Last weekend we were in England attending the wedding of Joanna Wilson, daughter of our great friends Tim and Jackie Wilson. The couple exchanged vows in what was once a Carmelite monastery built in 1317 surrounded by nineteen acres of parkland and located in the quaint market town of Hitchin.
Just when we thought the trip couldn’t get any better, we stopped by Nutley Sports & Prestige Centre in Sussex and found a completely original 1947 HRG 1500 in their showroom. Of the 200+ handmade cars HRG produced from 1936 to 1956, only 111 had the 1500 engine configuration, and this one was a beauty.
The HRG company was based in Surrey, England, and the name referred to the three letters of its founding members; E.A. Halford, Guy Robins and Henry Ronald Godfrey. The company was founded to produce a “gentleman’s racer” because too often the British alternatives at the time were family touring chassis’ with a sports body and a louder exhaust.
It was claimed that the owner of an HRG could use his car for everyday motoring and also indulge in trials, hill climbs or races with success. During 1936 to 1939 a large number of successes in all kinds of competitions were gained by private owners of HRG's. In 1938 an HRG was the highest placed British car at LeMans, and in both 1939 & 1949 won the 1.5-Liter class.
We’ve assemble pictures of the HRG and some other fabulous cars while at the Nutley Sports and Prestige Centre in our 1947 HRG Found in Sussex, England photo gallery.
1. 1947 HRG, WOW!
2. 1944 Willys Jeep, golly Sgt. Carter, a Jeep as old as me, or vice versa?
Thanx for the photos.