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Listing Sprite / Picnic

To: SOL <british-cars@autox.team.net>
Subject: Listing Sprite / Picnic
From: Stan Fickes <72762.11@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 15 Jul 93 12:13:16 EDT
Count me in for the picnic on the 31/1!  Either day is fine, and Central Park 
sounds like a winner.  Count me in for 3, so I'll bring the BGT.

The list in my Sprite is purely intentional...  When I take a left turn hard, 
people say "Wow, that car really does corner flat," and on rights they say 
"Look at that bloke drive!  He must be on two wheels!"  I suppose one of these
days I need to disassemble the front end and find the missing thrust washer.  
That or gain some weight and switch to RHD.
  Stan Fickes


From  rwg1@postoffice.mail.cornell.edu Tue Sep 11 11:41:37 2001
From: (Roger Garnett) rwg1@postoffice.mail.cornell.edu
To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Date:         15 Jul 93 12:45:33 
Subject:      Re: MG IDed

> Roland Dudley writes:
>  Since there can't be too many restored examples of this model painted
   blue

Wanna bet? I'm sure there are many. You might be surprized at the high
percentages of early MG's which are still extant.

>  > license number with MG in.  The number plates on the car in BRITISH CAR
>  > is RLG479.

The letters in early UK number plates indicate the issueing agent. In this
case, MG were the letters on number plates issued by University Motors,
the largest MG distributer. Then there's my PA- CZ6385. The CZ indicates
Belfast, Northern Ireland.  And here's fuller details:

PA 1509- Originally registered in Belfast to a D. Goldring of Old Cavehill
Rd,Pretoria, on October 7, 1934, Reg. # CZ6385. Purchased from Victor Ltd.
of Belfast, NI.

> By the way - I'm not sure about your explanation for the M in M-type.
> After all, the other models of the day were Magnette and Magna! I
> don't know if there is any logical naming procedure - maybe Roger
> Garnett would know?

Heh. Don't be quite so sure. They couldn't quite count, or recite the
alphabet! I posted this about a year ago, maybe I ought to put it on the
SOL server. (We probably need a post-war version too...)

The Alphabet according to MG.

After M came D, then C, a racing version of the D, then the next Midget
was the J series, the intervening letters being used for the larger Magna
six-cylinder cars and the Magnettes. Then the PA/PB, and the rare
P-derived Q type, and then the short lived R. These were the last of the
OHC cars, and 1936 saw the introduction of the pushrod TA. Various models
were offered with body options, such as Airline Coupes, or the 4 seater
P-Type roadster, in addition to custom coachwork, and single seater racing
specials. And, contrary to some beliefs, there were an A and B first, but
that was at the same time they were trying to count using Roman Numerals!

Here's the pre-war family history:

Vintage:
"The Morris Garages"  (Oxford)
1921-23     Morris "Chummy" specials, built by Cecil Kimber.

1923        Old No. 1                4 cyl 1548cc Hotchkiss engine,
                                           Morris chassis.
1924        MG Super Sports Morris   4 cyl 1548cc Cowley chassis
1924-27     14/28   Morris Oxford    4 Cyl 1802cc 35HP@4000 RPM
                    Super Sports
1927-29     14/40   Mark IV          4 cyl 1802cc 35HP (MG Octagon
Medalion)
1928-31     18/80   Mark I           6 cyl 2468cc (nl)

1929        "MG Car Company" formed, moved to Abingdon
1930-32     18/80   Mark II          6 cyl 2468cc (nl)
           "Type A"
1930-31     18/80   Mark III         6 cyl 2468cc (est. 95-100HP)
           "Type B" Tigress            Special Race model

Triple M cars: Midget, Magnette, Magna: (Over Head Cam engines)

1929-32     M       Midget           4 cyl 847cc (2 main bearing) 20HP
                                                  @ 4000
            M 12/12 Midget           4 cyl 847cc 27HP @ 4500
1930        EX120   Midget based     4 cyl 746cc 7000 RPM,
                                           based on D-type engine,
                                           100+ MPH record breaking special
1931-32     D       Midget           4 cyl 847cc 27HP @ 4500
1931-32     C       Montlhery        4 Cyl 746cc 44-52HP Sports/Racer
                    Midget
1931-32     F1-3    Magna            4 cyl 1271cc 32HP @ 4100
1932-34     J1,J2   Midget           4 cyl 847cc 36HP @ 5500
1932-33     J3      Midget           4 cyl 746cc (shortened stroke,
                                                  Super charged)
1933        J4      Midget           4 Cyl 746cc 72HP @ 6000  Racing model
                                       (fuel- 80/20 Benzol,Ethyl)
1933-34     K1, K2  Magnette         6 Cyl 1087cc 39-41HP @ 5500
                                  or 6 cyl 1271cc 48.5HP @ 5500
1933-34     K3      Magnette         6 Cyl 1087cc 120HP Sports/Racer
1934-35     KN      Magnette         6 Cyl 1286cc 56HP @5500
1933-34     L1, L2  Magna            6 Cyl 1087cc 41HP @ 5500
1933-35     NA      Magnette         6 Cyl 1286cc 56HP @ 5500
1936        NB      Magnette         6 Cyl 1286cc 56HP @ 5500
            NE      Magnette         6 cyl 1286cc 74.3HP @ 6500 (TT
                                        Specials)
1934-35     PA      Midget           4 Cyl 847cc 36HP @ 5500 (3 main
                                        bearing)
1935-36     PB      Midget           4 Cyl 939cc 43HP @ 5500
1934        Q       Midget           4 Cyl 746cc 113HP Blown, Sports/Racer
1935        R       Midget           4 Cyl 746cc 110HP Blown, Sports racer,
                                  almost a tube frame, 4 wheel independent
                                    dual wishbone suspension, front & rear.

1935        MG (Private Co.) sold to Morris Motors (publicly held), Racing
ended.

Pushrod engined cars:
1936-39     TA      Midget           4 cyl 1292cc 50 @ 4500
1939        TB      Midget           4 cyl 1250cc 54.4 @ 5200 (XPAG engine)
1936-39     SA      2 Litre          6 Cyl 2288cc 78.5HP @ 4200
1937-39     VA      1 1/2 litre      4 Cyl 1549cc 55HP @ 4400
1939        WA      2.6 litre        6 Cyl 2561cc 95-100HP @ 4400

Ref:    The MG Workshop Manual, W.E. Blower
        The MG Story, Joseph H. Wherry
        North American MMM Register



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