Mike Humble
Located just outside Shipley, Naylor Brothers Restorations Limited has closed down after many years of association with classic MG cars. Specialising in classic and sporting car renovation, the company started by Alastair and David Naylor also became known for the building of the Naylor TF 1700 – a modern, high-quality homage to the classic MG TF, which was launched at the International Motor Show in 1984. The car used a purely ARG driveline which mated a 1.7-litre O-Series Morris Ital engine and gearbox with a Triumph Dolomite rear axle.
The company was formed after the two brothers decided to make a business out of their shared passion for repairing and racing the MG T series range of two-seater sports cars. David left the business some years ago, leaving Alastair at the helm. The company also went on to become the first BMIH-accredited business back in the 1980s. In progress and pending restoration work has been transferred to Chris Baker of nearby Yorkshire Restorations.
Mr Naylor told AROnline recently: ‘It’s for no other reason that I simply wish to retire. Not only do we mark 50 years of business in 2016, but it’s soon to be my 75th birthday so I feel the timing is just right to enjoy life and take things easy.’
Alastair and Pat Naylor would like to thank their colleagues, contacts, customers and suppliers for all their friendship and support over the past 50 years.
Moving on to Rover and then PSV / HGV, he has circumnavigated most departments of dealerships including parts, service and latterly - the showroom. Mike has owned all sorts of rubbish from Lada to Leyland and also holds both Heavy Goods & Public Service Vehicle licences, he buys & sells buses and coaches during the week. Mike runs his own automotive web site and writes for a number of motoring or commercial vehicle themed publications
- Essays : Selling the brand - 18 November 2023
- Review : Land Rover Discovery – first off the line - 15 September 2023
- Events : Leyland National 51 gathering, Whitehaven 29-30 April - 5 April 2023
very sad but you can certainly understand their reasons !
It’s a shame, but then if you’ve no one to pass the business on to.. Plus the requirements to licence a new car are as stringent as some of them are ridiculous.
The small companies here seem to be nothing more than a target, whereas in other countries, like the US,they’re actively supported.
I wonder how many of those 1700 cars they made, shame since a new version might actually be a sensible home for an ecoboom or small gasoline explosion.. Although 325hp out of a 2.3 is impressive and might make something like a 64 Cadillac DeVille a sensible green proposition – the original engine got about 11mpg(us).
The forgotten partner David Wood who worked tirelessly after working all day digging the pit to work under the cars doing all the electrics putting in the mezzanine floor for the office and as the only wage earner paying for the lunch at Harry Ramsdens in Guiseley
All this occurred in the early sixties when we rebuilt many cars for the Yanks at Menwith Hill
I worked there at Airedale garage (1984-1986) alongside Phil Richmond and Alistair Naylor. A great team of talented people and those times are remembered with great fondness.
In 1984 when Naylor TF 1700 was launched at NEC motor show me and friend was standing beside the car when photographer taking photos.I know we ended up in local Birmingham paper and there was very large poster. I still own the original Brochure of the car. would love see the photo again if anybody has got copy thank you. Happy memories.
Interested to look up further on the Naylor TF 1700 story, read elsewhere that it was actually going to be badged an MG by an enthusiastic Austin Rover only to become a Naylor as a result of some policy change.
A bit perplexed why it never featured the larger 105 hp 2-litre engine from the beginning as that had a more certain future (lasting until about 1993) compared to the relatively underwhelming 1.7 O-Series that was due to be discontinued.
Thinking about it further wouldn’t an entry-level 1275cc A-Series version of the Naylor have indirectly filled the void left the recently discontinued MG Midget (kind of like the RV8 did for the MGB/B V8) that was capable of putting out similar levels of power as the 77 hp 1.7 O-Series, especially since most of the car’s mechanicals came from the Marina/Ital that already made use of the 1275cc A-Series engine?
Too bad the company went bankrupt as would have loved to have seen a Naylor TF reinterpretation of the pre-war TA Airline Coupe (and custom TD Airline Coupe).
The reason for the 1.7 only unit was this was the only option available to them. The deal brokered with Austin Rover was to buy all the excess stock of manual Ital driveline components – hence the 1700 engine. The 2.0 (automatic only) was killed off in the Ital in 1982 and the unit reworked for the Montego with an all new cylinder head.