MG TA MG TB MG TC MG TD MG TF for Sale | Steve Baker MGs 1936-1955

Angouleme is 5 weeks away now and my focus is well and truely on having my MG TB special built in time for the race. I've alluded to it before but now I've found the confidence to book the race, ferry and accomodation it seems a lot more real and pressing. A few weeks ago my car was little more than a pile of parts in the corner of the garage:

Thankfully, the body work was sorted last year - it's been hanging up in the shed waiting for the rest of the car to catch up. I've been to-ing and fro-ing on which colour to go for, it had to be a classic colour and when I saw a picture of a K3 in blue (I think it was one of the Mille Miglia cars) I knew what I had to do. Here's the tub below, freshly back from the painters:

I'm forever writing that cars didn't make it to the website, seems a shame to let them slip by unnoticed. For those of you who are interested here are a few cars that have come and gone this year before making it to the sales page in earnest.

We bought the TA below from the widow of it's former long term owner. The gentleman who owned her before us had done a lovely job of restoring the car but it was, sadly, beginning to show signs of age. We promptly set about removing and repainting panels, bolted some new wheels and tyres on and patted ourselves on the back...a job well done!.. but only until we decided to go for a drive, whereupon we discovered a water leak from the block. We knew it would never repair satisfactarily. The engine had to come out. After some deliberation, and a bit of encouragement from a prospective buyer we decided to install fit an XPAG engine (MG TC) and MG TC speed gearbox in to the car. It now drives as well as it looks, I'll let you be the judge:

It's rare to see a TC sporting Clipper Blue but it is very much a factory original colour and turns heads like few others. My wife in particular absolutely loved the blue/cream combination and keeping the car was discussed. Given that I always seem to dismantle my cars, fill them with non-standard components and then abuse them on a race track I think a quiet life in sunny London town is a much kinder fate for this car. The new owner has had an MG before and always regretted selling it, a familiar story I'm sure - let's hope he keeps and enjoys this one for years to come:

Another TC that has been and gone is this red one below. This car was right up my street (figuratively! it was a bit of a drive to fetch her) and sold very quickly indeed. The previous owner had fitted a Volkswagen steering box to the car (shameless plug: I am now manufacturing these!) and also swapped the gearbox for a Ford 5 speed. It drove absolutely beautifully and I was seriously looking forward to driving this one around for the summer but it wasn't to be. A gentleman from Cornwall is now the proud owner - I must concede that it was the perfect setting for a such a lovely car and I enjoyed my brief trip to the seaside too. 

Nevermind not finding it's way to the website, the J2 below didn't even make it as far as my garage. I had no sooner bought the car than been told, in no uncertain terms, by a close friend of mine that he was having it. Thankfully there was rather more there than the photograph suggests, a real barn-find complete with dilapidated shed. The gentleman who owned the car told me that he had, all told, spent less than £400 on the car and parts for it. Suffice to say he made a healthy profit!

With the rush of summer and the small matter of Steve's car still being in pieces with only a few months to Angouleme (more on that later) I'm afraid we've been neglecting the blog a bit of late. I thought, perhaps, whilst we're locked away in the garage without much to show you that it might be interesting to write an article about a few of the cars we've sold over the last couple of years. We've met some lovely people through our little MG business and enjoy hearing about their progress - I hope you'll find it interesting too.   

A few years ago we offered this green MG TC restoration project for sale on behalf of a friend of ours. Sadly Mike had realised that he was no longer able to drive the car and had stressed to us the importance of finding it a good home. It could so easily have become the subject of a TV show being made at the time.. as we had the representatives round to view the car. After much consideration and wanting a clear conscience we really didn't think it would be right to let them undertake an 8 week wonderbuild on such an original car. We needed someone who was going to do a proper job. 

It was no sooner than had we decided that they couldn't have it, that Steven arrived looking for a project. It was at difficult time for him as he had been suffering with his health. He wanted a distraction from it all, something to motivate him to push on with his treatments. I must admit we had our concerns that he was taking on a bit much but my God were we proven wrong!

He quickly set about restoring the car, regularly updating us with a number of photographs of his progress and making us smile with lines like "Novice reporting in!". Now that "Nancy" is back on the road she certainly doesn't look like she's been restored by a Novice - the result of months of love car and attention to detail:

Here's another car we sold a couple of years ago:

When Paul bought this TC off us, it had been restored mechanically with the previous owner even fitting a new set of Alfin drums to the car but was starting to look a little bit tired. Paul of course did would any sensible man would do when presented with a car in need of cosmetic restoration.. he fitted a blower! Then he set about making her tip-top once more. 

We had originally been told he would paint it green but I think, like Clarkson with his Ferraris, there was only one real option. I'm so glad he opted to go with the red too as I think it looks absolutely brilliant. A truely sorted jem which will give years of pleasure. I just hope he and his lovely wife Heather continue to invite me round to see them enjoying it. 

So there you are, two lucky TCs which found loving homes both looking resplendant in red. Now I'm finally starting to think of my own car I will be updating the blog a lot more regularly over the next few months. I've entered Angouleme but at the moment, my rather ambitious K3 Mille Miglia bodied MG TB project is a long way from track ready. September is starting to seem awfully soon - let's see how I get on!

I thought you might be interested to see this one, we've fitted one of our supercharger kits to an MG TB and are very pleased with the results. We've made a number of changes to our kits over the last few years, always trying to find little improvements and it's been very worthwhile doing so. As you'll see (hear) she's running well and looking great too (although I can't take too much credit for that). 

- before you keel over from shock I should point out that the rev counter was reading about 1000 RPM out at top end, as I've alluded to in the past I don't really trust chronometric gauges for important readings.

Our client decided to drive the car home from us to Gloucester (100 miles or so) and despite a broken windscreen he had a blast and made good time too. It was a bit too cold for our liking whilst testing the car but don't feel I can complain too much about making a living driving around in such a fantastic machine. Great fun, even if I did need to wear a helmet to stop my ears from freezing:

As you'll know only a fraction of what I get up to makes it's way to the blog, I prefer to spend my time in the garage than infront of the computer but I'm really pleased a car we've just had in the workshop and thought I ought to share it. Another car that was spoken for before we could even put it near the website, this fine MG TC arrived to us from long term ownership by a true enthusiast.

She was in lovely condition and wanted for nothing... although the new owner had other ideas; he wanted more power and a higher cruising speed. There are no prizes for guessing how we decided to do that! Cue the arrival of a supercharger and five speed gearbox conversion and voila! the car is now ready for continental touring. She now has the performance to match her looks:

I've had a busy few weeks, thankfully most of it spent enjoying the sunshine rather than working too hard. As I mentioned before my son Luke's wedding took place in early July, I'd thought about pushing myself to put my TB back on the road in time for it but I'm glad I didn't.

We had a lovely day by the coast in south Devon, with a fantastic breakfast and reception including a boat trip up the river Dart. There really wasny any time or space for an MG (and you won't hear me say that often) and I loved every minute of it. Here's the bride and groom aboard the "Dart Explorer", shortly before setting off on a trip up the river.

And below with me, my wife Sandie, my other son Christian and even our pet dog Daisy.

Back in the world of MGs and motorsport, I was recently invited to a track day by my good friends Graham and Lynn who are the owners of, amongst others, my old MG TC racer and "Big Red". They've also recently acquired a new big red automobile, one of the new Lister Jaguars.

When they offered me a drive I simply couldn't resist and so I found myself back on the track, in a TC, a K-Type and a Lister. It was a great day and Peter Edney and Chris Owen came along too - almost felt like we'd gone back in time. Here's some photographs we took:

Peter receiving some last minute instructions from Graham, whilst Lynn has absolutely nothing to learn from me: 

Me in Grahams K-Type, with the obligatory action shot:

I must say I was very impressed with the six cylinder, it's quite an experience to drive.. the noise is incredible, the smell of methanol absolutely unmistakable and it was every bit as quick as it looks. Speaking of which the Lister was absolutely great fun to drive, I'm very glad I took the opportunity to do so but can honestly say I preferred the MGs - they're much more suited to my style and pace! 

I do of course have some news about cars for sale, I've managed to acquire a number of project cars which will be offered for sale shortly, a TA, a TC, a TD, A TF 1500 and even an MG PB. Keep your eyes on the cars for sale page or give me a call / drop me an email for more information. 

Happy to have a new product for your perusal, I've always found cast iron brake drums to offer the best performance for our T-Type MGs, I have used them on several of my race cars over the years (and have a set on my own car currently). The problem has always been that, let's face it, they're not much to look at, especially when compared to the Alfin brake drums (which use a liner) that are readily available. 

I was lucky enough to come across a period i.e. 1930s Alfin brake drum last year as part of a job lot of parts from a notable MG collector. What struck me about it was that it wasn't a linered Aluminium casting as I'd suspect but that it was infact a steel drum with a finned aluminium casting sweated onto it. It became obvious that by mimmicking this approach it would be possible to make a good looking drum but based upon a modern factory made component with a decent lining and without the inherant problems of using a liner. 

Certainly not a task I'd be willing to undertake on my own and I had, as it turns out already been beaten to it. A friend of mine had been working on a project to make a drum exactly as described. I think they look absolutely spot on, I'll be fitting a set to my own car shortly and will be able to give you a full assessment.