A humble MG TA Midget won the 1939 Australian Grand Prix handicap in Allan Tomlinson's hands, a modest roadster beating out purpose-built racers.
Lead trim: TA 1.3 MPJG OHV four (50 hp)
MG T-Type Midget1936–1939
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a MG T-Type Midget yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactA humble MG TA Midget won the 1939 Australian Grand Prix handicap in Allan Tomlinson's hands, a modest roadster beating out purpose-built racers.
The MG T-Type is a series of body-on-frame open two-seater sports cars produced by MG from 1936 to 1955, known as the Midget, comprising the TA, TB, TC, TD and TF; the design was contemporary in the 1930s but outdated by the 1950s, when the MGA replaced it. The TA Midget replaced the PB in 1936 as an evolution of the previous car, 3 inches wider in track (45 in) and 7 inches longer in wheelbase (94 in). The previous advanced overhead-cam four was no longer used by any other production car, so it was replaced by the MPJG OHV unit from the Wolseley Ten with twin SU carburettors, a modified camshaft and manifolding: 1292 cc, 102 mm stroke and 63.5 mm bore, 50 hp at 4,500 rpm. The four-speed gearbox gained synchromesh on the two top ratios and was linked to the engine by an oil-running cork-faced clutch; unlike the PB it had hydraulic brakes with 9-inch drums. Most were two-seat open cars with a steel body on an ash frame and a bench seat; the T-type reached almost 80 mph with a 0–60 mph time of 23.1 seconds. A Tickford drophead coupé by Salmons of Newport Pagnell (from 1938, 252 made) and a rare Carbodies Airline coupé (one or two made) were also offered. 3,003 TAs were made, priced at £222 in 1936 (the same as the PB); Allan Tomlinson won the 1939 Australian Grand Prix handicap in one. The model was first known as the T Type and only became "TA" with the arrival of the TB.
Collectors Spotted in the MG T-Type Midget Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the MG T-Type Midget yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TA 1.3 MPJG OHV four (50 hp) | 1936–1939 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | 50 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
A single bore increase from 63.5mm to 72mm gave the TF 1500 a 17% bigger engine — no stroke change needed, just a wider bore and a new engine code.
Purists hated the TD on arrival, calling it 'not a sports car,' just an Americanized cash grab. Nearly 30,000 sold anyway, with 23,488 of them shipped to the US alone.
The MG TC never came in left-hand drive — Americans bought it anyway, right-hand steering and all, kickstarting the postwar US sports-car craze.
The TB Midget's production run ended almost as soon as it began — just 379 were built before MG cleared its factory floor to build aircraft parts and modify tanks for the war.
A humble MG TA Midget won the 1939 Australian Grand Prix handicap in Allan Tomlinson's hands, a modest roadster beating out purpose-built racers.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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