The Estes Collection

Vol 9 No 1

The weather on the Monterey Peninsula heard about the Monterey Cypress MG Club outing and the skies parted, the sun appeared and it was a beautiful day. We all gathered in our usual Pebble Beach spot in the back parking lot of  Spanish Bay Resort. The appointed time was 9:30 am and sure enough, everyone was there on time. We headed down 17 mile drive along the coast and it was a spectacular day. When ever you look out over the ocean from a top down open car, it is something special.

We arrived at the Estes home and for those of you who have never been there, he has a second lot to the rear of his house that houses his “studio” and car collection. 

In this hide a way is a 1923 Rolls Royce, a 1935 KN, a couple of late 1940’s TC’s, a TF, a MGA, a 1932 MGJ2, and a TR. There was also something under a cover, but we didn’t ask what that was.

In the main garage is a 1971 JAG XKE, a MGGT, and a partially restored MG Mark II. What a grand a collection of wonderful cars.

Of course the talk of the day was the 1935 KN. No one knows exactly how many of them were built, but Mike Allisons book “The Magic of the Marque” says around 173 or so. The best guess of the day was there might be 8 or 10 left in the world.

This car has an over head cam and a 6 cylinder engine. Keep in mind this was 1935 so 6 cylinder engines in MG cars were not that common. It is also special because it has pillar less four doors and a sliding sun roof. Who would have thought that in 1935? Windom had photos and a full engine description handy for those interested.