Lot Ended
Description
From a deceased estate; in
the current ownership since 1965; fully restored in 1988; only 10k miles since
full engine rebuild; Shorrock supercharger; good running order
Every young man’s dream of what a proper
sports car should look like, the TC appeared as soon as MG could resume car
production in 1945. With its big wheels, rear mounted spare, fold-flat
windscreen, cutaway doors, separate wings and slab fuel tank, it retained the
classic pre-war styling that MG buyers loved, particularly car-hungry American
ex-servicemen.
These
good looks and robust mechanicals made the car hugely appealing in vital export
markets and laid the foundation for MG’s meteoric rise from the post-war
austerity years to the more affluent 1950s.
Blessed with excellent agaility, the TC was
powered by an unburstable 1,250cc ohv 54bhp four-cylinder engine mated to a
four-speed synchromesh gearbox that enabled a top speed near 80mph. Roomier and
more comforatble than the preceding T-Series models, the TC remained in
production until 1949 when it was replaced by the TD. Exactly 10,001 were sold
in total, the majority to export markets, although curiously, unlike the TD, it
was only ever available in RHD.
Supplied new by MG main agents University Motors
of London in May 1949, this TC was acquired by our vendor’s late-brother way
back in January 1965 and he was to keep it right up until his death in April
2019 when ownership passed to a Charitable Trust administered by his family.
It comes with a large
history file back to the mid-Sixties which shows that in 1985 it was sent to
Clive Sherriff of Reading for a total body-off restoration which took two years
to complete, the invoices showing that it cost over £10,000 (equivalent to
around £38k in today’s money). This included a fully rebuilt engine with high
compression pistons and balanced crankshaft and con rods etc. Finished and back
on the road in May 1988, the mileage at this point was 40,970, as recorded by
old MOTs on file.
In
1993/94 a Shorrock supercharger was fitted by John Bibby of Supercharge
Engineering Services in Llangollen, the engine also being rebuilt again at the
same time with a reground crank, a new set of Aerolite pistons, new camshaft
etc. The mileage at this point was 49,500, the odometer currently showing 59,757
miles.
Other invoices
show that a new set of Dunlop tyres and inner tubes were fitted in December 2010
(at c.59k miles) and the wire wheels were rebuilt with new spokes in May 2013.
We are told by the
family that the owner was a graduate mechanical engineer who trained at Leyland
Motors before becoming a computer programmer in later life. A keen motoring
enthusiast and a member of the MG Car Club, he enjoyed working on old cars and
kept a meticulous log of all the work carried out on UMG 13 from 1989 onwards,
all recorded in a notebook on file.
As the car had not been driven since the owner
passed away in 2019, shortly before the auction it was sent to Nutts Performance
Classics of Pontypool to prepare it for sale. This included a new set of spark
plugs, an ignition coil and a general tune-up of the engine, followed by a road
test to confirm that all was satisfactory.
Fitted with a stainless steel exhaust system, it
has a tonneau cover and side screens but no hood. The door handles and interior
door trims also seem to be missing. A spare twin carb inlet manifold is
included.
Documentation includes a V5C; two older V5
documents; buff logbook; wiring diagram; lubrication chart; maintenance manual;
historic photos of the car, including on the 1993 Norwich Union Classic; many
invoices; 20 old MOTs from 1988 – 2010; MG Club correspondence; technical
literature plus the detailed maintenance log kept by the owner.
As you can see in the
photos, this supercharged TC still looks to be in great condition some 38 years
since it was restored. As you might expect of a car that has only covered some
10k miles since the engine was rebuilt, it has been starting promptly and
running well as we have moved it around on site. The icing on the cake is the
original (transferable) UMG 13 registration number which doubtless has a value
of its own.
Coming
from the same home as the next Lot in this auction (Lot 3 MG TD), this TC is on
offer here at a modest guide price and the proceeds of the sale will be used for
charitable purposes so bid generously and you will not only be getting a
wonderful car, you will also be doing your bit for a good
cause.
Consigned
by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com