This stunning V8-powered Magnette was spotted at the MG Car Club European Event of the Year at Speyer, Germany by Register Webmaster Gunter Graskamp and Editor Malcolm Eades. As if to emphasise the European nature of the event, they discovered that it was owned and built by Andrew De Bernes, an Englishman living in France. Not only is the design subtle and sympathetic to the character of the car but the execution is to an exceptionally high standard.
The technical details are as follows:
Engine: Ex-TVR 3.9 Rover V8 (200 BHP)
Carburettors: Twin SU HS8 (from Jaguar)
Ignition: Electronic
Exhaust: Made-to-measure stainless steel system 8 ? 2 ? 1
Radiator: Original triple-core with integrated temperature sender and relay to operate electric fan. Bonnet catch support rail removed to accommodate large fan. Bonnet secured with clips to the front valance.
Gearbox: Standard 5-speed ex-Rover SD1
Propellor shaft: shortened balanced ex-MGB
Leading and trailing links adjustable (welded “rally design”) with lh/rh thread; top link special mini; springs: heavy duty and shorthened;
King pins and wishbones:
- king pins MGB bottom modified for link fixing
- top wishbones shortened and strengthened modified top plates made in aluminium
- superflex hardened bushes on bottom linkages
- adjustable spax shock-absorbers
Rear suspension:
- back axle MGB (limited slip diff) Salisbury type
- standard rear leaf springs reconditioned and flattened
- fixing plates re-positioned and welded on axle
- plate and pin fixing on axle for panhard rod (welded)
- bracket made to measure on right-hand side of boot-floor corner with adjustable panhard rod
(parallel toaxle)
- shock absorbers (spax adjustable) special top plate in rear arch. Bottom fixing under
reversed base- plate under u bolts.
- car lowered using ford aluminium lowering blocs (2”)
- 2 anti-tramp bars (modified in length anglia 105e) from: milton engineering
- 2 pinch plates welded to front leaf spring housing for tramp bars.
- pedal box from Ford Escort (racing
model Burton)
- twin master cylinders front–rear
with adjustable bias on dash-board
- separate hydraulic master cylinder
for clutch
- Lockheed servo on front brakes
only (servo above passengers knees)
- all brake lines in “Aeroquip” flexible tubes
Front: 4 pot calipers from MGF racer + fixing plates made to measure
discs : vented (Citroen SM) - modified diameter/thickness
Rear: 2 x (2 pot) aluminium callipers from Citroen Visa
special back plates for callipers using original back-plates fixing holes.
Hand brake:
- in line hydraulic hand brake on separate brake line master cylinder
- hand brake leaver “original” with modifies housing
Electrics: 12 volt
- alternator re-positioned under left-hand. exhaust bank
- wiring loom totally original (brand new left-hand drive)
- integrated fuse box on bulk head centre (inside car)
- horn + indicator switch on column (from Ford Anglia)
Dashboard
- all new magnolia instruments in redesigned dashboard using half-octagon binnacle original
- rev-counter runs off distributor
- Veneer French polished
Steering
- all parts original + MGB
track-rod ball joints
- all felt bushes new
- no central wiring in column
- wood-rim steering wheel on home- made boss using mini splines (idem!)
Petrol tank and fuel system
- made to measure 65 litre aluminium tank (above back axle for safety)
- 12v electric pump and separate filter with pressure regulator
- Fuel-line is copper tube running inside car
Interior Trim
Seats - back seats cleaned and tinted black,
- front seats special order buckets on adjustable rails
Headlining - new original headlining with integrated “Britax” sunroof in black
Wood work all wood work trim French polished
Door panels marine ply 3 mm,home covered + pockets & plastic screw fixings
Front - twin heat louvres and matt black
mesh grill
- widened front wheel arches to cover
Boranni 6” wheels
- twin orifices for rear-mounted Lucas
spot lights in front wings
- twin mesh grill air intakes in front
for brakes
- twin mesh grill air extractors “a la Aston Martin” lateral
- new front windscreen and rubber
- all glass replaced by “Macrolon 5 min” racing authorized
plastic
- rear windows fixed in closed position
- front windows up/down in made to measure aluminium
guides
Rear
- rear arch embellishers from Jaguar MkII (Coombs)
- matched and welded into rear doors and rear arch
- bottom rear sill shortened to top sill height
Exhaust - all stainless steel made to measure
Wheels - 6” J. Borrani (ex. ferrari) wire wheels rebuilt, new Borrani spokes
- polished rim/painted center
- tyres (T9 635) 205x65x15
- fixing: twin-eared MGB spinners (large splines) handed.