Re: Jerry Goguen Memories

[Peter Ross]

I don't go back as far as many of you, but owning the TC, that we still use today, from '62 to '70 in England where we used it for daily transport and weekend racing, we needed a lot of spares. There were only a few mail order suppliers like Bill Thompson, and a number of active suppliers like Witham's, University Motors, Derrington and Laystall with whom it was difficult to do business with if you weren't at the counter. In addition the main MG dealers were fast reducing their stocks of T parts by about '68. If you weren't really enthusiastic about MG's, this situation caused the owners to change loyalty and many T-Types went to the bone yard or to dealers like Richardson's. After emigrating (starting as a 2 year assignment) to Canada, our TC's followed in '74 when we were able to buy a house with a garage and they needed work after farmyard storage. Gord Whatley in Toronto told us of Abingdon Spares and we got a catalog. What a gold mine!!!! I had never seen anyone disclose what they wanted to sell as effective as this! It was magnificent and was probably the effort of Chris Nolan and Jerry together. They had the vision and what's more, when we started to buy stuff, it was nearly all available. That may have been why the English dealer shelves were empty! We had never seen wood parts available and when we first met Jerry ('75?) at the Highland Avenue, Needham, place there was Nicole's TD ash frame on display. We had driven down from Canada specially to collect a complete set of wood and metal for Rachel's TC. The catalog and Jerry's quest to have everything available reversed the decline in one's ability to keep a TC alive. Not just alive, but to restore them to their prime condition. Maybe Jerry's market timing was right, but I believe he, his family, and his helpers like Chris and Rick Smith, can be credited with the eruption of interest in T-type restoration and to a less visible degree to the MMM cars. Of course, after the cars are done, the owners want to meet to share enthusiasm, from which comes a huge network of friends and activities. We have all lost a friend. Peter & Rachel Ross TC 8892, TC 2649 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Gene Gillam]

Badger, Thom, et al, Thanks for sharing your memories of Jerry with me. I didn't know him and honestly never even considered there'd be someone so approachable at Abingdon Spares when I was spending so much money there...I wish now I had. Gene --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.380 / Virus Database: 213 - Release Date: 7/24/2002