1938 MG TA Tickford Midget

In the pre-war era, few manufacturers were as synonymous with the traditional British sports car as MG—and few models represented the freedom they offered better than the Midget. Lightweight and nimble, these basic yet engaging machines opened the door of sports car ownership to the average enthusiast from 1929 until the last-of-the-line TF in 1955.

Launched in 1936 as successor to the PB Midget, the TA Midget was an altogether larger and roomier car. Longer in the wheelbase at 94", the simple chassis 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-camshaft type. The TA was introduced after Nuffield's takeover of MG and utilised the 10hp 1,292cc four-cylinder Wolseley engine, itself derived from that of the Morris Ten, which produced around 53bhp at 4,500rpm. Though MG purists complained about the adoption of a pushrod engine and synchromesh gearbox, the TA was faster than the PB having a top speed of 80mph with the folding windscreen lowered.

To bridge the gap between the two-seat roadster and more substantial VA Series, a new version of the TA was launched in 1938 - the Tickford Drophead Coupé. Built by Salmons & Sons, the new model featured a telescopic steering column, a three-position insulated Landau top, wind-up windows paired with full height doors, and a windscreen that could be opened for ventilation.

This particular matching numbers MG TA Tickford is one of just 37 examples that rolled off the production line in 1939 before the factory began to concentrate on its wartime responsibilities. It's classically finished in gleaming black with a splendid cockpit in burgundy leather with crimson carpets, a varnished dashboard and door caps, and sits on unmarked silver 19" wire wheels. The engine bay is very impressive and superbly detailed throughout, even down to full complement of tools that still reside in the engine bay toolbox.

It was restored some 12 years ago by the Fullbridge Carriage Company before being completed by Alistair Naylor of Naylor Brothers to the very highest of standards, as you might expect from one of the industry's leading marque specialists. With a rebuild that took almost eight years to come to fruition, as you can imagine, every nut and bolt received attention, resulting in ETF 647 remaining one of the very best. Despite the fact that it has been used as intended, attending events all over the UK and Europe and not kept as a show piece, it would hold its head high on any show field even today.

Finished to an exacting standard, this MG is a beautiful example of one of the most desirable iterations of pre-war Midget, further benefitting not only from the elegant Salmons & Sons coachwork, but also from the rarity and desirability that special bodywork entails. With just three owners since 1939, this is one MG that will not disappoint and is ready to be pressed into action once again.