The "before" picture was taken on March 14, 1999, the date I purchased and brought TC 7812 home. It took me almost 2-1/2 years to restore the car. The "after" picture was taken on July 24, 2003 at the GOF Central XXV held at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The car won 1st place at that event.

I was fortunate enough to have found the original " Bill of Lading" from LEP Transport LTD in a folder of documents that came with the car. The LEP invoice showed a 1949 MGTC Sports car, with British Registration Number LMA 183 being shipped from London to New York in September 1964 by Mr. Warren D. Welch.

Research showed that the car came off the assembly line on February 3, 1949. The archivist for the Cheshire County Counsel was able to find and send me a copy of the original British "Register of Motor Vehicles" showing the car being registered on February 18, 1949 to a Dr. Libby Harris, Barrow Lane, Great Barns (?). I have added the question mark because there is more to the address and the handwriting is difficult to read.

I was able to locate Warren Welch who sent me several pictures of TC 7812 parked in back of his fraternity house at the University of Denver. Warren provided the story of how he drove the car from Binghamton, New York to Denver, Colorado during the summer of 1968. He said the trip took him 5 days because the front end shook violently when he drove over 45 mph. He said he also broke down in St. Louis, Missouri when a braided oil line ruptured.

Warren eventually sold the car to an individual named Robert Brown. I have a copy of the May/June TSO classified section showing the car for sale by Warren. The ad states "Best Offer over $1600."

In 1975, Mike Francks, one of our mg-tabc list members, purchased TC 7812. Mike started to restore the car and was kind enough to send me pictures of his restoration efforts including pictures when he found the car up sitting disassembled in an airplane hangar.

Mike sold the car to a Don Crosby who eventually sold it to Willard Bryant. Willard brought the car to the St. Louis area from Denver sometime in the late 80s. As the "before" photo shows, I purchase the car as a "basket" case.

It was a fun project putting the car back together. However, I could have never done it without the collective help I received from the members of the mg-tabc list!

Mark Stolzenburg