A CLASSIC MG car body found in a barn in Cornwall being used as a hen house is now back on its wheels and motoring again.
And recently it pulled up at a ‘Coffee at Ten’ get together on Tuesday mornings organised by Cookhill Baptist Church.
The 1953 MG YB-type saloon was rescued in 2012 by an enthusiast, who started restoring it.
At the time it had no chassis, engine, gearbox propshaft, axle, suspension or wheels.
Later it was acquired by Droitwich resident Ray Cotter who completed the work and now has it back on the road.
“I had to acquire a lot of spare parts, such as an engine and wheels, and had advice from other members of the MG Car Club,” says Ray, who used to be an engineer with Electrolux and later worked at the Patrick Motors Collection in Kings Norton.
“All interior and trim had been worn or eaten away by the hens and vermin, including the dash.
“I’ve spent many cold nights working in the garage to restore the MG, including rubbing down and restoring paint work.
“I admit a friend did the final coat.
This will probably, though, be the last of a series of classic cars I restore,” says the 82-year-old enthusiast.
“I still have to fit a glove box and tidy up the wiring – the purist among us may frown but if the gentleman who found the body and spent a lot of time and energy and myself had not done so there would not be an MG sitting here now.”
