to the incredible bike which we helped its original and sole owner move from his basement after a nearly 40 year slumber.

Extracted from it’s original military lieutenant’s basement last week, it has been in dry storage since the early/mid 1970’s and is perhaps one of the most original and best documented examples left on the planet.  This bike is factory original down to its tires and brakes, and sale includes every part, tool and document ever associated with its delivery/importation, ownership and service (including original bill of lading, shipping container placard, original quote inquiry and military correspondences surrounding the on-base motorcycle ban)–over 100 documents in total. Include with the bike is a hand-built wooden service and storage stand.

Imported new to a military base in Iceland by its current owner, this BSA was shelved upon assembly after a base-wide motorcycle ban was implemented by the location commander. Once it’s purchaser returned state-side, the bike was ridden for a short while in Massachusetts before it was again placed in storage, where it remained until late last week. This motorcycle retains its original 1974 Massachusetts plate, and the sale includes a clean title of the same period.

A true museum piece with a captivating story, there exists a certain intangibility to this motorcycle when viewed in the context of its story and completeness–a truly special and one-of-a-kind machine.

Alastair Dowst