The MG "Fordwater" Mystery (update: the Morgan-MG Jeff Sparrowe Special)

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While browsing through an old album filled with classic car rally photographs from the 1960s in southern Europe, we came across this striking image of an unusual 1950s racing car. Fortunately, the reverse of the photo provides useful details about when and where it was taken: the 33rd B.A.R.C. Members’ Meeting at Goodwood, 14th March 1959 (though whose signature reads “John Spa….” remains a mystery).

Some reports of these British Automobile Racing Club meetings can be found in the archives of Motorsport. The Revs Digital Library also holds a set of photographs from that very same 1959 event—yet there is no sign of our enigmatic car. The inscription “Fordwater” also appears on the photograph, most likely referring to the famous Fordwater Trophy at Goodwood.

At first glance, the car appears to be an MG, given the hexagonal front badge—but which MG exactly? Could it be a special-bodied version, a prototype, or perhaps a pre-war model later rebodied? So far, we have not been able to uncover any information about this curious machine, and even the owner of the album knows nothing of its origins.

Any suggestions are most welcome.

Text and photo collection: Francisco Carrión

This article was originally published on 31 May 2020

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