Story of MG Farina Magnette, Chassis Number 22785
MG Magnette Mk4. Chassis number 22785, engine number 6077. RHD. A MK4 in a very common colour scheme for this model, smoke grey over old english white. Registered as 'APR85B' on 20th May 1964, and immediately nicknamed " APRIL" by the new owners. Its first owner had brought a Austin A60 Countryman Estate car, but did not like it, so exchanged this for the MG. The dealer was in Gillingham, Dorset, England. The new owners drove the car to their home in Hemel Hempstead, but the owner died after only driving it twice. His step daughter then ran the car, and later moved to Hintlesham, near Ipswich. David Gillingham, ( Taffy to his friends,) was asked to vist the lady to value the car for insurance purposes. Taffy G. was in the Cambridge and Oxford Owners Club, who then were the only club interested in such cars, ( he later edited their magazine, 'Rossette Recorder',) on 12th May 1988. When the lady heard his surname, she was so amused, she offered him the car free of charge. How could he refuse? Complete with a full service history and all bills, with 80,445 miles, he drove it home to Ipswich in Suffolk. Taffy ran the car up to 1996, when he loaned it to the MG specialists of 'NTG Services,' who were about to go into supplying Farina spares. NTG have run the car ever since, using it to check out parts, and see that they will fit. Taffy has also a huge collection of other four, and six, cylinder Farina cars.
