NEWS, V8 Register - MG Car Club, support and services for all MG V8 enthusiasts and owners, MGBGTV8 and MGB GT V8 for sale, Costello MGBV8 for sale, MG RV8 for sale, MG RV8 buying guide, MGBGTV8 and MGB GT V8 buying guide, MGV8 price guide, MG SV, MG X80, MG ZT260V8, MG owners, MG enthusiasts

Mann Egerton in North Finchley in the 1970s

Responding to Ian Frankland's request for help in tracking down the address and telephone number for the Mann Egerton branch in North Finchley in London. A search and contributions from a couple of fellow members found the details. The member wanted those details to enable a replica Mann Egerton rear window sticker to be made!

Tracing the telephone number
See a note on how the telephone number was tracked down. More

See a copy of extracts from the in-house Mann Egerton Magazine on the Finchley branch of H A Saunders. More

See also a copy of extracts from the in-house Mann Egerton Magazine on their High Wycombe branch. More

See our Looking Back series of interesting items ahead of the major anniversaries year in 2018 - the 45th Anniversary of the launch of the MGBGTV8 in August 1973 and the 40th Anniversary of the formation of the V8 Register in 1979. More

Posted: 191220

Ian Frankland - in April 2019 he mentioned he had recently bought a very rough Factory MGBGTV8 and is planning a restoration. He says "it has been in a fire and robbed of some parts so it needs a lot of work but I could not have afforded it otherwise. The engine is seized as its been standing many years. It may have been re-shelled as it appears to have original rubber bumpers which is strange for a 1973 car and odd as most people would have been done as a retro fit as people often go for chrome bumpers. Oddly I like the rubber bumpers as it looks more streamline. I look forward to hearing it run as the V8 sound will spur me on. I have some MOTs which show it's done well over 100,000 miles. It will never be concours but I hope it will be a nice weekend toy".

The V8 Registrar checked the details of the car with a copy of the MG Factory production control records he holds and reported the car was GD2D1 642 G originally in Glacier White, (now Black) built 4th September 1973 and despatched to Mann-Egerton in North Finchley, London N12.

In December 2029 Ian Frankland was in touch saying "I am trying to get a Mann Egerton rear window sticker for my MGBGTV8 of the type they supplied with the car when new. I have found a company that does them but they don't do Mann Egerton North Finchley but they said "no problem" they would just alter the dealer name and location. I am trying to find the original telephone number for Mann Egerton North Finchley to add to it as original. Is there a remote chance you could help please?"

The V8 Registrar traced Mann Egerton in North Finchley using an extract from a copy of an issue of the Mann Egerton Magazine back in the 1970s which Robert Rose had sent in during May 2017. Prior to being taken over by Mann Egerton it had been a large distributor trading under the name H A Saunders located at 836-842 High Road, North Finchley N12 - a photo of their showroom is above.
See Mann Egerton Magazine extract

An internet search found H A Saunder's telephone number number was Hillside 5272. In those days the telephone areas in London had a local name (in this case Hillside) and the first three letters formed the prefix to the number. In those days telephones had letters around the outer edge of the circular dial so the user could use them to dial, for example "HIL" or as numbers "445". Later the number became 445 5272. So the information Ian Frankland needed was:
Mann Egerton, 836-842 High Road, N Finchley N12. Tel 01-445 5272

Andy Goves, one of our Pricewatch volunteers, found from his searches a note online saying "I was at H A Saunders 836 High Road in North Finchley which was taken over by Mann Egerton circa 1971. It had a 100 car showroom with all the land behind the row of shops south to Woodside Park road and parking for another 200 cars. It was a very big site and was the group regional headquarters and car wholesaling for Austin-Morris for 72 dealers between the three sites of Whetstone, Ballards Lane and High Road in Finchley with over 400 employees. Later Mann Egerton was taken over by the Inchcape Group just before I left. Now I believe it is a Sainsburys!”

Robert Rose, an enthusiast who enjoys tracing MG and BL history, also responded saying "I just checked my various British Leyland directories and found, listed as a Distributor for Austin Wolseley & MG Cars, H A Saunders 836-842 High Road, North Finchley with the telephone number 01-445 8822. When it became Mann Egerton, it retained the same telephone number".