1947 MG TC - SOLD
England didn't invent the sports car, but the Brits certainly evolved their own particular strain of lightweight, fun-to-drive machines that are beloved the world over. You'd think that an island famous for its inclement weather would develop cars that were more than a minimalist body on top of a simple frame and powered by agricultural and industrial engines, but it turns out that all that stuff is part of the appeal, not a demerit. There are plenty of folks out there of a certain age who will brag of their adventures in an MG, usually highlighted by awful weather and non-existent weather protection, and if you ask them about the greatest moments of their lives, they'll tell you that they came behind the wheel of a car just like this 1947 MG TC.
This TC has lived an easy life, that much is clear. Aside from spending the past decade or so in the living room of its owner, it has apparently never been fully disassembled for restoration because it just wasn't necessary. Instead, it's been used, enjoyed, and maintained and as such, it's far from perfect today. But we aren't selling perfection, we're selling a lifestyle and when you look at the sinuous fenders and cut-down doors on what is admitted a very, very small car, you're taken by just how right it looks. There's something that stylists call "line" and this MG has it, particularly from the front ¾ view with the top up—it's purity of design that few other cars have ever matched. It's as if the MG designers said, "What's the bare minimum we can attach to this thing and still have it be considered a car?" The fact that it's also beautiful is a tribute to their talents, and there's no question that this is an early British sports car.
Now, England immediately after World War II being what it was, the MG was assembled to be affordable, and that's OK. They used whatever parts they could get their hands on, so cars like this are hard to pin down in terms of absolute specifications and it's impossible to say what's authentic and what's not. We're certain that the car has been repainted at least once, still wearing an appealing shade of British Racing Green on its lightweight body, and the most recent repaint was probably long before it got parked in the living room a decade ago. As a result it's scratched, faded, and chipped here and there, but for a car like this, those aren't necessarily demerits. Sure, if you want perfection, you can spend more and get it, but for a car that begs to drive, it works just fine. There's a pretty big chip on the front splash apron where it obviously bumped something long ago—there are no bumpers, so that's not surprising—but that's the most notable cosmetic issue. The doors and hood fit well, although the latches for the doors need some attention as the striker plates are loose so they don't close very securely (remember that this body still uses a wooden frame). The chrome is probably all original and some of it is quite good, like the radiator shell, while other parts are showing their age, like the headlight buckets. One of the jaunty red slats is missing from the grille and it has not broken off, it's just gone, so a replacement should be easy enough to procure and install. And we love the asymmetrical look of the badge bar up front, which houses one Lucas driving light and a Spartan horn, an American invention.
The tan interior has also been replaced at some point, and it's pretty nice vinyl that does a decent impression of leather. For wear and tear, it's hard to beat and the low-maintenance material is probably a superior choice on a car that'll get used regularly. The ingenious split bench has an adjustable back rest angle, so it's easy enough to get comfortable behind the big wheel, and all TCs were right-hand-drive, despite a majority of them being destined for use in the US. The black carpets might be original, and in particular the area in the passenger's footwell is especially threadbare (perhaps due to an ancient battery leak), but that's an easy, inexpensive fix if it bothers you. The dashboard is beautifully finished with oversized speedometer and tach and the secondary gauges in an engine-turned panel in-between. The controls are byzantine so you'll have to take some time to familiarize yourself with everything, but there are no nasty surprises here. The faces of the gauges are simply lovely, with big, easy-to-read markings and the wood itself is very nicely preserved. Obviously the clock doesn't work, the windshield wiper motor is missing its drive shaft, and a few other items need tending, but most of the equipment is there and in good condition. There's also a decent black canvas top that's still very usable and the compartment behind the seats is in excellent shape with no rot or damage.
The TC might be an anachronism to Americans used to big-inch V8s and tire-shredding torque, but the humble 1250cc inline-four makes a reasonable 54 horsepower and provides energetic performance and tough-as-nails reliability. In a car that weighs less than 2000 pounds, you don't need big power to move it with gusto and the joy of the TC is not in all-out speed but in the joy of using the car as intended, at its limits, feeling the machinery doing its thing. There's a reason GIs returning from Europe fell in love with the TC and bought most of them, and it has everything to do with how it feels when you're behind the wheel.
We don't have any history on the rebuild status of this engine, but given the condition of the outer surfaces, it appears to have been restored at some point in the past. While on display in the living room, it was drained of all fluids, so it was recommissioned by one of the best mechanics in the area and today it runs and drives, stops and steers. It barks to life easily with a traditional MG exhaust note that's all out of proportion to the car itself and the twin SU carburetors are not cranky as you'd imagine them to be. There is new wiring throughout, so someone at some point installed a correct cloth-covered harness so that's one worry the new owner won't have, and the brakes have been fully rebuilt, including master cylinder and wheel cylinders. Other noteworthy features include a correct SU fuel pump on the firewall, a fresh coil, and the battery and tool boxes in the scuttle are not rusted out, so this car clearly lived someplace that's car-friendly.
It's obvious that the body has never been off the frame and it's quite original underneath, so it won't be winning any shows where you need mirrors under your car, but again, as a driver-grade car that can be spruced up along the way, this is a good, honest machine. There's lots of grease and grunge, some rust on the heavy metal components, but the wood floors are in good order, ladder-type frame is in good shape, and it uses mostly original hardware throughout. A modern replacement muffler doesn't sound quite right but it works and just before it went into the living room, it was equipped with a brand new set of chrome wire wheels and 4.50-19 Dunlop tires that look great.
This is not a restored show car, let's be clear about that. It looks great in pictures, shines up decently, and even from five feet away, it's appealing. It runs, drives, stops, and steers, but like any vintage British sports car, it will need an owner dedicated to tinkering as much as driving, and there's no harm in that. The basics are excellent: it is not rusty or rotted, it's complete, and it really is quite presentable overall. Keep your expectations reasonable and this will be a wonderful hobby car that does everything you'd hope for, including giving you something to play with on a Saturday afternoon. It's also very affordably priced for a car that offers what is arguably the best price-to-fun ratio of anything on four wheels.
As Road & Track founder John Bond wrote in 1956: “For a comfort-loving public [it] was wretchedly impractical; your spine was jolted, your knees bumped, you were hot in the sun and wet in the rain, you had no luggage space and only 54 horsepower—but for the first time in many a year you were driving a car. A person felt it was part of him, as quick and responsive to commands as a well-trained mare, and for many a U.S. driver this was something new and wonderful.”
Harwood Motors
1333 Highland Road, Macedonia, Ohio, 44056
Phone: 440-565-5335 / Fax: 440-565-2352 / Email: [email protected]
www.HarwoodMotors.com
