The Woodfins–Kay and Bubba with daughter Shannon and Rick Davis–proudly display the “new” old car that was once the companion of a much younger Bubba.
It was a memorable affair and dalliance of his youth, rekindled 57 years later.
While serving in the military in Germany in the mid-1950s, young John “Bubba” Woodfin, III became infatuated with a bright blue British import. “It was a 1956 MGA at a new car dealership in Frankfurt,” explains Woodfin. But this Cold-war soldier did not have the money to buy the two-passenger sports car.
“I wrote home to Grandmother Black (Mrs. Eugene Black), and she sent me a personal check for the price of the car,” recalls Woodfin, who now alleges that he eventually repaid the loan. Today he is the fourth generation president of the Woodfin Funeral Chapel.
A personal check from a Murfreesboro bank, however, was not negotiable at the dealership or anywhere else in Germany at that time. A family friend, Judge Carlisle Durfee, cashed the check for Woodfin as a personal favor, and the car was purchased with a stack of German currency. Durfee was a judge of the Magistrate Court, 10th Judicial District, Nuremberg. Before his appointment to this international tribunal in 1949, Durfee served as a legal consultant to the War Crimes Tribunals in Nuremberg.
Woodfin’s new sports car was shipped to the States “on Uncle Sam’s ticket.” “I got it on a military ship that had excess cargo capacity to New York,” remembers Woodfin. “It cost me nothing but I had no guarantee that it would get there.” When the car was unloaded at the dock, Woodfin got in and drove home to Murfreesboro.
“In a little less than three years I put 34,000 miles on that car,” claims Woodfin. This apparently included a lot of “show cruisin’ and courtin'” in and around Murfreesboro. “It was all good, except for that time I parked under a bowdock and a hedge apple nearly put a dent in the hood. Scared us both.”
In 1959 the MG was sold to Dr. Neal Wright. “I just felt like it was time for a change,” said Woodfin. “Maybe time to settle down.” On June 13, 1959, he married Kay Shannon from Greenbrier, Tennessee.
Dr. Wright drove the car for several years but the first few months were a bit awkward. “Whenever anyone saw the car they thought it was me,” recalls Woodfin. “The doctor’s wife tied a sign on the back luggage rack saying ‘Under New Management!'” The doctor eventually sold the car to Billy Lamb, who passed it on to his son, the last to drive it.
Many years later Rick Davis, a close family friend, learned from Shannon Woodfin Parsons, Woodfin’s daughter, that her father had said his MGA was “the most fun car he had ever driven.” Anticipating a birthday, a major project was discussed.
“I started hanging around the Woodfin home when I was about 14,” recalls Davis, a Westvue native. “The Woodfins had four daughters, several horses and a basketball goal. I liked them all. One day I helped the girls clean out the stable. They were credited with an extra good job and I got an invitation to stay for dinner. It wasn’t long before Mr. Woodfin and I were fishing and hunting buddies. He raised me up when I needed it, and we have been close friends ever since.”
Davis traced down the MG and found it in a fence row near Eagleville. “It had been sitting there for maybe 30 years and had a fair-sized tree growing up through it,” says Davis. “I negotiated a purchase and spent two days cutting it loose and loading it on a trailer. I reported to Shannon that all the major parts were still there and that the car could be restored.”
“I was so thrilled when Rick told me the car could be fixed up to look like new,” remembers Parsons. “I believed him until I saw it. I was appalled. I never imagined it could be that bad…rusted inside and out.” With reassurances from Davis, Woodfin’s wife, Kay, agreed to fund the restoration.
Davis began the restoration in his own garage, assisted by Parker Hatcliff and Adam Rayner. The vehicle was stripped down to the frame. The motor went to a race car shop in Nashville for reconditioning. Body work was contracted to Tennessee Classic Auto in Smyrna. Davis trailered another vintage MG relic from New York for parts. Hand-stitched leather upholstery was ordered from England. “The restoration, more like a resurrection, took about 18 months of fairly steady work,” says Davis.
“When we surprised Dad with the car,” says Parson, “I thought all of us, including the guys who restored the MG, were going to cry! Dad had big tears in his eyes and Mom was smiling ear-to-ear with pride and excitement. It was a huge job…but it was all worth it when we presented that blue beauty and saw Dad’s look of surprise and recognition.”
“The restored MG brought back a flood of great memories,” admits Woodfin. “I’m just glad it can’t talk!”
Rick Davis begins restoration work on the 1956 MG hulk that was rescued from an overgrown fence row.
The MGA model was produced by the British Motor Corporation from 1955-1962. About 101,000 cars were delivered during this production run, with fewer than 6000 sold in Britain. The sports cars originally sold in the United States for about $3000. According to “Collector Car Price Guide,” a fully-restored show vehicle would bring about $30,000 today.
Rutherford County Historian Greg Tucker can be reached at [email protected].