18 replies to this topic

[Bob Riebe]

https://macsmotorcitygarage.com

 

Even as an old fart, there are auto surprises out there yet.

Thank you Mr. Magoo.    

[Ray Bell]

That Magnette wasn't a bad car...

I think there were two models, ZA and ZB? They had the B-series 1500 engine (IIRC identical to the MGA) and 4-speed box, handled quite well as they were built on a platform using coil springs and wishbones at the front, telescopic Girling dampers all round.

Much better than the Armstrong-based front ends used in Austins, and indeed in the MGAs. They shared the platform with the Wolseley 4/44, which had the XPAG engine at 1250cc.

This Magnette was the source of the housing for the Lotus 12 gearbox as it had the clutch fork at the top.




.

Edited by Ray Bell, 07 May 2019 - 03:25.

[Lee Nicolle]

Morris Garages made Magnettes, the Chinese have made sedans in recent times.

The Magnettes like most MGs require a magnet  to discover how much bog is in them.

The TV Show Call the Midwife has one starring!! The Doctor Turner mobile.

[Ray Bell]

I doubt that they were made outside the major plants, Lee, but I don't actually know...

There was a lot of them around. Even in Australia. And there were a few of these, too, made from 1947 to 1953:

https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/imgytr/

They likewise had better suspensions than their 'Midget' kin initially. It's probably from these cars that the TD and TF front end was derived.

Before the war, of course, MG made a number of models in sedan and drophead tourer form.

[Tim Murray]

Here’s a full list of MG models. As can be seen, many of them were saloons:

https://www.mgowners.../mg-model-guide

[KBY191]

Post war MG saloons were essentially exercises in badge engineering.  The ZA and ZB were passably good  being based on the Wolsley 4/44 body and equipped with the sturdy B series engine shared with the contemporary MG A.

The later Mark III and Mark IV were completely uninspiring and no more than an attempt to capitalise on the proud MG brand. BMC also saw fit to put the Riley name on the Mark III and Mark IV in the hope that some charisma may rub off.

[Ray Bell]

And how do you see the MG 1100?

And its Princess half-sister?

[raceannouncer2003]

Not what we're talking about, but I saw this today in the ferry line up.  Thought it looked British, but didn't know what it was till I got up close.  Lovely car.  I spoke to the owner, Colin Fitzgerald.  He knew Merv Therriault.

 

http://owenauto.ca/b...-show/img_4005/

 

Vince H.

[john aston]

And how do you see the MG 1100?

And its Princess half-sister?

 I had its cousin, the Riley 1300 . Strange car, in retrospect  -  detuned Cooper S engine and  quite sporty in period . But  its wooden dash made it feel for  people older than my 22 year old self. A Hesketh Racing sticker on the boot and Astrali wheel sorted that .

[GreenMachine]

Visiting family, I had to watch some commercial TV ... including ads for an MG SUV .

 

How the mighty have fallen.

[Sterzo]

Lest we forget, MGs were never an exotic stand-alone make. Apart from the obvious clue in the name, much of the design was done in the Morris drawing office. Also, let's not forget that twice  they were in a group which went bust. They disappeared from the market entirely, and a group of people with some respect for the name have revived the make. Thanks to them it continues, even appearing in racing.

 

Used to love my old parts-bin 1970 MGB, but never thought of it as a thoroughbred.

[john aston]

Visiting family, I had to watch some commercial TV ... including ads for an MG SUV .

 

How the mighty have fallen.

 

Looking at the Mark III Magnette, , the cynically badge engineered A60 Cambridge , I am not sure they had much further to fall really ... 

[Vitesse2]

Looking at the Mark III Magnette, , the cynically badge engineered A60 Cambridge , I am not sure they had much further to fall really ... 

Technically they were badge-engineered Wolseleys, given the different frontal treatment to the A60 and Morris Oxford. Although both it and the higher-spec Riley 4/68 (which had a tachometer!) had twin SU carbs, so slightly higher performance.

 

All allied to the Farina design's usual rust inside the front wings and in the subframe of course.

[KBY191]

 

 

And how do you see the MG 1100?

And its Princess half-sister? 

 

Ray, probably ambivalent at best recognising that  MG under BMC was short of inspiration and innovation by the mid 60s. It is the misappropriation of the Magnette name which l find most objectionable as the Magnette pre-war had been a glorious range of six cylinder OHC cars including NE and K3. The Mark III and Mark IV Magnettes are hardly deserving of such lofty status.

[BRG]

Visiting family, I had to watch some commercial TV ... including ads for an MG SUV .

 

How the mighty have fallen.

Yes, along with Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Porsche, Maserati, Alfa-Romeo, Lamborghini, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar.....just waiting for the Ferrari SUV which will be along quite soon, I reckon.

 

 At least the Chinese are doing something positive with the brand, unlike BMW, who when they owned MG just went off and brought out their own 'Z' range of sportscar instead.

[Charlieman]

At least the Chinese are doing something positive with the brand, unlike BMW, who when they owned MG just went off and brought out their own 'Z' range of sportscar instead.

BMW began manufacture of the Z1 in March 1989. BMW bought the Rover Group (including MG) in1994.

 

The MG F and TF were relatively small engine (1.6 or 1.8 litre) sports cars. The BMW Z range tended to be bigger.

[Odseybod]

Credit where credit's due department, in favour of the MG 1100. My Dad had a very early one (1962-ish), which he ran for 24,000 (hard) miles. He reckoned it was the first British car he'd had that could trouble a French car on the French roads of the time - in that size, the Hydrolastic suspension worked very well (probably better than in the Hydrolastic Minis, maybe on a par with the extra-stiff Landcrab 1800s), while the extra carb compared with the Morris version plus other engine tweaks gave it performance that was still well within the capabilities of the chassis. The final version - 2-door 1300 - was probably the one to have.

 

The VdP Princess version - complete with picnic tables in the back of he front seats and super-plush trim - had a firm following among the more mature UK citizenry who could no longer afford to run their P5 Rover or even a Rolls-Bentley. Certainly more tasteful than the later VdP Allegro!

[Bob Riebe]

Not what we're talking about, but I saw this today in the ferry line up.  Thought it looked British, but didn't know what it was till I got up close.  Lovely car.  I spoke to the owner, Colin Fitzgerald.  He knew Merv Therriault.

 

http://owenauto.ca/b...-show/img_4005/

 

Vince H.

I am assuming few to none ever made it over to this side of the pond.

The ZA with a Daimler or Rover V-8 would make an interesting street ride.

[David Birchall]

Shirley only Raceannouncer2003 is talking about MG-the rest of you are talking about BMC...

 

 

 

And I should have been with Colin and the rest but for a miscalculation.

Edited by David Birchall, 08 May 2019 - 02:18.