Identity Crisis: MGB TD pick up
What a cool looking custom this is! This “truck” is a recently built tribute to an MG TD roadster pick up that was built by Southern California based Moss Motors in 1952. The story of the original Moss Motors pick up can be found online here. It is a fantastic tale, as the car was first created from the remains of two wrecked TD sports cars, and then went through several further rebuilds and restorations over its long and varied life. I am assuming that at least some of the British sports car fans among Barn Finds readers will know all about Moss Motors and its original roadster.
Moss Motors was founded by Al Moss in Santa Barbara in 1948, and is still going strong today as a provider of parts and service for British sports cars. This company has a great history.
The Moss Motors roadster still exists too, and is iconic enough to have inspired someone to build a tribute version, which is now for sale here on craigslist in Fort Lee, New Jersey for $9,900.
The current owner says his version is based on a 1971 MGB and still sports all the mechanicals from that car. The builder’s intention originally was to just drop the TD body on the MGB frame, but the rear end wouldn’t fit. So the team cut and re-welded the chassis to accommodate the pick up rear end, which had to be completely custom built. While I think the original roadster looks a just bit better than the tribute car, the new one is pretty good looking in its own right and appears to have been very well crafted.
The car is said to be “mechanically excellent.” A few small items remain to be finished – there is no roof or bed cover, for example, and the speedometer and tach are not functional. Overall, the interior is very tidy and well done.
The car was built in North Carolina by an apparently talented builder with some help from fellow MG club members. The current seller states that he bought the car earlier this year, and while he has had fun with it, now says he owns too many cars, and not enough room to keep it.
Valuing a car like this is close to impossible. Selling a one off is about finding just the right buyer. If someone comes along who likes it and wants it badly enough, the buyer and seller will agree on a price that makes them both happy. Until that buyer appears, the seller will continue to own it. There are any number of British sports car fans among Barn Finds readers (and writers), and I’ll be very interested to hear what you have to say about this unusual vehicle. I think it looks like a decent deal. This car combines a fairly modern and easy-to-maintain MGB with an attractive two-of-a-kind body. That seems like a very nice way to have some cheap fun.
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Comments
A sharp- eyed Bat poster has [I think correctly] pegged the body as an ungainly copy of an MG designed to fit on a VW floor pan.Not much TD to see here,folks. Just move along.
I think it’s pretty cool, perhaps the owner is giving the “too many cars” thing, and really doesn’t care for it. It doesn’t say if it has O/D, a must with these, and those aren’t 1971 MGB gauges, more like ’68. Be a great business promotion, where it’s warm all the time.
what other rims fit on these cars? Toyota,honda? anybody know?
Not very good.
No, just no… what a complete waste money and MG parts that could have benen put to better use elsewhere. Still it’s the owners time and money so it’s his to waste as he sees fit…..
Funny, before I read even a word of the description, the single thought that popped into my head was: “NO”
I have a problem with the said use of the 71 MGB chassis.?…. MGB’s did not have chassis. So how was cut down is a real mystery.
I think it’s cool, and even if it’s fiberglass it will still be fun for the right guy. A similar but MGTF based car er, truck was seen around Portland (OR) International Raceway for years and I liked it too!
TR2/3/4 wheels and hub caps with MG center badges. HMMM
In the 1980s, I had a business building kit car replicas of MG TDs and selling kits. I recognize these components. This is without question a fairly easily modified kit car. Its value depends solely on the sucker factor. Any retention of value after it is purchased at any price will continue to depend on the sucker factor. As for that “original” Moss Motors job, I’d have to see it close up before taking anyone’s word that it was really a modified MG. But looking at the wheels and the front wheel well depicted, I’d bet even that was just a fiberglass kit car.
I remember seeing the original Moss Motors MG “pickup” at a few sports car races in Southern California way back when. Pretty sure it was a “real” TD, at least back to the pickup bed, which may or may not have been fiberglass.
In the ’50s and ’60s, there were more wrecked TDs around than fiberglass replicas. In fact, I don’t recall seeing any ‘glass MG body kits before about 1970.
According to Al Moss, the car was originally built for Roy Richter around 1952 using two MG TD frames to get an extra six inches of length. The pickup box was steel with Formica lining, no tailgate. Not a kit car. Pretty sure the first MG kit car was Daytona Automotive Fiberglass in 1975.