We celebrate the anniversary of the MG TD, the car that was the firm foundation of MG’s worldwide success.
Introduction – MG TD
Production of the MG TD started in late 1949, making those early cars 75 years old. However the model was actually launched in January 1950. The MG TD, and its smoother, younger offspring, the TF, tend to get overlooked in the MG firmament because it already looked a little old fashioned when it was announced.
In the public consciousness, previous M, P and T-type MG Midgets appear in World War two movies, although of course that is incorrect for a TC.
MG TD Midget brochure
MGA & MGBs
The MGA is rightly lauded for its beauty, its appearance in the Elvis Presley film Blue Hawaii. Amazingly it was Elvis’ own car! Also for its class win at Le Mans in 1960, or Nancy Mitchell’s European Ladies Rally Championship victory.
As to the MGB, well it’s the default classic car and was the bestselling sports car ever. It won its class at Le Mans and in the Monte Carlo Rally. Something not many cars other than the Porsche 911 have done. It also remains a popular sight on British roads because people still use them as everyday cars, this author included.
MGB GT V8s in a parade at Silverstone.
The MG TD
The humble TD, however, was far more than a warmed-over re-modelling of its predecessor, the TC in both mechanical and marketing terms. It deserves to be credited with what it achieved. Namely keeping MG in business, expanding the company’s production capacity and cementing the name in America. Without the TD there would be no MGA, B, C or even F.
MG TD parked with its descendants at an MG event at the BMM Gaydon.
MG TD – History
When war was declared in 1939 Britain’s motor industry was one of the largest. Crucially, it was one of the most varied in the world. Fortunately for the future of the free world, that mature industry was able to turn its hand to war work relatively quickly.
Preparations had begun before the war was declared. Because Hitler’s Germany had made their intentions obvious, and MG’s Abingdon factory was no exception, it spent World War II designing, manufacturing and maintaining military vehicles, tanks and aircraft.
There was an influx of female workers as men were called up. MG even built accommodation specifically for the female munitions workers who’d moved to the area on what was effectively a government posting.
When it became obvious that D-Day had been a success, as the German army retreated and it looked like the Allies would prevail, MG wasted no time in preparing to return to peace-time production.
Resources were diverted to working on a new car. MG was thus the first British manufacturer to announce a new model, the TC, after hostilities had ceased. Although it wasn’t really new of course, being a mildly modified version of the short-lived pre-war TB.
The TA had been announced in 1936 and was modified into the TB just before WWII started. This is author Deborah Bragg with her well-known MG TA, the subject of her book, ‘Watch Out! Two Old Ladies On The Road’.
MG TC
Aside from not being named after a killer disease, which must surely have been a marketing plus point, the new TC offered 102mm of extra width across its still quite narrow cockpit. It did away with the famous sliding trunnion front suspension seen on both the TA and TB in favour of conventional leaf spring shackles under the front beam axle that was far easier to manufacture and maintain.
An MG TC taking part in the long-standing Ipswich to Felixstowe classic car run. Count the grips on the running board compared to the later TA above, there are only 2 because of the TC’s wider cockpit.
In spite of its very obvious shortcomings, that still very narrow and cramped cockpit, the lack of heater, its hard ride and the fact it was not offered in left-hand-drive, the TC was a massive success for MG.
Especially in America where it also started the career of many names that would become motorsport luminaries. Including 1961 F1 World Champion Phil Hill and Cobra / GT40 legend Carroll Shelby, who won the first race he entered aboard a friend’s TC.
It was the first MG to sell in large numbers in the USA. In four years it broke all the company’s production records. 10,000 had been produced by the time it ceased production in 1949.
Nuffield
In the late 1930s, Nuffield’s master plan had visualised a complete range of saloons with which to combat similar cars aimed at the more well-heeled motorist. By 1939 the SA, VA, and WA types had already been put on sale. If war had not intervened, they would have been joined by the smaller Y-type in 1940.
It finally made its appearance in 1947. Its mildly detuned XPAG engine only produced 46bhp, and its origins within other Nuffield Group products saved MG development money. And it was appealing to motorists who wanted a more comfortable and prestigious car that was economical in an era when petrol was still rationed.
MG Y Type
Like many MGs before or since that have borrowed components from other cars, it was far greater than the sum of its parts. The bodyshell aft of the scuttle was based on the Morris 8 Series E and Wolseley 8. Though it was so subtle few noticed.
It was the first MG fitted with independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering. A design had actually drawn up by a young engineer called Alec Issigonis for the Morris 10 in the late 1930s. It had been passed over by the management at the time on the grounds it was too expensive. His vision of horizontally mounted lever arm shock absorbers acting as a top wishbone set was a template that would last until the MGB ceased production in 1980.
MG however were charging a premium price for the product so had more latitude in component costs to produce the best car they could. Morris had to build down to a price to compete with Austin and Ford.
YA
The YA prototype had put in huge mileage during the war. It had become the works hack transport vehicle, so putting it into production was the obvious next move. Launched in 1947, it cost £672 before tax.
As well as setting a template with its front suspension, the YA was the first all-steel-bodied MG. Also it was the first MG available in left-hand drive. It was successful in MG terms with 6,158 YAs and 1,301 of the mildly updated YBs being produced. It was replaced by the Z-type Magnette in 1953.
Once the TC and Y-type were in full production, MG had to look at their options. BMC was not even a glint in Leanord Lord’s eye (although it suddenly happened in 1952 and delayed what became the MGA). Using the Y-type as the template for a slightly larger, more market-friendly sports car was a logical move. It continued MG’s surprising success in the US market.
MG TD
The MG TD would be developed from the Y-type and would be a huge success for the company. Find out more in our upcoming Part 2.
