Y 1373 - the Beutler Special Bodied Y

In 1996 this picture appeared in an article in MG Enthusiast magazine in an article entitled The Special Bodied Y Types by Malcolm Green (this article is reproduced in full in the publication Enjoying the MG Y Type featured in the Book Review).  There Malcolm Green said of it: 'A cabriolet by Beutler built in 1948. This car seems to retain more of the standard Y-type look about the front, and the wings are shorter than the first car pictured (in the magazine article this is a Reinbolt and Christie Special Bodied Y ~ Webmaster) but it, nevertheless, looks an elegant machine.'

This photograph was sent to John Lawson by Dr. Tobias Studer of Basel and was shown in 'The Classic Y' in June 1995 (Number 127).  To quote directly from 'The Classic Y' 

'... it shows a special-bodied Y Type which I  [John Lawson] previously had no knowledge of.  Although the caption gives the date as "circa 1947", this is probably one of the nine "chassis only" believed to have been supplied by M.G. in 1948.  Three of those would have been Reinholt & Christé cabriolets (see chapter 7 of my book [MG Saloons and Tourers]), and one became a closed coupe by Zagato (see TCY77).  But what of the other four (assuming the Beutler car above to be a "one-off")?  Were they perhaps actually bodied as part of the Roger Barlow/International Motors deal (see TCY 126)? Or were they extra Reinholt & Christé or Beutler cars, or something else again?"

Now, courtesy of Arim Kuriger, the current owner, we are able to bring you a fabulous montage of pictures of this unique (as far a we know) Special Bodied Y Type.
Rear 3/4 View with hood up	Front 3/4 View with hood up	Side view with hood up	Fuel filler
Rear view - retaining the Lucas SF51 lights	Along the running boards ...	... to different front wings	... but the same bonnet
Hood folded down	Rear seat	Original y dash ...	... but luxurious top
Note the crank case ...	... double vented	Great place for the Jackall handle	Original wiper motor, but what is to the left?
Its the fuel pump ...		... supplying a single carburettor