‘With 1,250-c.c., push-rod, o.h.v. 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed gearbox, and 1/2-elliptic suspension, the MG is now improved in a number of practical ways and endowed with greater elbow-room and even better weather protection.’

Buyer or Seller Questions? Let’s Talk! 310-975-0272

‘Pre-strife times’…Such characteristically British understatement in January 1947 by Motor Sports magazine of a war that devastated much of the world, with somewhere around 80 million deaths.

Yet business must carry on, so after World War II, the MG Car Company picked up where they had left off. Their MG TC might have been technically new for 1945, but it was largely a carry-over, sharing much with the prewar MG TB, including its 1250cc inline-four engine, skinny 19-inch wheels, cut-down doors and flowing fenders.

That was indubitably to its advantage. The rakish MG TC looks like the quintessential throaty sports car of its day, which indeed it was, even though its performance – by present-day standards – was slight. And even when it was launched it already looked retro, growly and romantically sexy, something from another lifetime ago, legendary in its own existence – almost a racing-car. Even then, it could feel a bit primitive. But many of us like primal, don’t we?

Indeed, for all who are turned on by a touch of Spartan machismo, MG TC motoring took the biscuit – as that Motor Sports review noted: ‘a cold wind made us resort to the excellent weather protection which we were so glad of later on. Four rigid side screens are stowed in a felt-lined locker at the back of the luggage compartment. They fit, two on each side, by inserting metal tongues into slots at the back and metal sockets over studs at the front, where wing nuts secure them. We soon erected the front screens and found that they excluded side draughts.’ In other words, in an unhurried world there are your side-windows…

The MG T-Type was a series of body-on-frame open two-seater sports cars that were produced by MG from 1936 to 1955. Known as the Midget, the series consisted of the TA, TB, TC, TD, and TF models.

And in that immediate-post-World War II mood, the MG TC touched all the nerves. Many a U.S. serviceman stationed in the UK purchased one of these sexy beasts to ship back home with him. In fact, from 1947 onwards the British TC was on sale in the U.S., although always as a right-hand-drive vehicle. This export version had slightly smaller US specification sealed-beam headlights (7-inch buckets) and twin tail lights, as well as turn signals and chromed front and rear bumpers with over-riders.

Price was important. The TC was cheap, its $1895 price tag equal to approximately $21,000 these days. (It cost £527 in its UK home market.) Suddenly a sports car was available to a large chunk of the population. Car clubs started to form, road races were held, and tracks were built to capture the nation’s growing addiction. The MC TC became a cult all of its own.

And we have one of these cults right now at Beverly Hills Car Club, a 1949 MG TC right-hand-drive featured with matching numbers. This classic is finished in a red exterior color, gracefully complemented by a beige interior. This iconic vintage vehicle exudes elegance and charm, capturing the essence of a bygone era with its sleek lines and distinctive design.

This TC is equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission, inline-four engine, SU dual carburetors, Jaeger instrumentation, wood dash, Lucas branded headlights/fog lights, convertible soft top, chrome bumpers, bonnet louvers, banjo-style steering wheel, Dunlop tires, 15-inch steel wheels with knock-off spinners, and a full-sized spare tire that is mounted at the rear. Convenience features include a split bench seat, rear-hinged coach doors, dash-mounted rearview mirror, and an analog clock.

In May 1939 the MG TA had been replaced by the TB Midget. Available as an open two-seater or the more luxurious Tickford drophead coupé, this is the rarest of the T-type cars, as production began just prior to Britain’s entry into World War II. Only 379 TBs were made before the MG factory emptied its buildings and switched to making major aircraft components and modifying tanks.

But then came Part 2 with the TC Midget, launched in 1945. As I said, it was essentially similar to the pre-war TB, sharing the same 1,250 cc (76 cu in) pushrod-OHV engine with a slightly higher compression ratio of 7.4:1 giving 54.5 bhp (40.6 kW) at 5200 rpm. The makers also provided information for several alternative stages of tuning for ‘specific purposes’. The XPAG engine is well known for its tunability.

The TC body was approximately 4 inches (100 mm) wider than the TB measured at the rear of the doors to give more cockpit space. The overall car width remained the same, resulting in narrower running boards with two tread-strips as opposed to the previous three. The tachometer was directly in front of the driver, while the speedometer/odometer was on the other side of the dash in front of the passenger, a nod to MG’s trials history.

Fuel consumption was 28 mpg. The MG TC’s 0–60 mph time was 22.7 seconds, a respectable performance at the time. A low fuel warning light would glow on the dash to alert the driver.

10,001 TCs were produced, from September 1945 to November 1949, more than any previous MG model.

The line continued with the MG TD and MG TF.

But then in 1955 came the MGA, a complete styling break from MG’s earlier sports cars.

And life on the open road changed yet again.

-Alex Manos, Owner