Frank Mason
TC Motoring Guild founding member Frank Mason, for whom one of our most prestigious awards is named, has been credited as the primary force behind the creation of our fine organization. One afternoon in 1954, he parked his TC alongside another on Glendale Boulevard. That other TC was owned by Ivan Galanoy, then editor of Road & Track Magazine. Frank and Ivan got to talking about how the Long Beach M.G. club had started out as a TC club, but had “devolved” into allowing other models. They figured something should be done about this. They agreed to meet at the R&T offices to discuss the matter. Two years earlier, John Bond of Road & Track, who saw the importance of the now discontinued TC model, had formed a group to support owners with parts and technical information. Members of that group came to the meeting Frank and Ivan had set up. This meeting was the formation of our club.
A few years before his death he was made an honorary member of the TC Motoring Guild and in 1969, as a tribute to him, the Frank Mason Award was established. The first recipients of this award, given to the person(s) showing loyal support to the car and club were Earl Sargent and Joe Douglass.
The following biography is written using excerpts from a story by Frank Mason’s daughter in the 1980’s and originally published the a TCMG newsletter in the 1980’s.
Those who have followed TC activities for a number of years and particularly the concours circuit, have come to know a certain team very well – a uniquely styled black TC and its impeccably turned-out gentleman driver. This was Frank Mason, pictured above. He was Mr. Concours himself, and founding member of the TC Motoring Guild.
Throughout his life he had been connected with adventure, sports and the better things of life. Following service in the Canadian Army, Frank settled in Southern California and continued his adventurous way of life. He became founder and commodore of the Orange County Aero Club and, as a forerunner of the famous image so readily recognized at concours events, Frank became well known for his glistening boots, flawless breeches, goggles and helmet.
With the coming of sports cars Frank found a new interest and outlet. He purchased the TC formerly owned by Groucho Marx and began immediately to revamp it to suit his personal ideas, some of which may have startled the purists. But whatever he did, he did with fine workmanship and with great enjoyment. He began showing it at concours d’elegance around California. He won many awards at some of the finest shows. Franks discernment sharpened and his tastes became discriminating. He was asked to judge many shows including the Pebble Beach Concours. Through the years he also made a name for himself as a writer and had several columns in several publications.
Frank Mason Quotes
Frank became the symbol of TCism in Southern California. His was a tireless campaign to keep the TC in the limelight.
A few quotes from the pen of Frank:
“We are convinced the TC is a classic because it looks like a classic. The TC is universally admired by everybody everywhere–not just the members of the TC Motoring Guild. It is considered more attractive than any MG produced since 1949, but when the TC model was discontinued, the MG deteriorate. In looks, that is. There have been remarkable advances and improvements from an engineering standpoint, but compare your TC with any MG made in 1950 or later and there’s no doubt it excels in the realm of aesthetics.”
“The TC requires no false components to make it supremely lovely, and we are justified in calling it a CLASSIC. It looks like a classic and it is a classic.”