"T" Series MGs are fun, and very vintage feeling to drive. Just watch "Love
Story" only for the MGTC shots, and you'll want one. They were my thing
before I got the bright idea to go to grad school and finish screwing up my
life and finances (caused my divorce too!). I restored a TD Mark II, and an
early TC, #TC 0307. Lotsa fun, Spridget-simple, but XPAG engine doesn't
like to rev as freely as my beloved BMC "A" series engine. Freeway is
no-way with them. 19" wire wheels made for a higher top speed for my TC,
but 60+ MPH speeds were scary because it hopped and skipped around so much.
I didn't have the money or the guts to supercharge, but they can be, and are
tuned for race. Of course, that pushrod OHV engine was designed in the late
1930's, so race tuning one is not as easy as a Spridget. Some have changed
to MGA rear ends to get 65 MPH at 3700 RPM, approximately. The subject
vehicle sounds like a $4000 car IF no rust and very complete. Rare parts
include original type dash instruments, clock, switches and knobs, air
cleaner canister and elbow, headlamp bodies, TC fog lamp, lenses, detail
bits-n-pieces and tool kits. Good news is mechanical clutch, and plywood
floorboards! Bad news can be a rotten body bucket. The steel rusts and
wood rots, and allows so much body flex that you have to hold the passenger
door closed in a spirited turn (I got used to it, then fixed it right). A
typical car in that condition would probably require around $10K+ if you do
all but body and paint yourself. Painting can be expensive too, because to
do it "right" in my opinion, it has to be painted in pieces, then assembled
without scratching anything. And then, good luck trying to get more than
your purchase price plus investment back at sale time if you decide you want
something else. In today's market, I think you have to be realistic and
accept that to do a standard TD right, you are not doing it for an
investment, but for the fun of it. That may change over time, however.
Good luck to whomever the eventual taker is...
Martin Johnson
'59 AN5
'59 BN7
-----Original Message-----
From RBHouston at aol.com [mailto:RBHouston@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2000 9:10 AM
To: ecsheffield@erols.com; spridgets@autox.team.net; mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: FS: 1952 MG TD(?)
In a message dated 08/14/2000 7:11:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
ecsheffield@erols.com writes:
<< Anyway, it's at a used car dealership here in Leesburg, VA, that
specializes in exotics and such. This particular MG looks pretty complete
and solid, but rough. Bad paint, cracked windshield, rough interior, door
held closed with rope. It has $9500 marked on it now. It had $12500 on it
for a couple of weeks. I think the name of the place is Auto Gallery.
If anyone is interested let me know and I'll get you more contact
information. If you want me to go look it over and ask about it I can, but
as I said I know nothing about these models, so no promises. ;-)
Eddie >>
Naw Eddie,
I passed on one locally last year, running, rebuilt, painted and upholstered
(still mad at my wife) for about the same price.
The price of these went through the roof in the 70's so any runner was a
$25K
car, but the market is just not there anymore in my opinion. Kind of like
the Model A and T market. The old farts that love these cars, like me, are
dying off and the new kids are into classic Mustang II's and Datsuns.
Just my opinion,
RH
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