Roger Morse & Lynn Arnold
Roger Morse & Lynn Arnold
Name: Roger Morse & Lynn Arnold
Location: Poestenkill, New York
TCs owned:
1947 MGTC 3737 / XPAG 4306, Red / Biscuit
1947 MGTC 3738 / XPAG 4311, BR Green / Biscuit
1948 MGTC 6073 / XPAG ????, Green / Black
History of TC3737:
This is the first of the two cars that was built on the day I was born. It had enough problems that it was taken apart down the frame and is now going together. It should be on the road later this year. The photo I have sent is of the car as I bought it.
The original owner, who is unknown, drove the car until it stopped running, parked it in a shed and, over time, took it apart for a restoration that never happened. In 1966, Jerry Tatro, the original owner’s next door neighbor in Saratoga, California, acquired the car, now in parts, in trade for an old Pontiac station wagon. Jerry carried the parts from the neighbor’s shed across their yards to his garage. Jerry put the car back together. He was greatly helped in his restoration by the availability of parts from a new British car parts operation in nearby Goleta, CA, named Moss Motors. Were it not for the fortuitous convergence of Jerry wanting to rebuild an old car, and Al Moss starting a parts operation near where Jerry lived, the car would probably have been lost, with its parts ending up in junk yards or spread around at flea markets. Jerry painted the car Ford Tractor Orange. Jerry is believed to have sold the car in 1982 to Ed Browder, who lived in a big house in San Francisco. In 1986, Ed sold the car to Gilles Wicker of San Francisco, who sold it to David May of Pittsburgh in 1997. David sold me the car in 2007. I have taken the car completely apart, and am now in the assembly phase of a complete nut and bolt restoration. When complete it will be red with a biscuit interior
Modifications: Dual circuit master cylinder
History of TC 3738:
Also built on my birthday. When I bought it, sight unseen, it was supposedly completely restored, but the frame was bent, and virtually every mechanical part was either worn out or broken. It took about two years to get it road worthy, but since that time I have driven it all over the place.
Purchased from Hal Kessler of Palm Springs who bought it from Classic Cruisers in North Carolina who, I believe, got it somewhere in Ohio. When I got the car the paint and interior were beautiful, but every single mechanical part was either worn out or broken. It took several years of work before the car was drivable.
Modifications: Dual circuit master cylinder, 5 speed gearbox, VW steering box
Other MGs:
1932 MG J2 – J2-304
1933 MG J2 – J2-3328 – This car showed up on Ebay advertised as a 1949 MGA. This mismatch of cars and years caught my interest, and looking at the photos it appeared to be a J2, so I bid on it. Evidentially, the market for 1949 MGA’s is pretty sparse as I got it or a very good price, and it was indeed a J2, albeit sans engine.
1938 MG TA – TA-2399 – This car came out of barn on the Georgia-Tennessee boarder and is in storage patiently awaiting restoration.
1939 MG TB – TB- 0432 – supercharged – Hopefully, this car will be running sometime in mid-summer. It is being put together by a shop in Phoenix. Our plan is to drive it to LA, up the coast to San Francisco, and from there home to upstate NY. It has a supercharger, and a removable roll bar, and will find its way to the track from time to time.
1948 MG TC – TC-6073-race car – This was Bob Grunau’s race car that he sold to me when he hung up his spurs. I am not nearly as fast as Bob, but really enjoy vintage racing. It has the name of DANGEROUS GOODS. Roger put a rod through his block during a race at New Jersey Motorsports Park in late spring. The MG Vintage Racers (MGVR) Focus Event at Mosport in Canada was about a month and half away. After trailering the car back home in the rain (how apropos the rain – even the skies wept for my misfortune), I sent out a bunch of emails looking for a replacement race engine, or an XPEG block to use as the basis for an engine. Peter Edney in England emailed back saying that while he did not have an engine, he had the necessary parts, sans block, and could build one in 30 days. He offered to tune the engine on a rolling road dyno, and ship it, race ready, in 30 days. Courtesy of the TABC list, I found an XPEG block and shipped it to England. Peter Edney was good to his word, and shipped the completed engine on time. However, English customs did not know what the velocity stack were, and confiscated the engine as “Dangerous Goods.” By the time that customs in England got sorted out I had missed the Focus Event, but did make the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix in July. So now, my race car runs with and engine that has been designated by Her Majesty’s official representative as Dangerous Goods.
1952 MG TD – TD16037 – supercharged
1952 MG TD – TD 16950 – Special built in 1960s with Triumph drivetrain and MGA front suspension
1952 MG TD – TD21953 – This is Lynn’s race car that was built and raced by Mike Lewis of Gretna, LA. I gave this car to Lynn in lieu of an engagement ring. When given the choice between a diamond and a vintage MG race car, she had no trouble deciding.
1955 MG TF 1500 – TF6765
1957 MGA Coupe – HMA4331403
1959 MGA Twin Cam – YD3-675