FOR SALE : 1948 HRG 1500
These up-market sports cars of the period have a compelling charm which inspires devotion to the HRG marque and have recently attracted strong interest from buyers seeking a sports car which has a little bit of exclusivity about it while possessing enough performance in standard form to be both entertaining and reliable on the road and in competition. Hence the phrase that the HRG is the "Sportsman's Ideal"
Car No. W142
Reg. No. EPY 161
With pre-war style slab fuel tank, body style and windscreen...and a spare set of cycle front wings...
A blend of pre and post war HRG in style
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ENGINE REBUILT
...by respected vintage and historic cars race preparation and servicing engineer Bill Roberts of Wokingham Berkshire between October 1996 and October 1997 (also expert with Frazer Nash Le Mans Replicas) at a cost of £5950 in labour and £1106 in parts - every detail accounted for on file
In the course of this engine rebuild, he also rebuilt the starter motor, adjusted the brakes, refitted the windscreen which had been re-plated, re-upholstered the seats, fitted two exchange SU fuel pumps, painted the front wings and brackets then re-fitted, fitted 4 new Avon tyres.
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A further £3776 was spent at Roundwood Ltd with Ian Mahany between December 1995 and February 1996 going through the car which had become overdue for general adjustments and rejuvenation.
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The history file contains correspondence from owners going back to 1962, and of course with Ian Dussek, Hon. Sec, HRG Association to the early 1970s
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Recent expenditure has been on a new radiator core.
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Other work - in prior ownership as noted on file - includes rewiring, new dummy honeycomb radiator to the shell, new engine and gearbox mountings, new mirror, new floorboards, new filler caps - oil and fuel. new copper fuel lines, new rear lamp wiring, new starter and choke cables, new water pump impellor, new stainless steel radiator tie rods, 2 new bonnet catches, and lastly new spare wheel strap...
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Chassis Constructed 12/12/1947
Engine installed 6/1/1948
First registered 30/3/1948
Engine No. C199 Q - 1496cc
Gearbox C188 Q - Ratio 9-36
Rear axle No. HRG 140/2
Tyres 5.50 x 16"
Car supplied in chassis form - with individual body fitted by Fred Mead, HRG Chief mechanic, to pre war style for first owner J S Watkinson of Coulton, Yorks - reputedly to avoid Purchase Tax of the time. The result is of note and subtly different from the standard post war HRG body with elements of a pre-war body, notably the rear section, ending at the rear bonnet edge with a vertical scuttle line, contrary to the slanted angle scuttle line commencing with the first post-war car W88 for example. The windscreen on this car W142 is of pre-war style but with post war wiper motor location at the base of the windscreen on the passenger side instead of top-mounted centrally. At the time of construction, it had new wings and bonnet by Automarine, hence the presence of their door plates.
Comes with second set of front cycle wings as shown
Current long-term owner from 2002
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Eligibility
The car is fully recognised and accepted by the HRG Association as a genuine ex- factory car with a full continuous history.
All H.R.Gs (both pre and post-war) are eligible to compete in the Class 2 (for pre-war production cars) in the MCC classic trials.
Post-war built H.R.G.s are eligible in historic rallying (ERA / HERO) in the pre-war category.
From 2021 ALL post war HRGs are VSCC eligible for the class for selected pre 1956 drum braked sports cars in standard or lightly modified form. (Currently open to all events except circuit racing and August VSCC Prescott)
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Further information
A full history of the marque, the company, the cars and the successes can be found in the two editions of the book “The Sportsman’s Ideal” by Ian Dussek : 1985 and revised in 2010 :- ISBN 10: 0956512402 & ISBN 13: 9780956512406
HRG Association website: www.hrgcars.com
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Brief history of The H.R.G Engineering Co. Ltd and the H.R.G light car
Formed by the partnership of E A Halford, G H Robins and H R Godfrey, the H.R.G Engineering Co. Ltd was created in 1935 incorporating the initials of their surnames. H R (Ron) Godfrey was lead designer and was already well known in sports car circles for his involvement with Archie Frazer-Nash in the GN cycle cars of 1910 to 1922.
The first H.R.G car, the “1½ Litre” model, powered by the Meadows 4ED engine, was introduced to the motoring press at Brooklands race track in October 1935. The car was considered a bit of a “throw back” to the past, even for the mid to late 1930s. It mixed traditional hand-built construction techniques with updated tried and tested solutions from Godfrey’s experiences