Naylor Cars – A Repro Masterclass
August 31, 2022
At the height of the ‘classic car boom’ of the ’80s in the UK, there emerged a uniquely uprated version of an iconic British sports car that utilised traditionally crafted coachbuilding construction methods. It was a quality machine, hand finished by the highly reputable Naylor Bros having been authentically derived from the MG TF of old. It evoked the feel of a by-gone era, albeit with improved mechanical components from the Austin Rover Marina/Ital of the period. Fully type-approved by the BL/Austin-Rover group, it was known as the all-new Naylor TF 1700.
The Naylor brothers, Alastair and David, were well regarded after they had already long established their small business located near Shipley, West Yorkshire in the renovation as well as the re-supply of spare parts for the legendary MG T-type series, in which the pair had also successfully raced. They were recognised as the first British restoration business to have been accredited by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (the BMIHT). Having already ideal working relations with BL, Alistair managed to reach an agreement to use pre-sourced corporate parts for the project, who by permission also consented to the use of the original design of the MG TF with access to its drawings.
The Naylor TF was essentially a newly manufactured 1980s hand-assembled specialist sports-car, first previewed at the UK international Motor show in 1984 to be built at a separate premises in Bradford. It underwent complete type-approval, having being durability tested at the MIRA proving ground before being registered in its own right (completely unlike that of a home-built kit). The Naylor also received an invaluable warranty back-up from the Austin-Rover group.
Alastair Naylor, left
It had been initially devised as far back as 1979 by Alastair along with the technical expertise of Alan Staniforth in its design and development who was a noted author/constructor credited for the ‘Terrapin’ (a mini-based competition car) that subsequently led to a Naylor TF prototype the following year. To offset legislative constraints, Naylor was required to make the badges flush with the panels, and the doors had to be hinged at the front. Its front screen surround is a flush fitting, fixed static frame compared with the older one, while the distinctive lighting inserted in the front wings and on the rear fenders was retained except the indicators were placed within the front chrome bumper. The Naylor, in true homage to the older TFs, also retains the spare wheel mounting, its fuel tank, side screen stowage box in the well behind the seats along with the canvas hood and optionally available luggage rack! A modern heating and ventilation system had to be housed in place of the legendary toolbox, which was recessed in the top of the bulk-head.
The overall visual effect was an almost identical recreation of the original MG TF with a body of hand formed metal panels mounted over an ash frame, while encompassing modern technology that included a bespoke comfortable leather cabin, smaller leather clad steering wheel and push button stereo radio/cassette set in its central console complemented by a shiny walnut-veneered facia with its cluster of modern Smiths dials placed ahead of the driver. A newly designed in-house heavy gauge chassis by Naylor was closely based around that of the original TF though augmented by input from Lotus in fine tweaking its layout, and coated in up-to-date corrosion resistant paint. Incorporating the Austin-Rover running gear plus engine, this 1700cc 77bhp ‘four’ is the well-proven eight-port alloy head SOHC British Leyland ‘O’ series mated to a four-speed synchromesh gearbox allied to a well-located Marina/Ital live axle by telescopic coils, twin trailing links and a Panhard rod.
Its front suspension is comprised of double wishbone, coil sprung MacPherson struts, which meant having a revised front cross-member and a direct rack-and-pinion steering system, which was somewhat lower geared. Braking came in the form of front discs, drums at the rear with 165 section radial tyres on 14inch diameter bolt-on wire wheels complete the overall style of its elegantly well-proportioned rakish charm. Although the wheelbase and rear tracks were virtually the same as that of the earlier MG TF, the front track was significantly wider – 52.2in (1,326mm) instead of 47.4in (1,204mm) this was induced by the fitment of an MGB steering rack as it was longer than that used in the older model. The engine fits neatly under the traditional hood and is nestled a further 50mm back in the frame to allow for the re-position of the BL gearbox and enhance a more even weight distribution with drive to the rear wheels.
In performance terms the TF1700 was classed by the road testers of the time as being designed more as a ‘luxury tourer’ though for all its added equipment was still lighter when compared to the original MG and achieved a higher top speed of 94mph/151kph (0-60mph in 12 seconds) returning a fuel consumption of around 27mpg. The Naylor’s handling and road-holding were considered adequately stable under most conditions while the ride remained relatively compliant in part due to its ‘taut’ chassis design, although this was continuously enhanced by adjusting the damper settings during the production process.
Naylor had announced production in early 1985 at a price pre-set at £12,950 to a limited run of 200 cars per year at the Bradford factory, though this was never actually realised after only 100 were built within two years. Each Naylor came with its own especially commemorative silver goblet as well as a photographic record of its build signed by Alastair himself accompanied by the names of the mechanics who had assembled it, alongside its build number. As with any low-volume manufactured, hand-finished specimen, complexities arose combined with the costs of out-sourcing the components not to mention the price that had risen to £13,950 by the end of 1985. Despite all their best efforts Naylor Cars Plc went into receivership and shortly after a new company was renamed ‘Naylor Sports cars Ltd’. That, in turn, was acquired by the then industrialist Maurice Hutson for £500,000, which would later become the ‘Hutson Motor Company’ who revived production of the TF1700 by a further 61 cars, then badged as ‘Hutson’ with his son Mark operating the business from day-to-day.
However, Alastair remained on as a non-director along with much of the existing personnel that enabled production to continue around four a week to fulfil a healthy demand both from the UK and export markets – notably Germany and Japan. The last Naylor Hutson was completed in 1991 although a small number were also built as a kit car version and badged as the ‘Mahcon’ by the Hutson group. More recently Naylor’s separate business Naylor Brothers Restorations ceased trading after five decades of sterling service when co-founder Alistair duly retired on his 75th birthday in 2016. On a rather sombre note late in 2021 Alastair peacefully passed away aged 80 after a long illness and remains very fondly remembered indeed by all. His TF1700 continues to have a strong following today and the surviving cars are keenly revered, highly coveted by the Naylor car club formed in 1994 as well as by the MG fraternity and by passionate enthusiasts of the marque.
