Named "Nettie" by previous owner, Morry Cohen, of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania who sold her to Allen Bachelder in 2000. Originally one of perhaps six Manumatic ZBs imported to the US in 1958. Due to her first owner's frustration with this dubious feature, she ended up in a Pennsylvania junkyard circa 1960, remaining for 25 years before being discovered by Jerry Goguen. Nettie was cosmetically restored and placed in the museum for another 14 years. She can be seen in an interview with Mr. Goguen in the video "MGs Across America". She was sold when Mr. Goguen began disposing of the museum and ended up in the hands of Mr. Cohen. To this day, she shows only 15,000 miles on her odometer although her original engine and manumatic transmission have been replaced. Allen Bachelder, New Castle, Virginia, USA.

"Nettie” was sold by Gerry Goguen to somebody at McLean’s Brit Bits in Rye NH – it may have been Sam. Her engine was seized and manumatic was not working, so another 1500 and four-speed were installed instead. A few parts from a sea-foam green ZBV were used and “Nettie” was back on the road. She was then sold to Morrie Cohen in Pittsburgh. Morrie drove/showed her for 2-3 years and sold her to Allen. Note that she had been in a northern PA junkyard for 25 years before Gerry bought her (no doubt due to the original owner’s frustration with the manumatic). She was in the museum for another 14 years. As you can imagine, her mileage was very low. When I bought her, she had just about 11,000 miles on the clock, and we put another 10-11K on her – including our 6,000-mile trip.

Allen sold “Nettie” to Jim Basque in Florida. In September 2005 Jim put it on Ebay and it was sold. Attached is a note Jim wrote to Allen on Sept 11, 2005:

Hi Allen: Yes it's sold but still here waiting for pickup. I was a little disappointed that it just made the reserve and not higher because it is a sweet running car....but the funds have been nice to have to put into my Healey (for starters it desperately needed new wire wheels and tires all around).

The Magnette is still awaiting its final owner. The high ebay bidder is a dealer:
G& G Collector Cars, Inc.
8501 Las Cruces
Laredo, TX 78045
956-725-7845
My contact has been Cynthia Garza
cpgarza@grupodomos.com

What has happened to the manumatic transmission and the vehicle now is unknown. Pictures from when Allen owned the car:

Lincoln Highway, Wyoming

Montpelier

Stephenson Washington

Tree Rock Wyoming

Washington Border