The End Of The Line

Mike Taylor traces the history of MG’s TF, arguably the best of the T-type Midgets. Taking one for a test drive he talks to its owner, Tony Simmons.

- Mike Taylor

Anyone visiting the MG Motor Company stand at the Earl’s Court Motor Show in 1952 would have been confronted by the current models to emerge from the well known factory in Abingdon; the MG TD Midget (which could trace its antecedents back to the J2, launched in 1933) and the ‘Y Type’ saloon. By complete contrast, alongside was the sleekly-styled record breaker in which Lt. Col ‘Goldie’ Gardner triumphed at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, where he collected a handful of international class records and a number of American national class records. On one occasion, travelling at 150mph, he spun, hitting a marker post, causing the sign atop the pole to fall on to the Plexiglas cockpit cover and hitting Gardner in the face.

In stark contrast to the ultra-sleek record breaker, the TD sports car and the four-door YA saloon looked decidedly pre-war in style. However, underneath, the front suspension and steering comprised contemporary independent coil springs, wishbones, lever arm dampers as well as rack and pinion steering mounted on the traditional separate MG chassis frame. At the rear were conventional leaf springs with live axle and there were drum brakes all round. Both cars shared the sturdy 1.25-litre MG XPAG engine with a single SU carburettor for the saloon and twin SUs for the open TD.

At the same show, a year later in 1953, observers and enthusiasts could be forgiven for being somewhat disappointed. While saloon buyers could now choose the elegant new Gerry Palmer-designed Magnette with its full width body shape, powered by the new 1.5-litre BMC B-series engine, the TF was clearly based on its predecessor, the TD. Only the angled front grille, which in turn caused the bonnet line to drop gracefully forward, gave the TF an improved silhouette while the headlamps were now encased within the wing panels.