1952 MG TD

1952 MG TD Roadster MG TDs have been owned and raced by some big names. JFK and Jackie drove one on their honeymoon. Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant drove one in the film Monkey Business. Elvis was photographed driving one. Ronald Reagan was in the passenger seat in the film Tropic Zone. James Dean famously owned one and it was also the car of choice for road racing in the 1950's. One of the pioneers was southeast PA legend, Bob Holbert, who also sold and serviced MG's in one of the first type shops in the country. For consignment, a 1952 MG TD roadster showing 10,770 miles, but the true miles are unknown. In 2024, this car received a thorough professional overhaul that involved the fuel system and brakes after a five year hiatus in storage. More than $4,000 was spent and the receipt will accompany the car. Exterior The deep, dark red here is aptly named black cherry and is a fine choice for the lovely design of the TD, complemented of course by the black canvas top and side skirts which fill the triangular dip in the door line just as it meets the rear quarter panel. Thin white lines adorn the 6.00-15 tires mounted on 15-inch rims with chrome MG branded hubcaps, and the spare mounted to the rear is dressed the same way, here behind the fold down luggage rack. Up front, it's classically English with wing-like fenders taking in unobstructed round headlights that flank the beautiful chrome grille surround and vertical strakes. The badges not only give the car some panache, but some individuality as well while the upright windscreen and wind wings surely serve as the frame for a smiling driver. One fender suffers from some cracking paint with chips missing and the passenger door has some fitment issues, but otherwise the car is ready for its next tour! Interior Reverse opening doors wear fitted vinyl cards with sizable map pockets, artfully stitched for some flair. The bucket seats share an upper and the column stitched black vinyl is in very good condition. The storage shelf also wears texturized black vinyl and houses a speaker. Up front, a leather wrapped banjo steering wheel shows some appropriate patina while the dash presents nicely, textured black plastic taking in white faced gauges and a metal plate sharing the duty and housing switchgear as well. A Radio Shack CB radio is mounted under the dash and the microphone is mounted on it within easy reach of the driver, as if the British version of Smokey and the Bandit! Patina down below begins with the straight shifter over black carpet in an inviting and simple little cockpit those early racers must have loved! Drivetrain Under the hood, a driver quality 1250cc inline 4 cylinder rated at 54 horsepower. It wears two H2 carburetors and is mated to a 4-speed manual which routes power to the 4.125 gears in back. The overhauled brakes are configured as drums front and rear. Undercarriage Some surface rust, some grease build up, and a few drops on the transmission pan are features on this driver quality underside. Coil spring suspension is utilized up front while leaf springs are found in the back. The clean single exhaust flows through a stock style muffler then stretches all the way to the back, exiting just under the chrome bumper. Drive-Ability You sit low in the TD and if your arms are long enough, you could almost touch the ground. That's the appeal because with the top down, it really is a visceral experience! Fifty four horses is plenty to move this small car and the shortness makes turns much more fun. We note in this car the speedometer, odometer, and wipers are not working. Another item of note is that the transmission is noisy in first gear, which we were quick to learn. Meanwhile, all other functional items on the car work as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase. MG's were the Miat