My first car was a BMW Dixi 1928 which I detected as a student as an arbour in an allotment garden. I fixed it, had a lot of fun riding it and sold it. Then followed by a Fiat Topolino, Austin Frog, Mini Cooper, 1968 MG TF from an junkyard in Gent/Belgium, Jaguar MK II, RR Silver Cloud I to name a few. 1976 I got a TC chassis with the number 7191, the bonnet and a firewall from a Jaguar parts dealer in Bremen.

The same year I travelled through Middle und South England in the search of as much spares as possible. It took another 25 years before the rebuilding of 7191 started. Some day in 1998 somebody in the neighbourhood offered to me a TC chassis 9904, unrestored and with matching numbers. It was a real barn find. The car was waiting there for me for more than 40 years. I bought it without hesitation.

I dismantled 9904 completely and the synchrounos restoration started. Then the stub axles for 7191 were still missing. I found the axles somewhere in London in combination with a XPAG Morris block and an unfinished or better partially started restoration of a re-import from Wisconsin, USA. That was number 1514. Recently I was able to trace the former owner with the help of the group.

On 1514 and 9904 all body workings including the wood workings was done by myself. 20 years experience in horse coach riding with 2 or later on 4 in a hand and antique coach restoration were a big help. If I would have had the contact to the internet group with all the knowledge, the adresses and contacts the restorations would have been much easier and for sure very much cost saving. Well, since 2004 TC 1514 in red is driven now by my son, since summer 2005 TC 7191 in black is driven by myself, and TC 9904 i blue is back on the road since spring 2007.

These days I am sitting amidst a pile of parts of dismantled MG SA 1937. I am getting the feeling, that I might haven bitten off more than I can chew. For sure I did not take enough detail pictures.

Peter Zernial