• Year of manufacture 
    1939
  • Chassis number 
    TA2295
  • Engine number 
    C29686
  • Lot number 
    188
  • Drive 
    LHD
  • Condition 
    Used
  • Number of seats 
    2
  • Location
    United Kingdom
  • Exterior colour 
    Other
  • Drivetrain 
    2wd
  • Fuel type 
    Petrol

Description

1939 MG TA Midget 'Crackerjack Q' Supercharged Sports Special
Registration no. DBM 200
Chassis no. TA2295
Engine no. C29686

'Produced solely for competition purposes, only eight Q Types were built by Abingdon at the latter end of 1934. Aspiring racing drivers were offered the Q Type with same bore and stroke of the earlier 750cc P Types.' – Richard Monk, 'The MG Collection'.

The car offered here has been built in the style of the legendary Q-Type MG Midget, which made its competition debut on Whit Monday in 1934 at Brooklands together with Austin's racing Seven. The Austin came third in one of the races and broke the J4 Class record for the Mountain Circuit, but the MG won the next race outright and regained
the 750cc lap record. The Q-Type Midget employed several stock MG components, its chassis combining the 7' 10" (or thereabouts) wheelbase of the K3 with the 3' 9" track width of the
new N-Type. It also used the latter's steering and brakes, although the latter were upgraded with special competition drums. Its bodywork was almost indistinguishable from the K3's. The Q-Type's engine was a race-tuned P-Type unit with a K3-style pre-selector gearbox attached. The 746cc four-cylinder
unit was fitted with a new Zoller vane-type supercharger developed by Messrs Laurence Pomeroy and Michael McEvoy in collaboration with the Abingdon works.

The high-pressure Zoller boosted the engine at 25-28lbs/in2, giving the Q-Type a maximum power output of 147bhp in its final form. This represented a specific output of almost 200bhp/litre, a figure superior to that of the Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix cars of the period. Generally considered to be 'too fast for their chassis', only eight of the racing Q-Types were built, but undeniably they were very potent.

MG TA 'DBM 200' was supplied new to Dunham & Haines of Luton and first registered on 1st September 1939 to a Mr Oliver Barnett Goodman of 46 Westbourne Road, Luton. Owned by a Mr G Bann of Bolton in 1963, the MG was in need of restoration by 2008 and was purchased by a marque specialist. A total restoration was then carried out, completed in 2009, and the car was purchased by the current vendor in October of that year. Noteworthy features include a restored chassis; rebuilt 1,350cc XPAG engine with larger valves, unleaded valve seats, new timing chain, etc; Ford five-speed gearbox with balanced prop shaft; rebuilt steering and front suspension; and new wiring throughout. Other new components include the radiator core, brakes, instruments, stainless steel exhaust system, front and rear lights, K3-style quick-release filler caps, Brooklands screens, mirrors, leather-trimmed seats,
wheels and spinners, and tyres/tubes. Compound Curvatures of Nottingham made the Q-Type style aluminium-alloy two-seater body. In 2013 the engine was fitted with a new Mirage supercharger, supplied by Steve Baker. Described by the private vendor as in generally excellent condition, this exciting recreation of one of the legendary British sports cars of the
1930s is offered with MoT to June 2015 and V5C registration document.


Bonhams 1793
101 New Bond Street
London
W1S 1SR
United Kingdom
Contact Person Kontaktperson
First name 
Bonhams Collectors’ Car department

Phone 
+44-2074685801
Fax 
+44-2074477401