During a recent road trip to the north of Ireland, we set out to film the remarkable car collection of Simon Thomas—a motor racing enthusiast and long-time collector of historic Irish racing cars. During our visit Simon shared with us the joys and a few of the unavoidable shortcomings of driving an open-top car on Irish roads.
EVOLUTION OF CAR ROOFS
In the earliest days of the automobile, cars didn’t have roofs at all. This design followed naturally from horse-drawn carriages, which heavily influenced early vehicle construction. Folding canvas tops were later introduced, often paired with transparent side curtains for some degree of weather protection. A major milestone came in 1905, when Cadillac became the first manufacturer to offer fully enclosed factory bodywork, changing the motoring experience forever.
Please give us a LIKE, FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE – we greatly appreciate your support
THE MG TC & BILLY LEEPER
Simon shared the history of his Racing Special, a car once owned by Billy Leeper. “The car was supplied as a chassis in 1949 to Billy Leeper in Belfast,” Simon explained. Inspired by George Philips’ MG TC at Tallaght and fresh from winning the Leinster Trophy in a Singer, Leeper built it into a race car at George Dummigan’s garage.
William “Billy” Leeper (1909–2001), was a garage owner from Belfast. From 1951 to 1955, Leeper and his mechanic, John Dickson, campaigned the car in races across Ireland. The MG TC Special appeared at events in the Curragh, Wicklow, Dundrod, Kirkistown, and climbed hills at Cairncastle and Craigantlet.
++
Each week, we travel far and wide to bring you our unique Irish transport stories. If you’d like to help cover travel costs, please consider subscribing for just €2 a month via www.irelandmade.ie —less than the price of a cup of coffee!
++
After brief road use in the late 1950s, the car was left under a tree for years until Jimmy McCullough rediscovered it and later sold it on to Simon. Today, Simon’s son, Reid Thomas, keeps this important piece of Irish hill climb history alive—and is still winning races in 2025.
MG TC IRISH RACING SPECIAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Chassis: Standard 1949 MG TC frame
Engine: 1,250cc non-XPAG
Carburettors: Twin setup
Rear Axle: Pre-war Wolseley-Hornet differential
Restoration: Recently rebuilt engine and retuned, with a full brake system overhaul
THE OPEN-TOP EXPERIENCE
When asked what the MG TC is like to drive, Simon gave a frank assessment: “It’s a racing car with flat springs on the back and very, very stiff suspension. It’s not a pleasant car to drive on the road.”
Despite the challenges, Simon regularly drives the MG on the roads near his home. With no roof and minimal protection, both driver and passenger are exposed to the elements—and to the road itself. While the driver has a small aero screen for limited shelter, the passenger is left completely vulnerable.
Simon recalled one vivid moment when a lorry in front kicked up a stone while he was driving through Comber, County Down. The stone grazed and then cut into the nose-cone of the car, narrowly missing his left shoulder. “I almost felt it coming past,” he said. “That’s the joy of open-top motoring.”
Simon has promised to repair the stone damage “sometime,” but we think the car’s road-worn patina tells a story all its own. A car that shows the marks of real use—of racing, driving, and living—is something to be admired.
In Simon’s own words, these are “the joys of open-top motoring.”
If you have a story to share, please email Kevin Reid [email protected]
Sources of Information and Photo Credits:
Engineering Cheat Sheet Website
++
Each week, we travel far and wide to bring you our unique Irish transport stories. If you’d like to help cover travel costs please consider subscribing for just €2 a month via www.irelandmade.ie —less than the price of a cup of coffee!
++
Check out our previous story on Simon’s 1949 MG TC Irish Racing Special https://fb.watch/zJzSqcgj6g/
#irelandmadestoriesofirishtransport #ad #irelandmade #irishcarracing #billyleeper #simonthomas #reidthomas #mgtc #mgtcracingspecial #vintagecarracing #hillclimb
