1958 MGA Twin Cam Prototype PJB147 PJB 147 &(C)2003-2007

1958 MGA Twin Cam Prototype PJB 147

This is the latest addition to my stable:

As you can see from the photo's below it presents an interesting restoration challenge.

PJB 147 is possibly the first surviving Prototype or Pre-production MGA Twin Cam and sister car to ORX 885, the other surviving prototype.

My Story:

I first became aware of PJB147 in 2005 when I setup my web page on the first 10 twin cams ever made. when I entered the number plate into the DVLA web site, I was surprised to find it was still in existence. After many emails I managed to track down the owner and visit the car early in 2006. I didn’t suspect then it might be for sale and just thought it might make an interesting photo for my web page on the first 10 MGA Twin Cams.

The car:

The exact build date of PJB147 is unknown as no build sheet has been found yet, but best guess from the LH Chassis No is that the a standard MGA chassis was picked off the line late in January 1958 and modifications were made to convert it to a Twin Cam chassis which can still be seen today.

Likewise the Body shows signs of it's development past. Modifications have been made to accommodate both the Twin Cam engine and Dunlop Braking system.

The Colour was originally black, as shown by the period press photos BMIHT have kindly let me use. Black was chosen as it stood out so an unknown MG person who built the car later describes. At some point PJB was painted Red.

The car still presents several other features, indication it's prototype origins.

Many optional extras are fitted to this car, as it was intended as a press demonstrator also.

These including:

Heater (Pushrod Type)
Deluxe seats / Competition Seats
Windscreen washers
Sliding Side Screen
Anti-roll Bar
Oil cooler
Twin Horns - Not sure yet.
Black Tonneau Cover - Not sure yet.
Adjustable Steering Column
Ash Tray - Not sure yet.
Inner inspection panels (Standard after chassis 592)
Cross Member holes (Standard after chassis 662)

It’s History:

Known Owners History:

28/03/1958 01/12/1960 MG Factory Development Car

9th – 21st Aug 1958 – Trip to Gaisberg & Zeltweg with Cliff Bray driving LBL 304 & Alec Hounslow driving PJB147

23rd Aug 1958 MGCC Race Meeting Silverstone

22nd Oct - 1st Nov 1958 Possibly appeared at Earls Court London Motor Show

Initially sold by Mill Garage / Dick Jacobs

02/12/1960 ??/1965 Woodford Essex County Council - David Gray Photo (Worked weekends at Mill Garage)

1965-67 Possible owner in Brentwood Essex as PJB was Black when sold by Mr Gray and Red when purchased by Mr Simmonds

23/02/1967 - 07/10/1968 - Middlesex / Surrey - C. Simmonds Photo

From 08/10/1968 Herts County Council - Unknown Owner

From 23/07/1970 Greater London - Unknown Owner

197? – 197? – Man with lorry taking PJB for scrap

197? – 198? – Restaurant owner sold for £400 from barn

12/1981 – 9/2003 Mr. Brierley of Blackheath

9/2003 – 7/2006 Mr. Crofts of Sidcup

7/2006 - Present Myself

Other History:

Late Jan 1958 – Standard Chassis 380xx picked from production line.

28 March 1958, PJB147 was licensed by Abingdon in the county of Berkshire (hence JB Code) now Oxfordshire due to county boundary changes.

Berkshire records now with Kithead Trust.

Dash plaque shows the car was sold or serviced by Mill Garage / Dick Jacobs, Dates Unknown.

First Registration with DVLA: 11 Dec 1981.

Known Articles Featured in: (Click the Links below)

Group of 5 B&W A6 photos held at BMIHT Picture Library shown below

Group of 3 Colour Press Photos Early 1958

Twin Cam Launch at F.V.R.D.E. Test Courses – Press Pack

The Motor 16th July 1958 Page 911 – UK

Autosport Magazine – 18^th July 1958 page 79

The Autocar 18th July 1958 Page 40 & 43

DAS AUTO MOTOR – Germany 2^nd August 1958 Page 26 & 27

Sports Cars Illustrated UK - August 1958 Page 9 & 10

Dunlop Add - Motor Sport Magazine – August 1958

Super Shell Add – The Autocar - 12 September 1958 p22

Modern Motor Australia September 1958 Page 52 & 53

Australian Motor Sport September 1958 Page 411

Sports Cars Illustrated (USA) September 1958 Page 13

Speed Age November 1958 USA Page 95

Small Cars Illustrated November 1958 Page 16

Motor Sport November 1958 P766

Observer's Book of Automobiles 1958 Page 180

Daily Express Motor Show 1958 Page ?

Sports Car Wheel USA March 1959 Page 27

Australian Motor Sport May 1959 Cover

Safety Fast, January 1983 – Wrongly reported as YD1 502 though Page 29

Safety Fast, April 1983 – Press photos Pages 15 & 30

Safety Fast March 1984 - Incorrectly described as PBL147 Page 37

Safety Fast July 1985 P23 at Silverstone MGCC Race Meeting 23rd Aug 1958

Safety Fast, October 1985 – 502 owner says he does not have PJB Page 41

MGA & Twin Cam Gold Portfolio 1955 Pub 1991 Page 62

Spotlight on MG Downunder Reprints from Modern Motor Pub 1994 Page 107,108 & 109

MG Photo Archive 1945-1965 David Knowles Pub 1996 Page 94

The MGA by Price-Williams Pub 2002 Page 93

MG Cars 1955-1957 - Brooklands Books PJB 147 on the Covers

Call it MGA - 2004 p??

MGCCWA Octagon Cover October 2006 Page 6 & 7

Enjoying MG June 2008 page 12

NAMGAR GT33 Program - Watermark July 2008 page 12&13

NAMGAR Sept/Oct 2008 - Watermark page 29

Safety Fast Dec 2009 Z and Farina Section page 85

Safety Fast March Factory Photo Location Request 2011 page 47

Foreign Content

German - ADAC Motorwelt October 1958 Page 524

UK Police Book

USA Bubble Gum Wrapper

Motor Trader Service Data No. 339 6 April 1960

Newspapers UK & Australia

15/07/1958
The Times Page6 - Dunlop Add
Daily Telegraph and Morning Post Page13 - Dunlop Add
Daily Mail Page2 - Dunlop Add
Guardian Manchester page16 - New M.G.A model & Dunlop Add

20/07/1958
The Observer Page6 - Dunlop Add
The Sunday Express London Page6 - Dunlop Add
The Sunday Times Page5 - Dunlop Add

Sunday Telegraph – Motoring (Sydney) 31/08/1059
1958 Daily Mail Newspaper Review of the Earls Court (London) Motor Show Oct22-Nov1 1958 p30

Sydney Morning Herald – Motoring 15/02/1960

PJB 147 Australian Registry Entry 2007

MG Factory History:

The 50th Anniversary MGA Yearbook recites an interesting story on page 58 from Mr. Bray’s diary where PJB 147 & LBL 304 were taken to Switzerland for the hill climb at Gaisberg, part of the journey by air. The story goes LBL304 holed its radiator in practice and one was removed from PJB 147.

Previous owners History:

Purchased by a young Mr. C. Simmonds sometime in 1965 for £150 from a private vendor in Brentwood, Essex sight unseen and advertised in Exchange and Mart. Previous unknown owner had owned the car for quite some time and may have been the first owner, he also knew of the twin cam engines removal. PJB147 had by now been painted Red for some time and had a 1600 Pushrod engine and 1600MKII Grille fitted. Mr.
Simmonds fitted racing mirrors and remembers a plaque (Mill Garage) being fitted to the passenger side of the dash. PJB resided in Pinner, Middlesex (But may have been registered in Byfleet, Surrey) until sold again via Exchange and Mart for approx £150 23/2/1967 to make way for a Copper.

Mr. Brierley and his friend Mr. Rogers purchased the car in December 1981 from a gentleman who was clearing out his barn to raise cash for a restaurant he was setting up. He had not owned it long, but rescued it from the back of a lorry one day on the way to be scrapped. Mr. Rogers recognised the number plate and they negotiated £400 for the car on behalf of Mr. Brierley. At the time the car was not registered or running and came with a 16GA pushrod engine. The former owner mentioned it was apparently sold as a Deluxe at one point. Within two year a Twin Cam engine was procured.

The car was stored the car in a wooden shed in Blackheath, then in his garage then back to the wooden shed before moving to Tunbridge Wells between the years of 1981 to 2003. During this time the car was dismantled and work to the chassis and body began. Then the car changed ownership to his brother in law, who owned the car until myself.

Little is know of the period between 1958 & 1981, so if you can shed any light on the subject please let me know.

History in the making:

August 2006 - Body & Chassis restored by Bob West’s world renowned Twin Cam expert and restorer to have the hands of time reversed.

September 2007 - PJB imported into Australia.

October 2006 - PJB appears on the cover and Pages 6 & 7 of MGCCWA Octagon Magazine.

February 2007 - PJB & 801 appear at MGCCWA Concourse.

January 2008 - PJB sent to Melbourne for restoration.

July 2008 - Trip to Seven Springs USA for presentation on PJB before 40+ Twin Cam owners.

Latest Restoration photos here

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