1936 MG NB

MG received its name from 'Morris Garages,' a dealer of Morris cars in England which produced customized vehicles wearing designs created by Cecil Kimber, the general manager. The first MG-badged cars appeared in 1923 with custom two-seater touring bodies. Following the success of the Midget in 1928, MG became a separate company. It subsequently passed through a series of owners including British Motors, Rover, and BMW.

The MG N-Type Magnette was introduced in October 1934 and built through 1936. They used various body styles and employed a 1,271cc six-cylinder KD series overhead camshaft engine used in the K-Type and originally sourced from the 1930 Wolseley Hornet. The chassis departed from the company's traditional 'ladder type' configuration, with the side frame members being wider at the rear than at the front, and outrigger members mounted on Silentbloc rubber bushes. These were attached to the side and rear of the main chassis and carried the body.

The last of a series of small six-cylinder overhead cam light cars produced by the MG Car Company during the mid-1930s, approximately 745 N-Type Magnettes were built in total which included around 174 of the NA two-seaters and 98 examples of the NB Two-Seaters. The ND of 1934 was built in very limited quantities using unsold MG K2 bodies mounted atop the N-Type chassis. The MG Ne was another exclusive model initially built to contest the 1934 Tourist Trophy race. They were given lightweight two-seater bodies with tuned engines that delivered 68 horsepower at 6,500 RPM. Three of the cars were given P-Type style bodies for 1935 competition.

The MG N-Type was positioned between the Midgets and the company's larger, soon-to-debut SA. The MG NB, the last of the overhead cam MGs, was replaced by the one-and-a-half liter, four-cylinder VA model with a pushrod overhead valve engine.

The 1,271cc engine produced 56 horsepower at 5,500 RPM, nearly 25% more than the unit powering the basic KD unit. It had a stroke of 83mm, a modified cylinder block and head, an inlet manifold, an oil lubrication system, and twin SU carburetors. It was paired with a four-speed non-synchromesh gearbox, similar to that used in the L Type, but with an improved clutch. Different gear ratios gave lower first and second gears and higher cruising speeds in third and fourth. A close-ratio gearbox was introduced for the NB variant of 1936.

The wheelbase measured 96 inches (2439 mm) and had a track of 45 inches (1143 mm). The suspension was comprised of semi-elliptic leaf springs that were longer and wider than previous MG cars.

The more advanced chassis, upgraded suspension, wider track, lower profile fuel tank, and more potent engine improved the handling and stability of the N-Type over its predecessor.

The MG NA

The MG NA had rear-hinged doors, cut-away tops, and its fuel tank concealed in the tail section. Both sold and two-tone color combinations were available, and when the two-tone was applied, the upper surfaces received the darker color.

Four-seater and two-seater bodies were available as was a rare Airline coupe body. The Airline Coupe was available on both the NA and NB, with approximately seven examples built. They wore bodies designed by H.W. Allingham and its low profile was achieved by dropping the body over the outside of the chassis. Currently, three examples retain their original Airline bodies. A molding down the sides of the car allowed for two-tone paint schemes. They had full-flowing fenders with the rears flicking up at their ends, a spare tire neatly blended into the swept back tail beneath a metal cover, and 'cathedral' style lighting panels on the sliding sunroof.

The MG NB

The MG NB of 1935 had a lowered scuttle line and forward-hinged doors. To help distinguish it from its predecessor, it received a slatted radiator, similar to the PB Midget. The interior contained betters seats and re-arranged instrumentation. The darker color was applied to the lower surfaces and the lighter color to the upper surfaces.

The NB was produced from September 1935 to June 1936.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2022