1939 MG WA owned by Jeff Gibson
There is a tendency to think that real MG history starts with the immortal T-Series cars that was introduced in 1936 and would eventually lead to the MGA and MGB that would sell in numbers never before reached – and seldom matched since – in a sports car built for two. Most loyalists of the Sacred Octagon acknowledge that the later cars would never have been built without the success of the various prewar Midgets, Magnas and Magnettes, but while these smaller MGs are more closely related to their postwar successors they are hardly the only significant progenitors in the line.
MG SA Tickford Coupe
The SA series made its debut in 1936 and was originally launched as the MG 2-Liter to compete against models from SS Cars – known as Jaguar today – and Bentley. This sporting saloon was in a different class than the multitudes P and N-Types that the company had produced until 1936 and it was developed to use an independent suspension that was later abandoned in favor of an independent front and live axle rear suspension.
MG SA Sporting Saloon
These much larger MGs used a tuned version of the 6-cylinder Morris engine that was later enlarged to 2.3-Liters in 1937 and were provided with Lockheed hydraulic brakes. First offered in saloon form, later cars also featured Touring bodies and Tickford Drophead Coupes. Fewer than 3000 cars were built (only 2739 made) and it was successful in the Continental export market.
MG SA
In 1938, an even bigger car, the WA, joined the SA and featured a 2.6-Liter engine and a wider rear track that allowed use of a roomier body. In appearance the WA resembled the closely connected SA and it was the largest and heaviest vehicle produced by MG at the time. The MG SA and MG WA were only sold through 1939 (when sales were interrupted by the coming war) and sales of the latter were minimal during that year.
'Lap of Luxury – MG SA and MG WA' have 8 comments
April 17, 2015 @ 11:26 am Paul Zink (@paulzink)
Those were such lovely cars; so elegant and sporting-looking even today.
April 21, 2015 @ 9:50 am Peter Pichler
Fantastic !!! I have an 1936 MGSA in storage now since the 60s. This article is enough to incite me to riot, so to speak.
Alas time and my age may prohibit me from pursuing this further. Still the sight of these lovely cars remind me that we, as humans, are nothing more than their custodians…they will live forever
June 15, 2018 @ 8:46 am J Duncan Hutchinson
Around 1980 when working at Barry Simpson Engineering of Abbotskerswell, Newton Abbot, UK, I helped to restore an open top MG WA for the Swiss Count and founder of the Herve Foundation Motor Museum at Aigle, Switzerland, Count Jaques de Wurstemberger. I understand that it is the only MG WA Tourer known to have survived to this day. I quit the motor trade in 2000 and I am semi-retired, although I now work part time as a sound and lighting engineer at live music events. I have some photographs in the family photoalbum of that car at the time of its restoration.
March 22, 2019 @ 3:07 pm Tom Westley
Hi J Duncan Hutchinson,
I am currently building a MG WA with a replica Reinbolt and Christie Coupe de Ville body – using SVW spares in Hull.
I would be very interested to see pictures of the Swiss Count’s car if you are happy to share ? – just out of interest to see the style – do you know who the coach builder was originally ?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Tom Westley DL
September 11, 2020 @ 9:37 am bruce campbell
Hi. I’d love to know more about your Reinbolt and Christe replica. Please contact me. Thanks
August 7, 2020 @ 8:22 am schirmeyer
MY father had this car many years ago….my father had this car…at his professionnal garage…at 20 km of PARIS…when one day.. I décided to sell it……I have put an annonce ment on HERALD TRIBUNE……2 mans from swisverland came to see the car and baught it immediately. ……my father had receive from c all from every were in the world..I have always some ( foto) of this car….I am an old man now 73 years old ….I could exanche photo…and explain the véritable history of this car…I had heard that the gardener of the kneen of England had the other one….TRY TO CONTACT ME.. be nard schirmeyer
March 12, 2024 @ 10:15 am Alan Long
J. Duncan Nicholson, I appreciate this coment was posted quite some time ago, however I would be very interested in hearing more about the MG WA Tourer, which is a former City of Glasgow Police Car. Is there a way I could contact you? Thank you.
August 7, 2020 @ 8:34 am schirmeyer
I speak about the grey one….I Will be very happy to speak about thé car ..we use english..french..and spanish at home