Anyone remember MG Motors?

[dinglem]

I have posted these up in amongst some other stuff in the 'Old School Collections' thread, but I thought I would start an MG-specific thread seeing as quite a few people seem to have fond memories of these from bitd, the MG Brown Dot in particular.

I am really pleased to have managed to hang on to my MG motors from the late 80's and early 90's, as I was sponsored by them throughout that period when racing in the Radio Race Car Series.

One of my most prized RC possessions is my mint '88 MG Brown Dot, which is the later version with the gold cooling fins on the endbell. I only have one of these, but obviously would like to find another example of the earlier pre-'88 ones without the '88 dating and also without the gold cooling fins. I have seen early Brown Dot and Red Dot examples in this format.

From there Mick Goddard at MG used to send me numerous motors for each series, so i have several of each type as they typically changed in design/appearance for each year, depending mainly on which can and endbell supplier they used.

I know for the '89 season they used the orange-endbell Race Prep-sourced 'MG Orange Dot' complete with '89 dating. I would love to get hold of one of those for my collection so if anybody has one or knows of one please do drop me a PM. I don't know how i missed that version really.

For the '90 season I used white label Red Dots, complete with the very fancy looking red AYK Racing red endbells with silver fins. I have 3 of these currently.

I then went on to the silver canned blue label Red Dots, of which I also have 3. Endbells were black with EPIC lettering, and the cans changed with ROAR JAPAN stamped into them. These three were particularly competitive during the RRC Series, being as quick as anything else available at the time.

Probably the most striking ones I have are the pink versions of the Red Dot from '92-'93, again with EPIC endbells. I FTD'd at the Donisthorpe round in May '93 using one of these.

Somehow almost all of these are virtually mint, with only the red versions requiring a bit of a clean up since being recently discovered in the loft. I can only assume that these ones were last used hanging out of the back of my RC10 rather than being coccooned away inside my Yokomo. I would imagine having been regularly replaced with a new motor, they have each done very few races.

All of these were supposedly 'hand-picked' team motors in order to enable me to do well in the Series. Once i was getting into the A Final listings in the mags I got sent a pretty regular supply of motors. I am noticing that almost all of them have a dab of what looks like nail varnish(!) on them, so perhaps this represents some sort of identifier? We had a Shinwa Motor dresser back in the day and these MG motors were the highest revving standard motors we ever came across.

I also got sent a purple MG Exterminator (14Quad) at one point - no idea what i used that for but it looks virtually brand new still.

I would love to add to this collection, mainly out of nostalgia really. If anybody out there has an old MG motor kicking about please drop me a note as i'd be very interested. I am particularly after an Orange Dot to complete my set (and to sit in my Pro Radiant), as well as the pre'88 undated and unfinned Brown and Red Dots.

If anybody else has any examples please post them up as I'd love to see them :thumbsup:

[dinglem]

RRC mag advert from Nov '91.

[bigalbi]

That's going back a bit.

I ran both brown then orange dot motors at Verulam Model Car Club in my Boomerang then Optima Mid back in the mid to late 80's.

Unfortunately I didn't know at the time that they would end up being rare as rocking horse crap. Mine got ditched some time in the 90's.

Great to see that some still exist though....

[daz75]

yeah we had em, long gone tho

[Origineelreclamebord]

They say you learn something every day... I didn't think I would strike gold so early in the day! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:

So I suppose, going by the names of (or rather, on) the endbells, MG didn't actually build motors, but had batches of motors built by the likes of Yokomo?

[PDxn]

Mick got the can from the relevant places and also had a machine to wind the armatures when required. He obviously did also hand wind 'some' Standard motors.

I went through 4 or 5 trays full of the Blue label Red dot Standard motors on one occasion when I visited him in Weymouth looking to find one or two good ones from the batch.

I also had the first of the Hex wind modified (18x6) which was a rocket in my 12th scale.

Was it the orange dot that was a 35T ?
And then the brown was 27T but had a Stack which could be twisted and therefore advanced ?
The Red dot then had a fixed stack to stop this I think ?

[Nige55]

My Dad kinda knew Mick from slot car racing days, I always hoped it would wing me a sponsorship when I was a kid, was never good enoughh though ! LOL. Still, they were pretty good motors.

[KRob]

MG had dropped out of the standard motor market by the time I got going properly in it ('93) but I remember doing a local inter-club between Swindon and Basingtoke in '89 and you could see that the further up the grid you went the smaller the pinions were...
The fast guy from Swindon (Andy Langdon) was an MG driver and from the pinion he had on and the speed of the car I'd be pretty certain that was one of Mick's 'special' motors :p

[dinglem]

Thanks for the comments so far guys - Pete, it was your comment about the Brown Dot on the recent Mardave Meteor thread which prompted me to put this post together. I have been looking out for other examples for my collection for a while now, without much luck. All i have mustered so far is an additional white label Red Dot to go with the two I already had. The Orange Dot is the one I have firmly in my sights at the minute. I know of a couple (one unfortunately stripped), but not managed to grab one yet.

I never actually went to see Mick personally - i just started sending him some photocopies of the RRC Series articles with me in the A Final tables and writing him letters asking for sponsorship as I was using his motors anyway. Eventually after sending a few I got a reply with a motor included telling me to 'try that' and boy was it fast! Then I just periodically got more sent through, sometimes in pairs, which are the motors pictured above. I never really considered who was making them or the different names on the end bells/cans back then, I just raced them, but looking at them in detail now I can see how much they varied from year to year.

I do know MG also managed to bag some examples of the Race Prep ceramic armatures and built up a few MG Magnums using these. I have seen one example of such a motor, and I also have a ceramic shaft armature myself.

So does anybody else have any examples to post up?

[dinglem]

MG had dropped out of the standard motor market by the time I got going properly in it ('93) but I remember doing a local inter-club between Swindon and Basingtoke in '89 and you could see that the further up the grid you went the smaller the pinions were...
The fast guy from Swindon (Andy Langdon) was an MG driver and from the pinion he had on and the speed of the car I'd be pretty certain that was one of Mick's 'special' motors :p

We always religiously stuck to 32tooth 64dp pinions for ours on a 'normal' off-road track, and dropped down to 31 for indoors or shorter, tighter tracks. One of the blue label motors pictured above still has the pinion on it from bitd, and i just tried to count the teeth from the pictures i have here... looks like a 31 to me. Note the ROAR JAPAN can also.

The pink versions are from '93 so they were still going in the standard class at that time. Here's an article featured in August '93 RRC showing the start of the standard A Final in the top picture. That must have been one of my last races as my car is still virtually unchanged from that picture.

[PDxn]

@keith - I think id just stopped racing 1/12 in 92 to go and have fun at University. I passed on all my RC stuff so didn't keep anything.

I recall going down to Weymouth to see Mick 2 or 3 times in total, usually around the time of the Plymouth National so that it was sort of on the way !!.
I definitely had a few of the ceramic shaft motors. I'm pretty sure one was a 12x4 which was a missile in a buggy and was simply stupid in a 1/12 scale.. The greatest challenge was trying to last 8 minutes with some 1700 SCEs, and for the motor to not cook itself and de-solder the motor wires.

One of my close friends actually snapped the shaft on one of the ceramic motors which was quite funny yet also very annoying as it was one of the faster ones i had use of..

I will see if I can get some pictures as i think that maybe Kev Appleby might still have a couple of boxes with some old MG motors in them...

[dinglem]

Well if he has an Orange Dot he'd be willing to sell be sure to let me know please!!!! Or an early Brown or Red Dot without the gold fins :drool:

[AmiSMB]

I uses to use his services to re zap my motors but really used to love my MG Pink dot double 15 motor which I always used to use in my Schumacher CAT XLS.

[dinglem]

Yes, they mention the motor overhaul service in the advert i posted above although i never used it personally. I have been sent a picture of a motor recently which had been serviced by MG (it was a Revolution from memory) which had a gold 'Serviced by MG' sticker on it as well as some company info. I can't find the picture now, or recall who offered it to me. I kind of wish I had taken them up on it now. I shall try to dig it out.

[DerbyDan]

An MG Orange dot was my first non-silver can 540 motor! The Orange (Wet Magnet) & Brown dots really were THE stock motor to have back then, & was perfect for 'pepping' up the performance of my Mardave Meteor for indoor racing. That motor served me well & later ended up being fitted into the rear of my (then) new TopCat.... so it is fitting that the New-build TopCat in my collection is also fitted with a nice minty orange dot :thumbsup:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DerbyDan/Schumacher%20TopCat/DSC00773_zpsfffd6bd2.jpg

[Rs fruitbat]

Anymore pics of the Topcat Dan ?

[DerbyDan]

Anymore pics of the Topcat Dan ?

Here you go ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DerbyDan/Schumacher%20TopCat/DSC00765_zpsb681d304.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DerbyDan/Schumacher%20TopCat/DSC00771_zpscb2b7521.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DerbyDan/Schumacher%20TopCat/DSC00772_zps7f6d698f.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DerbyDan/Schumacher%20TopCat/DSC01400_zps6joy8jit.jpg

[CC48]

got an MG Masterblaster somewhere................

[Welshy40]

Bet Robin was chuffed to see that, especially as he could see himself in the chassis. Car is staggeringly stunning.

[DerbyDan]

Bet Robin was chuffed to see that, especially as he could see himself in the chassis. Car is staggeringly stunning.

Thank you Welshy.... the paint scheme is based on a photo I'd seen of a TopCat raced by Phil Davies... except his shell had (in very typical 80s style) a cartoon picture of Garfield across the front!

I think Robin was more nostalgic about my Schumacher XL carpet car (Schumacher's first R/C car kit) that I showed him later on in the day... I should have got a photo of him holding that also.

[Rs fruitbat]

Thanks Dan, that's one stunning Topcat :thumbsup:

[dinglem]

got an MG Masterblaster somewhere................

Any pictures?? Would love to have a look.

[dinglem]

An MG Orange dot was my first non-silver can 540 motor! The Orange (Wet Magnet) & Brown dots really were THE stock motor to have back then, & was perfect for 'pepping' up the performance of my Mardave Meteor for indoor racing. That motor served me well & later ended up being fitted into the rear of my (then) new TopCat.... so it is fitting that the New-build TopCat in my collection is also fitted with a nice minty orange dot :thumbsup:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/DerbyDan/Schumacher%20TopCat/DSC00773_zpsfffd6bd2.jpg


<SWOON>

[dinglem]

Well, after much hunting I have managed to bag another elusive Brown Dot - this example being the slightly earlier version without the gold cooling fins on the endbell. This will go nicely in my collection with my original gold fin example. It looks to be in great shape :thumbsup:

I also bagged a pair of Exterminator modifieds too. Wind unknown at this stage but i intend to strip them to discover this info.

[PDxn]

I'm awaiting the arrival of a batch of our old Team MG motors from a friend who's had them stored in his house for a long long time..

Apparently from the list that i've been sent, there is a 8Turn Spec motor which was a silly blow up your 1/12 scale ESC after 4 minutes.

11 single,
11 double
14 quad
14 quin
14 double

A Standard motor (not sure if that's a 27Turn or what until it arrives).
18Turn and perhaps also a 21 Turn.

There's a few new armatures too but I don't have details on them yet.

Also a load of new Brushes and Springs.

Hoping that there is also some replacement motor stickers
MG Power or MG Magnum.. :thumbsup:

I will try to get some pics together when I get the chance.

[PDxn]

I've managed to find an old Orange Dot motor

[dinglem]

That's the one i am after - sent you a PM buddy :thumbsup:

[dinglem]

Well thanks to the very generous actions of PDxn above I now have this amazing MG Orange Dot in my collection - one I have been looking for a very long time indeed.

[PDxn]

Glad to be able to help you :thumbsup:

If I hear of or find any more I will let you know.

[Welshy40]

DingleM

You may need to start a museum, plus may I add thanks for locating that Shark Attack motor for me, really appreciate it.

[fidspeed]

just let a comm lathe go cheap to a friend as it parted hands my boy said that's got an MG red dot motor powering lathe Dad !!!

didn't have heart to ask for it back :D

davge

[dinglem]

Wouldn't mind the contact details for the guy who took the lathe matey! I have a nice set now, but there are still a few variations missing (early undated Brown and Red Dots and an '89 dated Orange Dot). Still looking...

[dinglem]

Oh hello.....

[dinglem]

Latest addition is a very early (pre-'88) MG Red Dot.

[dinglem]

A few of the modified I have are engraved by Mick Goddard (Mr MG himself), plus having 'Exterminator 21x3' or 'Exterminator Pro 10x6'. Pretty cool!

[dinglem]

10x6?!

[dinglem]

M. Goddard

[dinglem]

MG Red Dot Plus.

[dinglem]

Turns out the one with '8 Spec' hand-written on it actually is an 8 Single. I sent it off for a motor rebuild/zap and the motor builder confirmed the winding. Not entirely sure how to gear such a motor as that is way lower a wind than anything i ever ran bitd. I guess with modern Lipo power the endurance won't be such an issue. I had heard talk that Mick Goddard of MG did make an 8 turn special order motor so i guess this is it :)

[dinglem]

Few more....

[Welshy40]

Your the MG guru. As mentioned to you that new motor i had a 14 double and was ace. That was my first modified motor and started me off with a bang.

[TurboLag]

Just found a 17t delta :o It is quite tricky to make out the writing on the can... Would this have been hand wound?

[TurboLag]

Could this be a first gen Brown Dot...?

[dinglem]

It is a pre-88 Brown Dot for sure.

[dinglem]

One I don't have so interested if for sale ;)

[TurboLag]

Just found a 17t delta :o It is quite tricky to make out the writing on the can... Would this have been hand wound?

Opened the can to give it a clean and found some info on the armature. Turns out it wasn't '17 del'. It's a Brown Dot 17 dbl :eh?:

[dinglem]

That's well cool. A very early one.

[dinglem]

Mint label early Brown Dot thanks to TurboLag

[dinglem]

Few together.

[Lotus-Max]

I've just bought a really nice KOYOSHO (Boxed) (Unused but made-up) Optima Mid Custom Special - I have one back in the day. Now it comes with an MG Motor (new/unused) - what's the deal with them? I had a guy contact me for it. I'm not overly bothered about it - but if its a really good motor I'd like to use it (maybe) - is there a better (faster?) vintage motor (OEM?) I should use.

Sorry if I'm being dim, I looked online , but can find nothing on them. :)

[dinglem]

Standard class MG from 1988. Certainly one of the best standard motors of the period. As you can see i collect them. If you want (much) faster then the MG modified range is the way to go. These were the basic 15pound motor MG sold and their range went up to 40pound full blown modifieds. I will send you some information - check your private messages.

[Lotus-Max]

Thanks for the reply. :) I'll read my messages.

[Yorkiebar]

We always religiously stuck to 32tooth 64dp pinions for ours on a 'normal' off-road track, and dropped down to 31 for indoors or shorter, tighter tracks. One of the blue label motors pictured above still has the pinion on it from bitd, and i just tried to count the teeth from the pictures i have here... looks like a 31 to me. Note the ROAR JAPAN can also.

The pink versions are from '93 so they were still going in the standard class at that time. Here's an article featured in August '93 RRC showing the start of the standard A Final in the top picture. That must have been one of my last races as my car is still virtually unchanged from that picture.

Reading the RRC report brought back a memory for me - Olly Carnelly used to race at my local club, Brinsworth Buggy Club - which then became known as Rotherham Buggy Club as we left Brinsworth and flitted around for a while before settling at Rawmarsh until I discovered beer and women, and packed in. :D

I thought I had an MG red dot BITD, but looking at those photos it was nothing like it and had a small coloured dot - maybe a Reedy now I think?

I had a few black can / red holo Demon motors too, a 19 quad and 27 single, and a 16 triple which had a flouro orange endbell and sticker - seem to recall it was an SRM Racing one?

Sorry for crashing your MG thread but it triggered a few fuzzy memories. :)

[dinglem]

I have chatted to Olly quite a bit recently - a well known name from bitd.

I think most of the old racers will have had a Demon or two at one time or another. I have my original 27T Single and the 16Triple I raced with back then, and recently picked up a gold label Power King (although I must admit i don't recall the gold ones....) I have a fair number of SRM Scorchers which were Race Prep based motors. Almost all of mine are standard 27turns (Screamer was a 28T), but they did do a modified Scorcher range too. I have yet to find one of those.

[dinglem]

If you had one of the very VERY early Red Dots like this one, they came with a black can and a gold MG 'Buggy Special' label. Not so many of these about now but they did have a 'Dot' so perhaps that is what you remember?

[Lotus-Max]

I had both those Demons - in my OMCS - I cant remember which I used - I think the Gold one as it was better (?). I was in Cornwall/Devon - so never a member of a club. I just got old second hand parts where I could. THere were no shops locally and no Internet. I'm guessing the parts were 2-4 years old by the time I got them.

[Yorkiebar]

Dinglem - Thank you! The orange one was indeed an SRM Scorcher so must have been my 27T for std class racing, the Demon was definitely a 19 quad as I ran that in my Optima then Mini Mustang, so I now realise I have no idea what the 16 triple was I ran in my RC10 - possibly another Demon?

And yes - that was also the other motor I had, exactly like that with the "Buggy special" on it and the small dot sticker. :)

Small world - say hello to him from me - will PM you. :)