In 1982 I saw an advertisement in the Alexandria Town Talk, listing a 1953 MG-TD for sale.
I have owned over the years a large number of sports cars… My first sports car purchase was in the late 1960′s..I bought a 1953 Jaguar XK-120 roadster for $600.00 off the Red Arrow Car lot on Murray Street here in Alexandria. I got the salesman to drop the price $200 dollars because it had an electric choke on the engine and it was turned on. The car was running rough..when I drove it off the lot I just flipped the toggle switch on the dash and it ran like silk….That started my love affair with british sports cars… That Jaguar today would sell for $40,000.00 or more…. As time went by, I ended up owning about 10 different model’s of MG’s,a Fiat Abarth race car,a Corvette, TR-4A,, TR-6,original Austin Mini, and a few other assorted obscure models.. So I am no stranger to exotic cars of yesterday.
But I digress, let’s get back to the 1953 MG-TD.
I went out to Woodworth and looked at the car. It was in piles in several buildings….But..It had never been wrecked and All parts were original.
The owner had purchased it from the man who bought it brand new off the showroom floor in California in 1953. I bought it and brought it to my home..Sold a 1947 Chevy 2 door sedan to make room for it. I took the MG to a friends shop and started a two-year restoration on the car. Still have most of the parts receipts..Started with a bare frame and totally rebuilt the car, inside and out. A labor of love. Today a similar car is worth 17 to 25 thousand dollars, running.
I placed it in a number of car shows over the years, winning first place in it’s class or best of show…
I put it in storage about ten years ago because I was traveling all over the United States and came home very few times during the year. It is currently in a locked building under a car cover. It is for sale. It needs work. Probably about $2,000 or a little more. The asking price is $14,000…It is still for sale…It will be featured on a major TV show in the near future……….When cleaned up and running it will be worth 17 to 25 thousand dollars. So your return on the investment if you purchase it will well pay for the effort. I had listed it in an earlier blog story, but no one has shown any interest. It is a beautiful car with many, many spare parts.. An extra new set of SU carb’s….If you notice in the very top photo, showing the dash and seats, there is a TR-6 next to it. I just happen to have an extra set of Carb’s for a TR-6… I will thrown in with the deal. Last time I checked, they sell for about $1000.00….Oh, and a limited set of Withworth (spelled wrong) tools go with the car. Also a set of Black side windows, and frames. Never assembled…An extra drive axel. An original repair manual. A long list of spare parts, etc. An original 1953 Louisiana lisence plate…..
Much more detail on the car and its equipment are covered in the link below…
http://alexcenla.wordpress.com/2011/01/29/1953-mg-td-third-owner-since-new-has-it-for-sale/
To be honest, I want to find it a good home and I will help the buyer with my almost unlimited knowledge of MG’s. If you are interested email me at alexcenla@gmail.com ..
Here is a photo of the car taken on May 5, 2012 shortly after it was rolled out of ten year storage. Still looks great.
The reason the faces are blue on the photo.
They are members of the film crew of Cajun Pawn Stars. The MG is set to be part of an upcoming episode of that show. So it will add that to it’s pedegree.
But I make one request..Please do not waste my time or yours if you are not sincere.
THE CAR IS IN ALEXANDRIA, LA. AND I CAN NOT MAKE ARRAGEMENTS FOR SHIPPING TO ANY OTHER LOCATION. THE BUYER WILL BE REQUIRED TO INSPECT THE CAR IN PERSON ON SITE.
