25th June 2008

# 31170 added.

24th June 2008

I know I'm a bit slowly with updates. Several gallery entries lurk in my mailbox. Here is on of them:
# 4767 of Ron Jillard from Australia

17th June 2008

I just returned from a sunny but cold and windy Silverstone. My Magnette did the trip nearly without any fault. Only one core plug disappeared when I was hunting an MGB on the road to Silverstone. Luckily it was the plug above the distrubitor which is the easiest to reach. So the Magnette could be repaired on the road.
Here are a few more pictures of Silverstone...

1st June 2008

One month ago I wrote that time runs by very fast. It seems I've written that yesterday., but we already have June. So it's only two weeks to Silverstone! Hope to meet many of you there!
We start the new month with a nice picture of the month...

22nd May 2008

Matthias Schreiner sent two more pictures for the wedding gallery....

14th May 2008

Michael Heeley owns these two Magnettes that have been added to the gallery:
# 31978
# 32368
 

13th May 2008

Matthias Schreiner sent a new picture for the wedding gallery.

Also this nice shot that shows that Magnettes still are magnettic and show attraction:

11th May 2008

There was another beyond repair on ebay (# 27205). The last pictures are shown here....

4th May 2008

Let's start the new week with more explored Magnettes:
# 14848 belonging to Alan & Jennie Barnard in Australia,
# 27070 of Ian Shipton,Victoria, also Australia, who looks towards a long restoration and
# 36970 of Trevor Panter from Gloucestershire.
Nice to have some cars that are in good hands and are not going to the scrapyard. All three enthusiasts a warm welcome.

1st May 2008

I feel time is running faster and faster. So we all missed the 8th birthday of this website in April! But nevermind.
As we have the beginning of a new month we have a new picture of the month . That's it for the moment. Want to get my Magnette out for a drive....

30th April 2008

More Magnettes on the gallery:
# 16761 seen on ebay UK
# 27770 found somewhere on the web
# 33028 seen on ebay USA
# 32745 seen on ebay UK

27th April 2008

Our 555th entry on the gallery is Lachlan Story's car # 16101 from Australia! So we nearly have one third of the known cars on the register on the gallery as well. We'll press on to get the rest....
...and we start here with # 31676 belonging to Peter Smithson from the UK.
And after some time there's a new picture on our wedding gallery...

14th April 2008

Please welcome #13870 . Proud owner is Ton Smits from the Netherlands. The next car will be no. 555 on the gallery. So who will be next?

13th April 2008

Diedrich Krahn, organiser of the Magnette Day, asked me to remind you to send the entry form to him if you want to take part! You can download the form here...

Then Roger Tennyson recently checked our gallery and helped providing pictures of the inividual police cars. So we now have # 16375 and # 19625, both Norththumberland police cars with the correct picture! Many thanks!!
# 16375 is exactly the car before another famous Magnette: #16376 is Jose de Sousa's car, that was featured last year when he took part in the Peking-Paris Rally. When looking at the report I found some more pictures of the stage-finish in Koblenz in my folder. These have been added now here...
Well, and it looks as if we get some more nice reports and pictures soon as the car will be used on the Classic Safari Chellenge in Southern Africa next August, where the car will be driven by his aussie friends Roger Allen/Maggie Gray from Sydney. (Jose will also be there but  driving his Volvo 142 S).
But he will be using the Magnette for the 2010 Peking-Paris (different route from the 2007 event) again.
 

5th April 2008

Again I wasn't quick enough to upload the monthly update on the 1st of the month. But life's not only Magnettes and webistes - unfortunalety. Anyway. But therefore we have some interesting stuff to bring. Let's start with a report from the Melbourne Concours followed by a new Pic of the Month (including a nice story).
More interesting stuff during the next days...

29th March 2008

Here's report from Stephen Tickell of Magnettes &Steam , the traditional season opener. This event never was famous for a warm dry sunny day out, but this year saw a very cold event, as you can see on the faces...

14th March 2008

While we await spring and the season our friends in Australia have their last runs in this years autumn. Loz Scott reports on the EMR last sunday...

Talking on events:
Jeroen van den Akker, organiser of the 2nd Continental Old Z Meeting, asked me to inform interested parties, that registration is still possible until 30th of April !

6th March 2008

# 35345 of Barrie Hope added to the gallery.
Also information of the Wagga Wagga Event in Austalia.

4th March 2008

A few days too late for the monthly update, I know. But I was sure you come back later ;-)
So here we have the new Picture of the Month: Luis Benito is waving the Magnette flag in Mexico!

We also now have more information for the Magnette Day  at the end of June and
at least I've added # 7081 from ebay Australia to the gallery. The first Magnette with Mitsubishi engine...!

24th February 2008

Here we are with four new cars for the gallery:

# 11510 of Austin Graham, England
# 29310 of Kevin Dixon, Australia, who bought his car 1970!
# 34152 John Monico, who brought his car back on the road last week  and
# 35644 from ebay USA
I also included an entry form for the summer gathering.

17th February 2008

# 8130 belonging to Lionel Burrell added.

14th February 2008

Details for the Rover Club Rally added...
Also some more pics of # 31875, a very poor rotten Magnette sent by Pete Wilson... (probably the first and only Magnette with a rear wiper)
# 36534 was recently for sale in Las Vegas

6th February 2008

Gerrit de Graaf sent an Dutch advert from 1958....

1st February 2008

 While we still have a cold and wet winter here in Europe, I gonna warm you up with a Magnette surounded by flowers on Hawaii as the Picture of the Month....

Also Loz Scott tries to bring some light into CKD (Completely Knocked Down) Magnettes, which were exported in this form... I hope this article is a source for discussion and we get some more information from you....

27th January 2008

More cars for the gallery which were for sale on different locations on the internet:
# 4531 Australia, # 8399 UK,  # 28600 Switzerland, # 36219 UK

24th January 2008

There is another Magnette rusting away in the US: # 31875 but therefore another awaits to get finished: # 31005

21st January 2008

No 540 on the gallery is # 26636 of Moira Wallace, UK
 

20th January 2008

Here are two new entries for the gallery:
# 31513 of Andy Hunt, UK and
# 27793 of Annoni Mauro, from Italy, which marks another Magnettic country now! The 26th magnettiZed country...

13th January 2008

Two new entries for the gallery. Both Magnettes were for auction recently, were they were spotted by Rutger Booy from the Netherlands:  # 28787  # 36225

7th January 2008

Perhaps some considerate readers have recognized that for some time we had no reports from Loz Scott in Australia. Well, my fault. His reports are sleeping in my mailbox (but nothing get's lost!). So a new year and a new technical report, which is for the trained DIY owner, I suppose. Read how to overhaul your swivel pins... 

2nd January 2008

Welcome in 2008! I hope you all had a good and healthy New Year's Eve. I for myself hope that I find enough time to update during the next weeks regulary as I have quite a lot stuff in my mailbox. So watch what happens. Let's start with an update of the gallery: Please welcome:
# 7889 of  Murray Cowley from Devon and
# 34486 of Colin Hall from Norwich.
I've uploaded also a reprint: which Stephen Tickell sent me. It's the the November edition of Classic Cars for sale which included another buyers guide.

1st January 2008

The Magnette events calendar for 2008 is ready now. So, make your diary now!
And of course a new Picture of the Month....

27th December 2008

600 !

Another highscore on the gallery. And it's something specal. Another of the very few non-quarterlight Magnettes, that were built in the early days. And it's also the first Magnette here on the gallery which number is in the sevenhundred range. So welcome Ronald Barnes and # 739
And the race is going on. Next target is 666...

23rd December 2008

No. 599 on the gallery is Magnette # 12833 belonging to Wolf Juchem from Germany:

20th December 2008

# 4215 was on ebay Australia. Interesting, it's the first '54 car with a number above 4000! Where are the late '54 cars?
Next are two Magnettes from The Netherlands, kindly sent in by the Dutch Registrar Henk Kroese:
# 9131 belonging to Harry Hilgerdenaar and # 22543 belonging to Kees Wagemans.
Well, 598 Magnettes on the gallery! I'm sure we can hit the 600 this year....
More updates during the next days: But I don't want to miss to say a very big thank you to everybody who sent pictures, reports or any stuff to keep this website alive. A big thank you also to all those visitors!
P.S. Please vote for our poll if you haven't yet!

The
Magnette Register
wishes you all a
Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year!

19th December 2008

The card is a movie! This was Eddy Lepez' reply just 10 minutes (!) after I uploaded the christmas card below. Look what he means and how the picture was drawn...

15th December 2008

Jeroen van den Akker sent
 this nice christmas card.
I thought you might like to see it, if you haven't received it directly from him!

We are closer to the 600 mark on the gallery!
Halvor Asland from Norway registered three Magnettes he rescued from a scrapyard. They will join his collection of appr. (!!) 3 MGA 1500 Roadsters, a NAS 77 MGB and a 67 MGB GT, a TR6 PI and a original mint 25 000 miles 78 Allegro. Well, I wonder when he will find time to restore the Magnettes...
# 12034, #19973 and # 27320

So come on guys, just 5 cars to hit th 600...

Please vote for our poll if you haven't yet!

12th December 2008

We had at least one response on the winterly pictures.
Gilbert W. Hardy wrote: Love the new photos for Dec. Don't see these little cars in hard serious daily use like that much anymore. Slip-sliding on the icy roads looks like fun.
I agree totally!

 The register committee was discussing about new regalia on their last meeting. We are going to produce some new items, but want to know wat you exactly are waiting for. So I created this small poll, where you can tick your favourite items. You can thick more than one item and even write down your own idea! Please use this to help us producing the right regalia for you! Thanks. Günter

4th December 2008

The countdown is running. Will we get the 600. Magnette on the gallery this year? Here are number 591 and 592, bth from England:
# 26241 of David Burgess
# 29727 of Chris Hobden

1st December 2008

Have you seen the new picture on the homepage? Urs Müller from Switzerland sent this, showing his Magnette in truly snowy conditions and carrying contemporary skir on the roof!
I also made another picture of this car to the picture on the month, as it's fitting perfect into the season (at least here in Europe. It's snowing outside, while I type this...)
Also some news on the galley:
We start with  # 6956 purchased by John Cunneen from Australia , who now can share his time with a restorition project.
Followed by Colin Blke's #16722
Next is # 26699 belonging to Edwin Sweeney from the USA and the we switch to Australa again.
Ian Willder's #32214 is finally another sequent number. We don't have many cars listed, that must have been standing aside on the production line.
All a warm welcome!
Will we reach the 600 mark on the gallery this year? I still have a few in my mailbox, but will that be enough? Let's see...
 

23rd November 2008

MG Enthusiast had a nice article in their November issue, which we are allowed to reproduce here....

18th November 2008

Most of you will know that the nice clock is one of the things that never work. I got mine repaired three times during the last 10 years as I like the tick-tack. Without that it's not a clock!
Despite that Malcolm Robertson made a report about his experience converting the Magnette clock to quartz.
So, his clock makes no noice but shows the right time. I should overthink my opinion...

16th November 2008

Today we have some information on parts:
Andy Brock spooted these reproduction bumpers made of stainless steel at ebay. The manufacturerer is located in Vietnam.
As former Register historian and "Nile-Trial" rally driver Warren Marsh sold his car earlier this year and also sold all his second hands parts I had to delete Zedparts from the suppliers list.     

10th November 2008

Dan Docwra's Magnette has been added to the wedding gallery....
...and to the Magnette gallery, marking the 200th entry for Great Britain. Well done Scotsman!
And the next car on the gallery comes from Wales: David Williams registered # 31797.

5th November 2008

Let's start this month with a bad news.
Former rally driver Pat Moss died after a long illness on October 14, 2008, aged 73. During her career she drove a Magnette on her first continental rally in 1955. Unfortunalety she crashed the Magnette on the journey to the start, when she stopped to read a road sign and then drove off on the wrong side of the road to meet another car head on. The Magnette suffered front end dmage. Here's an obituary...

But we also have good news: here's a report about the M.G. Saloon Day
and
a new picture of the month...

28th October 2008

Jose de Sousa ("our" Peking-Paris rally-man) loaned his Magnette to a friend for the "Classic Safari Challenge"  across Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland.
Here's a short report:
The Magnette lost a rear wheel, complete with halfshaft, in the middle of nowhere in Namibia. I only read the BBS thread "Hub nut on rear axel for ZA magnette" now ! I have not yet seen the parts but apparently the rear hub nut unscrewed itself ... I had a spare halfshaft but it was not possible to repair/remachine the thread (damaged/split from hitting the ground) where it happened, so Maggie and Roger opted to send the car back to Cape Town and rent a 4x4.

The suspension seem to have performed well. I am now considering further improvements for the 2010 Peking-Paris: a sanction 2 MGB engine with more power, perhaps a stronger rear axle (Morris Marina Van ?), limited slip diff, a ZB steering column, traction tyres, plus ???. Any ideas?

More pictures here...

26th October 2008

More Magnettes for the gallery:
# 10450 of Randall Wharton, Ireland
# 23244 of Rodger Shaver, ID, USA
 

17th October 2008

Last week I received a letter (with a nice stamp) from Australia. Chris Gray sent some information about four Magnettes (out of ten) he owned. Here they are:
#   9432,  # 11207,  # 23633,  # 29300
Thanks Chris!

9th October 2008

Grant Howlett sentsome nice pictures of the Festival of Speed at Goodwood with racing Magnettes...

3rd October 2008

Some more entries to the gallerie:

# 12864,  # 24134  and  # 33322. All seen on ebay.

1st October 2008

The season in Europe and the rest of the northern hemisphere is going to an end, which means that the Magnettes and their owners in the southern part of the world start into the new season:

Loz Scott sent a report of "Wagga Wagga" in Australia.
And Alberto Cruz in Portugal finished his restoration on # 35929 and brought a nice example back on the road.
And yes, there is a new picture of the month...

28th September 2008

Well no updates for nearly two weeks. But I had to check my  MGA for the MOT and the last reports for our German MG Club magazine had to be written. So unfortunalety this website stood at the end of the list. But here we go again. We start with another wedding picture sent by Robert Schmitz....

16th September 2008

Please welcome # 35983 of Rikke Nissen, Denmark on the gallery.
And back to another part of Europe: Portugal. You all remember the Peking-Paris report of Jose de Sousa. After his return home he started to change his supension, as this was the weakest part during the trial. Read on...

14th September 2008

New on the gallery is
Richard Sherman's # 28607 and
# 2980 of Valentine Venimore from New Zealand and
# 26668 of Mark Michalak, USA

7th September 2008

Last weekend the last formal event of the Register was held in Norwich. See report and pictures by Brian Pollard and Peter Martin...
 

4th September 2008

Jeroen van den Akker and Karel vermeer sent more photos...

2nd September 2008

Jeroen van den Akker sent report and pictures of the Continental Old Z Meeting in the Netherlands.
 

1st September 2008

Stephen Tickell sent a report of the Athelhampton House event at the beginning of August. Somehow the report got lost in my email account but luckily Stephen reminded me. Thanks! So here we are....
Also a new picture of the month.

25th August 2008

Please welcome on our gallery:
# 24988 of Colin Heald, New Zealand

17th August 2008

There is another Magnette in France, belonging to Thomas Reiss, which has been added to the gallery: # 34090 .

Your webmaster had a nice scenic drive today to organise the Magnette Day 2009. I found a nice place which hopefully will please many of you.... 

14th August 2008

The Z & Farina Magnette Register has a glittering array of silverware to distribute every year. Much of this is for the usual sort of thing - concours and pride of ownership awards, driving test prizes, etc. There's one award, however, which often causes a lot more debate when the committee meets in the spnng to decide on the winner for the previous year - that for Magnetteer of the Year.

This is for the person who, during the previous year, is judged to have done something special to promote the cause of the Magnette and the Register. The rules for the award are a little vague, hence the vigorous discussions at that spring meeting as members argue in favour of one or other candidate. For the 2007 year our task was easy, however - nobody could deny that Jose & Maria de Sousa's amazing achievement in completing the Peking to Paris Centenary Rally in a ZA Magnette not only took the biscuit, it demolished the whole packet!
Actually presenting the award was a little more difficult; Jose & Maria live in Oporto, Portugal and Register funds would (unfortunately) not stretch to a committee outing there. However Jose and his wife are frequent visitors to the UK so when he said they would be here in May to attend an auction in Newport Ragnell (he also owns an Aston Martin DB2 drophead, which must be almost as much fun as the Magnette) we lost no time in arranging to meet.

Over a delightful meal at my local, the George and Dragon in Upton, we heard many a fascinating tale of adventure from China via Mongolia, Siberia, Moscow, the Baltic States, Poland, Germany, and all the way to Paris, of just how to keep a 51 -year-old car going across trackless stony deserts, through rivers and for thousands of miles of inhospitable terrain. And of the kindness and enthusiasm of the local people whose basic engineering skills, when faced with vehicles from another era and people who must have seemed from a different planet, kept the whole show on the road - quite literally.

But this is a mere trailer for the Register spread in Safety Fast! where you will be able to read, in Jose's own words, all about this amazing feat. And just to prove it wasn't a fluke, they plan to do the whole thing again in 2010!
Paul Batho, chairman

9th August 2008

Rhys Timms and Loz Scott sent a report of the EMR with the Victorian MGCC...

3rd August 2008

Greg & Jill Thornton's MG ZB Varitone was judged "Best Car of the Day" and also the MGCC Z Register concours at the Rover Event at Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre on 20/7/08, which took place in conjunction with MGCC Lincolnshire Centre's MG Day.
Greg says: "We were particularly pleased as there were 277 cars entered in the rally programme. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and the venue, and even the rain held off till the end of the day!"
Congratulation!

1st August 2008

New month - new pic of the month!

Also a new picture on  the wedding gallery sent by Robert Schmitz , Germany 

And Lionel Burrell sent an email and picture saying:
My 1955 ZA magnette 4 up with luggage at the 2008 Le Mans Classic. We did 954 miles, the car never missed missed a beat. We averaged between 24 to 30 mpg and only used a cup full of oil. What a super comfortable turing car.

Sure Lionel, this is what the car was built for! It's good to see more and more Magnettes getting used regulary.
 

29th July 2008

Here are some more entries for our ever growing gallery:
# 7477 an update of Rich McKie's car. Look at the wheels!
# 11712 new entry Andrew Murdoch, Australia
and two more ebay founds:
# 13180 ebay  and # 16865 ebay and finally an update of G.Wayne Hardy's Magnette  # 33170  in new paint...

27th July 2007

Hi Magneteers outside! Just returned from a holiday, so the update-free-time is gone! lets start with an announcement from Wayne Hardy, Texas, USA:
Just a head's up to watch for a soon to be released video called "Inside the Octagon" Part 11. The first part is all about MG in the pre-war days, part 11 is the company since 1946. This is a lovely little showing of the cars and people involved, put together by a couple of MG enthusiasts, one of whome is in the professional film business, doing promos  ads and the like. And most of all watch for the lovely little "Black Cherry" coloured Magnette in a couple of the shots, which is old KAA 3133170. Yes I had the honor of being picked to represent the Magnette family in this video. That said, the video is worth the cost and the 90 or so minutes of time for viewing. I also recommend ITO part 1, which was done a few years ago and has some lovely interviews with some of the now departed MG people in Abingdon, (like John Thornly).

10th July 2008

A handful of pictures of the Magnette Day added...

2nd July 2008

Here is a report and pictures of the Z Magnette Day in Germany....
And a new picture of the month ....

29th June 2009

Report and pictures of the 13th Z Magnette Day in Germany...
Unfortunalety I wasn't able to make good shots. So anybody who has more and better pictures? Please send to me.

21st June 2009

The Event of the year 2009 in Norway is over. Rikke Nissen from Denmark sent a report from "summerly" Norway...

If you like to see more of Norway, look at my older report of a trip in my Magnette...

15th June 2009

Following is a picture for the royalist  amoung you. Prince Philipp
 is waving to Grant Howlett and his Magnette during the MG Royal Heritage Festival in Windsor.

11th June 2009

Have you seen the new 1/43 models of the Magnette? Look here...
New models on the gallery as well:
# 10627 on auction at brightwells.com . Spotted by Geoff Pollard and Rutger Booy.
# 11049 owned by Cara MacColl and 
# 22456 John Beesley's restoration project, which probaby can be seen at Silverstone.

6th June 2009

Finally weekend - but what a rainy day. I make the best out of it (no 2nd best, as working in the garage would be best) and look into my mailbox and files to update the gallery. Here are a few Magnettes:
# 16101 an unfinished project
# 17249 was for sale in Australia
# 21150 source of picture unknown
# 23454 of Nishad Wijetunga in Sri Lanka
# 27270 a Manumatic car that turned up on ebay
# 28171 Geoff Pollard, Great Britain (car is for sale)
# 32495 David Miles, Brisbane, Australia
# 35594 David Halliday, Australia
# 35895 was on ebay

You're travelling to Silverstone? Why not visit the Beachampton Natter close to Silverstone? See events for more information.

Talking on events. Here is a report from Trevor Jones of the registers event in Somerset last weekend.

1st June 2009

Alan Barnard came across an elderly report which was printed in "Restored Cars", an Australien mag that has been published Down Under for the past 30 years.
And new month - new picture of the month...

28th May 2009

Loz Scott send a short report of Classic Show Case in Australia....

25th May 2009

George Wilder kindly informed and corrected me. I gave wrong information with the picture of the month...
More updates this week, but organisation of the Magnette  Day in June has priority at the moment.

18th May 2009

There was a nice article in Safety Fast!, the magazine of the MGCC, which we reproduce here...
You receive this monthly magazine for free once you are a member. More information on mgcc.co.uk.

10th May 2009

During the last weeks I received several entries for the gallery. Time to get them online, so here we go. Please welcome
# 5137 of Justin Greenwood, South Australia
# 5367 of Des Barker, Wooroloo, Australia
# 9472 was restored by Ron Lomax, Australia
# 10728 of Bob Towns, Australia
# 13445 of Stephen Hicks, UK
# 22850 of John Brumpton from England
# 37061 changed hands to David Watson

By the way. I still receive emails concerning my April's fool. It seems I hit the nerve as many of you were unsure whether it was a joke or another goal from Brussels. Well so far it was a joke, but let's wait and see....

3rd May 2009

New month - new picture of the month...

At the moment Mexiko makes headlines because of the swine-flu. Time to show that they have good news as well:
Luis Benito Ruiz Bogarin sent some pictures of an
exhibition at La Paz in the Sea of Cortez, where his Magnette attracted a lot of interest and won the prize for best European Sedan! Well done Luis Benito!


Isn't that a nice location for an autoshow?
 

25th April 2009

As promised the report of Magnettes & Steam, the official register season openener, sent by Stephen Tickell.

21st April 2009

Our Australian friends are still very busy: here are some more pictures of the Geelong concours and the Wagga Wagga event has been added to the diary...
On 2nd April I showed two cakes. Grant Howlett informed me that we already had another cake on this site, which his wife baked some time ago. I don't hesitate to show it again:

We meanwhile crossed the 200,000 visitors mark. So it's a good reason for another cake...

19th April 2009

After a two weeks break the first update: Here's a report of the Australian Geelong concours...
Report of "Magnettes & Steam" to follow this week.

2nd April 2008

This month the website celebrates it's 9th birthday! A nice present by you is that our counter  will certainly show  200,000 during next week! Thanks all outside for your input and support!! Adequate for this event I found photos of two nice cakes. Unbelievable what enthusiasts do all over the world.

The right cake was eaten y Udo barthels from Germany, but I unfortunalety renamed the left picture and don't know who had eaten this one. If you read this please sent email.
 

Back to business. Hans Lubberding informed me, that he made a story for a Dutch magazine, which you can (or can't as it's in Dutch) read  here... 
Of course a new picture of the month... and finally another tech report of Loz Scott, this time concerning the repair of the A-pillar...
Also don't forget our season opener on Easter saturday! See events...

Ooh, I nearly forgot:  I received several emails from all parts of the world of those who wanted access to the "protected gallery". Don't worry about that - look at the date ;-)
(By the way this was a good feedback.Thanks!)

1st April 2009

Bad news from Brussels for those who liked the gallery, where we had more than 600 Magnettes in all states of condition pictured: EU-law hit our website with full force. We received an official notification from Brussels, that our website is in breach of European Data privacy protection and we therefore have to put off the gallery from the web. Otherwise we have to pay a penalty of up to 15,000 Euro. Because of this I will put it off on 3rd April. But if you like the gallery you can send me an email and will send you an access and password for the protected area, where I will put the gallery. This should work. Send email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thanks!

Günter

29th March 2009

This is a small update as we will have the monthly one the day after tomorrow.
First I got a note from Magnette owner Grant Howlett who offers all Magnetteers a special rate to stay in his hotel during the Easter event "Magnettes & Steam". You can contact Grant at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Should you book, please mention this website.

Another email came from Japan. Satoshi Ohtsu sent a nice picture from a Classic car run.

24th March 2009

For us the first event in 2009, for our friends the end of the season: see Loz Scott's report of the Magnette and Y register fun run to Mornington Peninsula
 

22nd March 2009

The Register has produced an events calendar, with some useful information. You can download the pdf here...

Loz Scott updated the gallery with some bad news. Most of the following cars beeing already scrapped with only the ID plate remaining. Only one car beeing restored at the time:
# 1376 only ID plate remaining
# 3177 only ID plate remaining
# 3766 paddock car. Its future is bleak
# 20218 wrecked as donor car
# 28661 under restoration

15th March 2009

The 620th car on the gallery is Richard Wigley's restoration project , Magnette # 16139.
Malcolm Robertson wrote a nice article about the SA and Magnette taking part in the Paris-Peking-Rally which was publishes in the North American Classic MG Magazine.

8th March 2009

Time for some entries to the gallery. I still had some pictures left in my mailbox:
# 9409 was found on ebay UK
# 11615 was for sale on ebay Australia
# 23180 was for sale in Luxembourg
# 25931 also ebay UK
# 35923 the only Magnette today that is in good ownership. She's in the hands of Tony Brinsdon.

1st March 2009

March! The winter should go to an end by now and we are looking for a new season. Time to make your diary for the Magnette events now and have a look at your car.
The following tech tips might be useful for you:
Malcolm Eades sent me an article he saw in the Octagon Journal, concerning the right choice of engine oil (pdf)....
And Stephen Tickell wrote a nice article about fitting a rear screen heater to a Varitone...(pdf).
Once your Magnette is ready for the road enjoy our new Picture of the month...
Lastly a reminder that the booking date for the Magnette Day ends on 15th March!

22nd February 2009

New on the gallery: # 34782, which currently is for sale in the Netherlands.
Also bad news for the gallery: # 2431 was destroyed by the bushfires in Australia!
On the other hand a fresh restored Magnette is collecting prices: # 7415 was restored by Lyle Constable in Australia and
# 15230 is John Hallidays new toy.

17th February 2009

More traffic on the gallery:
# 13863 of Alastair Stevenson, UK and
# 19935 which is for sale in South Africa.

16th February 2009

Please welcome # 3713 and Robert Mason from Victoria Australia and # 31040 with Hank  in Pennsylvania, USA

14th February 2009

Please welcome Rod Paxton from South Africa with # 32852

6th February 2009

I’m delighted to report that the dates for MG Live! have been confirmed. The award winning Silverstone event will take place on 10th,11th,12th July 2009.

1st February 2009

Wow, January already passed! Europe is still cold but dry. If there only was some time to get the Magnette out...
For those who have bad weather or want to warm up after hours spent in a cold garage, we got another reprint for you. This time it's from Malcolm Robertson, who made a nice article about his restoration and owners review in North American Classic MG magazine (www.ClassicMGMagazine.com), who gave us permission to reproduce it here.
Another email came from Lionel Burrell, Managing Editorof The Automobile. He sent the picture of the month and also features his ZA in "The Automobile"
 

25th January 2009

# 32690 belonging to Register committee member Trevor Jones has been added to the gallery.
Also Eddy Lepez uploaded a new movie about Goodwood, where you can see Magnettes racing in a short szene.

19th January 2009

A reprint of MG Enthusiast September 2006 including a Survival Guida has been added to "Articles".

14th January 2009

Four new cars on the gallery. Three of them '54 models:
# 2431 Adrian Zorner AUS
# 2860 Phil May Hampshire, GB
# 3113  Michael Anderson, Nevada, USA
#32990 Mark Michalak, Chicago, USA
Plus an owner change:
# 34482 new owners are Nigel and Bev Bartram, GB
All of you a warm welcome!

11th January 2009

Karel Vermeer asked me wether I ran out of pictures, because the current picture was already published in October 2004! Karel, you are right, it was my mistake. So here we have another picture of the month. My apologies.

I also uploaded information and entry form for the Z Magnette Day at the end of June in Germany.

5th January 2009

Peter Martin had a telephone call from John Warner yesterday to say that Tony Hopkins passed away just before Christmas on 23rd December. Tony had been ill for quite some time and  was in a wheel chair whenever he was at a club event in latter times.

As Tony was at one time a register committee member, it may well be that some of you would like to attend his funeral. Apparently, it will be this coming Friday the 9th at Basingstoke Crematorium at 2pm. John can be reached on 0118-9814592 if you want any further details.

2nd January 2009

Hello Magnette world! I wish you all a happy New Year and a Magnettic season.
We start with a new picture of the month and the first newcomer on the gallery in 2009. # 15378  belonging to Roger Dawson ,Vancouver, Canada. Sady it will be the last picture of the car as it will be scrapped.
Several thousand miles away is # 16324. David Kelvin's shiny ZA in sunny Australia.

29th December 2009

When I took the picture below for my christmas greetings I had no idea anymore where I got it from. The answer came jst a few hours later:
Just noticed the latest update on the Magnette Website, a picture of Grusty has been recycled from the Magnette advent calendar from a few years back. Thanks for posting it, it is a very fond memory, and the kids were thrilled this moring to see it again. Not that we have white chistmasses in Australia !!

I have to say that this is the best photo of Grusty - as the snow actually covers up the rust. The photo was taken a couple of years back in at an overnight car rally (the MGCC Springtime Rally) October in Victoria in the high country - when we had an unexpected blizzard. It was officially the end of the snow season a fortnight earlier, hence the mountain not being prepared for a snowfall, and 40 odd MG's being dumped by approx 30mm of snow. One of the best rallys we attended based on the unplanned events. It was the first time our kids had seen snow, so the three kids (i think 7, 5 & 3 at the time) had a ball. Malcolm Robertson sent the photo in some time ago for your advent calendar.

The car was nicknamed Grusty as it is "Green & RUSTY" by John Hastie for obvious reasons. Not that I am into naming cars, but the name just sticks. About 18 months ago, Grusty was onway to the start of the 2008 Springtime Rally, when it broke its crankshaft, and was destined for the wreckers. Johns' father Doug intervened and rebuilt the engine pro bono & used all his contacts in the MG car club in Melbourne to locate crankshafts & original parts, and now has the best looking engine in my fleet. Grusty lives on ! This christmas is its first anniversary with the new heart.

Grusty will have to wait a bit longer before anymore major surgery as John & I will be taking my other Saloon, a 1936 MG SA on the Peking to Paris next year (to join the MGs of Harry and Jose) - so if you are in Paris to cheer on Jose's Magnette, then you may see us as well.

Thanks enjoyed reading your website & the effort you go to with the regular updates, and the photo this morning prompted to write and wish you & your family "Grusty Wishes".
Rhys Timms

Many thanks Rhys and all the others who sent me season greetings!
 

19th December 2009

The Magnette Register wishes you all a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

And as you may have some free time and time for some reading, here is a report of the Ex-works 6 cylinder Magnette...

13th December 2009

As promised here's a report of Jose de Sousa's Casablanca Challenge...
The first dates for 2010 have also been added to the events calendar.

1st December 2009

The headline says it: the year is comming to an end. Although the season has ended here in Europe, the Magnette-world is still turning. Luis Bogarin from Mexico sent some nice pictures which are a real contrast to our winter. And he's doing a good job there, with videos about Abingdon and M.G.s! No wonder that he again won the award for the Best European Sedan! See pictures...
A new month also means a new picture of the month. This time again from karel Vermeer's never ending colection of postcards with Magnettes on.
The next update will bring a report and pictures of Jose de Sousa's Casablanca Rally. Don't  miss it. It's worth reading and great pictures. I hope I wet your appetite enough. So come back!

29th November 2009

Please welcome Per Sæter with # 1663 from Norway, the 5th Norwegian car on the gallery.
Grant Howlett sent me an email:
I recently was asked to take the Magnette for a full days studio shoot for classic cars magazine,they are doing a four page feature in the February 2010 edition on -" A MAGNETTE BUYERS GUIDE", The Feb magazine with it in,will be in W.H.SMITHS shops and other news agents from the end of december.
In other European countries and also America, the magazine is called" Thoroughbred and classic cars"
Here are some insight shoots...

23rd November 2009

More for the gallery;
# 31503 is from Switzerland and belongs to Daniel Ingold.
# 22300 is one of Rob Meier's Magnettes in Ohio, USA

22nd Novemder 2009

Please welcome Tom Strickland with his Magnette # 32829 and Peter Chowney with # 34892 on the gallery.

18th November 2009

Sorry that I haven't updated for a while, but I struggle with my PC... Here is another "CKD"-Magnette on the gallery. Terence Clark bought  # 29659 that was imported from SA to the UK. I also updated Loz Scott's report on "Completly-kocked-down"-Magnettes.
In Australia another Magnette restoration is coming to an end:
I thought you might like to be brought up to date with my ZA Restoration project and I have provided you with a couple more photos to put into the Gallery. As you ca see, I have not stayed with a standard ZA. After totally stripping it down I sand blasted every nut, bolt, washer, body panel  and sub assembly. I have gone for a duotone non standard paint job  which looks fantastic. All relevant sub assemblies have been plated or powder coated, MGA disc brakes fitted up front, a B engine and overdrive gearbox fitted and a better ratio Woseley differential  installed. All the glass will be new and all the woodwork fully  restored. I will be fitting 15 x 5 rims. All the  upholstery and carpets will be new and all the chrome re  done. It  will be fully re-wired and I have even found an original valve radio.  Less than a  year to go and it will be back on the road.
Bruce Bramhill , Melbourne, Australia. 

9th November 2009

The logbook seems to be the only remains of # 21141 whereas # 32278 was a "straight" ZB, I spotted  on ebay a year ago.

One of the roughest places were Magnettes cruise is Iceland. This picture shows Johann E. Bjornsson's '58 Magnette Varitone in Iclandic countryside last July, with his granddaugther standing by.
 

4th November 2009

It was my aim for the gallery to reach the 666 mark. Looking at the calendar I have to rush. So please, send your picture, if your Magnette isn't on the gallery yet.
Today we welcome Andrew Williams from Tasmania, Australia with # 16433 which is the 90th Australian Magnette.
We stay Down Under: The Z and Y Register attended 60th anniversary of the MG TD at George Hetrel's 'Como Gardens' ;located in the Dandenong ranges close to Melbourne. See pictures and report...
 

3rd November 2009

Welcome in a new month again, which means we have a new picture of the month. This time very magnettic...
# 6456 has changed hands (and national flag), so please welcome Thomas Nebauer from Austria.
That's all for the moment as I still suffer from a long weekend. The Magnette register committee met for the autumn meeting to discuss matters arising for the next season...

28th October 2009

Jose de Sousa sent a picture of his Magnette while running-in the new engine last week, already with Casablanca plates. The Casablanca Challenge is the next rally he and his Magnette will attend.
 

27th October 2009

The webmaster of the Wolseley 6/90 website recently contacted me as he found out we nearly have the same picture, showing our cars in front of the Barley Mow Inn. A popular spot where many Nuffield and BMC press pictures were taken. The spot looks nearly the same today.
Please welcome Grahame Peacock from Qld. Australia and # 2793 on the gallery.
 

19th October 2009

Here is a nice article of "Restored Cars", an Australian magazine. The writer likes wooden dashboards, and what do you think which he likes most...?
And the 650th Magnette on the gallery:
# 32312 a restoration object on ebay
 

11th October 2009

Göran Johnson from Sweden brought some more light into the picture of the month and
Jose de Sousa from Portugal modified his Magnette for a Rally in Marocco...

2nd October 2009

We start this month with a new picture of the month and an update on the gallery:

# 2411 for sale at an online dealer
# 7227 Seen on ebay UK
# 10557 found a new owner
# 10564 seen on ebay Australia

27th September 2009

The annual GoF at Wagga Wagga in Australia
 is a good place for Z type Magnettes to come together. This year saw a very strong tem out...

14th September 2009

# 3844 is Hubert Fackler's car which he owns for 51 years now! This picture shows him with the first owner and the salesman. Can anyone look back on a longer ownership?

7th September 2009

The last event of the '09 season has finished at Norwich with 20+ Magnettes. Read Stephen Hicks' report...

6th September 2009

So here we are with an larger update than during the last weeks. Well, our summer was that good that I enjoyed German Bratwurst on the grille and German beer more than sitting in front of a computer. And I even got my MGA out for some driving! So it's no sign of ennui, as someone thought to detect the other day!
Here are five new and changed entries on the gallery, which I'm happy to upload now after a computer crash before saving ;-((

# 1468 is Mark Gilliland's ZA. Look at the rear wheel arch. Looks nice, doesn't it? Nearly what Gerald Palmer designed in his first draft, when he  designed the front "hockey-stick" to the rear wheel arch, too!
# 22490 Joel Johnson, CA, USA bought this car
# 23875 Stuart Batten, Australia is the new owner
# 22720 Mikael Thungren, Sweden reports of his slowly ending restoration after 13 years
# 36939 moved hands to Sue & Pockets Knipe

All of you a warm welcome to Magnette-world! Hope to have you as regular visitors on my site.

Looking over the border to Belgium: A new movie of the latest tour
can be seen on Eddy Lepez' website. The movie seems to be a candidate for the "Golden Rose of Montreux" but unfortunalety only shows the Magnettes in a few scenes.
Does someone have some more pictures and perhaps a report?
 

1st September 2009

It's a bit calm on the Magnette frontier. So here's just a new picture of the month... and a report of the Queensland Concours.
In Europe our last event will take place in Norwich at the Shortens. So get your Magnette out before winter starts! It's less than 4 months 'till christmas!!

13th August 2009

Here's a report of the Athelhampton event last weekend...

2nd August 2009

Please enjoy the new picture of the month... and have a look at the collectibles page, which has been updated.

29th July 2009

Another events report. This time from Down Under, where 6 Magnettes enjoyed the EMR...

23rd July 2009

Just a week after Silverstone the Magnettes assembled again at East Kirkby. See report...

Paul Barrow informed me, about  the Original Workshop Manuals on CD that are for sale on eBay: The scan is image only so is not text sensitive and the quality is VERY poor.

19th July 2009

Last weekend MGLive! the biggest MG Event on the globe took place at the Silverstone race circuit.  Read report...

18th July 2009

Some weeks ago a special presentation took place at the Royal Oak Club in Wootton Rivers  nr. Marlborough in Wiltshire. Register Chairman Paul Batho made the presentation  of the Magneteer of the year trophy to Warren Marsh, with eight other friends from Warren's from the world of Magnette motoring looking on.! From the mid 70s when Warren became the owner of KCF 51 - a Birch Grey ZA - to late last year when he sold the car, he drove the equialent  of a trip to the moon and half way back across many parts of the globe. He has carried out regular modifications to his car in a constant quest to make it more practical and useable as an everyday car and has contributed enormously to the Z Magnette Register of the MG Car Club and the award was probably well overdue. The picture shows Warren's Magnette with his trailer. A common picture for more than 30 years.

6th July 2009

I'm a bit late with this month's update, but there are so many things to do, including preparation for MG Live! at Silverstone. I hope to see many of you either at the Register stand, where you can buy the latest register t-shirts, or see you and your car at the register parking.
What about an bring-your-own-BBQ? I'm at the quite camping area. Drop me an email, if you like to take part.

On update matters I have a new picture of the month for you and another reprinted article. This time of Classic & Exotic Cars, a magazine from the US. The article was spotted by Phil White.

27th June 2010

Here are the first impressions of the Magnette Day 2010...

21st June 2010

Stephen Tickell wrote a report about Silverstone...

13th June 2010

Has anyody been to Silverstone and can send a short report with some pictures?
To shorten the waiting time here is another report from the spring festival in Mexico and an update on the gallery:
# 4936 from Sweden
# 19171 and # 29850, both belonging to Tobias Riobinson, Oregon, USA.

1st June 2010

We start June with a new pic of the month

25th May 2010

Last weekend the MGCC Germany had it's annual Whitsunday Meeting, celebrating the club founding 40 yrs ago. 3 Magnettes attended, but unfortunalety they never parked aside.
I hope that our American friends can get more Magnettes together. NAMGAR GT 35 has the Magnette featured! So make your diary and take part. You also have the chance to meet John & Lou Shorten! I also hope that some of you send pictures and a report!

Talking on events. Here's a short report of the register main event, held in Abingdon...

After a long time I can update the wedding gallery...

14th May 2010

Time to extend the gallery and get the counter up to 697 cars! These are cars that were spotted on ebay or elsewhere:
#1594, #11473, # 13029, # 15731, # 19799, # 26350, # 30879

7th May 2010

# 25778 from South Africa is added to the gallery.
The MG Saloon DAy has been added to the events diary and
there's also a new (old) book added the the books-site. (Sorry I can't find the name of the person who gave the hint).

And John Beesley has some good news for all you that are doing a restoration:
I am writing about some previously unobtainable Magnette parts that Clarke Spares & Restorations reproduce. These parts are unique to the Magnette. The large clips that fit around the heater fan air pipe, the big clips that hold the heater drain pipes to the inner wing and all the wiring loom clips, fuel overflow etc.
Unlike some poor quality UK sourced cable clips the ones that Todd Clarke has made are plated the correct silver colour and their shape is indistinguishable from the original.
Clarke Spares are also making the Magnette small tools roll that straps down in the boot, this is made from the original hesian based material not plastic - it looks fantastic.
Clarke spares will supply a Magnette clip set - this is new addition to their range of MG spares.
Regards John Beesley

I will ask John for the address of this company and add them to our supplier.

1st May 2010

The winter is far behind us now and I hope most of you use their Magnettes regulary now. While writing this, some Magnettes assemble for the main register event in Abingdon. I hope to have a report soon.
But before I have a report from Malcolm Robertson of  the Australia-Southern Highlands Magnette Day...
Well and of course a new picture of the month...

27th April 2010

Please note that the postcode given in the information sheet for the Register event on 1st May is wrong! Please see events...

21st April 2010

I'm very very late with the picture of the month, but too many other things have to be done. By the way: I'm runnibg out of good pictures! Please send me your snap-shots.
Nevertheless I have a few updates for the gallery:
# 9712 Sylvester Earl Harvin is giving her a restoration,
# 23463 is now in Florida with Jim Basque,
# 28177 Rachel Dean from New Zealnad bought this one and
# 30080 has changed to Sheron Bewick

I also added more details of the main event at Abingdon are added, as well as the registers events calendar.

13th April 2010

Stephen Tickell added a report to the Magnette&Steam event.

11th April 2010

Well here am I again. Hope you missed the updates. As said in the latest notes this website celebrates it's 10th birthday this month as I went online on 13th April 2000. What a long time! Well enough about that, here are pictures of the Register's first event in 2010, the Magnettes & Steam...

23rd March 2010

There will be no update until mid April! But you can use this free time to think about a present for the webmaster, as the website will celebrate it's 10th birthday in April!


C U then again!

20th March 2010

Input is a bit low with the season just to start (here in Europe). So there is enough time to update the gallery. I had a handful of pictures in my folder:
# 2142 from Sri Lanka,  # 9841, # 14099, # 24085, # 27588, # 28400, # 30084, # 32314,and 35976

I also came across an old article of John Monkman. Some of you may recall the name, as he was selling Magnette parts worldwide before he retired.

And finally the events page has been updated.

14th March 2010

It's time again for an update on the gallery. This time we go across the years of construction (sounds a bit like Barry McGuire's song). Please welcome:
# 1184 Alan Sanders, England
# 8791 Jeremy Woolley, England
# 16100 Ivor Croft, Tasmania
# 35796 unknown owner in England

1st March 2010

New on the gallery are:
# 17664 an # 23815 both of Jeremy Woolley, London
You all may have recognized that Oxford Models now offer a grey ZA (after the very red one), but only few of you will have recognized the number plate. This car is our chairman's car!

Well and of course a new picture of the month...

16th February 2010

John Hastie sent two more pictures of the Melbourne concours...
Also the events calendar has been updated

14th February 2010

Today our Australian friends met for the Melbourne concours. And here is already a report sent by Loz Scott.

Also more for the gallery:
# 8476 a nice old picture from Trevor Jones and
# 27847 another one of committee member Trevor Jones' cars. Also
# 25640 Barn find in New Zealand, spotted by Colin Heald.

Please find also the entry form for this years' Magnette Day on the events page.

1st February 2010

I nearly missed this monthly update as the winterly weather with more snow than usual keot me busy. Is this the global warming? Anyway. Here we go with some more updates on the gallery:
First we have # 1228 of Justin Greenwood, Australia
# 24223 of Alastair Clements, Surrey, England
# 14206 John Hunt, England
# 22378 spotted y Göran Johnson, Sweden

Paul Barrow gave me a hint that the Brookland Road Test Book has been re-released. It replaces the old black and white covered one published by Brooklands and includes more tests.

And finally we have a new (and sad) picture of the month...
 

24th January 2010

Time to do some updates on the gallery:
Please welcome

# 5079 Davies Digger, Qld. Australia
# 7227 Chris Moore,USA
# 16339 Steve Adlem ,UK and
# 23749 Pascal Pignolet, France

18th January 2010

"When Steve peeled a sticker from below the rear window it came off with a lump of filler 10mm thick attached to it. Further investigation revealed that we could actually remove the paint with a chissel as the filler seemed to extend over the entire car."
Read on the dragster-story...

13th January 2010

Silverstone, or MG Live what it is called nowadays is now confirmed for 4th - 6th June 2010.
And here are more Magnettes on the gallery:
# 15720
# 15944 the last remains:the logbook
#16518 from Ebay USA and # 20110

11th January 2010

Some time ago Charles Reece made a batch of new steering motifs (see report here...).
He is now planning to do another batch, but wants to know how many are interested.
I had one of the first made, and all I can say is that you can't see a difference to the original, except it's not faded. So if you are interested please contact Charles at "candbreece(at)msn(dot)com".

6th January 2010

John Barringe had some more information on the picture of the month...

3rd January 2010

Hello Magnetteers all over the world. Welcome to a new year. We start the new year with a unbelievable story. Some of you might alraedy heard about it or met the guy. This sory is absolutely nothing for purists and Concours d'Elegance-lovers. But it's an absolutly magnettic story. Read part one...
Also there is a new picture of the month...
I had an information from John Weston-Smith saying that our December picture shows the village of Burwash in the county of Sussex in South East England, which  is famous being the home of Rudyard Kipling, who wrote the Jungle Book.

22nd December 2010

The Z Magnette Register wishes you all a
Merry Christmas
and
A Happy New Year!

Another year passed and you were able to keep the website active and informative. My thanks go all who sent reports, pictures and other stuff and to everybody who visited the site. Keep it alive!

Günter

21st December 2010

Bran Pollard from Spain sent me two articles some time ago. The first is from Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1978, when my car, still in the hands of the former owner, and Malcolm Eades' car (this is the nice Varitone in Clausagers book "Saloon Cars") were taken as the "beauty & the beast". The funny thing is that mine was the beauty then... ;-))
Brian then sent the cover of a Spanish magazine were they wrote about the "MG Magnete" (this is not my misspelling!)
 

19th December 2010

Getting the ´restored car back from the painter sounds like a big christmas present, but read what happened to Heinrich Koncki from South Africa:
In the last minute before Christmas closure, Maggie or Winston or Buster - I cannot decide which is the most suitable name - arrived home from the paintshop. Historic Racing driver and car enthusiast and also my neighbor, Lew Baker, was hired to drive my Volvo station wagon and I followed closely behind using a towbar. Somehow Lew did not like to be chased and tried to outbreak me at a traffic light. Having no brakes at all and sitting on a plastic box, I tried to overtake him but he held his ground. What followed was a modification of the Magnette´s aerodynamics, by changing the shape of he right front fender. We wrecked the painters Christmas Holidays when we returned to the shop asking him to undue the modifications, as no improvement of the cars performance was noted. The tailgate mods on the Volvo achieved also nothing, except looking odd. This will be rectified next year.
At least I have now the time to put the car together again. Sure, I start with the brakes!

10th  December 2010

Please welcome another Austrian (not Australian!) car on the gallery:
# 31016 belongs to Jörg Wiefler from Salzburg and is our 725th Magnette here!
And Heinrich Koncki from South Africa wrote:
Reading in the news on the website, that hardly any Magnettes took part at the MG 80 celebrations, allow me to send you an article from a local newspaper. The Magnette on the trailer is KAH5/23521, which I bought earlier this year and is currently undergoing a total rebuild.
Thanks Heinrich, so we count three Magnette on the worlswide MG80 event so far. Any more?

If you haven't seen the nice christmas movie last year, look on Eddy Lepez' website and see how a Magnette christmas painting occurs...

7th  December 2010

Three weeks ago I mentioned the MG80 event around the globe and was wondering if there was only one Magnette. Rikke U. Nissen gave the answer:
A response to the article on MG80. Yes, other MG Magnettes took part in the celebration of the 80th anniversary. In Denmark at least two were present when we took the “baton” – a glass MG Logo with Denmark and the route on it – around Denmark. I myself took part as can be seen in the enclosed photo. It is my father handing over the baton to me. The 1958 Magnette and the 1964 MGB in the background both belong to me.
In the western part of the huge country that is Denmark another Varitone Magnette was present. A local newspaper took some photos which can be seen here...
Regards from Denmark.
Med venlig hilsen
Rikke U. Nissen

And Paul Barrow, webmaster of y-types.org, informed me that he is selling now manuals of the ZA and ZB. Have a look here...

6th December 2010

Here we go on with three more cars on the gallery:
# 11876 the love of Mauro Bensoni in Italy, only the second from Italy,
# 17002 belongs to John Miller in Australia, and
# 22262 belonging to Graham Mayes from Kent, England.

John Beesley found a good source for some Magnette parts like clips etc. The address is added to the supplier site...
and Hans Lubberding from the Netherlands added his car to the wedding gallery. I was astonished to count 32 Magnettes meanwhile on this gallery. Let's go on!

1st December 2010

Is it true? Already December? Well, this means it's time for our snowy homepage. And a new picture of the month. But as the days are short and cold there's also something to read: # 4843 has a nice story behind the wheel, told by her new owner Steve Kirby. Read the story about Millicent Rose...
It's a nice story that fits into the pre-christmas season, doesn't it?

28th November 2010

Ray Green in New Zealand is making progress with his V8 conversion after his start 6 and a half year ago. He says it goes well on very short (illegal) run up the street. Check out the progress...
Well and some more Magnettes for the gallery:
# 8387 John Robinson, GB
# 9473 Ken Wasley, Brisbane , Australia
# 19430 belonging to Kevin and Pam Evans, GB
# 35535 Mike Jacobsen, USA

23rd November 2010

First we have an important notice: the date for GP100, the big event in May has changed! Please see www.gp100.org for further details!

Just a month until christmas! No presents yet? Just in time a new book arrived on the market. It's not a manual or technical stuff, but a novell with a Magnette as a star. Just the right thing to lean back on a cold winter evening, have a Whiskey and read. More...

And another entry for the gallery: please welcome # 29394 and George Hewson

14th November 2010

# 21386 from Bill Leese, IL, USA has been added to the gallery
Pictures of the restoration of # 931 can be seen here...
Buckey McChesney from, AZ, USA send a picture from the MG80 run. This run was part of  a worldwide celebration of the founding of the MG Car Club 80 years ago. I wonder if this was the only Magnette? You may have a look at the MGCC's website how many clubs worlswide took part... Click on Arizona MG Car club and then click on the video to see the Magnette.

And yes finally: the register changed it's name from "Z & Farina Magnette" to the much simpler "Magnette Register". I personally would have loved the old name "Z Magnette Register" and the old badge, but this one is nice, too!

7th November  2010

Already in September the Goodwood Revival Festial took place. There were two Magnettes racing and a few in the parking area. See report...
On the way to Goodwood the speedometer of my Magnette reset to zero. I suspect it was the second time in her life, of which I have done now more than 70K myself. I couldn't resist to make a picture, although I had to slow down a bit ;-)

3rd November 2010

# 23011 is new on the gallery.
Also deep in my mailbox was an email from Satoshi Ohtsu, who took part with his Magnette at the Kobe MG meeting in Japan. The Japanese are very MGenthusiastic and it's good to see at least one Magnette amoung! Keep the Magnette-flag waving Satoshi-san!

2nd November 2010

I have to apologize to all who sent reports or whatever that haven't been published yet. I start to upload these during the nxt weeks, so we have enough stuff over the winter, which in no matter means that you stop sending!
We start with Peter Baldry's review of the Australian "Gathering of the Faithful" at Wagga Wagga...
And another month means another picture of the month....

27th October 2010

Here are the last pictures of the Peking to Paris Rally arrival in Paris and I also sorted all these reports so that you can find them easily now...
Now I'll start to bring all those stories and updates that had to wait during the last weeks....

20th October 2010

They did it! Jose and his wife Maria arrived after 37 days and 14360 km (8923 miles) with their ZA Magnette in Paris. Well done and thanks for the nice reports and pictures! Read the report of the last two stages....

17th October 2010

The Peking-Paris party now leaves Turkey....

15th October 2010

The Magnette is known for it's strong body work, thus why it was so popular for stockcar racing. But it looks to me that stockcar racing does have nothing on the Peking-Paris Rally. Read report 9 - a quiet day of repairs...

13th October 2010

Here is report 8 (from turkey)  - this time a bit muddy and only a few small things that shouldn't happen...

10th October 2010

Jose's report from Iran arrived now (Report 6 - Impressions on Iran). He also could fix a misfiring problem on the Magnette that occured for several days. Read report 7 - the mechanical backup teams.

6th October 2010

The Peking-Paris participants have reached Iran now. Jose sent some pictures - report to follow...

3rd October 2010

Jose sent some impressions from Uzbekistan...
And I added the picture of the month...

1st October 2010

I don't think any of us ever had a engine bay fire on the border to Uzbekistan - Jose de Sousa had and reports....

29th September 2010

Today we do a small update for the gallery. I'm weeks behind my emails...

# 931 an early '54 car owned by Neil Golding,
# 11438 of Mike Bean and
# 18512 a former Swiss car now in Germany owned by Peter Duell. All of them a warm welcome!

28th September 2010

Jose de Sousa had a rest day in Almaty, Kazakhstan during the Peking-Paris-Rally. If you think nothing happened you're wrong! Read on...
We also have the first date for the events calendar 2011...

26th September 2010

Well, here is another full report from Jose de Sousa on his Peking-Paris "journey"....


 

22nd Septemer 2010

No news so far from Jose. But it looks as if they are out of Mongolia back in China and to enter Kazahkstan. You can follow them up on Skytrack.
But we have a report from Australia: Laurie Scott reports about the evnt at Wagga Wagga...

14th September 2010

Here's an adventurous report from the Peking-Paris Rally directly from the Mongolia...




 

13th September 2010

Here's a movie about the COZM ebent in the Netherlands last weekend (click on the left menu on "Tour 2010", at about 2/3 of the film you see the Magnettes on the road).

9th September 2010

Jose de Sousa is going to start his 2nd Bejing - Paris rally. Here's are his first notes:
We collected the cars yesterday from a warehouse some 30 Km from the Hotel. Scrutineering and final briefing plus last minute preparations took virtually the whole day today and this will be topped up by an official dinner in an hour. Here is the Magnette and the two SA's at the hotel car park this afternoon. The rally start will be tomorrow from 7.30 am at the Wall at Badaling, about 60 Km from here, so an early start...
Hope to be able to send you some pictures from Day 1, tomorrow night from Daihai.
Jose

7th September 2010

Last weekend there were two Magnette events. The one being the famous Norwich gala with an open day at the Shortens, the other being the 4th (and as they said last) Continental Old Z Meeting (COZM) in the Netherlands. First we have pictures of the COZM....

1st September 2010

Here is an interesting new picture of the month and an gallery update all cars which were recently for sale:
# 1396, # 28028 and # 32585

26th August 2010

Summertime - holiday time!
Hopefully a lot of you used their Magnettes for relaxed trips.
Thomas Nebauer took his ZA from Salzburg in Austria to Lands End in England  and back. As he said he had no trouble at all during his 13 day trip!
 
Did you do a trip as well? Send some photos !

Here is also an update on the gallery:
# 23521 was bought by Heinrich Koncki in South Africa, therefore the CKD-article has been updated
# 27156 also from SA, but was for sale
# 27497 a very original single-tone-Varitone belonging to Christer Svensson from Sweden
# 36588 seen on ebay in July

24th August 2010

Bill Wallis the MGCC President passed away on the 22nd August.
The Magnette Register pass on it’s condolences to Bill’s family.
Follow this link for a statement by John Day.

22nd August 2010

Malcolm Eades sent a report from Christal Palace with the Mercedes-powered Magnette. Read on....

20th August 2010

First my screen blew off at the end of last week, then my harddrive gave up! That's why I'm a bit behind with updates. So no time to hesitate anymore, here we go:

Sunday August 1st was the date for the BMC/BL Rally at Ferry Meadows Park Peterborough. The weather was perfect as was the collection of cars, many of which were marques from the BMC amalgamation. The Magnette's dedicated parking area had 6 cars including an immaculate Farina version which attracted a lot of attention. A stand which won a club award was the Wisbech Historic Vehicle Society, who were celebrating their 25th anniversary, and featured a home restored steel blue ZB which has had one owner for the last 27 years.
With so many classic vehicles to admire everybody was kept amused without sampling the other attractions which this excellent venue provides.
Next year's event will be August 7th - make a note in your diaries.
John Harris

Another report comes from Stephen Tickell, he brought pictures from Athelhampton...

Mark Bunce gives a reminder for anyone who is planning to attend Norwich but has not yet sent him the application form. Please find the pdf version here to print out fill and return.
 

5th August 2010

...and here's the pictrue of the month.

1st August 2010

Ali Bairos from Hawaii sent me this link on YouTube about the NAMGAR event:

Collin Pratt found this poster of the hard times in Magnette life...

And finally a last report from Europe from Jose de Sousa...

29th July 2010

Namgar GT 35 is still going on in Delevan Wisconsin (farewell is tomorrow), but here are already the first impressions kindly sent by Thomas Webb. What a great thing they did overseas with more than 30 Magnettes....
Hope to get a report and more pictures of any of the participants!

18th July 2010

Jose de Sousa will take part  in another Peking-Paris adventure. Read his report about preparing his Magnette for the second round...

13th July 2010

Sorry for the long break, but we have a very hot summer with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. That's unusual, and  hot!
I have to upload a few more entries for the gallery, before I loose control of my mailbox:
# 18452 Wattinne Patrice from France has bought "Emma", one of the two race prepared Magnettes of Roger & Judy  Andreason
# 25037 another racer that was for sale in New Zealand, spotted by Ray Green.
# 33004 was spotted by Kent Edlund on ebay
 

And finally after a long period there's a new entry on the wedding gallery, kindly sent by Hans Lubberding from the Netherlands.

Romours say that there will be 35 Magnettes at NAMGAR....

1st July 2010

With temperatures around 30 degrees celsius I don't want to sit long time an my computer. So here's only a new picture of the month. All of those who sent in pictures and reports, don't worry , they will appear later...

24th July 2011

Rikke Nissen sent spome photos from this year’s European event in Spa, Belgium, June 3rd-June 7th. 3 ZBV Magnettes and 1 ZA Magnette took part, and as you can see they also managed the Spa-Franchorchamp racetrack.
     

23rd July 2011

Malcolm Eades was clearing out some cupboards and found a nice wedding picture. This car is since several years now mine and parks at least once a year in front of Malcolm's garage!

21th July 2011

Mark Bunce send pictures of this years MG Live! at Silverstone. Thanks Marc!
Talking about events. The date for the Magnette Day 2012 is fixed. It will be on 22. - 24.06.2012. So make your diary now!

19th July 2011

Here is a sales brochure of the brand new MG6 GT Magnette. Not do they only write Magnette like on the Farinas, no, they also feature a Z in it (unfortunately they say ZA and show a ZB).

12th July 2011

Most of you will know the "Living with Alison"-tales of Malcolm Robertson from Australia. In his latest report he muses about using his 1957 MG Magnette as a daily driver…

10th July 2011

We have our 100th Australian Magnette on the gallery! # 7115 belongs to Les hall from Victoria who is doing "a slow restoration" as he says. Next on the gallery is Martin O'Brien's Magnette # 29272 from Ireland.

3rd July 2011

I'm still looking for pictures of MG Live at Silverstone. Nobody been there and taken a few shots of Magnettes? I can't believe.
New month - new picture...

29th June 2011

I met the owner of # 6443, Hans and Monique Evers at the lat Z Magnette Day. During the chat I found out his car wasn't on the gallery. We gonna change this now!

26th June 2011

I'm just back at home from the 15th Z Magnette Day. The tent is now in our garden to dry, also shoes and socks. What a wet weekend! But it was a great weekend nevertheless. Read on...
And how was Silverstone? Can I have some pictrues please?

20th June 2011

Here is a short report from Reno, Nevada, USA. If someone has more pictures, please send!

19th June 2011

More pictures have been added on GP100.org

15th June 2011

Come-back of the name "Magnette"? Look here...

14th June 2011

Should you have already sent an email to Lou, please do again! I had a misspelling. Thanks to Carsten Wivel, who spotted this!

13th June 2011

I received the following information from Lou Shorten:
I have at last managed to find a company who is prepared to manufacture and supply those dreaded 'Monkey metal' parts. These will be chrome on brass. they are only prepared to make these parts in large quantities, but at a very reasonable price.
The quotations I have so far are for
boot light cover
door handles
bonnet hinges and
ZA door spikes
several other parts such as ZA hckey sticks are also on the cards. ANYONE who is interested in any of these parts please contact us for further details. Because of the large badges and costs involved it is essential that we have your support in this project, or we will all have to struggle on with MAZAK. These parts will cost less than temorary refurbishment of mazak. the sooner I get feedback the sooner these parts will be available.
I have already started the first step to get the boot light covers made. The price cannot be fixed until they are delivered when I will know the exact import duties that have to be paid. The price will be for all 4 parts, Main part, 2 blanking plates for the top & also the panel that covers the boot lamp.
I should receive samples of these in 5 to 6 weeks. Provided they are OK the whole batch will be delivered a few weeks after that. I do know that they will be cheaper than fancy refurbishment & being Chrome on Brass will last a very long time!
As the minimum quantity is 200, I would very much appreciate any feed back from anyone interested! Quite obviously if I cannot move these in a reasonable time I will not be able to proceed with other parts. I have already had definate commitments from several owners. I only hope these turn out well!
Lou Shorten, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

10th June 2011

Rikke Nissen from Denmark sent me this link of transport-art.co.uk, where you can buy the picture shown on the right.
He also sent a new nice picture fo the wedding gallery...

Mike Green of NTG send me the following email:
At the Gaydon GP100 event we met someone who had some top inner wishbone pivot shafts made that go through the front chassis members and take the inner wishbone bushes. These items don't appear to have an OE part number. Does anyone know of the Z owner we soke to who has had a few made, or has anyone any good used ones? Mike Green. NTG Ipswich  01473-406031 (or send email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

5th June 2011

Here is this month's picture which was sent by Terry Drinkwater.
I also added # 34483 of Geoffrey Elliott to the gallery.

1st June 2011

Malcolm Eades was kind enough to write a more detailed report about GP100.

31st May 2011

My Magnette has done another 1000+ miles on the speedometer to take part at GP100 in Gaydon. Here's the report and pictures with about 50 Magnettes....

23rd May 2011

Looks like a few of you are on facebook, as we already have a few friends.Let's see how it's going on...
I spent the last weekend with Jeff Becker & his wife Debbie, while they were here on holiday. It was nice to share some experiences with an owner from abroad (while it must has been boring for his wife). The picture shows the Beckers beside my Magnette.
Next weekend we have the Magnette main event 2011 with many attractions. If you haven't registered you can still turn up on the day and be part of GP100! A full report will appear here next week.
Still more and more Magnettes appear that are neither on our database (with about 1600 known cars) nor on our gallery which has pictures of as much as 737 Magnettes!
To keep the gallery going here are more entries:
# 11948 of Terry Drinkwater, GB
# 25462 of Tom Baumgardner, USA
# 31870 a nice (but expensive) example on ebayUSA

20th May 2011

We're now on facebook! Look for magnette.org and add-us. We'll bring the latest ews via facebook as well, once we have enough friends.

19th May 2011

Robert Schmitz found this oil can featuring a Magnette. This is from a German Dealer who now sells oil for classic cars under his name and who owned and raced a Magnette some time ago. This Magnette was restored by the new owner and is still in germany.

16th May 2011

To all Magnette owners attending the Shuttleworth event on 21st May: We have been awarded a dedicated parking position so we can be together. Please tell the marshalls that you want to be in this area or you may well be placed in the public lines.
 

12th May 2011

Please note that tomorrow is the last date to register for GP100, the very BIG event in Gaydon. As far as I know we have far more than 50 Mgnettes plus more Palmer-designed cars. So don't miss it and register at www.gp100.org.
Are you ma(d)gnettic? Always your Magnette on mind? Hans Lubberding has! He wrote:
Last year I was in England and visited the soccer stadium of Nottingham Forrest, Europe Cup Winner in 1974 and 1978 I believe. There the rows were numbered from AA, AB until Z...... - I made a picture of ZA and ZB.

9th May 2011

Here's the promised report of the Magnette Run in the Southern Highlands, not far outside Sydney. Thanks Malcolm Robertson for the reprt and thanks to all those waving to us...

3rd May 2011

Here's the picture of the month witf a few days delay and Magnette # 33013 of Paul Nodtvedt, USA is new on the gallery. With the next update I'll bring pictures and report of the Aussie Magnette Day...

1st May 2011

Last month was a bit quite in the Magnette world, but with the season starting to befull swing this month we'll surely have more updates. At the end of May we will have GP100, the Magnette main event at Gaydon. Please make your reservation until 11th of May! This is surely an event not to be missed!
Talking about events, Radboud Meijerink send an link about the Waalwijk Car Jumble, which is part of this years Magnette Day. Please also fill in your inscription soon now. Full details are at events. Also the MG Saloon Day has been added to the calendar.
John Harris sent a report about Magnettes at the Longbridge plant as part of the new MG6 release to the public.

3rd April 2011

Luis Benito Ruiz Bogarin reports from the classic and antique car show in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico and there is a new picture of the month.

24th March 2011

With great sadness I heard of the death of Colin Pratt. Colin was a true MG enthusiast not only in his Magnette. He attended many events all over Europe and his always friendly and smiling face will be much missed. Our thoughts are with Lis with Nigel and Jan.
The funeral will be on Friday 1st April at Porchester Crematorium in Hampshire (near to Fareham) at 1.30 pm UK time.

11th March 2011

Some days ago I didn't know much about the picture of the month. Luckily the owner recognized his car...

1st March 2011

Two weeks ago a Magnette was awarded the Pride of Ownership award at the International MG show and spares day at Stoneleigh. It was Thomas Strickland's ZB Varitone 873 CHU, which will appear in the MG enthusiast mag soon. Good to see a Magnette winning and congratulation to Thomas. We hopefully see the car as well at GP100?

We welcome on the gallery new cars and owners:
# 1739 Michael Rolls Dorset
# 4215 Paul Stampton, Australia
# 14161 Stewart Roy and
# 24741 Stuart Silvey both from Scotland

And well again a picture of the month...

22nd February 2011

we just received the note that this year the Shortens are not able to do an open day before the Norwih Gala Day in September. Please keep this in mind when planning to attend. Further information will appear soon. So you have another free in your diary, Why not attend GP100, the main Magnette event in 2011?

18th February 2011

Clive Shelley sent another picture for the wedding gallery...

6th February 2011

All we see on TV about Australia at the moment, are the pictures of the great flood and large thunderstorms. Magnette.org offers you something different: Here are pictures of the Victorian Concours, held in Melbourne this weekend. This event opens the season on this website, even if it's going to an end there.
It still takes a while until the events in Europe start, but beside GP100 we now have the the entry forms for the Z Magnette Day on the last weekend in June online.

1st February 2011

Updates have been a bit slow on this site, but there was a lot of work on www.GP100.org. Have you registerd yet? The programme will have something for everybody and we expect a bunch of Palmer-designed cars. Don't miss it!
Back to here: We start February with a new picture of the month.
And we go on with the owners gallery. I wonder if we can reach 800 cars by the end of the year? Although we already have a large number listed, more and more cars turn up. Well, let's start and count up to 733 Magnettes:

# 23228 for sale in the USA
# 25944 believed to be the '57 Motor Show car
# 32114 a car from Hampshire

I also added The Gauge Shop to the suppliers page, as this shop was recommended for repairing Magnette clocks.

27th January 2011

Entry forms for GP100, the big event in May, are now online on www.gp100.org. You can use the form on the website and pay safe with paypal!

20th January 2011

Robert Schmitz spotted a few cars on ebay:
# 13064 has been added to the gallery. this Varitone is for sale at  £17,995 ! This one is cheaper: just £13,995....

15th January 2011

Well I should have noted with the last news, that credits for the technical website go to Stephen Tickell and Malcolm Eades, who set up this great website and reminded me how oldfashioned mine is. I really should plan a relaunch... ;-(

Paul Barrow has some information behind the trophies from the NAMGAR event...
 

11th January 2011

NEW TECHNICAL SUPPORT WEB SITE LAUNCHED TO HONOUR GERALD PALMER'S CENTENARY!

Today is 11th January 2011, which is the centenary of the birth of the Z Magnette's designer, Gerald Palmer. You already know that we are celebrating this special anniversary with a major event, GP100, later this year but we are also making it a very special day with the launch of the Magnette Register's brand new Technical Support web site.
We know that the Modifications Manual is a very popular resource for Magnette owners, but when it came to embarking on the latest update, we decided it would be far more useful to convert it to a website that can be constantly revised and updated and is much easier for everyone to access. You can even submit your own articles if you register as a user.
The new site draws heavily on the material in the Modifications Manual but a lot has happened since that was last updated in the year 2000, so we hope the new website offers the very latest in knowledge and experience for Magnette owners worldwide. It also aims to cover Routine Maintenance and broader Rebuild subjects that were not included in the Modifications Manual.
To some extent it is still a work in progress and we will be constantly adding material and improvements. In particular we want to add more pictures, so if you have a gallery based on your rebuild or you took pictures of a particular modification then we would be grateful for your permission to use them for everyone's benefit.
And thanks to all the Magnetteers who have contributed material to the Hints and Tips on this website and also on the bulletin board. These have both been valuable sources of practical information based on your projects.
Feedback is the breakfast of champions, so let us know what you think of the new site. We want to know your reactions and any suggestions for improvements will be gratefully received.
 

10th January 2011

Brian Pollard sent two pictures of the presentation trophies from NAMGAR GT-35 last July, which were given to John  & Lou Shorten. Truly nice trophies! Unfortunalety I haven't received any pictures when the presentations were handed over.
And more for the gallery:
#  6048 owned by Trevor Morris # 32448 Mike Knights-Whittome # 28394 Jon Hall, Northants, all three from England. Welcome!
 

7th January 2011

Graham Hamilton informed me that there were 2 Magnettes on the South Australian MG80 run, his ZA and Tony Welsh's Varitone. So we had 5 Magnettes worldwide at the MG80 run. Anybody else?

Please welcome # 36078 of Christopher Sharpe, UK on the gallery and
Cartsen Wivel from Denmark has another picture for the wedding gallery...

2nd January 2011

Welcome in 2011 ! Hope you all had a nice christmas and entered the new year peaceful and happy.
we start the new year with a short report from a exhibition in La Paz, Mexico, where Luis Benito Ruiz Bogarin's Magnette took part. Nice to see some warm sea and palms as we still have cold snow here.
And a new picture of the month...