Prototype HRG Back On The Road

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The HRG 1500 is not unfamiliar, but perhaps one must drive one to appreciate why it’s so special. Rarity is one factor – HRG only made 241 cars – but more significant is its sheer excellence as a sports car. The torquey engine, rocket-like acceleration and impeccable road manners have cultivated a dedicated band of marque enthusiasts.

Ian and William Mahany of Roundwood Engineering are two of the most committed, so when chassis W76 surfaced following its owner’s death in 2018, it was natural that they should restore it. Actually, it was imperative. W76 is the prototype 1500. The original 1½-Litre HRG from 1935 used a Meadows engine, but when supply dried up an alternative was found by extensively modifying a Singer engine. Generally, the 1½-Litre was prewar and the new 1500 postwar, but W76 was completed in August, 1939.

William got involved just in time, as the original accident-damaged body and other features had been taken by a house-clearance man, but were fortunately recovered from his yard. W76 contains a mixture of 1½-Litre and 1500 features, but careful examination of the body revealed details which did not appear on either. It is unique in many ways, and was almost lost forever.

Happily, the Mahanys have resurrected it and it has found the ideal new owner, who’s keen to drive it and show it all over the country. Zack Stiling reveals how W76 was brought Back On The Road in the December issue of The Automobile, available now.

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