When the first MG Midget appeared at the 1928 London Motor Show few would have thought that it would be the car to save the recently established marque from closure, a fate that affected many others during the depression that followed the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Sales previously had been of relatively expensive cars to the wealthy and the other new MG on display, the 18/80 was even more costly. Right from the start, sales of the M-type Midget looked promising and soon eclipsed those of the larger MGs. These and those that followed dominated the sports car market in the 1930s and post-war, when a large proportion of the output from the Abingdon MG factory was exported.
This book gives details of each model, with a technical description, competition history and special bodied versions listed, all backed up by photographs, both period and more recent.

An old MG Magnette, she was not much to look at and desperately in need of some love and attention. But to young Tom, sitting in the driver’s seat, smelling the brittle leather and gripping the huge steering wheel, what was sitting in his parents’ garage was more than just his dad’s old car.

He had never seen Maggie move or heard the engine roar into life, but the fact his dad, Will, wouldn’t let go added to the magic and mystique. Aged 14, Tom embarked on bringing the characterful car back to life with Will, but life threw diversions in front of Maggie’s journey back to the road. Tom’s new priorities – including Bon Jovi – ensured the car stayed put and Will’s dream on hold.

Told through the view from the passenger and driver’s seats of the cars throughout Tom’s life, this love affair with the road – and Maggie – has not always been smooth, as each small victory uncovered another seemingly insurmountable problem.

But with understanding, supportive and capable people around them, from family, mechanics and friends willing to push an old car up a hill, will the pieces of Tom and Maggie’s journeys gradually come together in a tribute Will would have been proud of?

For Tom, it was never about what the car was, or might be, worth but preserving something central to his family’s history, and a 36-year perseverance to finally see the job through.

This is a story of restoration in its widest sense. Not just of a classic car but a son paying homage to his father; it’s about relationships, dealing with grief and finding perspective and true value.

In mid-1954 Peter applied to Morris Motor for an apprenticeship at the Cowley works. He was told he would have to wait until the new intake in September. He would then be given an interview to judge if he was suitable. Meanwhile he received a telegram to say that the MG Plant at Abingdon were looking for  suitable candidates to apply for role as the Design Office Apprentice. He applied and was accepted.

Building on his Knowledge, much based on first hand experiences and talking to those involved in racing and production, he was able to do a series of thirteen articles for Safety Fast on the history of MG at Oxford and Abingdon, now pieced together into this bookazine.

A must read for any MG enthusiast.

Launched in 1995, the MGF marked the rebirth of the classic British MG two-seater sports car. In this book, MGF enthusiast Tim Morris tells the full inside story of the development of the MGF and TF against the background of the seismic changes that were taking place in the British car industry. After the demise of the bestselling MGB and the closure of the Abingdon factory in 1980, it seemed as if the classic MG sports car had come to an end. An upgraded version of the MGB, the RV8, was introduced in the 1990s, but meanwhile designers and engineers were busy with an all-new car, which was unveiled in 1995. Developed under British Aerospace and launched under BMW ownership of the Rover Group, the MGF came under MG-Rover ownership after BMW divided the company in 2000. At this time the TF was developed and produced until the company went into administration in 2005. Here design features such as the mid-engine format and Hydragas suspension system are described, as well as the various model changes and re-designs and how the car fared against strong competition from cars such as the Mazda MX5.