1934 MG ND

High bid of $85,000 at 2010 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Arizona. (did not sell)
Sold for $118,250 at 2015 Bonhams Amelia Island Auction.
MG began their small-capacity six-cylinder cars in 1931 with the introduction of the Magna 'F'. The initial output of the F-Type 1271cc Wolseley overhead-camshaft engine produced just under 40 horsepower. Over the next three years, this 'KD' engine was tuned to produce nearly 60 horsepower and was used in the first N-Type MG in 1934, the NA. The N-Type was also given a more advanced chassis than the ladder-type used in the F-Type. It was widened in the rear and lengthened, and given a lower profile gas tank and an upgraded suspension.

The ND featured the N-Type chassis with an MG K3 body.

Soon after MG introduced the N-Type, the company was sold to Morris Motors in 1935. The TA was introduced in 1936 as a replacement to the ND.

The ownership of this car has been well documented, starting with Bernard Clifton of Wimbledon, who took delivery of NA0484 in September of 1934 via Jarvis & Sons. He then sold it to Thorold G. Jones in 1935. In 1975, this ND was acquired by a racing enthusiast in Vancouver, Canada who actively raced NA0484. At the 7th Annual Monterey Historics in 1979, the ND finished 6th in its class.

Ownership than passed to another racing enthusiast, Peter Fino, who added an NE-spec camshaft and valvetrain, lightweight pistons, lightened flywheel, and a ported, polished and flowed cylinder head.

In 2006, the next owner used the car in the California Mille.

The engine is a 1271cc supercharged SOHC 6-cylinder unit fitted with a single SU carburetor mounted to a Roots Supercharger. The powerplant produces an estimated 100 horsepower which is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. There is a live axle suspension with Hartford Shocks.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2015

In 1933 MG introduced the K type Magnette with a 1.1-liter six-cylinder engine. The vehicles were equipped with a 12-inch cable-operated mechanical brake. The K3 was a modified racing version that sat atop a short-chassis and outfitted with a supercharged engine. One was able to capture a class victory at the Mille Miglia road race. In 1934 a K3 achieved 4th overall in the grueling Le Mans 24 hour endurance race. The list of victories does not end there, but it does establish the K3 as a competitive force in the racing arena. A Long-wheelbase touring version was available and could be fitted with four doors.

In early 1934 the N type Magnette was introduced. It sat atop a 96-inch wheelbase and powered by a 56 horsepower engine. In 1934, MG produced seven racing N's which were dubbed NE. They replaced the supercharged K3's which had been banned from the Tourist Trophy race. The NE vehicles were entered and carried on the legacy of the K3 by winning the race.

The N-Type Magnett was the last in a series of small six-cylinder overhead cam light cars produced by the MG Car Company in the mid-1930s. The six-cylinder cars were built in relatively small numbers compared to the less expensive four-cylinder Midgets of the era. N-Type production was limited to approximately 700 cars from 1934 to 1936. Only a handful have survived, and many have been re-bodied with special racing bodies. The N-Type six-cylinder engine's single overhead cam is driven by a unique vertical dynamo arrangement with bevel gears. The 1271-cc engine produces 56 bhp, good for a top speed of 80 mph. The four-speed gearbox is designed by Wolsley, and the 12 inch drum brakes are mechanically operated by cables.

The following year control of the company passed from Lord Nuffield to Morris Motors. The first change under the new company was to withdraw from sporting events and the production of racing cars would be stopped. This meant the direction of the company switched to producing road-going vehicles.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2007