I remember the date so clearly. It was 18 July 1958, the day on which The Autocar (our reference ‘Bible’ in those days) carried a full and very authoritative description of MG’s new twin-overhead-camshaft 1588cc engine. Because I had recently joined the engineering design staff of Jaguar, you can believe me when I say that there was little else for discussion around the drawing boards on that day. Although, and purely by coincidence, I was currently working on detail regarding the installation of the latest 3.8-litre XK engine in the still-secret MkII, it was the builtin-Coventry MG engine which took my attention for much of the day.
Not that it came as much of a surprise to us, you understand, for Coventry’s motor industry was very much of a ‘rumour village’ in those days and we had known of its existence for years. We had first seen a prototype Twin-Cam racing in the 1955 Tourist Trophy. Many of the industry’s characters had changed jobs in the meantime, moving to new positions in the city, so at this time the general consensus was not so much of “will you look at that!” but “what took them so long?”
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av MG Enthusiast.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av MG Enthusiast.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Love and devotion
Bob Nason waited eight years to get the car of his dreams and, 19 years later, he’s still smitten with it...
Tidy-up time
Craig continues his quest to save the modified ZS 120 he told us about in December’s issue of MGE and takes advantage of a break in the weather to focus on its bodywork.
XPress power
MGs on Track regular, Dave Pearce, has a range of MGs at his disposal including this rather special XPower SV-R.
Sparking memories
MGE reader Peter Morrey recalls his very first MG, his family’s experiences of the then-new MGA and advice from a chap with a bit of MG insider knowledge.
Gerry McGovern
When the MGF appeared, in 1995, it marked a return to the market for MG sports cars. MG Enthusiast caught up with the man responsible for the car’s styling.
MG's Twin-Cam engine
The Twin-Cam engine arrived in 1958 but was it a success?
Eyes peeled
This month Roger looks at other drivers’ habits and ponders whether autonomous vehicle lighting helps or hinders road users?
Dear Sir...
Paul Moran’s beautifully restored 1933 Midget J2 comes with some interesting documentation which illustrates just how the privileged new car owners of the 1930s dealt with the absence of a warranty.
CHEQUERED FLAG
THE ROADS LESS TRAVELLED... AND WHY THEY ARE WORTH SEEKING OUT
2019 HSRCA SPRING FESTIVAL
The 2019 Historic Sports and Racing Car Association Spring Festival was run during a brilliant spring weekend, between 28-29 September, in Goulburn (regional New South Wales).