MG T-Series ArchiveMGT-SERIESMG T-Series

Production restarts with the TC

The MG T-Series in 1945

T-Series production restarted in September 1945 with the MG TC — a lightly revised TB with the 1,250 cc XPAG at 7.4:1 compression and 54.5 bhp at 5,200 rpm. TC0251, the first production car, was despatched in September 1945; the last, TC10251, followed in November 1949.

In production this year

Production notes

  • TC0251, the first production TC, was despatched in September 1945.
  • 10,001 TCs were numbered straight through from TC0251 to TC10251 without published yearly breakpoints, so only the factory record dates an individual car.
  • A 1945 TC is by definition one of the earliest cars, built in the final months of the year.

Engine and chassis traits

XPAG engine

The 1,250 cc XPAG four-cylinder overhead-valve engine with twin SU carburettors, 66.5 mm bore and 90 mm stroke and three main bearings. Confirm the prefix stamped on the block rather than trusting a seller's description — XPAG engines were swapped freely over seventy years.

Right-hand drive, wire wheels, beam axle

Every TC was built right-hand drive on a beam front axle with 19 in centre-lock wire wheels. A left-hand-drive TC is a later conversion, not a factory car.

Reading the numbers on a 1945 car

  • Chassis numbers take the form TC0508 or TC508 — the leading zero is optional.
  • Engine numbers are entered as XPAG followed by a space and the number.

Only the MG Car Club T Register factory production records give an exact despatch date. Enter your numbers in the dating tool for a likely span first, then confirm it against that record.

1945 cars in the registry

No verified 1945 car is recorded in the registry yet. If you own one, add it to the registry — chassis and engine numbers from real cars are how a year like this gets properly documented.