1954 MG TF 1250

The owner had an MG TF when he was a teenager but sadly pranged the car quite badly, putting paid to his MG dreams at an early age. The flame clearly hadn’t been completely extinguished because decades later he passed a local garage and saw Primrose, the car you see here today, sitting on the forecourt. He stopped and asked the owner if he could sit in it. He did, and the memories came flooding back. After chatting for a while, the garage owner suggested that he should buy it, which he did. On the spot.

Faced with the thorny problem of how to break the news to his wife, he did what we all would have done in his place, and hid it in the barn for a couple of weeks before plucking up the courage to show her his impulse purchase. She, clearly a woman of impeccable taste, fell instantly for Primrose’s charms too.

Now having been in the family for the past 21 years and having covered perhaps 500 miles in that time, this charming MG TF Midget first took to the streets in 1954. Quite the weapon in a post-war Britain still reeling from the after-effects, the MG was delivered to its first owner in the same year that rationing finally came to an end, which kind of puts the era in perspective, doesn’t it?

With only two former recorded keepers, the past two decades have seen it being carefully stored and only wheeled out for gentle forays on dry days; it hasn’t seen a wet road in that time. As an older restoration, it’s developed a beautiful patina that reflects the quality of the work that was carried out at the time, as well as the gentle use and careful storage it has enjoyed since.

Finished in wonderfully period colours of a cream body and a tan leather interior, it is described as being in “superb mechanical condition.” A reluctant sale, it wants nothing other than a new owner to love and cherish it for the next 65 years…

The creamy yellow coachwork is in fabulous condition, almost certainly sporting a better shine and more precise shut-lines than it ever left the MG factory with. The suicide doors open and close with an impressive precision, and while there is some cracking to the paintwork, most notably on the gorgeous sweeping front wings, we’d be tempted to give it a cautious machine polish but otherwise leave it alone as we think it simply adds another layer of character to a car that already bursts with personality and period charm.

The extensive chromework still shines, although it is (forgivably) showing evidence of its age. Nothing so vulgar as rust, heavy pitting or dents and a day spent polishing it would, we think, be sufficient to bring it back wonderfully.

The folding tan soft-top is as rudimentary as that of every other 1950’s sportscar but it fits well, is free of holes, rips and tears, and carries its years more lightly than we do. The painted frame is in good condition and the car comes with side screens too, although whether they’re up to keeping out anything harsher than a light summer shower is something we doubt.

The boot is fitted with a matching spare wheel and tyre, plus a chrome luggage rack. And, finally, the steel wheels, complete with chromed centre hubcaps, sport matching tyres. But then you’d guessed that by now, hadn’t you?

The tan leather seats are firm and supportive, and free of rips, tears and other damage. Just as importantly, they look terrific, being only gently creased and lightly patinated.

Three huge, octagonal dials dominate the dashboard, and MG even nods cautiously towards its social responsibilities by having a padded leather dashtop at a time when Health and Safety wasn’t even a thing. Speaking of which, the huge, three-spoke MG steering wheel is in fine condition, and while the driving position is distinctly post-war, it adds an authentic vintage feel that no modern sportscar, Morgan included, can replicate, no matter how hard they try.

The twin cubby holes hint at the ease with which left-hand-drive models could be produced on the same production line, while the Bakelite control knobs reek of 1950’s British style and design. Sure, they’re clearly not new but this car has given 65 years of pleasure to its three owners over the years, and so is entitled to display the odd mark and scuff, surely?

The chrome gear-lever and handbrake lever are still shiny, and their respective gaiters are in fine fettle. The gear knob and handbrake handle show signs of wear, but that’s exactly as it should be; ruthlessly eliminating signs of previous use is one of the classic car world’s dirty little secrets, and while we are all in favour of smartening things up, we aren’t convinced that anyone wants to drive the equivalent of a brand new car.

The carpets are good too, as are the door cards and original chrome sill treads, which still wear their lettering ‘The M.G. Car Company Ltd.’ with pride. (Nice to see that it is grammatically correct, too…)

The engine bay is beautifully finished, being clean and neatly presented. Still sporting the original plaques along with what looks like a reproduction chassis plate, we’d be tempted to give the whole lot a gentle wipe with an oily rag and then leave well alone.

As we would the underside. With chassis engineering straight from the Brunel School of Design, it does bear witness to the odd oil weep, but they all do and there is nothing there that would concern us in the slightest. The chassis itself is solid and free of dents and rust and looks like it will shrug off the next half-century with the same aplomb it has the last.

Speaking of which, the only problem it has thrown up while it has been in the owner’s care were sticky brakes. The braking system was overhauled a couple of years ago and now works perfectly.

We’ve started and test-driven it and it appears to be in good mechanical condition but why not come along and check it out for yourself? We make a mean mug of tea, and some of us are sufficiently socialised to be able to hold a half-decent conversation, too.

The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a few old invoices and bills to confirm some of the work that has been done to it. It does not have a current MOT, being exempt by virtue of its age. We would nonetheless strongly encourage the new owner to get it MOT’d; the cost would be a very small investment and would be worth every penny to get an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition.

It comes with its original, slightly dog-eared Operation Manual, plus some MG Car Club paperwork, and a T Register leaflet, of which the owner is a member.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork.

The classic car world can be a bewildering place, full of its own quirks and widely understood but rarely stated rules – rules the MG TF Midget appears to have fallen foul of: too young to be officially classified as vintage, but too vintage for those looking for a classic sporting British convertible, many see it as being neither fish nor fowl. Which is a shame, but likely to play right into the hands of the canny enthusiast with an eye for a bargain and a willingness to flout the rules.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that we don’t think this lovely, well-preserved and much-loved example will sell for more than £14-17,000, at which price it is almost criminally cheap, especially when you consider that it has an independent insurance valuation certificate that valued it at £28,000 in 2015.

Able to fulfill a number of roles, from gentle Sunday roadster to semi-competitive weekend track and hillclimb weapon, it is equally suited to gently cruising English country lanes as it is wending its way through rural France. Timeless, classless and utterly beguiling, it would form the perfect bridge for anyone thinking of moving from classic to vintage, gently easing them from post-war modernity to pre-war austerity.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.