Tag Archives: SA

Corporate Fudge – MG SA

In 1935 MG merged with Morris Motors and Leonard Lord was appointed by Lord Nuffield to look after his interests at MG over Cecil Kimber. The plan was for MG to move away from it’s sporty roots and to rationalise it’s model line with Wolseley another marque with in the group.

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

Kimber recognised that Leonard Lord’s intention to sell a Wolseley with an MG radiator at a premium price was not going to work and persuaded Lord to let him design a distinctive body on a, heavy, Wolseley Super Six chassis.

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

The new car suffered from corporate indecision resulting in production delays and numerous specification changes including two complete upgrades to compete with the very first, superior, Jaguar which was launched at the same time.

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

The Saloon body was made in house by Morris, it would later be joined by a Charlesworth open tourer and Tickford drophead Coupé.

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

Rationalisation meant that a 75 hp Wolseley Super Six derived motor with pushrod operated valves was chosen in favor of MG’s own overhead cam unit leaving the car underpowered much like MG’s earlier 18/80’s.

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

At £375 the saloon was well appointed with leather seats and a walnut dash, among the options offered was a Philco radio for 18 Guineas (£18.90).

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

MG enthusiasts did not take too kindly to the new model with it’s heavy chassis and retrograde pushrod engine and many sales were lost to Jaguar as a result of production delay’s.

MG SA Charlsworth Tourer, Brooklands

In all over 2,700 SA’s were built between 1936 and 1939 with 350 of them being exported to Germany.

Thanks for joining me on this “Corporate Fudge” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t for get to come back now !

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