Vehicle Description
The traditional MG: Light, quick, with cut-down doors and flowing
fenders, and that upright waterfall grille up front. Evolution was
slow at The MG Car Company, but there's a reason why cars like this
1953 TD were brought home by the hundreds by GIs returning from
Europe, and why they remain wildly popular today. 1953 was also the
final year of the TD, and for many enthusiasts, the separate
headlights and fenders define the vintage MG look. This particular
example is first-class all the way, the direct result of a
comprehensive restoration that not only elevated the car to an
excellent standard, but upgraded it with an overhauled 1500cc
Inline-4 MG TF engine, a quick-shifting 5-speed gearbox, and
dropdead gorgeous aesthetics. And with only 5 miles (that's not a
type-o) on the entire build, this TD hasn't even had the chance to
show off yet.
The look is pure pre-war, with separate fenders and a long hood,
but the energetic handling and performance were quite contemporary.
This MG was professionally restored from top-to-bottom, but it
wasn't over-restored to the point where you're afraid to drive it,
which misses the point of British roadster entirely. The body
construction is traditional, but that also means that it's light
and easy to repair, and this one shows no signs of serious damage
in its past or the MG's arch-nemesis, rust. Hood and door fit are
really great, and it's fairly obvious the builders got the
sheetmetal super-straight before they started putting any paint
down. And once the paint did go down, it was completed with an
expert's touch that's resulted in a deep, high-gloss finish that's
perfect for the curb appeal of this British classic. The
combination of elegant slick-black paint and deep red body seals
(not to mention the deep red interior) is about as good-as-it-gets,
and the finish is definitely authentic-looking - neither too shiny
nor full of metallic, both of which are instant giveaways to
incorrect choices. It shows only a few light signs of use, of
course, but the overall presentation is what endears MGs to their
legions of fans. Of course, things like the chrome grille,
stand-alone headlights/running lights/turn signals, and simple
bumpers fore and aft give it a gorgeous, old-fashioned look, and
all the bright stuff is in excellent shape.
Inside the rather diminutive cabin, there's adequate room for two,
and once you settle into the low-slung bucket seats and assume the
proper driving position, you'll find it's easy to spend hours
behind the wheel without fatigue. Well, maybe your cheeks will be
hurting from grinning so much, but the driving experience is
involving without being exhausting. The comfortable seats have been
properly reupholstered in beautiful red leather, which matches the
door panels that offer useful storage pockets. The lovely dashboard
is genuine wood, not a veneer, and houses a full array of Jaeger
instruments that are all-original and have a truly British look.
The three spoke, sporty steering wheel is still the universal
symbol for sports car, and has been restored to such a high level
you'll be scared to grab it without leather droving gloves, and the
red carpets below are plush and in great shape. And since MG lovers
are serious about their cars, this one offers a matching black
canvas convertible top as weather protection, which quickly
separates the men from the boys, along with accompanying sliding
side windows. But seriously, if you purposely drive this beauty in
the rain you should probably have your head examined.
The whole point of an MG isn't brute power, but the original 1250cc
inline-four engines are very conservative, even for an early 1950's
import. Thankfully, after a decade of ownership, the owner longed
for more power and had his restorers upgrade the drivetrain to a
1500CC twin-carb Inline-4 borrowed from an MG TF. In this
lightweight package those extra cubes go a very long way, and the
motor was thoroughly overhauled and runs and drives wonderfully
today. Those side-draft carbs feed it plenty, and the baritone
exhaust note is downright erotic thanks to a stainless-steel
exhaust upgrade. The whole engine is scarcely bigger than a
briefcase, but all the parts are easy to get at and maintain, which
is why MGs are so beloved by both professional and shade-tree
mechanics today. The feisty engine's linked to a slick-shifting,
upgraded 5-speed manual transmission whose light action and
progressive clutch are the cornerstone of performance driving and
make it a joy to run at 8/10s. The chassis is a simple ladder
frame. Look underneath and you will see a neatly detailed
undercarriage that shows how well this MG has lived, because it's
very, very clean everywhere you look. Chrome wire wheels with
center spinners look amazing and wear upgraded 165/15 Firestone
tires that have barely seen pavement.
One drive and you'll see why it's so easy to love an MG, and this
incredibly fresh TD delivers that old-world fun with the benefits
of a few choice upgrades and a lot of recent work behind it. Call
us today!
