Wes and List
The closure of the parent company MG Rover, with loss of thousands of jobs
at Longbridge near Birmingham, means that the racing arm has to be sold
too, to raise funds for the administrators to distribute to share holders.
I think some of the examples Wes used refer to protection for a trading
company in the USA, this is not the case here - its selling what cars and
equipment are left as the business is insolvent & is finished. As an aside
it was one of the Phoenix 4 - MG Rover Directors love of motorsport (he
drag races) that meant that MG Rover took part in land speed events in the
first place.
Like most race cars they may have specialist or one off parts in them, but
the So Cal built ZTT would be mostly USA recognised parts (Roush built
engine if I remember correctly). The '97 MGF with its 1.4 liter turbo
motor used parts that would be recognised on other MGF's in the USA - but
as this car was used subsequently in the UK the spec may have been
compromised. The EX255 was based loosely on the original design of MGF but
this had specialist parts and a turbo Rover (nee Buick) motor. All three
cars were/are capable of passing SCTA tech inspection, even though the last
one was only pushed out on to the salt for photos near the end of speedweek
'98.
I have not knowingly seen the show car, but I did go to the public launch
of that project and saw something that eventually looked like the 'real
thing' that was at Bonneville '98. It will have chassis and running gear
under the very attractive body. In that year ('98) at Speedweek I saw it
being assembled in the hanger at the airfield in Wendover.
The best root to getting all details confirmed (assuming that they know
what these cars are all about) is to contact the auctioneers by direct e
mail. They have yet to release an illustrated catalogue for a sale that is
just two weeks away so I have no other details.
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England
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