Episode 83: The Turner Twins’ MG Cyberster adventure and behind the scenes at Waylands MG
First, we go behind the scenes at Newbury-based Waylands MG for a behind-the-scenes look at one of MG Motor UK’s newest dealerships with Simon Bishop. Hear all about the amazing deals, insights into who is buying MGs at the moment and the latest on new models this year.
We then meet British adventurers, Ross and Hugo Turner, at the home of the MG Car Club at Abingdon as they embark upon a unique seven-month journey from London to Shanghai, that will see them reinvent the Silk Road for the 21st century by travelling 10,000 miles across continents in an MG Cyberster EV sports car.
The Devon-born twins, whose expeditions include rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and traversing Greenland’s Ice Cap, are undertaking the mammoth range anxiety-inducing road trip in MG’s newly unveiled all-electric MG Cyberster, a sports car that accelerates to 0-60mph in about 3 seconds.
Crossing the finish line in Shanghai in 2024 will mean more than the ultimate test drive of the world’s first EV roadster, it will also mark the Centenary year for the brand that originally began trading in Oxford as Morris Garages; now known around the world as MG.
Episode 82: A chat with the great-grandson of MG founder Cecil Kimber
On this podcast, Wayne chats with Joe McGavin, the great-grandson of MG founder, Cecil Kimber about his knowledge of the man, the legacy that has been left behind and the tremendous pride he has in his family history. Of all the descendants of Cecil Kimber, Joe has the most interest in the story of MG so it's a wonderful treat to chat about what the man who started it all might have been like.
Episode 81: The California Cup 2023 - behind the scenes with Noel Lindford
In this episode, we catch up with Noel Lindford to hear the latest from behind the scenes of the California Cup AutoTest as he prepares for MG & Triumph 100 next weekend!
Episode 80 : Memories of the MG factory during the Second World War
In this episode, we have another of our interviews from the MG Abingdon Factory Workers Reunion. The day-long event takes place at Kimber House, home of the MG Car Club, near the location of the old factory, every year.
MG may be about cars to most, but how they helped during the war did not go unrecognised – with some people regarding the work in Abingdon during World War 2 as the pinnacle of the company’s successful history.
Iris Dixon sadly passed away earlier this year, but before she did, we were privileged to be able to spend some time with her to record some of her amazing stories, plus those of her sons Barry and Clive, who also worked at "The MG". This family's tale covers MG production of the Tempest aircraft right the way through to the 1970s and MG Midget production.
We share this recording as a tribute to an amazing lady and an amazing life.
Episode 79: How I ran over Pat Moss - stories from former factory workers
In this episode, we have another of our interviews from the MG Abingdon Factory Workers Reunion. The day-long event takes place at Kimber House, home of the MG Car Club, near the location of the old factory, every year.
In the previous episode, we heard from Orlando Vito and Foreman at MG who had progressed from tea boy through the ranks.
In this episode we meet a pair of friends, John Wood and Adrian Goodenough who were at school together and joined MG at the same time.
John Wood worked on the line, mainly on Midgets and trim. Adrian worked within finishing, painting and spent a spell working in the works department – the famous part of the Abingdon factory that produced the works competition MGs, Healeys and even Triumphs.
In this fascinating trip through time, we hear their uncut and uncensored memories of their years working for MG and the scrapes they got into – including how Adrian ran over racing driver, Pat Moss!
Episode 78: Orlando Vito, former MG factory worker at Abingdon
On the MG Car Club Podcast for this episode, we attended the annual Abingdon Factory Workers’ Reunion Day held at the MG Car Club’s head offices, Kimber House in Abingdon. This event happens every year, but this was the first one since before the pandemic.
In this episode we talk to Orlando Vito, who started at MG Abingdon Works as a tea boy and progressed to the position of foreman before the factory closed in 1980. In this chat, he reveals some amazing stories and memories including driving the land speed record car and a bugle player stopping the factory at Christmas!
Episode 77: The future values of the MG Car Club explained
The MG Car Club announced a new values initiative at MG Live! In this episode of the MG Car Club Podcast, we talk to the team who pulled it all together to understand what the H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E ethos means for the future of the club and ensuring we have a healthy community long into the future for the 'Marque of Friendship'.
Joining us is Rob Constant, Chairman of the MGCC's Vintage Register, John Day, MGCC Honorary President and Kieran Reid, Chairman of the MGCC Young Members' Branch to reveal just how important this is for the club.
Do you have an interesting story to tell? Why not get in touch and we will interview you on the podcast as well!
Episode 76: Paul Swift, Stunt Driver and MG 2022 in Ontario!
On this episode of the MG Car Club Podcast we chat to stunt driver Paul Swift! He will be telling us all about his forthcoming show, opening the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. But, not only that, he will be letting owners of Longbridge built MGs know how they can be a part of the fun!
We give you a preview of the latest news and merchandise ahead of this year’s MG Live! Plus a reminder of some of our anniversary events this year.
Finally, we head over the Atlantic to learn about what our friends in North America are doing this Summer to celebrate MG, with MG2022 being held in Peterborough, Ontario. Jeremy Holdsworth joins us to talk us through the event and reveal their key note guest who is someone very familiar to regular listeners to the MG Car Club Podcast.
Episode 75: Bill Munro on Carbodies and how they built MGs plus The California Cup!
The MG Car Club Podcast returns with more stories, memories , interviews and news from the global MG community.
This week, we talk to ex-cab driver and author of the definitive history book on Carbodies - the company that began building bodies for Triple M era MGs as well as a number of other car manufacturers before moving into Taxi production.
Plus, we speak to Noel Lindford about The California Cup and the taster AutoSOLO taking place at MG Live that you can enter!
Episode 74: For the Love of an MGA
The MG Car Club Podcast returns with more stories, memories , interviews and news from the global MG community.
This week, we talk to Tony Brown, a man who has had more than his fair share of scrapes and adventures with MGAs over the years. He shares his highlights from a lifetime of MG ownership with us in this fantastic conversation.
Sit back, giggle a little and enjoy this fabulous story.
Episode 73: Could planting trees really keep our MGs on the road?
Following the announcement that the MG Car Club are to offer owners of historic MGs the opportunity to carbon offset their mileage, we interview Tom Worthington from Tree-V who administer the scheme for the MGCC and FBHVC, to find out more about how the scheme works and whether it really makes a difference to the emissions challenge we all face. Plus we round up the latest from the world of MG.
Episode 72: Everything you need to know about E10 and the future of Fuels
On this week's podcast we take stock on the past three-months since E10 was introduced as the standard grade of fuel in the UK and debunk some of the myths that have circulated around historic vehicles and ethanol in fuels. Nigel Elliot has served over 30 years in the industry developing fuels and is now the Fuels Specialist advisor to the FBHVC. On this podcast we examine what the future has in store for fuel supplies and how we can live with Ethanol in fuel going forward.
Episode 71: Midget & Sprite Challenge Season Review
Mike Parker joins us to reminisce over. superb season of motorsport within the Lackford Engineering Midget and Sprite Challenge.
Pippa Cow won the championship in a Class E Sprite by 3 points over Mark Witherspoon's Class D 'Frog-eyed' Sprite. Mike tells us about his own MG history and explains in the model's 60th anniversary year, what he believes the attraction of the Midget is and why he thinks it has endured so long.
Mike walks us through the race season blow by blow, so pull up a chair, pop those headphones in a let's review a fantastic year of Midget and Sprites in motorsport.
Episode 70: A college MGB restoration project with a difference!
Ian Fischer is a member of a nation-wide collective of younger MG fans across the USA and this week joins us to explain what motivates him at the age of 17 to not only restore an MGB but also modify it to take an engine from another make of car, but which engine will he choose? All is revealed on this week's episode.
Episode 69: MGCC Race Championship Review
This week, Competition Secretary Mark Baulch and commentator from our live streaming, Ian Waterhouse join us to look back over the season of MG Car Club racing, from the very first round to the exciting climax at Snetterton earlier this month.
Keep up with all the gossip from up and down the paddock and hear some of our previews of what we can look forward to in 2022.
Episode 68: Keiran Reid from the MGCC Young Members Branch chats about MGs and the future
This week, we talk to the Secretary of the MG Car Club's Young Members' Branch. Keiran Reid not only owns an MGB and MGF but also works in the industry at a major parts supplier. In this interview Keiran and Wayne chat about where his love for MGs stemmed from, some of his highlights of ownership so far plus what the future holds for younger generations of MG fans.
Episode 67 - A lifetime selling MGs with John Newey from Summit Garage
This week, we talk to John Newey about his lifetime selling MGs as part of the family business, Summit Garage in Dudley. In this week's episode John explains how the cars and customers have changed since he started ion 1980, his fondest memories of vehicles that have passed through the dealership in its long history and shares with us, his own passion for MGs new and old.
Episode 66: MGs in Canada with Jeremy Holdsworth
This week, we talk to Jeremy Holdsworth about his own life growing up around MGs in Canada and North America, what the MG scene is like in his part of the world and what events the are holding. Jeremy shares details of one particularly exciting event, MG 2022, due to take place in Peterborough, Ontario 19-23 June 2022.
Plus we share the latest MG Car Club news and Wayne gives his tribute to Graham Robson.
Episode 65: Zed spares with Scott Biddlecombe
In the anniversary year of the MG Zeds, we talk to Scott Biddlecombe, who is not only incredibly passionate about the model range but also has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the parts , maintenance and other technical information we all need to keep these special cars on the road.
In this episode we hear from Scott on his own MG history, where his passion for the Zed range stems from and also his journey to running the MG specialist business Discount MG Rover Spares and the investment he is putting in to remanufacturing parts that are no longer available.
Episode 64:John Harris' amazing 1930s MG PA Midget
On this week's podcast we speak to another member who recently visited Kimber House with his stunningly gorgeous MG PA finished in two-tone blue. We asked him about his many years of ownership and how he restored the car and has enjoyed it ever since.
The latest from the Triumph and MG Weekend is that the California Cup is still very much open for entries and waiting for you to be brave enough to enter!