Description
• 1 of just 11 MG 14/ 40 Mk1V Sports tourers known to have survived.
• A benchmark example: Attractively finished in Saxe Blue over polished aluminium with supple dark red leather upholstery and black carpeting. Original registration No. UV 2961
• 1, 802 cc side-valve four-cylinder engine. Chassis 4/ 2662, original CE type engine 266495
• Retaining it's original, expertly fashioned and extremely pretty, aluminium Carbodies of Coventry ‘Sports’ tourer body.
. Mechanically restored and in full working order, matching numbers' and very nicely detailed, with 4-wheel brakes, original factory fitted wire wheels and spare. Near new set of Blockley tyres.
• Three-speed manual gearbox with higher 3. 96:1 back axle ratio. Light Marles steering.
• Well-presented engine compartment.
• Independently adjustable bucket type front seats, with tipping passenger seat.
• Folding hood, full set of side screens and tonneau covers, all in very good condition. Plenty of storage space for travelling.
• Well-known in vintage MG circles, regularly participating in Early MG Society rallies around the UK and Europe
• Featured in marque books: documented in Robin Barraclough and Phil Jennings, exhaustive tome on early MG's, 'Oxford to Abingdon', and Jennings’ ‘Early M. G.’ along with other publications including the VSCC Bulletin
• Accompanied by a carefully curated and richly detailed history file
• Regularly driven and calmly cruises at 50-55mph. The 14/ 40 model is widely regarded as “the first true MG”.
Chassis 2/ 2662 was issued from the Cowley works on 28th January 1928, being delivered to Morris Garages for modifications to the chassis and engine. The chassis was then driven to Carbodies in Coventry for the sporting aluminium body to be fitted and returned for testing, a process that normally took around 5 weeks. Not road registered by London County Council as UV2961 until the following July, it is one of only 22 examples of the MG 14/ 40 known to survive worldwide from a total production of just 486 such cars.
Well known to The Early MG Society, MG Car Club Vintage Register and The Bullnose Morris Club it comes with wonderful provenance that is fully detailed in the large history file that accompanies the vehicle. Surviving World War Two intact, UV2961 is known to have belonged to G. Latham, in April 1957, subsequent owners being D. G. Lodmore, Mr Green, T. W. Hart, D. Potter, G. W. Radford, Ian Hutchison and for 11 years the eminent marque historian/ author Robin Barraclough, before entering the ownership of Alan Salem in February 2005.
As well as leading lights in The Early MG Society, it has therefore benefited from expert and sympathetic ownership for a long period. Always in regular use, it has been maintained in excellent condition whilst preserving most of its original features.
For instance, a letter on file from The Bullnose Morris Owners Club mentions that `the car was part rebuilt by MG and the engine rebored to +0. 40', and whilst in Mr Radford's custodianship saw it worked on by another early MG authority Phil Jennings and treated to a suspension overhaul, bodywork restoration and repaint. An album of restoration photos is present.
Recent work includes the fitment of an SU carburettor (the original Solex accompanies the car), vertical coil conversion, a higher 3. 96:1 back axle ratio, new steel half-shafts and a correct pattern exhaust manifold.
The car sports such niceties as an MG calorimeter, decorative metal dash border, raked windscreen, dual sideview mirrors, and octagons on instrument surrounds, scuttle vents, hub caps, boot fastener and bonnet catches. Equipped with flashing indicators, a Barker headlight dipping device is present and Andre Hartford adjustable shock absorbers are fitted all round. A few spares, the original carburettor and useful literature come with it.
A delightful and capable vintage MG that has had the benefit of being in the care of sympathetic owners over the years and is now available for immediate viewing by prior arrangement.
