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Hi folks.
Over the past several days, there’s been an interesting discussion going on via the old yahoo group.
At the end, Frank chimed in expressing his regrets that the discussion was on the yahoo group and not within the tdreplica web site forum. Well Frank and others…here it is in it’s entirety.
Enjoy the read. There’s some good stuff here if I say so myself. 😉
Paul Mossberg
New Providence NJ
1982 Classic Roadsters Duchess
From: “Mossberg, Paul E.” <pmossberg@i…>
Date: Fri Jan 14, 2005 4:35 pm
Subject: The true meaning of MIGI“
Dan Motley <fatalaskan@y…> challenged all site watchers to explain what “MIGI” stands for, means, etc.
I hope this doesn’t disappoint, but I don’t recall it as having any special meaning. Fiberfab obviously could not call their kit an “MG” so they came up with Migi. Not much different than Classic Roadsters calling theirs the “Duchess”
Maybe someone with more long term memory will have another explanation. I’ve only been around the hobby since 1982. 🙂
From: Dan Motley <fatalaskan@y…>
Date: Fri Jan 14, 2005 5:10 pm
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] The true meaning of MIGIThanks, Paul. You may recall that we corresponded off list a few months ago. According to MG Magic, ours is a “Daytona”, which he ascertained by asking about the seat (bench with a relief for the shifter), position of the gas tank (lengthwise rather than across the width and with the filler on the driver’s side rather than the passenger’s), no “FF” in the firewall, and a couple of other tests I don’t recall. Just an FYI. I still haven’t posted pictures ? in part due to laziness (have to move two others to get it out of the garage), and in part due to cruddy NW (Oregon) winter weather (no sun). Someday…
From: Ponce Garbarino <poncefla@y…>
Date: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:10 pm
Subject: Daytona MiGi
Hi Y’all,
Daytona MiGi was a company by itself out of Daytona Beach, Fl and had nothing to do with Classic Motor Carriages and Fiber Fab out of Miami. I don’t know what MiGi stands for if anything but the company eventually went out of business on their own. Maybe because they couldn’t use MG they decided to add the i’s to go with it and still keep the MG. Just a thought.
Happy New Year!!!!!!
Ponce
From: Michael Pullen <pullmi@y…>
Date: Sat Jan 15, 2005 3:38 am
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] Daytona MiGiHey,
My (and I presume everyone else’s) Fiberfab has the MG octagon medallion on the radiator cowl. So, how did they get away with that? Was it just a less litigious climate back then, or did MG eventually get around to suing Fiberfab for copyright infringement? I think the history of this whole kit car business, with all the piracy etc. is pretty interesting.
Michael
From: Dan Motley <fatalaskan@y…>
Date: Sat Jan 15, 2005 1:46 pm
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] Daytona MiGi
AND, I agree with Michael – this history stuff is quite interesting
From: “Ponce” <poncefla@j…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:21 am
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] Daytona MiGi
Hi Y’all,
Yes I agree that the kit car business was and in some cases still is quite interesting. CMC/FF sold the original MG octagon emblem in the brown & beige colors for the radiator nose piece and also sold one in black & white like the TF used plus sold the original Porsche emblems for the speedsters. However, they did not build any kits with those original emblems on them. They used the red and silver TD emblem and the Porsche was exact with the right colors except it said speedster instead of Porsche. They sold the original emblems as accessories so the kit car builder could put his or her own on their cars and this way CMC/FF wouldn’t get in any trouble. You could do it but they couldn’t.
As mentioned earlier the front end of the Daytona MiGi was a bit different from CMC’s and FF’s. Keep in mind that CMC/FF were built in the same place and sometimes people got a mix of fiberglass parts from the two companies although they were really only one located in Miami, Fl.
Have a good one.
Ponce
From: “Mossberg, Paul E.” <pmossberg@i…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 6:22 am
Subject: Re: The true meaning of MIGI and a little more history
Evening folks,
Ponce and I are both right on the MiGi name use. Fiberfab and Daytona each sold kits and cars with the MiGi name. Not sure how they did that.
In his note, Ponce referred to “Classic Motor Carriages and Fiber Fab out of Miami”, which a newcomer to the hobby might read as if they were always one company. They were not. FiberFab was a fine company, making a number of different kits, very successfully. Classic Motor Carriages bought Fiberfab, used the company name primarily as their marketing arm as CMC was running into reputation problems. Ultimately, they simply sucked money out of Fiberfab. If you’ve been around this hobby long enough, you’ll recall the trouble CMC got themselves into and their ultimate downfall. They were eventually being taken to court by the Florida District Attorney…and losing. I think the primary charges were phone and mail fraud. But there was lots of bad stuff going on.
Mike asked about the MG octagon on the radiator cowl. As Grant replied, it is an octagon, but it is not the MG logo. It has the word MiGi within the outline. That was probably within copyright/trademark law. An octagon is just a shape. The protected logo is the MG, within the octagon, and done in certain colors. I have an authentic style MG emblem on my Duchess’s grill…but I put it there. Classic Roadsters provided a “Duchess” emblem.
This is still the case with a lot of kit manufacturers. When you see cars with original style badging, quite often the owners put those badges on.
Bill Hursh’s reply is the one that interested me the most. Did Fiberfab really include an original style MG emblem? Or is it possible the kit passed through another set of hands before you got it?
Completing the circle to the initial inquirer, Dan, your “TD” emblem probably came from Daytona.
To Mike’s question about MG suing kit manufacturers. I’m aware of no lawsuits by MG against any kit manufacturer. Ferrari is infamous for suing kit car manufactures and winning. Ford and Shelby have gone after various Cobra replica manufacturers, but I can recall no real successes. Shelby in particular is rather noisy about the whole deal (ironic since he builds his own fiberglass replica). But very often he is financially motivated and is trying get royalties off the Shelby and Cobra names.
Who ever knew history could be so much fun?
Paul Mossberg
From: Michael Pullen <pullmi@y…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 11:11 am
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] Re: The true meaning of MIGI and a little more history
Paul,
My kit is a Fiberfab. The cowl emblem is an exact duplicate of the MG logo as it appears on a British MG.
The assembly manual, a copy of which I obtained from MG Magic, nowhere mentions the name “MiGi”. Perhaps, as you suggest, another owner obtained an emblem from Moss Motors or somewhere. It was only idle curiosity on my part.
Michael
From: “Michael Pullen” <pullmi@y…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 1:24 pm
Subject: …and speaking of lawsuits
adding just a little to what Paul said regarding the Ferrari and Shelby penchant for copyright lawsuits; from what I read in the VW magazines the past year or two, VW has a small army of attorneys scouring the U.S. going after parts suppliers, toy makers and publishers (all the way down to guys making wooden toys in their garages) hitting them with first warnings and then lawsuits for using any VW emblems or copyrighted materials in any way. It’s pretty stupid in my opinuion, considering all the VW hobby (mostly air-cooled) has done for VW. We do far more for the reputation of VW bykeeping so many of their old cars on the road and looking good than they do for us, that’s for sure.
My personal favorite VW rip-off (sold at Dead concerts for years) were the bumperstickers which said “Fukingruvin.” One version even featured those VW circle-head figures doing just that. Ahhh…but no more Dead (at least no more Jerry) and no more fun at VW’s expense I guess. I’m going out to my shop, I can’t take this any more!
Michael
From: “hursh011@j…” <hursh011@j…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 8:28 pm
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] Re: The true meaning of MIGI and a little more history
Hi Paul,
In response, I am the 2nd owner of this car, The original owner did save all paperwork including sales/promo receipts etc. about all you could save including a couple of backordered parts receipts, for parts that didn?t come with the original shipment. Interestingly enough one of those parts was an MG Medallion black, part #66-0050-12 for $12.00. It must be the one for the grill since there is no other part w/ MG on it. It is octagon with black MG & outline, white background. ?????
From: Dan Motley <fatalaskan@y…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:24 pm
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] Re: The true meaning of MIGI and a little more history
BUT, going along with Paul, who knew history could be this much fun?!?!?……………..Dan
From: Frank Devine <devinef2000@y…>
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2005 4:30 pm
Subject: Re: [MG TD Kit Car Club] A Group Update from FrankieD
Time for me to chime in here, LOL.
I agree with everyone on History being so interesting, I guess that’s why The History Channel is on my TV almost constantly. This discussion has been very interesting but I wish it would have take place in the Forums on tdreplica.com. I would have made it a sticky so it stays on top.
We are getting 100’s of visitor’s each month and the Forums are very popular with most visitors reading through them but not posting much. This has been one of them discussions that most of us in the hobby have pondered a time or two and I’m sure a newbie or would be hobbyist would also enjoy the discussion.
Ok enough of my shameless plug to get you guys to post on my Forums.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Hey hi group!
Well, I’ve just kind of answered my own question regarding MiGi and perhaps some questions/comments of others. Our site contains a bunch of stuff on the Daytona MiGi and I just skimmed through that stuff. According to it, they coined the MiGi (no reason why though) and others began using it and they went to federal court over the issue and won exclusive rights to use MiGi. It appears from my quick read that the the only true MiGi’s out there are Daytona’s (I know neither of my last two apostrophes belong there but it’s a dynamic language, right?). Anyway, my thanks for all of your comments and thoughts on MiGi and Frankie for posting the Daytona stuff and whomever for supplying it to Frankie for posting and Victoria’s Secret for those great clothes for the ladies to wear. Happy Wednesday……..DanDan & Marti38371.4121643519
Quick Answer
1)Daytona Automotive Fiberglass produced the first US MG Kit sometime in the early 70’s. Calling it the Daytona MiGi. Laverne Martenic had a copyright on the car. They had there own emblem for the grill. It was not the original MG False Nose Emblem.
2)Fiberfab started to produce the Fiberfab MIGI a little later and sold far more than Daytona. They also had their own grill emblem. However, way back in late 70’s and early eighty’s they offered a real MG TD nose emblem as an option. The Fiberfab MIGI was sold out of a bank building in MN and the parts were sub contracted out to a number of different sources. Most being made or shipped out of PA and some out of CA.
3)CMC started to prototype its own MG replica in 1981. They purchased a Fiberfab kit as a starting point and developed the VW,For and Chev TD. The emblem they produced for the kit was a chrome metal stick on emblem with TD in red. Before they had finished they got into talks with Valle at Fiberfab who knew that the MG replica market had reached its saturation point. They sold the company all FF and CMC cars were the same from that point forward. They offered two MG original style Octagon Nose Medallions as options. Black and white or ecru and gold and beige. They originally kept the FF sales office in MN but moved it to Boca Raton in the late 1980’s or early 1990. All Fiberfab products were shipped from Miami from 1983 on.
As a rough guess out of every 100 TD replica kits manufactured:
75% = FF MIGI
15% = Daytona MiGi – Includes London Roadster
15% = CMC/FF TD 8% VW, 4% Ford TD, 3% CHEV TD
5% = Other
History 101
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