The first M.G.s were Morris motorcars modified by Cecil Kimber at Morris Garages in Oxford, unfortunately none of these early motorcars, often referred to as Raworth Chummies, are known to exist. The first known use of the stylised octagonal M.G. badge was in The Oxford Times, March 2nd 1923. The history of M.G. and the early cars are well documented elsewhere in books such as John Thornley's Maintaining the Breed, the various books by Wilson McComb and Phil Jennings' Early M.G. and Oxford to Abingdon the book he co-wrote with Robin Barraclough. The following information has been gleaned from some of the above books and other sources.
Raworth 'Chummy' Mid 1923 - late 1924 (6 were produced and none are known to exist)
This was the first car to be advertised as an M.G. Super Sports Morris, it was an 11.9 Morris Cowley fitted with a 2-seater body supplied by Charles Raworth & Sons of Oxford. It had a 1548cc straight four side valve engine and is believed to have had one horizontal SU carburettor. A wet cork clutch and a three speed crash gearbox, 1/2 elliptic front springs 3/4 elliptic front springs (shackled), bolt on artillery wheels and brakes with 9" drums to the rear only. The wheelbase was 8' 6" and the track 4' 0". It was only available as a 2-seater.
M.G. Super Sports 14/28 (a bullnose motorcar) Late 1924 - late 1926 (Approx 400 were made, approx 10 exist)
These cars have a 1802cc four cyclinder side valve engine and had a single carburettor, which could be a Smith, SU or Solex. A wet cork clutch and a three speed manual crash gearbox, 1/2 elliptic front springs and 3/4 elliptic rear springs, in 1924/5 bolt on artillery wheels with Ace discs and in 1925/6 bolt on wire spoke wheels, 12" drum brakes, the wheel base was 8' - 6" and later 9' - 0", the track was 4' - 0".
These cars have a 1802cc four cyclinder side valve engine and had a single carburettor, which could be a Smith, SU or Solex. A wet cork clutch and a three speed manual crash gearbox, 1/2 elliptic front springs and 3/4 elliptic rear springs, in 1924/5 bolt on artillery wheels with Ace discs and in 1925/6 bolt on wire spoke wheels, 12" drum brakes, the wheel base was 8' - 6" and later 9' - 0", the track was 4' - 0".
M.G. Super Sports 14/28 (flat radiator motorcar) (approx 10 exist)
M.G. 14/40 Mk 1V (approx 22 exist)
About 900 flat rad 14/28 and 14/40 were made between late 1926 and late 1929. Both the 14/28 and the 14/40 had a 1802cc four cyclinder side valve engine with a single horizontal Solex carburettor, a wet cork clutch and three speed manual crash gearbox, 1/2 elliptic springs front and rear, bolt on wire wheels and 12" drum brakes. The wheel base was 8' - 10 1/2" and the track 4' - 0".
About 900 flat rad 14/28 and 14/40 were made between late 1926 and late 1929. Both the 14/28 and the 14/40 had a 1802cc four cyclinder side valve engine with a single horizontal Solex carburettor, a wet cork clutch and three speed manual crash gearbox, 1/2 elliptic springs front and rear, bolt on wire wheels and 12" drum brakes. The wheel base was 8' - 10 1/2" and the track 4' - 0".
18/80 M.G. Six Mk1 - late 1928 - mid 1931 (500 were built, approx 32 exist)
These motorcars were built firstly at Edmund Road, Oxford until M.G. moved to Abingdon in September 1929. They have a 2468cc, straight six overhead camshaft engine, with two horizontal SU carburettors with a single float chamber, a wet cork clutch, a manual 3 speed 'crash' gearbox, torque tube to the rear axle, shackled 1/2 elliptic springs front and rear, 12" finned drum brakes. Early models had rod brakes with Perrot shafts to the front and later models had cable brakes, they have 19" Rudge Whitworth centre lock wirewheels a wheelbase of 9' - 6" and a track of 4' - 0".
18/100 M.G. Six Mk 111 (known as the Tigress) (5 were built, 2 exist)
The basis of the 18/100 was the new Mk 11 chassis into which was fitted an 18/80 power unit incorporating a new crankshaft and pistons, a new camshaft, dry-sump lubrication, a cross flow head with twin sparking plugs, new unique carburettors and a host of other improvements including a higher second gear. The chassis had a modified steering box mounting, additional shock absorbers at the rear and a larger fuel tank. The Mk 11 brakes were modified only slightly. The body was similar to the speed models but had cycle wings and conformed to the racing requirements of the day. This motorcar was catalogued as the M.G. Six Sports Road Racing Model. There are a few 'lookalike' Tigresses, built from Mk11 cars.
You will find in the Members Cars pages examples of most of these cars. All the models, except the Raworths and Tigresses, came with a variety of bodies, 2 seaters with dicky seats, 4 seater tourers, saloons, salonettes and some coachbuilt bodies. The 18/80 also had wide bodied and narrow bodied speed models. The Tigresses had a special body similar to the speed model.
These motorcars were built firstly at Edmund Road, Oxford until M.G. moved to Abingdon in September 1929. They have a 2468cc, straight six overhead camshaft engine, with two horizontal SU carburettors with a single float chamber, a wet cork clutch, a manual 3 speed 'crash' gearbox, torque tube to the rear axle, shackled 1/2 elliptic springs front and rear, 12" finned drum brakes. Early models had rod brakes with Perrot shafts to the front and later models had cable brakes, they have 19" Rudge Whitworth centre lock wirewheels a wheelbase of 9' - 6" and a track of 4' - 0".
18/80 M.G. Six Mk 11 - 1930 - late 1932 (236 were built, approx 25 exist)
18/100 M.G. Six Mk 111 (known as the Tigress) (5 were built, 2 exist)
The basis of the 18/100 was the new Mk 11 chassis into which was fitted an 18/80 power unit incorporating a new crankshaft and pistons, a new camshaft, dry-sump lubrication, a cross flow head with twin sparking plugs, new unique carburettors and a host of other improvements including a higher second gear. The chassis had a modified steering box mounting, additional shock absorbers at the rear and a larger fuel tank. The Mk 11 brakes were modified only slightly. The body was similar to the speed models but had cycle wings and conformed to the racing requirements of the day. This motorcar was catalogued as the M.G. Six Sports Road Racing Model. There are a few 'lookalike' Tigresses, built from Mk11 cars.
You will find in the Members Cars pages examples of most of these cars. All the models, except the Raworths and Tigresses, came with a variety of bodies, 2 seaters with dicky seats, 4 seater tourers, saloons, salonettes and some coachbuilt bodies. The 18/80 also had wide bodied and narrow bodied speed models. The Tigresses had a special body similar to the speed model.
