British-Cars.org

Welcome to the DMR Site for British Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite General - 'Ashley Midget'

Another Rae Davis special emerges - if I was a suspicious type I would say Motobuild was building them to sell at auction...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3506891.htm
James Bilsland

I find so many of them on offer now I am hoping they spoil their own market
Onno K

Their own words "The Ashley GT on offer today" says it all really.

To be honest I have nothing against them making these cars as its another way of keeping as many spridgets as possible on the road.
If they use the right name for it I cant say either but they do mention "Ashley Works" producing them, is that a new company or still the original Ashley?

They look very nice tho!
Arie de Best

I don't like those 14" wheels. I wonder if we look underneath we'll find quarter or semi elliptics?
Max max-at-midgetmax-dot-com

I cant see any claim to be anything other than a recent restoration and conversion. Not sure why "suspicious"...someone has clearly built it to a high standard (well I have no idea of course but can only assume/hope) to sell. I cant see why that's suspicious. And "On Offer" - its an auction website, of course its "on offer".

Whats the issue or am I missing something ?
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

maybe already spoiling the (limited) market in that Whizzo's car with 'Goodwood history' (i.e. raced there once in 2010) fetched 23k I believe, the next was up at around 18k, then one was 14k, now this estimate of 9 to 12k.... then again they can't cost much more than 6k?
David Smith

Hmm have not follwed the "new ashley story"

They all every thing Ashley when it is not!
In several older advertisment they have offerd them as original cars restored which they are not.
Not sure how it is with the name rights thing.
Some one on this BBS has had some legal troubles with them iirc...

In essence they sell something advertised as something it is not.
Onno K

That one has been on ebay for the last couple of months...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230712634375?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Dave O'Neill2

Not that it matters, the interior door hardware, and panels look very close to my 1969 GAN4 Midget. Semi-eliptics would be my guess. Nice looking car just the same.

Regards,

Larry C.
Larry C '69 Midget

Ahhh...after a bit of Archive trawling.

It was of course Mothy of W&P register etc that outlined the issue..."The problem is, the bonnet offered as an "Ashley" never was an Ashley and indeed other people still hold the IP rights to it - which is my issue with this outfit. I have no problem with people remaufacturing old parts, just not describing what they are selling accurately"

So good looking car (to me anyway), looks well restored...just doesn't actually have Ashley body work in the historic sense.
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

I didn't say there was anything suspicious about the car itself - It does indeed appear to be a well done recent restoration.

I do however dislike the marketing spin that has been created around these cars - there is no particular 60's racing pedigree for Ashley bodied Spridgets, and the 'Kamm tail' bootlid is a modern creation to make the Ashley fastback hard top work on a race car. These are effectively replicas of quasi 'historic' cars built to race at the Goodwood Revival festival - I can see no reason why they should be worth any more than a nicely restored original Spridget...

Now a decent Mk1 Lenham - that would be a different matter... :)
James B

I certainly cant see why it would be worth double the same car with the same restoration just because it has a hardtop and new nose with no intrinsic history to the car itself.
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Maybe cos if you built it in race spec then it would be classed as being eligible for "Goodwood" and the prices on eligible racecars for their fetch silly money.

I've had a few suggest that we ought to build the Junior car that way instead of the standard route that we are taking.

"Emperor's current clothes I suspect!"
Andrew McGee

So what makes it eligible ? Just the age of the underlying car - or the GT style ?
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Anything that Lord March can be persuaded to invite is eligible it seems - proof that a car ran in similar spec in the relevant period in history appears not to be a requirement for Goodwood (1380 A35 anyone?) FIA Appendix K rules are far more restrictive (but are more 'historically' accurate)
James Bilsland

This thread was discussed between 09/01/2012 and 11/01/2012

MG Midget and Sprite General index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now