My car is a collection of surplus parts which were in storage and were being made available by the owner. The frame required some welding, sandblasting, epoxy priming, painting and straightening. The front axle is from a TA and with the exception of any welding it needed the same treatment as the frame. It has been fitted with new spindles/stub axles, kingpins, good used hubs, new wheel bearings and disc brakes. The engine is a 1600 16 valve twin cam Toyota 4AGE with 5 speed transmission, but the fuel injection has been removed in favour of carbs. . I have 4 Mikunis and 2 40mm DCOE Webers but haven't yet decided on which to use. (I may even go with SUs). I was fortunate in being able to find a good body, so I was spared the ordeal of body restoration. The body was built about a dozen or so years ago but never used.

In addition to the disc brakes, non- original engine and gearbox , I am further modifying things by using rack and pinion steering from a 1977 Austin Mini. I built 2 Minis some years ago and had this rack left over. I have constructed a tube frame to cross from one side of the skuttle to the other. Its function is to support the hanging pedals, the steering column and various electrical components.

When finished the car will have an aluminum bonnet and cycle fenders, and aero screens, giving it a vintage appearance. I rebuilt a TC in the 1960s and didn't want to do a re-run so I'm building a "special" this time. My purpose is less about speed and performance and more about reliability and safety on crowded expressways. Where I live it's difficult to get to the quiet backroads without spending some time on multi-lane highways.

Members of MG-TABCs Forever should rest assured, that with the exception of the firewall, no original TC parts were injured, tortured or endangered in the building of this car. In the case of the firewall the one I got was badly bent as a result of a collision in a vintage race. It has been straightened and reshaped in the area of the boxes to accommodate the hanging pedals.

Dominic Crawley