MG TC 2-seater sportscar.
Photographs of this classic post-war sportscar from Abingdon.
I bought this set of three photos early in '06 - they all feature a late 1940s MG TC in various locations. The first photo shows the MG peering out of an old corrugated metal garage. Judging by the olde worlde tin cans neatly located alongside, it looks like this MG is about to benefit from a thorough servicing. Nearest the car is a tin of Holts Glycol Master Antifreeze, its design makes me think that the photo was probably taken in the 1960s, by which time the TC was already 20 or so years old. Also visible is a rather nice tin of Shell X100 Motor Oil, and in the background a smaller tin of Castrol oil - perhaps for the gearbox or back axle. It's interesting to note the mixed tread patterns of the two front tyres - back then drivers didn't worry so much about fitting matching sets of tyres, and the owner of this MG TC was no exception.
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Return to Motoring Photographs Page 2.
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The second pic shows the same car parked on a grassy bank, the photographer this time capturing the front 3/4 view of the TC. The screen is folded flat in this particular view, although everything else looks as before. It's interesting to see a substantial radio aerial fitted to this MG, on the passenger side of the scuttle. In the background is a very imposing Georgian manor house, perhaps the owner lived there? These photographs were purchased from the Isle of Arran, in Scotland, so there's a good chance that this house, and the car, were photographed in that area. Do either still exist? Sadly there are no notes on any of these photographs to give a clue.
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The final photo in this trio shows the same MG TC parked again on a grassy area, but with the screen raised. A substantial spot lamp has been fitted to the MG's front wing cross-stay. The same tyres are fitted in all these photos, so chances are they were all taken at the same time.
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More information about the MG TC
The TC was essentially a re-worked example of the 1930s TAs & TBs, sticking with the pre-war styling of these earlier cars. They came as
standard with 19 inch spoked wheels, cut away doors, and the separate wings and running boards seen on all previous MG roadsters. The familiar
XPAG engine, of 1250cc, propelled this tiny car to reasonable speeds for the day. Production continued til 1949 when the re-vamped MG TD took over from the TC in the MG showrooms.
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2. Three photos of MG TC registration MJO 508.
Maybe MG TCs were particularly unreliable, as two of the following three photos also feature a TC with its bonnet raised, and someone fettling away beneath it, although as it's a young child, perhaps nothing too important was being undertaken! First picture in this set presents a side-on view of MG TC registration MJO 508, a late 1947 or early 1948 example, with a group of people stood around, and sat in, this classic post-war car. Parked on grass, surrounded by smiling people, the sun shining and thatched buildings in the background, all-in-all an idyllic scene.
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The following two photographs probably feature the young lad and girl that are in photograph number one, albeit a year or three later. The notably un-cheerful young lady is sat behind the MG's steering wheel, while the young chap - possibly in his father's overalls - is attending to something within the car's inner workings. In the background, one of two doors in a wooden building is open, perhaps the home of the MG? A number of motoring organisation badges are fitted to the front of the MG, although of them I only recognised the RAC one. The badge alongside it is, I've been told, for the Motor Cycling Club.
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Finally, another shot of the lad working on his father's car, quite what he's doing isn't clear, but will it ever run again!?!!??!! Interesting, the T-Register in the MG Owners' Club has a reference to MJO 508 in its files. A check of the RAC and the DVLA sites brings the happy news that not only does this MG TC survive, but that it's reported as being on the road and taxed. Hopefully the car's current owner will find this page one day, and be able to provide a recent photo to add in here.
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3. A modified MG sports.
This photo is dated December 27th 1949. Judging by the sun glinting on the MG's coachwork, and the unusual "1946" numberplate (even if only temporary or for show it doesn't look British), I think this scene is probably in Australia, or perhaps South Africa, cars in both countries being righthand drive. Maybe the 1946 plate was a dealer-fitted item, while the car was on sale in a showroom? If so, then the car was only three or so years old at the time, yet clearly had already undergone a number of (not entirely subtle) modifications. A penned note on the rear of the photo simply states "The wreck at her most impressive". Impressive certainly were the gigantic Lucas headlamps that this TC had been adorned with, if a little on the OTT side. A single centrally-mounted spotlamp had also found its way onto the MG, as had a pair of windtone horns. Quite what the radiator mascot is all about, I'm not sure, more agreeable though is the early AA (Automobile Association) badge that is fitted just to the side of the 1946 plate.
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Anyone interesting in these cars can advertise parts for sale, or spares that they need, on the oldclassiccar MG TC parts page.
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