Lot 392: 1937 MG Midget TA Roadster

Launched in 1936 as successor to the PB Midget, the TA Midget was an altogether larger and roomier car. The simple chassis design followed established Midget practice with semi-elliptic springing all-round, though the use of hydraulic dampers at the front and the adoption of Lockheed hydraulic brakes were new departures. Although styled in a manner MG enthusiasts had come to expect, the new two-seater broke with tradition by employing an overhead-valve engine instead of the previous overhead-cam type. Derived from that of the Morris Ten, the 1,292cc engine produced around 50bhp at 4,500rpm, good enough to propel the lightweight TA to within a whisker of 80mph.
This example has been in the present ownership for circa 20 years. Taken off the road for restoration many years ago (accompanying invoices for steam cleaning and re-plating of brightwork are dated 1986) the car has remained in storage - uncompleted - ever since. Offered for restoration and sold strictly as viewed, it represents an exciting project for the dedicated MG enthusiast. We understand that the vendor has applied to the DVLA for a duplicate V5 registration document, which is expected to be available by time of sale.