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It is with much regret that I’m offering my ’56 Magnette ZA for sale, I purchased in 2018 and I have had huge fun with it. This is a saloon with genuine history having been raced and rallied pretty well continuously since the mid ‘70’s.

This car was originally built by racer/engineer/entrepreneur Roger Andreason. Roger acquired it in unusual circumstances in the early ‘70’s, Roger had moved house, the vendor having moved abroad, and when Roger opened the garage doors he found the Magnette had been left behind.

Roger was one of the early members of the Classic Saloon Club that started in 1975, he was an active participant in the very well supported pre’57 class. This car, which Roger christened Emma, started Roger’s love affair with Magnettes and he subsequently build three others, called Bumble, Mr Pip and the 4th car was given a name that is no longer PC. All of Roger’s Magnettes were given the distinctive brown/cream style.

Roger raced this car for a couple of seasons, having won the championship he sold it to fellow racer David Burroughs and Roger switched to a Mk1 Jag. David painted the car red and later sold it back to Roger. Roger went on to sell and buy back the car twice more. When Roger’s son, Chris, went to university this Magnette became his daily driver. In the ‘90’s Roger’s competition interest changed from circuit racing to historic rallies, he turned to his trusted Magnette and he did multiple Monte’s and other historics mostly accompanied by longtime friend and business partner, Tim Colman. Roger’s final involvement with this car came when he had to give it up to his wife, Judy, as part of their divorce settlement!

Subsequently the car was in a French collection before being purchased by Julius Thurgood. Julius repainted Emma as Bumble and paired with Rupert Keegan they finished 11th overall in the 2012 Goodwood Revival St Mary’s and in the same race in 2014 the car was 16th.

I was invited to the Goodwood Member’s Meeting in 2022 and finished 9th in the pre-’57 Sopwith Cup race. Goodwood asked me earlier this year to refresh the Goodwood Technical Declaration and as such the car is on their list for possible future invitations.

The in-car video of my 2022 MM race is here, as you will see I was slow off the line, the car is not the quickest in slow corners but I did post the second quickest time through the speed-trap in the Fordwater section.

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/race/historic/video-incredible-touring-car-dicing-at-goodwood/

I have raced the car pretty regularly over the past six years or so, mostly in the HRDC series and also in the FISCAR invitation class. As mentioned previously, the car has been subject to a full re-paint, it was also re-wired prior to my ownership. I had the 1,840 engine rebuilt by Peter Burgess, I have the rolling-road dyno sheet which shows 128hp at 5,250rpm. The sale will include a second engine block, two spare wheels, some rather rusty Magnette spare doors/boot lid that I got from a scrapped Magnette and a box of various spares.

Given such an extensive history, as you will appreciate, Emma has been around the block a bit, it is by no means immaculate but it holds it’s own and is a kids favourite. Unfortunately I’m having to hang-up my helmet for medical reasons and I hope the Magnette will find a good home and go on to be seen on the circuits for any years’ to come.

I never met Roger however I exchanged emails with him and he sent me pictures and other detail that I will pass on to a new owner. At Roger’s funeral it was mentioned that he had been asked which his all-time favourite car was, he said that it was this Magnette, Emma, and given the extensive range of cars that passed through Roger’s hands, including F1 cars, that is quite an accolade.

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