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TD Mark II at the height of production

The MG T-Series in 1952

1952 is the height of MG TD production, and the year in which the Mark II — factory designation TD/C, with larger valves and carburettors and stiffer front suspension — is most often met. Mark II engines carry the XPAG/TD3 prefix; at least 1,710 Mark IIs were built in total.

In production this year

Production notes

  • The XPAG/TD3 prefix was used on Mark II cars, at the later end of TD production.
  • At least 1,710 Mark IIs were built, that being Clausager's published minimum rather than an exact factory count.
  • A Mark II premium should be supported by the factory production record, not by the engine prefix alone.

Engine and chassis traits

Mark II specification

The Mark II (TD/C) has larger valves and carburettors — 1½ in SU instruments — and stiffer front suspension, with a 4.875:1 (39/8) final drive as standard. A TD2 engine does not make a car a Mark II.

Independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering

The TD's box-section chassis carries coil-and-wishbone independent front suspension derived from the Y-Type and rack-and-pinion steering, on bolt-on 15 in disc wheels with 5.50–15 tyres. Look underneath at the frame below the rear spring hangers, where TD cracking is well documented.

Reading the numbers on a 1952 car

  • Chassis: TD/C22580 for a Mark II. Engine: XPAG/TD2/… or XPAG/TD3/… .
  • Check the TD/C claim against the T Register record before paying a Mark II price.

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.

1952 cars in the registry

No verified 1952 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.