1947 MG TC Roadster

1947 MG TC Roadster Additional Info:

You’re looking at it, the singular vehicle responsible for launching America’s sports car craze, the MG TC Roadster. MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to offer this 1947 US market model, one of an estimated 682 examples officially exported to the United States. This example has undergone a complete professional nut-and-bolt frame off restoration and the underside of this MG is equally as nice as the top end!

One can thank World War II for igniting this two-seater euphoria. American GIs stationed in Europe discovered these small, lightweight cars and quickly discovered they were nothing like the cars they left behind. More than one GI considered what it would be like to take one home with them after the war ended. Yet, its economy, simplicity and styling outweighed its European quirks.

Finished in lustrous and shiny red, this car’s paint and trim are in excellent condition, including its tan, folding top. Its bodywork is straight and solid, its engine bay is extremely tidy. Up front, under the headlights is a driver’s side foglight and a passenger-side horn. The TC has coach door plus a windshield that folds down for true “wind-in-your-face” motoring during an era when American cars had given up crank-out windshields but on this particular car the wiper motor engages, but the linkage is inoperable. Out back is a metal luggage rank to provide additional storage and the car has a complete tool roll.

This original sports car rolls on 19-inch, silver wire wheels with center caps. Each wheel is wrapped within Dunlop tires, size 4.50-19, including the rear-mounted spare tire. It has a cam-and-lever steering system along with rigid axles and semi-elliptic leaf springs.

Under the hood is a 1.3L four-cylinder motor dual sidedraft carburetors. Backing the engine is a four-speed manual transmission and a 5.125:1 rear end. Driver convenience features include Lockheed hydraulic four-wheel drum brakes. It could cruise all day at 60 mph and top out around 75.

Inside, the cars tan leather bucket seats look fantastic while the contrasting black carpet. The black-and-gold, four-spoke “banjo” steering wheel looks exquisite, as does the fully refurbished walnut instrument panel with its tachometer and odometer before the driver while the passenger gets to look at the speedometer. It’s in overall excellent condition. The inner door panels are in very good order. The tan cloth top was refitted during the restoration and fits very nicely to the car!

The TC Midget was the first postwar MGand was launched in 1945. The TC is quite accurately well known as the (specific) car that caused the Sport Car “craze” in America. It was quite similar to the pre-war TB, sharing the same 1.3L pushrod OHV engine with a slightly higher compression ratio of 7.4:1. The makers also provided information for several alternative stages of tuning for “specific purposes.” The XPAG engine is well known for its tunability. The TC engine was a slightly improved version of the XPAG first introduced to MG in the TB. Notable improvement was through the addition of a hydraulically (oil pressure) adjusted timing chain tensioner. All TCs utilized a (single battery) 12-volt electrical system. All TCs came with 19-inch Dunlop wire wheels. Automatic mechanical timing advance was built into the ignition distributor.

It was exported to the United States, even though only ever built in right-hand drive.The export version had slightly smaller US specification sealed-beam headlights (seven-inch buckets) and twin tail lights, as well as turn signals and chromed front and rear bumpers with over riders.

The body was approximately four inches wider than the TB measured at the rear of the doors to give more cockpit space. The overall car width remained the same resulting in narrower running boards with two tread strips as opposed to the previous three. The tachometer was directly in front of the driver, while the speedometer/odometer was on the other side of the dash in front of the passenger, a nod to MG's trials history. Ten thousand and oneTCs were produced, from September 1945 (chassis number TC0251) to Nov. 1949 (chassis number TC10251), more than any previous MG model.

Competition to this MG TC in 1947 included the Crosley CC Four Convertible and the short-lived Playboy Car. Documentation includes a binder of restoration photos plus parts and restoration guides.

The Corvette is America’s Only Sports Car but even it owes its existence to the venerable MG TC. Sports car enthusiasts, English car collectors or someone who desires a fantastically restored example owe it to themselves to drop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars today to check this classic two-seater out.

VIN: TC3726EIN: XPAG4287

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 81 miles and understood to be mileage since restoration. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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