AN INTERESTING M.G.

AN INTERESTING M.G.

Sir,

.• I am enclosing, a photograph of my rather hybrid M.G. Midget, which has a C-type engine in an M-chassis of 1930 vintage.

I am wondering if there are any other C-type Midgets stillrunning, as they were never, presumably, very plentiful. This car, which I purchased last August, purported to be all M-typc with coachwork modifications, as can be seen (the rear luggage locker with lift-up top, which, if’ not so smart as the original pointed tail, is definitely more useful ; and a fold-flat screen a ln .1-type), and fitted with a

J2 ” engine.

Certainly the rocker-box bears a ” J2 ” data plate in the 11SUA M.G. fashion, but inspection of the rockergear revealed an obvious M-type head ; I was not then aware of the off-side carburetter mountings of the .1-type, but this, when pointed out to me, merely seemed to confirm that I had apparently only got. an M-type after all.

The engine has a single S.U. and M-type manifolds and is mated to a four-speed, remote-change gearbox, and drives Via a Hardy-Spicer type prop.-shaft, which has had four inches cut out of the middle and been welded up, to suit the shorter M-type wheelbase. I still had doubts about the engine, as its performance seemed far superior

to what I recalled of my M-type experience in pre-war days, and finding it would climb a steady gradient of 1 in 13i, two hundred yards long, at a steady 35-38 m.p.h. in top, with two up, strengthened these doubts.

The car also seems definitely overgeared in top (4.89 to I M-type axle ratio), and I usually run up to about in third for brisk acceleration. Having recently had the head off for the first time, I discovered the cylinder dimensions were 57 by 73 rum. (746 c.c.), and not 57 by 83 (847 c.c.) as for the Idor .1-type engines. and it immediately occurred to me that. this must be one of the (‘-type 750-e.e. racing engines of the

• ‘ Moritlhery ” type, using the first series I ead with both manifolds on the near side. This is the AA-type head, and the engine number of mine is, in fact, AA-102. I flail previously written to the M.G. Service Department in search of enlightenment, quoting this number, but received it reply to the effect; that they could not trace it, as it was definitely not a .1-type and they were not able to help me.

Apparently the staff of the Service Department have short memories where their firm’s former racing products are eoncerned !

The engine is in excellent fettle, there being only about .004 in. of bore wear apparent, but I found three broken valve springs, which in view of the fact that the C-type engine has peak revs. of 6,000, and tlie valve springs appeared to be those intended for the o.h.e. Morris Minor (peak revs. 3,000), is not really surprising ! Quoting again from Mr. Thornley’s invaluable book, I find the output is

listed at 37.5 at 6,000 r.p.m.. which no doubt accounts for that overgeared feeling. As, also, the output is equal to about

52 b.h.p. per ton laden weight and about 2.5 11.p. per sq. ft. of frontal area, it is not surprising that the car is a nippy performer.

Fuel consumption, incidentally, is around 38 m.p.g., cruising at 45-50, and oil about 400 miles per pint. I should be very interested to hear of

anyone else’s experiences with this ratherrara avis, and also from what car the engine AA-102 was transplanted, and by whom. The chassis number, by the way, is. 2 -M1211, and the registration MW 8308. I run, Yours, etc.,

.1. C. ELK,Ns. Hunyadi,