Tag Archives: 18/80

Four Wheel Handbrake – MG 18/80 Sports Six Mk II Tourer

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Built in August 1930 with a fixed head coupé (FHC) body today’s featured 18/80 Sports Six sat around for three whole before it was first registered in October 1933.

MG 18/80 Super Sports Mk II Tourer, Bristol Classic Car Show

This car was then damaged a year later by the MG Works on a service run.

MG 18/80 Super Sports Mk II Tourer, Bristol Classic Car Show

After being stored in first a barn and later a coal cellar this car was rescued in 1984 minus body.

MG 18/80 Super Sports Mk II Tourer, Bristol Classic Car Show

Restoration complete with a cable operated handbrake operating on all four 14 inch drum brakes took 27 years during which time the car also changed ownership.

MG 18/80 Super Sports Mk II Tourer, Bristol Classic Car Show

With a 17.7 hp six cylinder motor driving a four speed gearbox a top speed of 74 mph was quoted for this vehicle which cost £525 when new.

Thanks for joining me on this “Four Wheel Handbrake” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for a Continental Curiosity tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an NSU Prinz. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Last Known Survivor – MG 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon MkII

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Between 1930 and 1932 MG built 236 18/80 Mk II’s with heavier frames and softer springs than the earlier Mk I’s which eventually replaced the Mk I which had been manufactured between 1928 and 1931.

MG 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon Mk II, Bristol Classic Car Show

Of those 236 Mk II’s 50 were deluxe Saloons.

MG 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon Mk II, Bristol Classic Car Show

Only 25 18/80 Six Mk II’s are known to exist, one of them is the prototype featured here a couple of weeks ago which now has a later Tigress style body, and another is the Six Saloon featured last week.

MG 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon Mk II, Bristol Classic Car Show

Today’s featured 1931 model is the only known top of the range 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon Mk II known to exist.

MG 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon Mk II, Bristol Classic Car Show

It was completely rebuilt between 2005 and 2007 and restored to it’s original factory colour scheme.

MG 18/80 Six deluxe Saloon Mk II, Bristol Classic Car Show

Since restoration it has been regularly used on rallies and tours of Europe.

Thanks for joining me on this “Last Known Survivor” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, next week I’ll be rounding out the recent Tuesday features on early MG’s with a look at the oldest MG known to exist, meantime I hope you will join me for a continental curiosity tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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More Strength & Softer Springs – MG 18/80 Six Saloon Mk II

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MG 18/80 Six Mk 1, Bristol Classic Car Show

Rather confusingly MG marketed both the MG 18/80 Six Mk I, featured a couple of weeks ago, and Mk II, featured today, simultaneously from 1929 to 1931.

MG 18/80 Six Mk 1, Bristol Classic Car Show

The 18/80 Six Mk 1 was developed from the still born Morris Light Six project, with a much sturdier chassis, the first to be designed by MG rather than inherited from Morris.

MG 18/80 Six Mk 1, Bristol Classic Car Show

Unfortunately many of the painstaking chassis details like the MG motifs set into the aluminium bulkhead brackets were lost once the bodies had been affixed.

MG 18/80 Six Mk 1, Bristol Classic Car Show

The motor was derived from the failed Morris Light Six but featured a new all in one crank case and cylinder block casting with a separate cylinder head. The motor made use of the then new shell type big end and main bearings for smooth and quiet running.

MG 18/80 Six Mk 1, Bristol Classic Car Show

The 60 hp 18/80 Six Mk 1 is said to have been capable of out accelerating comparable models with good racing reputations from both Lagonda and Alvis, however the performance advantage was lost on the 18/80 Mk II which was built on an even sturdier chassis with a wider track that added weight which was not made up by any improvement in engine performance.

MG 18/80 Six Mk 1, Bristol Classic Car Show

The Mk I was £100 cheaper than the Mk II which made the latter car all the harder to sell despite it’s four speed gearbox, sturdier construction and softer springs. The 1930 model seen here is thought to be one of just 3 MK II’s known to have survived.

Thanks for joining me on this “More Strength & Softer Springs” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me for an independence day edition again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

The 1930 model seen here is one of

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Continental Tourer – MG 18/80 Six Saloonette Mk I

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Today’s featured MG 18/80 Six was through University Motors of, the then very fashionable, Park Lane, London W1 in 1931 for £625 painted black and cream.

MG 18/80 Six Salonette MkI, Bristol Classic Car Show

Technically this car is similar to the Tigress bodied 18/80 featured a couple of weeks ago with a 2468cc / 150 cui six cylinder motor that gives an 80 mph potential.

MG 18/80 Six Salonette MkI, Bristol Classic Car Show

The history of this particular car is unknown between its original sale and the 1960’s when it resurfaced several times as it changed ownership. Since it’s restoration in the 1970’s it has been used for touring in the UK and on the Continent.

Thanks for joining me on this “Continental Tourer” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will loin me tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a classic Messerschmitt. Don’t forget to get to come back now !

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Silver Plated Steering Wheel Boss – MG 18/80 Mk II Prototype

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In 1928 MG moved away from it’s original remit of giving Morris Bullnose products wider appeal which culminated in the MG 14/40 and started to manufacture it’s own chassis and engine blocks.

MG 18/80 Mk II Prototype, Bristol Classic Car Show

The new 18/80 model featured both a unique MG chassis and engine block both of which had been developed from lessons learned from a Morris Light Six Saloon that never went into production. The new distinctive radiator design would be maintained all the way through to the T Series.

MG 18/80 Mk II Prototype, Bristol Classic Car Show

The 18/80 also featured unique to MG front and rear axles with Rudge Whitworth centre lock wheels an either tourer or saloon body styles.

MG 18/80 Mk II Prototype, Bristol Classic Car Show

The twin carburetor six cylinder motor featured a four bearing crankshaft with a Duplex chain, see behind the radiator on the right, which drives the camshaft, distributor, water pump, oil pump and dynamo. The MG 80 hp rated six gave the 18/80 enough power to reach 100 mph. The motor seen here has been upgraded with a MK III cylinder head and ignition and drives through a Rover SD1 clutch in place of the original cork in oil unit.

MG 18/80 Mk II Prototype, Bristol Classic Car Show

The 1929 chassis of the vehicle featured today was originally built as a prototype for the MK II saloon in 1929 however by the early 80’s the body was in such a poor state that it was replaced with a Mk III 18/100 ‘Tigress’ style body. Note the unique silver plated steering wheel boss from the original Mk II Prototype has been retained, but the dash and instrumentation are from a Mk III Tigress.

MG 18/80 Mk II Prototype, Bristol Classic Car Show

As a result of underwhelming track performance, only five ready to race Mk III ‘Tigress’ vehicles, styled after the contemporary Bentley competion models, were built in period.

Thanks for joining me on this “Silver Plated Steering Wheel Boss” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be featuring a Techno DAF. Don’t forget to come back now !

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