Clem
There is not, and never has been, any such thing as a 'Garage Plate' in the UK. I think you are refereeing to Trade Plates, these are to enable motor traders to drive/deliver/move cars that have either no vehicle tax or are not yet registered. They are pretty different to normal plates and stick out like sore thumbs.
MG TA ARX 440 was, as far as I can find out, the factory demonstrator/press car of the 1937 TA (These plates first appeared on 1937 TA road test car) with the narrow tank and wide wings. I presume after this it was then either a factory hack or was sold to someone at the factory who was involved in the MG photographic area. They would then pull any relevant MG off the line stick ARX 440 plates on it, take it down to the Pub at Sutton Courtney and take some Photos.
ARX 440 can be seen on a TB tickford (some one out there must have this picture) and a VA saloon to my knowledge and may well appear on many other pre-war MG cars. The reason they illegally used the plate ARX 440 was probably because trade plates can be spotted at once and look false, the reason they choose ARX 440 was probably because they new it was already a company car or belonged to one of the press guys so would not alarm any one else.
My Father has a TA which came with the registration plates ARX 440 and I think it is the road test car and the TA that this plate belongs to. When ever I say this the so called experts all recoil in horror, presumably because they think I'm trying to pull a fast one, and claim to have something that I don't have. Anyway until I can get to the car and find it's chassis and engine number there is little I can do. I have however liaised with Malcomb Green on the matter as he has published pictures of the car in one of his books, he has been of some use and not scuttled off muttering like most of others.
If it is the road test car then it can claim to have been tested at Brooklands in 1937 and reached nearly 80mph with the screen down on that famous track!
One day she will ride over what is left of that banked track again, but this time much slower!!
>>> "The Vernon Family" vernons@ibex.co.za> 24/04/01 13:57:43 >>>
I always thought cars in Britain were registered and stayed that way but it
would appear ARX440 was a 'Garage plate' as in the book MG Sports Cars,
reprints from the Autocar magazine, a photo on page 104 shows a 1 1/2 saloon
carrying this number. The date of the original publication was September,
8th 1939. On the same page is the TB priced at GBP 225.
Clem
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R
egards
David Whittle
Oxon
UK
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