By Dean Sprague

I am sure it’s oblivious even to the casual observer I have owned to many cars and the MG marque is no exception. While technically my first car was a Triumph TR2 the first “family” car was a 1953 MGTD. I say family because my Dad actually purchased it for my Mother. It has been in our family since I was five years old and I still have it.

I have owned several MGs over the years. Back in 1969 just before going in the Navy my Mother convinced me to sell my 1967 TR4a, my 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner and other possessions (excluding the 53 TD of course) so I could enter active duty finically solvent. This enabled me to payoff all my debts and keep just enough money to make a healthy down payment on something affordable. I wanted a new MGB but the price was more than I could handle on E3 Navy pay so I looked at a new 1969 MG Midget. It was British Racing Green, had wire wheels and was cute but of course not an MGB or TR6. However with a properly defective Abarth exhaust (which I got them to throw in) I swallowed my pride and bought it for $2450. It was a good car but when I got married and made E4 the Midget was converted into a Rover 2000TC and later I added a 1951 MGTD to the stable (the 53 TD was still back home). Post Navy, I finished the restoration on the ‘51 and drove it until we had to sell it for the down payment on our first house (a sad day for a car guy).

Later I picked up a 1959 MGA cheap. It lacked a title (which I later fixed) but it came with a 1972 MG Midget parts car. At the same time I found another TD. It was a 1952 in need of a major restoration. My Dad wanted a retirement project so it went to him. Then I found a 1974 MGB GT. It was a great driver but Tundra Green. Not my favorite color so I sold it. Since then I had two more MGBGTs, a 70-split bumper and a 71 plus several MGB roadsters, a 71, three 73s and a 75 most I fixed up and sold to fund the next project. In addition, I probably had more than half a dozen MGB parts cars.

Years ago my friend Joe and I used to work on these British things as a form of therapy to escape our job pressures. In addition to many other non-MG cars we restored his 64 MGB roadster (twice actually) and his 1965 MG Midget both from the tubs up. This was in addition to restoring my 1970 GT and 3 MGB roadsters and finally my family’s (now mine) 53 TD. In the middle of this I found another deal on a 1961 MGA. I found it at a GOF event in Palm Coast, Florida. It was an abandoned restoration from an estate sale out of Georgia. The price was right so of course I bought it on the spot with lots of emotion but no forethought. Beware! If you’re married this is not bright. It created additional expense downstream. This time it was “make-up” jewelry. Now for some brief history.

The post war T series cars and their predecessors are probably the most eclectic of the MG line. I know they are antiquated, slow and not terribly practical but in my mind they are the quintessential MG. The TC/TD established the British sports car in North America. The MG Car Company not BMC or British Leyland built them. It has has always been a privilege and unique experience to own and drive them. Unfortunately, this limited discussion cannot provide a proper treatise on the famous MG marque. There were many other wonderful MGs but it would require a book to do them justice. So we will move on to discuss modern successors.

The MGA which débuted in late 1955 was the first real divergence from the classic MG “vertical radiator” design (not counting the hybrid TF) and as a result received a mixed reception. It was the first modern post-war offering from the new merger of Nuffield and Austin. The MGA was based on the TD Lemans body but with increased power from Austin. The frame was wider and more ridged and provided handling that was more than a match for the Triumph and Healey despite its lesser power. It seems every time the power Austin engine was increased the competition got stronger. The only exception was the 108 HP MGA Twin Cam. However, this Harry Weslake engine design had reliability problems. It was notorious for blowing pistons and was abandoned after less than 2 years. Now the scarcity of the twin cam makes it a highly valued car.

Most agree (including me) the MGA was the prettiest MG ever built. Still, it lacked some creature comforts. There were no roll up windows, the ingress and egress was more difficult than the T series due to the straight “A” front door pillar, the cockpit was tight with no real room for luggage and the legroom limited. However the car was very popular. When production ended in 1962 over 101,000 cars were built and sold. Thirty years ago you could pick up an old MGA for almost nothing but today they are becoming very popular and values are increasing.

The replacement for the MGA was the MGB. The MGB was a complete redesign. It offered a wider/larger cockpit, more legroom, improved trunk space, and wind up side windows plus it was easier to get in and out of than most of the competition. It was a monocot one-piece body/ frame design with a bolt in front cross member and rear suspension. The tried and true Austin B series engine was further developed from the 62 MGA MK2 at 1622cc to 1798cc increasing power from 86 to 95HP. The 4-speed transmission was now available with an overdrive option and later on in North America you could order air conditioning. The MGB was numerically one of the most successful sports cars ever made. From its début in 1962 to its demise in 1980 over half a million copies were made. However, by 1968 increased pollution and safety standards in the US were beginning to take their toll. The 1974 ½ model on came with large black rubber front and rear bumpers and an increased ride height to meet North American safety standards. The power (to meet emissions standards) and handling was noticeability reduced but still the car sold well throughout its production. When MG closed their doors in 1980 they were still making a profit.

An MGC model was offered from 1967 to 1969 to as an alternative to the Healey 3000. It employed a 145 HP 6 cylinder engine, larger 15” wheels and a torsion bar front suspension. It was certainly faster than a “B” but the heavy 6-cylinder engine created unsettling over-steer. Under 9000 Roadsters and GTs were made. Today they are becoming more popular and with available after market suspension improvements much better drivers.

British Leyland again attempted to meet the demand for more power. It came in the form of a Rover 3.5 liter powered MGB GT. It was smooth, quiet and powerful offering a 125 mph top end. Unfortunately, it didn’t sell well due to its costs, appearance (nothing new) and limited availability. You couldn’t get one in North America (their prime market). Between 1973 and 1976 only 2591 were sold. Today it is the most sought-after and clearly the best MGB ever built. As a result there is a growing sub market for MGB V-8 clones.

While the MGB may not be as attractive as an MGA or as “quintessential” as a T series or the pre war MGs the “B” has retained a modern timeless look some 35 years later. If you are looking for a British sports car and don’t want to spend a fortune acquiring and maintaining one the MGB would be my sports car of choice. Pound for pound it maybe the best overall classic sports car value in the world. MGs forever!