1951 MG TD

The success of the MG in the United States after World War II was attributed - in large part - to the returning GIs, who had fallen in love with the nimble European sports cars. The lightweight, attractive roadsters offered an alternative to the vehicles being produced by much of Detroit.

Roadster
Chassis #: PAGTDLH84306

The MG TC of the mid-1940s continued the traditional styling of its TA and TB predecessors from the late 1930s. All TCs were right-hand drive, had a small cockpit, lackluster performance, and a modest price. These minimalistic vehicles were driven and maintained by their owners. Many were entered into rallies, races, and hill climbs.

The MG TD was introduced in 1950 and would become even more popular than its predecessor. They retained the traditional MG styling, were built on the Y-Type saloon chassis, and featured the prior TC series drivetrain with a modified hypoid rear axle, and rack-and-pinion steering. The wire wheels of the prior model were replaced with steel discs. The TD was wider, had straight-across bumpers, an upright grille with vertical bars, and had more modern styling. The inline, overhead-valve 76.3 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine offered 54 horsepower. There was a four-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on the upper three gears. Hydraulic drum brakes provided the stopping power.

Catering to the U.S. demographic, MG offered a left-hand drive configuration, resulting in the large majority of MG TDs being exported to North America. TD production ceased in 1953 when MG debuted its replacement, the TF.

Roadster

In mid-1951, MG introduced the Mark II which brought a higher horsepower engine thanks to a revised compression ratio, and all ports and combination chambers were polished with larger inlet and exhaust valves fitted along with heavier valve springs and an upgraded camshaft. Additionally, Mark II models had Higher capacity Lucas ignition equipment, an extra fuel pump, and added shock absorbers.

From 1949 through 1953, a total of 29,664 examples of the MG TD were produced.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2019