Original body construction drawings

Details

Written by john beesley

How did these come into my hands?

As some Magnette Register members know, my other hobby is the restoration of heritage steam locomotives, in fact a few years ago we hosted Magnettes and Steam in the Yorkshire Dales near Skipton at the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam railway, where not only did we enjoy afternoon tea on the train but some took the chance to sample the footplate of my locomotive Beatrice.

Am I moving off the point?  Maybe, but steam loco engineering like old MG`s relies on contacts to get spares etc. Near Bridgenorth, a friend involved with the Severn Valley Railway made contact.

“John, You know about old cars, we are trying to find a home for an old Rover that`s been in our yard for ages.”

In fact the car was undercover at the back of an old bus shed.

It was not for me, as examination showed it be far too corroded, a sorry sight.

Before setting off  back home, saying thanks but no thanks!  I had a rummage, as one does. Tucked in the boot was a card tube, closer examination  revealed works drawings, often incorrectly referred to as Blueprints. In fact official  Pressed Steel Company Ltd, technical drawings of the Magnette bodyshell construction.

I asked my friend about the Rover car owner.  Retired from BL years ago, he once had a Magnette. More interesting, was that his job moved from Longbridge to Oxford. There, he made it his business to visit the drawing offices to retrieve any old drawings!

Luckily he (nearly) found gold.

Nearly?  Yes, the MGB folk not only found drawings - but the metal forming die tooling as well!

These Magnette bodyshell drawings show the earliest date as October 1952, since then  are listed the modifications, nothing major, mainly welding specifications. However, the sills show more mods than any other part, I wonder why?  Magnette owners will know!

Below are photos of the floor and bodyshell drawings. Full-sized professional copies (up to 1.5x0.5m) of the following drawings will be made available via Peter Martin mgspecs.co.uk

• Underframe - complete assembly  (includes the floor panels.) This is the chassis

• Body - less doors

• Sill outer

• Sill inner

• Sill - complete assembly