Created: January, 1996
Last updated: 8, July, 2006

Arnolt-MG

Most the information was provided by Terry Sanders who owns an Arnolt-MG

Arnolt-MG coupé and cabriolet (convertible) at a meeting in 1994.

Arnolt-MG owned by Corgie Pratt Scottsdale, AZ   *

And a few detail-shots of a car taken by Terry:

Marchal drive lights as used on the car.

Arnolt-MG coupe inst. panel showing MG TD cluster mounted upside down

After the second World War the lack of cash and raw material strapped Nuccio Bertone. He luckily located a pair of used MG TD frames. Although sometimes credited to Franco Scaglione, the sleek MG-Bertone was probably the work of Giovanni Michelotti.
At the 1952 Turin Auto Show, American industrialist S.H. "Wacky" Arnolt saw the two prototypes - an open-top and a closed version - and ordered 100 of each body styles on the spot. Bertone was saved.
From the prototypes the production version was developed just in time to introduce at the New York International Motor Show in April 1953.
The headlight rims were changed, so the bumpers and the interior ventilation system. Final production numbers were: 65 coupes and 35 convertibles. Add to this number the two prototypes and You get 102 Arnolt-MGs.
Originally 200 were planned but due to different reasons this plan wasn't fulfilled.
Instead the Bertone-Arnolt pair moved to another British saloon to be converted to a "wacky" sportscar: Bristol. And so the Bolide was born.

The Arnolt-MG family sports car

Basic specifications

STYLING	The body, styled by Italy's renowned custom body designer, Bertone, reflects the newest trend in smart aerodynamic styling. It combines the luxury and comfortable roominess of a family car with the rakish, sweeping lines of the most beautiful sports car. Available in two models - coupe and convertible.
DIMENSIONS	Wheelbase 7 ft. 10 in. (2.387 m). Tread, front 3 ft. 11 3/8 in. ( 1.203 m ), rear 4 ft. 2 in. ( 1.27 m ). Overall length 13 ft. 4 in. Overall -height444 ft. 7 in. Overall width5 ft. Ground clearance 6 inc. ( 15 cm )
WEIGHT	Coupe-with 1 1/4-litre engine 2,103 lbs., with 1 1/2-litre engine 2,113 lbs. Convertible-with 1 1/4 -litre engine, 2,083 - Ibs., with 1/2-litre engine 2,093 Ibs.
CONSTRUCTION	Combination steel and aluminum. Molded rubber components to minimize vibration. Finished in wide choice-of colors of finest quality cellulose paint for lasting beauty. Chrome-finished bumper and bumper guards, front and rear. Large trunk for luggage and spare wheel. Trunk door and hood opened by inside control. Lights in trunk and hood. Accessible tool storage compartment with tools fastened in place.
VENTILATION	Draughtless ventilating windows. Fhesh air ventilator. Heater and full windshield defroster optional.
INTERIOR -DETAILS	Front seats, adjustable bucket type; backs may be tilted to the taste of the individual. Steering. wheel- may be adjusted up or down and in or out to assure most comfortable driv- ing posture. Arm rests and rubber padding further enhance comfort of passengers. Map compartments in both doors. Upholstery and body trimming fin- ished in genuine Connolly leather to harmonize with exterior colors. Driving mirror. Auxiliary light. Two tinted- transparent sun visors.
INSTRUMENTS	Large speedometer dial with head- lamp beam warning light. Tachometer and com- bined water temperature and oil pressure gauge and gan gauge. Fuek warning light. Ammeter. Electric clock. Radio optional at extra cost.
ENGINES	Choice of two British-built MG 4-cylin- der overhead valve engines. Standard equipmcnt: 1 1/4 litre (1250 c.c. or 76.28 cu. in.) engine. Bore 66.5 mm. (2.62 in.). Stroke 90 mm. (3.54 in.). Overhead valve push rod. Three-bearing counter-balanced crank- shaft with shimles:, steel-backed, white metal crank- shaft and connecting rod bearings. Compression ratio 7.25 to 1. Force feed lubrication by gear-type pump with 100 per cent filtration by removable ele- ment filters. Air silencers and cleaners. Thermo- statically controlled cooling. Water temperature gauge. Controlled expansion aluminum alloy pistons, with one oil control and two compression rings. 14 mm. spark plugs. Aluminum alloy sump.
Optional equipment at extra cost:	1 1/2-litre (1.166 c.c. or 89.45 cu. in.) engine-the same basic engine that now holds 29 American and 8 international Class F speed records. Four-cylinder; 72 mm. (2.835 in.) by 90 mm. (3.4 in.) capacity 1466 cc. (89.45 cu. in.) O.H.V. pushrod; three-bearing counter- balanced crankshaft; compression ratio 8.3 to 1; cooling by water pump and fan with thermostatic control; forced-feed engine lubrication by gear-type pump with 100 per cent filtration; oil capacity, 12 1/2 pints; filler on valve cover; controlled expansion aluminum alloy pistons, with one scraper and two compression rings; 14 mm. spark plugs; aluminum alloy sump.
FUEL SYSTEM	Twin 1 1/2 in. diameter S.U. car- buretors with individual air cleaners; S.U. electric gas pump ; tank capacity 11 gallons. Fuel warning light on dash, indicating 3 gallons reserve.
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT	lgnition by 12-volt coil and distributor with automatic advance; sup- pressor equipment, belt-driven dynamo, compensated voltage control to suit load and condition of battery; single-pole positive earth wiring system with 2 fuses; twin wind-tone horns; dash control starter switch; twin-blade windshield wiper with concealed electric drive motor. Twin stop/tail lamps. Seal beam units in headlamps, main beam warning light; foot-oper- ated dimming switch; separate side lamps with flashing direction indicator control. Twin fog lamps.
CHASSIS	Electrically welded throughout with boxed side members and tubular crossbracings. Boxed member for independent front suspension. Inde- pendent front suspension of the wishbone type, in- corporating coil springing. Innet points mounted on flexing rubber bushes. Rear suspension by means of semi-elliptic laminated springs, interleaved with rubber; mounted on rubber bushings and controlled by Girling or Armstrong hydraulic shock absorbers. Drive and torque taken by springs.
TRANSMISSION Clutch	Borg & Beck single dry. plate 8 in. diameter (20.3 cm.).
TRANSMISSION Gearbox	Four speeds and reverse; synchromesh 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Overall gear rratios : 1st and reverse, 3.5 to 1 ; 2nd 2.07 to 1; 3rd 1.385 to 1; 4th 1 to 1.
AXLES	Semi-floating rear axle with hypoid gears for quiet operation and long life. Gear ratio 4.875 and 5.125 to 1. Other ratios also available.
STEERING	Direct-acting rack-and-pinion, 161 1/2 in. diameter spring-spoke steering wheel with plastic rim, column has 3 in. tclescopic adjustment for length.
BRAKES	Lockheed hydraulic on all four wheels; 9 in. diameter brake-drums; hand brake lever of racing type centrally situated between seats, actu- ated by cable on rear shoes.
TIRES AND WHEELS	Dunlop 5.50 x 15 tires fitted to 4.00 x 15 well-base disc-type wheels with five-stud fixing. Knock-off wire wheels available at extra cost.
Specifications subject to change without notice.
DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN HEMlSPHERE BY: S. H. ARNOLT, INC. Wholesale and Service: 415 East Erie Street Retail: 153 East Ohio Street CHICAGO 11, ILLINOIS

Table is based on original data sheet.

After the Arnolt-MGs success Mr. Arnolt asked Bertone to clothe other British saloons. One of them was the Bristol 404. The engine configuration of this car was probably one of the reasons for its shaped: the height of the BMW-derived OHV unit with its cross- rod-driven rockers for the exhaust valves, prohibited the mounting of the carburettors on the side of the engine. The design was entrusted to Franco Scaglione who did a splendid job. About 140 Arnolt-Bristols, were built between 1953 and 1959 in three body styles: coupé, full-screen spots car, and the Bolide, a roadster with bare-bones construction.

(Cover car for Safety Fast, Aug 1988)