Lot 514: 1949 MG Midget TC Roadster

After leaving MG�s Abingdon factory, this TC resided in a small village in North Yorkshire. After a journey to Torquay in 1969, the car was laid up in a cellar in Denholme for some years before being rescued by Max Hartley. Max Hartley was a respected motor engineer who for many years was proprietor of Old Mill Garage in Harden, Yorkshire, specialising mainly in MG cars. He acquired this Midget on 26th June 1985, the hand-written receipt for �500 being included in the sale.
Mr Hartley then spent the next 10 years restoring the MG to concours standard, wherever possible reconditioning the original parts or replacing them with new. Accompanying photographs show the car as it was when acquired, the bare chassis frame and finally the finished article together with Mr Hartley.
All mechanical components were completely rebuilt; the coachwork restored and refurbished wherever necessary; and completely new interior trim and weather equipment installed. The attention to detail is such that the new hood has the small double rear window, an original feature often overlooked. The side screens though, are original and will require restoration. Testament to Max Hartley�s ability is the fact that on completion the car won several awards at MG Owners Club and other prestigious northern concours events.
Since that time the vehicle has been carefully maintained in virtually as-finished condition and comes complete with original instruction manual, old-style buff logbook, assorted expired tax discs, Swansea V5C and MoT to May 2009. Also included are seven expired MoTs indicating circa 600 miles only covered from March 1998 to date, the current recorded total being 32,472 miles.
The Midget is equipped with a period Bluemels sprung steering wheel and has recently been driven 40 miles by an experienced engineer who reports good oil pressure, no overheating and all mechanical elements performing as they should. This is a cracking little early post-war sports car ready for the rally field or immediate use.