1952 MG TD

Finished in cheery red with a tan interior and hood, this MG TD sparkles. Good chromework helps, of course, but the overall impression is of an honest and solid car that’s received plenty of love over the years.

Thought to have been restored in around 2011 and showing just three previous owners on the V5, it’s stood up to the intervening dozen years very well but then that’s often the case when high-quality workmanship meets careful curation and limited use.

In the care of the seller for only a year, the loss of his storage space is forcing the reluctant sale of this delightful little MG.

The paintwork is very good but it’s the condition of the panels that really impresses us. Fitted with care to ensure even panel gaps and good alignment, they’re free of the sort of dents, dings, and other injury that inferior cars sport.

Other indicators of an unusually sympathetic curation include the seals between the bonnet and the bulkhead, the gasoline dipstick for the fuel tank, the tan wing to body sealing strips, and the retention of the Lucas headlamps and frosted bullet side lights.

We’ve mentioned the high quality chromework already but it really is worth feasting your eyes on, or better still, making an appointment to pop along to see it in person. Everything else, the lamp lens, the badges, and the window glazing, is similarly good.

It’s nice to see steel wheels and good old chrome hubcaps for a change; we do like a wire wheel but there’s something about steelies that sets our heart racing – especially when they’re fitted with matching, high-quality tyres like this.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that a full set of decent tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The vinyl hood and side screens fit as well as any we’ve seen, which is to say they’re more for emergencies than long-distance, all-weather travel. The hood furls and unfurls as it should, and there’s no damage that we can see either, only the odd mark. Oh, and there’s a matching tonneau cover too, so you’re covered no matter what the weather.

Work to do? Well, there are some marks to the paintwork on the bonnet (i.e. #106-108) but these don’t seem to be down to the metal so could be left as they are for the time being. Other minor issues include some chips (i.e. #114), rubbing (#124), and micro-blistering (i.e. #115). Again, these don’t look as if they’d be a huge problem to rectify but we’d welcome your thoughts if you’d like to inspect the car in person.

Something that is likely to need your attention is the windscreen, which has a short crack in it (#116).

The tan leather interior is little short of stunning; a large part of that is the factory design but its sheer quality is what lifts it from the good to the spectacular.

Take a look at that leather-covered bench seat for example, and the matching door cards. Sure, there is the odd minor mark here and there from feet getting in and out of the low-slung car but that’s nothing more than a developing patina on what looks to be newish seat coverings and so should be cause for celebration rather than censure.

The three-spoke vintage-style olive-rimmed steering wheel is beautifully designed and have you ever seen a better-looking Bakelite hub? Gold to match the centre instrument panel, it is utterly glorious and something we’d never get tired of looking at.

As would be the case with the white-faced Jaeger dials, which look especially good against the tan leather dashboard - and just take a look at slide #72 and tell us that didn’t make you smile!

Other jewels include Bakelite knobs, which are wonderfully tactile and satisfying to use in a way no touchscreen ever will be.

Work to do? Well, while we love the patinated look of the steering wheel and gearknob, we can’t help but think repainting the hood frame would lift the interior and help it fulfil its considerable potential, especially considering the huge amount of time and money that’s been invested in it already. The same goes for the brackets that hold the side screens onto the doors; they’re fine, but no more and would benefit from being stripped back and repainted.

Mind you, we can think of worse jobs to keep us busy this coming winter than removing and fettling those…

The 1250cc engine grumbles eagerly into life and shows good oil pressure and charging. It revs nicely too, and has a lovely induction rasp to it from the twin K&N air filters.

The hand-written note instructing the new owner to use only waterless coolant is a conscientious touch, as is the brass plate indicating a replacement engine has been fitted and the HT lead numbers marked on the distributor cap.

There’s a new Bosch battery in there, plus a few spare parts. Oh, and that centre-hinged bonnet gives unparalleled access to the engine, something that you’ll appreciate every single time you need to do anything in there.

The underside is very nicely presented and we can’t see anything there to worry us.

The MG comes with a pair of axle stands and some Waxoyl, so there’s no excuse for the new owner not to continue the good work of preserving it!

N.B. The copper piping you can see is there to feed the aftermarket heater. It’s not the prettiest of installations but the seller tells us that it is effective.

There are plenty of old invoices and bills on record from the past decade and their breadth shows what seems to be conscientious stewardship. A copy of the Operation Manual is also included, and there’s a badge from the MG Octagon Car Club.

The MG doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

The MG TD is, for many, the quintessential British sportscar. Joyful and jaunty, they’re a great way to move into a semi-vintage classic without the culture shock that buying a pre-war car might bring…

And yet, for all their many virtues, prices are still reasonable. How reasonable? Well, we think this one will sell for somewhere between £18,000 and £23,000, which seems like fine value to us given the extent of the work that’s been lavished on it.

Besides, with interest rates on savings so low and a winter of misery ahead of us, this little beauty might be just the ticket for keeping your spirits up.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.