MG K 2002
Researching the history of a certain MG VA I noticed that the files of the Dutch MG importer Molenaar mentioned the name of "Joppe" which happened to be our local dentist in the past. When looking for the whereabouts of the Joppe family it turned out that they had moved out of the area and that they had choosen England as there place for retirement.
To my horrer it appeared that the old dentist had died in a car crash shortly after his retirement but his widow Willemien was to my relief still alive. When contacting her it turned out she had a good memory and a wonderfull album full of pre war car pictures.
She could not only very well remember the MG VA I was looking for but was also claiming that her husband had owned a six cylinder MG sports two seater with a pre selective gearbox. And there were photos to prove it as well.
According the preserved books of the old MG importer for Holland, Molenaar, only one MG K2 was ever was imported in May 1933 bearing chassisnumer 2002 . It was sold through garage Helpman in Groningen and the customer was Niemeyer, the well known Dutch tobacconist.
Some correspondence about certain garuantee matters between Molenaar and the MG works can be found back in the MG Car Club archives.
Probably fairly late in the nineteen thirties A.W. Joppe, then living in Utrecht, became the proud owner of this blue two seater.
According Mrs Joppe the MG was used by her husband while he was serving in the army in the early days of the war. They used the MG amongst other things for nightly patrols through the woods around Soestdijk with the windscreen folded down flat and a machinegun fitted on top of the scuttle!
It is at this moment unclear how many owners and who owned this MG during its life exactly but rumour has it that at some stage during its life after the war it returned to England again.
Later it was purchased by two Amercan students who wanted transport for their European tour. Somewhere in the Eastern block countries the MG's 6 cylinder gives the ghost and is replaced by a Skoda engine and gearbox.
While touring in Holland the MG ends up in one of the many ditches in the low lands around Haarlem and is severely damaged and left.
Around 1970 a Mr Peter Covens from De Meern becomes the new owner, but being a difficult projekt he sells it on to Hans Faber from Zeist.
After some time the K is being swopped for a Singer at the Bone Brothers (Terry&Barry) After another 6 owners in the UK K 2002 ends up in the hands of Grahame Harris who finally manages to complete a proper rebuilt of this rare machine. Although the original frontwings were still with the MG Grahame choose to fit cycle wings as well as a compressor.
It turned out that Grahame Harris was living in the neigbourhood of Willemien Joppe.
Grahame was so kind to drive up to her place and reunite her with the MG she sat in in 1939.
They even made a stunning testdrive and Willemien was thoroughly impressed and enjoyed every minute of it