Roland Dudley writes:
> Some of you old timers may recall a question I posted a year or so ago
> about a car used in a Masterpiece Theatre series. The car was obviously
> an early MG but I couldn't identify the year or model. Well, if you
> have access to a copy of the August issue of BRITISH CAR magazine,
> there's a picture of one of these MGs on the cover. The new MG RV8 is
> also on the cover, if any of you haven't seen a picture of one yet.
>
> Getting back to the early MG, according to the article it's a 1932
> M-Type and was the first of the midgets. I suppose that's what the M
> stands for. Since there can't be too many restored examples of this
> model painted blue, I strongly suspect it's the same car used in the
> series, though the article made no mention of it. The only thing that
> would make me doubt this is that I thought the car in the series had a
> license number with MG in. The number plates on the car in BRITISH CAR
> is RLG479. It's doesn't seem likely that the plates would have been
> changed just for the filming. More likely my memory is just off.
Well, I wouldn't be surprised if there are more than a few blue M-type
midgets about - I know we used to have a blue one join my Dad's Morris
Register club every year for their London to Brighton run. This event
was held in early March and on more than one occasion there was snow on the
ground. Of course this might all be the same car, but I doubt it. I do
remember that the one we often saw had an extra-fine radiator grille cover
on it. It was an extremely similar car to 1930's Morris Minor from
which it was developed and hence it was allowed in the Morris club
events. It's also a classic example of the early "badge engineering"
of the day, which is much criticised in the UK on the modern MGs.
Great looking car though - but much smaller in the flesh/steel, and
it's not really got an MG sound, but more of a Morris whining gearbox.
By the way - I'm not sure about your explanation for the M in M-type.
After all, the other models of the day were Magnette and Magna! I
don't know if there is any logical naming procedure - maybe Roger
Garnett would know?
Paul.
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