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The MG TC originally introduced US drivers to British sports cars, but its successor is what really took this country by storm: the MG TD.
The TC was very much a prewar design, having a solid front axle and a suspension more resembling that of a horse-drawn cart than an automobile. The TD took the basics of the TC roadster and added more interior room, rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension. The car proved very popular, and MG would sell 29,664 TDs versus about 10,000 TCs.
Having owned a TC and driven many TDs, I found that the TD, while not quite as pure a design as the TC, more than makes up for that by offering a much-improved car in every area. It handles predictably and is more pleasant to drive, and with more interior space than the TC.
Another major selling point for US drivers, TDs also were available with left-hand drive while TCs were right-handers only, in keeping with their British roots.
The Pick of the Day is a 1953 MG TD with LHD and finished in Ivory/Cream over a Green leather interior. The ad incorrectly calls the paint color Primrose Yellow, which would be a non-original TD color.
The Prescott, Arizona, private seller advertising the MG on ClassicCars.com calls it a very original car with only 38,576 original miles that runs well and is fun to drive.
The MG is free of any rust or body damage, says the seller who notes that it received a frame-off restoration in 1987 and has been driven very few miles since. One subtle thing I like about this car is that the dash is still covered with the correct Green Rexine, a leather-like material, instead of being modified with an aftermarket wood dash as many have. This shows that the owner understands how this car is supposed to be finished and presented.
The TD includes an optional fold-down luggage rack, a new top and side-curtain set, the original owner’s manual, workshop manual and other books and a Whitworth socket wrench set, according to the ad.
The MG TD is a fun way to enjoy vintage-style sports car motoring at a reasonable cost, and this TD seems from the pictures and description to be a very clean example. Parts for these cars are inexpensive and readily available, and working on them is quite simple.
The asking price of this MG TD at $17,000, which is in line with the current Hagerty Price Guide average value, and it’s hard to image a better vintage sports car deal.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
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