Category Archives: Features

1938 MG-SA 2333 Tickford Drophead Foursome

Besides the well known sports cars, MG also produced a larger, more family-suited series of cars, known as the SA, VA, and WA. Three body styles were offered in each of the series, Saloon, Tourer, and Tickford.

The SA Tickford, along with the SA Saloon, are the largest MGs ever built. These luxury cars were intended not for motorsport as such, but rather the gentle British road rallies of the time, especially in the Concours D’Elegance which concluded many of these events. MGSA Tickfords competed very well, and MG was quick to promote this success.

Salmons & Sons (founded 1830) were responsible for the custom coachwork along with the manufacture of the ‘Tickford’ folding hood (top) from which the model gets its popular name. (“Tickford” still exists to this day as a division of Aston Martin). The top can be used in 3 different positions: closed, coupe de ville, and fully open (top down). The “Tickford” mechanism, with its ‘S’ shaped pram-irons (landau bars), made folding the top effortless.

Unique features for SA Tickfords include: a windscreen that folds out to provide additional air, hydraulic jacks at each of the wheels, controlled from the inside, which allow the car to be elevated from the ground either front, back, or both, leather & English walnut trimmed interior with brass instrumentation, trafficators (turn signals), and a chassis central lubrication system.

Performance was decent for a car weighing 3330 pounds, with a top speed of around 85 mph from a 2322 cc, 80 H.P. 6 cylinder engine with dual carbs.

Options include a 7-valve radio, cigar lighter, duo-green paint (wings-Ulster green, Body-Dublin/Apple green), Mellowtone dual horns, translucent rear number plate, and a rare original rear bumper. (See list of options).

Patience and time is the key to working on cars like SA2333. Often, a car goes through many previous owners on the road to restoration, and SA2333 is no exception. Fithian Wilbert, of Ohio, took the car apart in 1968, assumed room temperature in 1975, and I eventually became the owner in 1978.

This car took thousands of “fun” hours to restore. The majority of the work, including wood, bodywork, paint (single stage urethane), and mechanical, was done by the owner, to the highest standards of originality possible. Advice from SA owners around the world helped tremendously on the details.

Just 57 MGSA Tickfords are known to survive, and this is one of them!

 

SCOT Supercharger

By Jim Northrup

For those of you that inspected the S.Co.T. (SCOT) or otherwise known as Italmeccanica supercharger at the last meeting, here are a couple of old promotional photos:  Engine |  (Product page  — one of the family of blowers and the other of one mounted on an MG engine.

As for the MG application, it would appear that the issue of belts had not been resolved at the time of that shooting. They show an SU but the one on hand has a Solex carb. After dissecting the Solex, it is a straightforward, old-time carbureter without proprietary/obsolete diagrams, needles, gizmos, gadgets. I can’t wait to bead blast it and adapt it to Linda’s supercharged TD and check it out on the road. The single SUs drop off very lean at highway speeds and have been disappointing.

The SCOT blower will be freshened up and mounted on the 50 TD’s original 1466cc overbored engine (with Moldex billet crank?) and test run on an engine stand in the near future. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility we could test run that engine at Brass Pointe.

Downriver Cruise

12th Annual Fort St. Downriver Cruise
Saturday, June 25, 2011
11am – 6pm

Free reserved parking with easy access
for Club members at:

Zelenak Law Office
2933 Fort St.
Lincoln Park, MI 48146

BYOB and chairs for viewing cruise
(soft drinks provided)
Restaurants and Restrooms nearby

For details, contact event hosts:
Pat McHugh, 734-671-9013
George Patrick, 734-676-1560

Fast lanes for overheating autos available!

Follow John!

John Deikis left on Saturday, June 4, for the 2011 Rallye to Reno. John is raising money for pediatric cancer research by driving his 1953 MG TD (fondly known as “Morris”) on the cross-country trip. Follow him on his blog as he confronts the inevitable challenges of legendary British reliability, Skinners Union, and Lucas the Prince of Darkness on U.S. Route 50, known as “the loneliest road in America.”

We can’t all make the trip, but we can participate in other ways. Please consider a contribution to this important cause. CURE Childhood Cancer, an outstanding organization awarded Four Stars for efficiency and putting your dollars to work. Click here to contribute now.

Battle of the Brits

The 2009 Battle of the Brits was held Sunday, September 13th at a new location of St. Mary’s in Orchard Lake. The event was once again hosted by the Detroit Triumph Sportscar Club.

Our T-Club came out in force with 29 members and family, along with 13 MGTs.
Members to be acknowledged for wining awards (even if it wasn’t a T car) include:
Shari Pelic (1st for her ‘49 MG TC)
Allen Bachelder (2nd for his ‘53 MG TD)
Tom Parent (3rd for his MG TF)
Max Kenney (4th for his ‘53 MG TD)
Tom Norman (4th for his ‘55 MG TF 1500 &
Peoples Choice-T series)
Dave Miller (5th for his ‘53 MG TD)
Rhonda Ligon (1st for her ‘64 Jaguar XKE)
Frank Ligon (4th for his ‘69 Jaguar XKE)
Jim Bauer (for his ’50 MG TD)
Lee Jacobsen (for his ’39 MG TA Tickford)
Terry Frish (3rd for his ’34 Vauxhall BX
Roadster & Peoples Choice Open Class)
Jeff & Jan Zorn (4th for their ‘63 MBG & ‘83
Austin Mini)