The 1932 MG J2 found by archaeologists on Salisbury Plain last year has been rescued by a marque enthusiast.
The reason as to exactly why the rare model – chassis number J2192 – was abandoned in a shed on Ministry of Defence land remains unclear; MG Enthusiast editor Simon Goldsworthy speculated that the MoT, introduced in the early Sixties, made the car too expensive to run for the incumbent owner.
Following an article in December’s MG Enthusiast, the J2’s new owner Rob Paisley contacted the magazine with an update. Rob plans a full restoration, and has already recovered the J2 back to his garage where it sits next to his MGB roadster.
“I bought the car from the MOD in December via an online auction. I love the history behind it and the J2 is my dream project – I’ve been looking for one for a long time,” Simon told MG Enthusiast.
He continued: “The J2 now lives safely in my garage next to my MGB. I have been a member of the MG Car Club for more than 17 years and have owned MGs since 1983. I have competed and participated in many events since then with my Midget (my first MG), MGB GT and my current MGB Roadster (the Midget and GT were sold long ago).”
With the help of Witham Specialist Vehicles, the J2 was removed from its resting place; work has commenced on the front axle, with Robert able to remove the brake drums and hubs without too much difficulty.
“I did say you couldn’t discount the possibility of it being revived and returned to the road, and I’m pleased to say that is exactly what is going to happen,” Simon Goldsworthy concluded.
Follow the J2’s progress in future issues of MG Enthusiast and Classic Car Buyer : both editorial teams look forward to seeing J2912 back on the road.
