Story of MG Farina Magnette, Chassis Number 24482
MG Magnette Mk4. Chassis number 24482, engine number 7849. A not particularly unusual MG Magnette, smoke grey over old english white, registered as 'BMO588B' on 12th June 1964. Purchased by a Mr. Raynes of Maidenhead, from Hewens Garage in Bridge Road, Maidenhead. The car was fully Ziebarted underneath and in all the chassis box sections, which accounts for the excellent state of preservation today. Mr. Raynes ran the car for a long time, the first year he did 7326 miles, in 1965 that rose to 17,772, and ALL the servicing records, bills, and reciepts of the car to the present day, exist. Up to October 1976 the car was serviced by Hewens garage, then by H.E. Marshall ( Motors) Ltd., of Petersfield, Slough. In 1978 Henleys of Braywick, Slough did the work. By 1980 the Regency Garage in Farnborough did the Mot tests, though servicings were now by various garages. The owners were a Mr. B. Waite of Slough, Buckinghamshire, from 1971, when the car had 46,893 miles. In February 1989 the car passed to a Gordon McDonald of Camberly, London. Mileage reading was now 30,000, the speedometer going past the 100,000 point in 1976, so the true reading was 130,000. Miss Natasha Beramsingh had the car in 1990, but quickly sold it to a Mr. David Powell of Newthorpe, Nottingham, with 135,000 miles. He spent a lot of time and money on the car, with a full engine rebuild. But the large numbers of MG's in his driveway led his wife to suggest, rather firmly, one of the MG's should go. When one day, he arrived home with yet another project, a Lotus Elan, sparks flew. Which is how Neil Cairns became the Mk4's owner. In November 1991 I collected the MG from Nottingham, and rebuilt the gearbox, brakes, clutch, and welded up the outriggers. The car now lives in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, with 157,000 miles. It has appeared in many, many magazines and articles, so is rather famous with its 'BMO' registration. 'BMO' plates were used by MG on their racing and development cars, alas my Mk4 is not one. The only modifications it has are a leadfree cylinder head, radial ply tyres, an alternator, quartz halogen headlamps, inertia reel seat belts, and a thick Morris Marina 1.8 front anti-roll bar. A hint of its high mileage is only seen in the half worn away throttle pedal, otherwise it is in excellent condition.
