Vehicle Description
1947 MG TC Roadster
The early MG roadsters were the quintessential British sports cars
and were "discovered" by our servicemen fighting in Europe during
World War II. There was nothing like it in the states and once
discovered, soldiers were determined to get the cars stateside. By
the time the post war TC was being produced, the U.S. appetite was
big enough to start exporting the model, which was produced from
1945 to 1949. About 2,000 of the 10,000 TC's produced were shipped
to the United States and the rest, as they say, is history!
For consignment, a 1947 MG TC roadster with a title verified 56,257
actual miles. This is a very fine example that's been well cared
for by an MG enthusiast and collector. A folder with receipts of
parts purchased and service will accompany this car and give the
new owner a history of its upkeep.
Exterior
A particular air of class and quality is relayed by the Sequoia
Cream paint that covers this car and its full length front green
grille and rally light bar are bedazzled with badges and emblems
from various clubs and affiliations. A chariot like profile has the
cab set far back, almost to the rear axle and behind a long front
end which will not be confused with very many cars. The low door is
almost a mere suggestion of a door which opens in reverse and
allows easy access to the interior. 19-inch wire wheels are less
than five inches wide and provide some ground clearance for this
low sports car, plus there's a matching spare on the back.
Beginning back at the grille, the chrome shell is in fantastic
condition as is the brightwork to include the marker lights on the
fender, the headlight barrels, wheels, and the luggage rack on
back. A tan canvas top is fully retractable and houses two small
plastic windows in the rear and we note the side curtains are
included for driving during an errant storm. The top is a bit dirty
and contains one small area of wear and two small holes but will
suffice to keep the elements out. Other imperfections include a few
minor scratches, otherwise the exterior is in beautiful shape.
Interior
A storage pocket is included on the light green leather panels that
cover the inner doors and is a nice contrast to the cream exterior.
A split bench seat in the same green leather is simple and stitched
and the seats are intersected by the transmission hump, while a
small storage area exists behind the seats. Overall in very good
condition, the leather shows some minor creases from use, but is
100% presentable and clean. The banjo style 4 spoke steering wheel
is on the right side, which we call the wrong side, but is the
proper British side. Behind it, a curvaceous dashboard made of real
wood and housing gauges, knobs, and switches in a logical
arrangement that puts the tachometer front and center and
speedometer in front of the navigator. A number of dash plaques
from previous shows and events are attached to the dash displaying
this car's breadth of travel and provenance. Rising from the
transmission hump is the straight shifter cradled in a ball socket
style boot. Low pile black carpet covers the floor and is quite
plush.
Drivetrain
Behind the engine cover we find a gleaming green 1250cc inline 4
cylinder engine with Pertronix ignition and rated at 54.5
horsepower. It is fed fuel by two SU carburetors and tied to a
4-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear axle with
5.125 gearing. Drum brakes are found at all four wheels.
Undercarriage
Simplicity is the name of the game underneath where we find a very
clean undercarriage. We note some surface rust on a leaf spring and
some oil on the oil pan, and that's really the entire list of
things to note. A single exhaust runs from the engine to a
stainless steel muffler, then exits out the back through a
tailpipe. The simple suspension consists of leaf springs front and
rear.
Drive-Ability
This writer's father wrenched on MG's in the 1950's, so just to sit
in one is special. A quick prime of the carbs and the car bubbled
to life with that skinny exhaust sound so characteristically
British. Off we go onto the loop and this spry little car was built
to go! Shifts are short and crisp, and the drivetrain is eager,
while the drum brakes work with the gearing to slow the car down.
Visibility with the top up is challenging directly behind you, but
the door is so low, simply employing a quick look back works just
fine and with the top down, the sky's the limit for visibility.
This is not just a piece of British motoring, it's a piece of
automotive history. If not for these early MG's we might not have
developed our own American brands of sports cars and roadsters,
think Corvette. War is ugly, but one positive legacy of WWII was
the exposure of Americans to foreign cars which have merits of
their own, and ended up creating clubs and racing and careers right
here in the good old U.S. of A.!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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