Glenn Storek, aged 83, a retired architect and developer from San Rafael, California, shared his thoughts about his 1955 MG TF 1500 with A.J. Baime.
While growing up in San Francisco, my close friend Roger Freeburg and I shared a passion for automobiles. For two consecutive years, we attended car races held at Golden Gate Park when we heard they would take place there. The sports-car competitions during the early 1950s marked some of the earliest such events in California, drawing massive crowds of tens of thousands. Among those competing were future legends like Phil Hill—who later won the 1961 Formula One World Championship—and Ken Miles—played by actor Christian Bale in the film "Ford v Ferrari." Most importantly, though, we got to see iconic vehicles like MGs and Jaguars firsthand.
Many consider these MGs and Jaguars as the initial postwar sports cars introduced in the United States. Seeing them, the folks in Detroit began developing their own sports cars, most notably the Corvette, which was launched in 1953. Following this, an influx of Porsches, Alfa Romeos, and Austin-Healeys arrived soon after. However, my personal favorite were always the MGs.
When I received my driver's license at 16 years old, I purchased my first car: a 1952 MG TD. Later, I traded up to a 1955 MG TF. This particular model marked the final iteration of the older body design for MG cars. In the following year, newer models adopted a smoother, contemporary styling approach. Some might say this transition signaled the conclusion of the post-war automotive period.
I took the MG TF to the University of Oregon for my architectural studies. Once, during a trip through eastern Oregon with my friend Roger, we encountered an icy patch, crashed through a bank of snow, and ended up going over a cliff, tumbling end-over-end before coming to rest upside-down in the snow. Fortunately, neither of us was seriously hurt. After getting the car hauled back onto the road, we managed to drive it home. It seemed like thisMG must have been our lucky charm.
To fund my studies in architecture overseas, I parted with my beloved MG TF. Throughout those years, nostalgia for the vehicle lingered, and whenever I delved into architectural journals, I found myself perusing vintage car listings annually. My experience renovating 19th-century buildings within the historic Old Oakland area of the San Francisco Bay Area fueled my passion for restoration. This led me back to revitalizing classic automobiles.
A few years back, around five years ago, I discovered an MG just like the one I owned during my time at the University of Oregon: a 1955 model in classic British racing green with wire wheels. The vehicle was in excellent condition and up for sale in Minnesota. I traveled there specifically, purchased it, arranged for shipping back to California, and still own this car today.
This isn’t some show car that never leaves the garage. I actually use it regularly. Around here, it takes only a few twists and turns to find myself on some breathtaking rural routes. With the engine roaring and the exhaust humming, the roof down, and wind whipping past as you shift up and down through the gears—you cruise through clusters of towering redwoods—it’s an incredible experience.
I store the MG alongside other vintage vehicles in my garage, and hanging on the wall are posters from the races I attended at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. This happened quite a while back, witnessing MGs competing when I was just 12 years old. Yet, I can still vividly recall the thrill of that experience even today.
Send your correspondence to A.J. Baime. myride@wsj.com .
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