Wanted: period photos of a Speed Queen with MG NA BLL492

Please see the triple m year book 2009. This is the sister car BLL 491.

Color: Blue; The car is painted, as it was originally, in the well known Evans family Bellevue Garage (Racing) Ltd. standard livery of light blue with a cream waistline stripe and cream wire wheels. (Mrs. Evans, their mother, selected the exact shade of blue.)

History

One of three trials/rally Specials built for the Evans family by Wilkie Wilkinson (BLL 491, BLL 492, BLL 493). BLL 492 was built for and owned by Doreen Evans, UK (age 18-20) and is currently owned by Brenda B Benzar, USA.

The MG NA was introduced in 1934. At the time, MG was making two sizes of car -- the well-known four cylinder Midgets and the larger, more powerful K Magnettes. The NA was introduced as a more civilized version of the K Magnette. During its Production Period 1934/36, 532 NA's were manufactured; 176 of them were 2 seaters. (The Magic of the Marque, Mike Allison, 1989, pgs. 303-04)


Shortly after the NA was introduced, B. Graham Evans, owner of the Bellevue Garage, a London MG agency on Bellevue Road in the Wandsworth Common area (London), ordered three bodiless NA chassis for W.E. “Wilkie” Wilkinson to build into trials cars for the three Evans children – Kenneth D. (BLL 491), Doreen (BLL 492) and Denis G. (BLL 493). (Wilkie was a successful driver, brilliant engineer and ace race mechanic of successful racing cars; post war of Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars including the Le Mans winning ‘D” types of 1955/56/57; also of later BRM fame.)

These cars were prepared with lightweight, doorless alloy bodies and were tuned to deliver extra power. These three cars, known by their UK registrations BLL 491, BLL 492 and BLL 493, were primarily used as rally and trials cars. Doreen Evans drove BLL 492 with considerable success in 1934 and 35, winning a first –class award in the 1935 R.A.C. Rally in Eastbourne (UK).