This one-off, race-winning Playford-MG is a true melting-pot of parts

They communicated in broken language, finding middle-ground and understanding through their shared passion for automotive engineering. A tap on a spring here. A point at a wheel nut there. 

Fully intrigued as to what they were both up to, I edged closer still to hear that the bodywork has been ever so slightly rubbing on the rear wheels. Nothing dangerous, says Ollie, the mechanic, but he removed some weight from the rear to try and lift the bodywork slightly. 

What makes this Italian-British relationship so special, is that the companionship, bonding and shared experience on display is taking place over a historically-significant race car that also shares both British and Italian DNA.

“I bought the car in 2019,” explained Bettati, shortly after qualifying 12^th for the Madgwick Cup. “I fell in love with its history and its story,” he said in a thick, lyrical accent. “I am Italian and I love both Italian and British cars. This is a very special amalgamation of engineering from both of those countries.”

The car that Bettati adores was originally conceived in 1954 by Brian Playford, son of Lancia specialist Jack Playford. Brian, a mechanic and hobbyist racer who couldn’t afford to stump up the cash for both a week-day runaround and a weekend play thing, set about building the Playford-MG as his personal, dual-purpose, road and track machine.

It’s a true melting-pot of parts and bodywork from a host of doner cars and manufacturers, but Brian, inspired by his father, was not one to compromise on quality. Using the old man as his first port of call, Brian acquired a 1935 Lancia Augusta from which he took the suspension, brakes and gearbox, before saving a 1250cc XPAG MCTC engine from the local scrapyard. Even the plastic headlight fairings were borrowed from a Lotus. 

Armed with these bare components, Brian set about housing them within a hand-beaten Playford chassis that focused on incorporating a low, sleek, sweeping bodyline. It was a labour of love that took the man three years to complete, but resulted in a maiden race win at Goodwood in 1959 for the Frankenstein creation. 

So impressed was Brian’s contemporaries at his driving and the Playford-MG’s capabilities, with its exquisite build quality and handling – especially when compared to any other specials of a similar type – Brian was eventually offered a Works drive with Elva in 1963, resulting in the sale of his hand-built race winner. 

Despite the car competing at Revival in 1998, 2009 and 2013, 2022 marked Bettati’s first chance to race the magnificent mongrel as its owner, which he enjoyed even if the car failed to finish the race. “I qualified well. I’m the best of the MG engines as it stands. It’s very easy; very light; very predictable. It’s a true race car, you have to push it hard. You could say I'm not respecting it very much!” laughed Bettati. 

It’s a summary that you can’t help but feel would resonate with Brian Playford himself. Despite the meticulous care and attention that brought the car to life, it was specifically created to scratch that racing itch. To bring joy. When I left Bettati and his mechanic, Ollie, hand-hammering the rear wheel arch, it seemed this one-off special was still capable of delivering the goods, some 67 years later. 

Photography by Jochen Van Cauwenberge.