Pure sports car 1951 MG TD

There was a time when owning a sports car such as an MG showed people that you were of a different breed. You had to forego such things as a decent heater, a smooth ride, even roll-up side windows.

You were making a statement that you were a different kind of lady or gent and drove your car for the sheer pleasure of driving. They used to say that a true sport should drive a sports car, and many people in the U.S. after WWII lined up to do so.

Few cars sum up that idea as the MG T-series cars, and the TD was likely the best compromise of open-air vintage motoring and such “modern” niceties as rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension. You still had to deal with side curtains instead of real door widows, but the TD offered the best of classic sports car motoring with a few technical advancements, and at a price many could afford.

While purists consider the MG TC to be the pinnacle of the MG T-series cars, the TD is overall a better car and modern enough to use every day, when the weather permits.

The Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 1951 MG TD located in Grosse Point, Michigan.

The car is finished in Ivory paint over a green leather interior, a correct color combination for the period. The private seller advertising the MG in ClassicCars.com has owned this TD since 2008 and has somehow driven it less than 200 miles. He states that the car received professional restoration in 2016 including seats, side panels rear body timbers, top and top frame, and says that the car is in very good condition with no rust and only minor body blemishes, and it runs and drives great.

During restoration, many of the chrome parts were replaced, the seller adds, and the car comes equipped with an optional chrome luggage rack.

The best part about this description is that much of the wood in the car’s frame has been replaced. Wood rot is the bane of any T-series car, and one that needs new wood can easily cost more for repairs than the car is worth; the entire car has to come apart to repair it.

Behind the wheel, the TD is as wonderful and as primitive as you would hope, with adequate performance mixed with the very definition of open-air motoring. These cars are never likely to be worth a lot of money, and they offer the essence of vintage sports car motoring at a very affordable price.

Not only are they reasonably inexpensive to buy, servicing costs aside from wood replacement are simple to do and parts are affordable and plentiful. This car with an asking price of only $15,000 offers quite a lot of fun for the money.

This would be a great little car for anyone who wants the authentic sports car experience and might find a more-modern MGB or Triumph TR6 to be a bit too civilized. And an MG TD is a guaranteed head turner and conversation starter.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.