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 MG Y Type - University Motors at Stratton House

Does anyone have any period pictures or literature relating to the site of University Motors, Piccadilly-based 40s and 50s supplier of so many UK Y's and T's, particularly the UMG and YMG cars? Their dash badge says Stratton House, which I believe was then the large inter-war block which includes Green Park Underground station on the north side of Piccadilly, though it has now changed its name.

It would be fascinating to see the dealership in its heyday. What is now a Marks and Spencer food store and an Audi (!) dealership must have looked very different then - and such material would make a valuable addition to the Y archive.
Tim Griggs

Tim, I agree some pics would be interesting. Did you know that if an overseas buyer wanted to collect his/her MG bought direct from the factory (or their home based dealer) they invariably wanted to do so in London and UM carried out the task.

I know one such lady* who, with her husband who was a director of the NSW MG importers, was over from Aus for the coronation in 1953 and collected their new YB from UM. I'll ask her if she has any pictures but I doubt it. *See YTs on Parade 3148 for his earlier purchase.

Incidentally this and one other at the same time were the nonly two YBs we can trace to be delivered to Australia. One other has come into Perth since.
Rob Dunsterville

I was wrong about the building: 80 Piccadilly is one block west, in what is now an HSBC bank and a bar! Interestingly for our Dutch readers, Stratton House was the home of the Dutch government in exile from 1940 to 1945 - there's a plaque on the wall commemorating this fact. No such memorial to the home of so many MGs, though...

Thanks very much to Dave Mullen for sending me copies of the Autocar correspondence from the 40s and 50s relating to UM's use of the UMG, YMG and UML registration series.

I'm going to go back through the period motoring journals to find some UM ads now.
Tim Griggs

This thread was discussed between 11/04/2006 and 21/04/2006

MG MG Y Type index

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