This showed up at a local tow lot over the weekend. It's a 1955 MG TF-1500. The paint still smells new.
This showed up at a local tow lot over the weekend. It's a 1955 MG TF-1500. The paint still smells new.
I hope the occupants fared better than the poor car.That looks like a roll-over to me and I doubt belts were in use.
I'm starting to think that this was a trailering accident.
Woody wrote: I'm starting to think that this was a trailering accident.
Agreed - who snaps the tonneau cover back on after an incident like that?
Damn shame in any case...
If they're looking for a buyer rather than a restored, I'd be interested. But if it truly was a towing incident, I bet it's gonna be fixed.
Looks like a pole or tree got it to me.
It almost looks like something drove over it from drivers front fender to luggage track.
The right side looks like it was upside down.
I noticed the broken cable when I saw it, but didn't put the pieces together until my friend suggested that it might have fallen off a trailer. I think that is highly probable. Rather than tying it down properly, he may have put all his faith on a Harbor Freight winch. It's also possible, given the position of the winch cable at the rear of the car, that he loaded it backwards, -->no tongue weight, and rolled the trailer when it started to sway, and then the cable snapped amidst the mayhem.
In reply to Woody:
That makes sense. Rolled over guard rail and crunched the passenger's side into the dirt.
Woody wrote: I noticed the broken cable when I saw it, but didn't put the pieces together until my friend suggested that it might have fallen off a trailer. I think that is highly probable. Rather than tying it down properly, he may have put all his faith on a Harbor Freight winch. It's also possible, given the position of the winch cable at the rear of the car, that he loaded it backwards, -->no tongue weight, and rolled the trailer when it started to sway, and then the cable snapped amidst the mayhem.
IMO it would have to be a really small trailer and/or tow rig for a car that light to make a difference with towing orientation. Those have good weight distribution as well. I'd love to see the whole setup.
I think more likely a traffic incident than poor trailer hook up, but that is just a guess.
If I had a beautiful mgtf, I'd be damn sure it was hooked up solid for towing.
You only learn the hard way once. That's a real shame.
The smartass in me wants to say "That'll buff right out", but the car guy in me says "This makes my guts rumble".
my bet is that it was a cable snap while winching it on backwards, fell off the ramps rolling off the trailer and rolled that way. Wouldnt take a hard roll at all to do that kind of damage to one of those. (IIRC, their sheetmetal isnt all that thick)
I saw that broken cable but did not put it together with the cause of the accident. The thought that there might not have been occupants make me feel better.
Be really sad if it was on the way home from the restoration shop.
Cotton wrote: IMO it would have to be a really small trailer and/or tow rig for a car that light to make a difference with towing orientation. Those have good weight distribution as well. I'd love to see the whole setup.
It's not uncommon for LBC guys to load their cars onto small, single-axle trailers towed behind their moderate sized SUV, because "that's how we did it 40 years ago!"
NOHOME wrote: Be really sad if it was on the way home from the restoration shop.
I get a sick feeling that is exactly what was happening.
Just call me an eternal pessimist.
We need Mister Jumper K Balls on this, stat!
Keith Tanner wrote: We need Mister Jumper K Balls on this, stat!
My thoughts exactly! I have no idea if it would be a cost-effective option, but I'm 100% confident it would turn out beautifully.
In reply to Pete Gossett:
Anything can be fixed given enough money, but it looks like every part of that car was damaged, save maybe the interior and drivetrain. While TF prices have been increasing over the past few years, I'm not sure they are high enough to cover the repair costs in this case.
With a car like this, it isn't always about money.
Oh quite true... but if it was that important to someone, you'd think they would have secured it to the trailer better (assuming the 'fell off a trailer' hypothesis is correct).
Hopefully Woody can get further details about what happened.
A Facebook friend of a friend said that she saw it on the highway after a long backup. I have to assume that any non-trailer related incident involving this car in the highway would have been much worse.
Ian F wrote: Oh quite true... but if it was that important to someone, you'd think they would have secured it to the trailer better (assuming the 'fell off a trailer' hypothesis is correct). Hopefully Woody can get further details about what happened.
Depends on how much you know about tying things down to trailers. Just because you care doesn't mean you know.
It can be fixed. No worse than the MGB I just ironed out.
Jack up the rad-cap and build a new car underneath.It's just tin and paint. A few of you saw the Russian Magician work the bumps out of the BMW, this is just the same thing.
Financially, it would make no sense to restore unless insurance covered the job. I see about 40k to put that back together at a shop.
Found a set of fenders for the car already: Only $270 for the two.
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