Vehicle Description
1952 MG TD Roadster
MG TDs have been owned and raced by some big names. JFK and Jackie
drove one on their honeymoon. Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant drove
one in the film Monkey Business. Elvis was photographed driving
one. Ronald Reagan was in the passenger seat in the film Tropic
Zone. James Dean famously owned one and it was also the car of
choice for road racing in the 1950's. One of the pioneers was
southeast PA legend, Bob Holbert, who also sold and serviced MG's
in one of the first type shops in the country.
For consignment, a 1952 MG TD roadster showing 10,770 miles, but
the true miles are unknown. In 2024, this car received a thorough
professional overhaul that involved the fuel system and brakes
after a five year hiatus in storage. More than $4,000 was spent and
the receipt will accompany the car.
Exterior
The deep, dark red here is aptly named black cherry and is a fine
choice for the lovely design of the TD, complemented of course by
the black canvas top and side skirts which fill the triangular dip
in the door line just as it meets the rear quarter panel. Thin
white lines adorn the 6.00-15 tires mounted on 15-inch rims with
chrome MG branded hubcaps, and the spare mounted to the rear is
dressed the same way, here behind the fold down luggage rack. Up
front, it's classically English with wing-like fenders taking in
unobstructed round headlights that flank the beautiful chrome
grille surround and vertical strakes. The badges not only give the
car some panache, but some individuality as well while the upright
windscreen and wind wings surely serve as the frame for a smiling
driver. One fender suffers from some cracking paint with chips
missing and the passenger door has some fitment issues, but
otherwise the car is ready for its next tour!
Interior
Reverse opening doors wear fitted vinyl cards with sizable map
pockets, artfully stitched for some flair. The bucket seats share
an upper and the column stitched black vinyl is in very good
condition. The storage shelf also wears texturized black vinyl and
houses a speaker. Up front, a leather wrapped banjo steering wheel
shows some appropriate patina while the dash presents nicely,
textured black plastic taking in white faced gauges and a metal
plate sharing the duty and housing switchgear as well. A Radio
Shack CB radio is mounted under the dash and the microphone is
mounted on it within easy reach of the driver, as if the British
version of Smokey and the Bandit! Patina down below begins with the
straight shifter over black carpet in an inviting and simple little
cockpit those early racers must have loved!
Drivetrain
Under the hood, a driver quality 1250cc inline 4 cylinder rated at
54 horsepower. It wears two H2 carburetors and is mated to a
4-speed manual which routes power to the 4.125 gears in back. The
overhauled brakes are configured as drums front and rear.
Undercarriage
Some surface rust, some grease build up, and a few drops on the
transmission pan are features on this driver quality underside.
Coil spring suspension is utilized up front while leaf springs are
found in the back. The clean single exhaust flows through a stock
style muffler then stretches all the way to the back, exiting just
under the chrome bumper.
Drive-Ability
You sit low in the TD and if your arms are long enough, you could
almost touch the ground. That's the appeal because with the top
down, it really is a visceral experience! Fifty four horses is
plenty to move this small car and the shortness makes turns much
more fun. We note in this car the speedometer, odometer, and wipers
are not working. Another item of note is that the transmission is
noisy in first gear, which we were quick to learn. Meanwhile, all
other functional items on the car work as they should. While
Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at
the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions
will be working at the time of your purchase.
MG's were the Miatas of the day, in fact, British roadsters can be
cited as the origins of any future convertible sports car. But more
than that, they were the amateur racer's car of choice and soon,
droves of them would show up at regional and local tracks. Out of
the box, like the Miata, they were quick and nimble and naturally
fit the demands of the track. Today, they are important relics of
early sports car enthusiasm in the United States, and retain all
the fun they did when new.
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.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
