Who purchased the MG via Waterhouse and Son?

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“MG produced 591 VA Tourers, but this is not one of them. This one was bodied later and is one of the two cars leaving the factory with no body, the other one went to Australia. The company also produced 564 VAs with drop-head coupe bodies plus 1238 saloons. It is difficult to say how many survive, but the SVW Register (MG Car Club) would be able to estimate better than I could. When I ran the Register the figure of Tourer survivors was around 60 cars worldwide.

My car left the Abingdon factory in 1938 as a 'show chassis' and was destined for the Geneva Motor Show that year. Like all MG show chassis, it would have been painted white, and indeed, when the chassis was repainted many years ago, the area around the gearbox was left white. Somehow, with war clouds gathering, the car was returned to Abingdon, and a standard Tourer body was fitted. It was first registered in Bradford, Yorkshire in June 1940 and sold via Waterhouse and Son (although the car was made in 1938).

I was 'on duty' in Birmingham around summer 1962 when I used to see the car being driven. I took a fancy to it so one day I stepped into the road and stopped it. I soon convinced the driver that all I wanted to do was have a good look at his car. We parted with me saying that if ever he tried to sell it, I was interested. Next summer he was in touch. His wife was fed up, he said, with being cold and wet in the car and he was buying a Volkswagen Beetle. He would NOT negotiate. His price was £90, take it or leave it.

I thought it was a bit expensive...

I thought it was a bit expensive as not long before I had bought a Morris 8 Tourer for £7 10s 0d (£7.50) followed by an MG VA Saloon for £40. Anyway, I bought it. Next day (21st June 1963) I had to find out how fast it would go. On the A38 near Worcester, with 80 mph on the clock (which was legal then) a big-end went. The car was towed into a small garage in Worcester, a new con-rod was taken off the shelf and fitted. The car was ready in two hours for the modest sum (which included the tow and fresh oil) of under £10.

The previous owner, Frank Humphries, a fire officer, told me he had bought the car from a dealer in Kidderminster and he understood that it had belonged to a restaurateur in the town. Frank had owned the car since 1951. He parted with the car reluctantly and wrote in the maintenance manual "June 20 1963. Parted after wonderful friendship. 98,200". That figure was the mileage shown on the odometer.

For 56 years...

I have owned my MG VA for 56 years and have been unable to trace any previous owners, apart from whom I bought the car. I suppose like most long-term owners of old cars, I would like to know who was the first owner (in the UK) of my car.”

Is there anyone who can help John and tell us more about who previously owned DKW 506? This would make John on this International Day of Happiness even happier! Please comment below. Your help would be very much appreciated!

Words by John Bates and the editor.

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