The Timeline highlights some of the pertinent events of the MG T-Type's evolution, accompanied by a backdrop of contemporary news events and a number of period songs from the era (just click a video clip to hear the song). Additions and corrections to the timeline are most welcome; please send them via the Contact Form of the website.

1936

  
FEBRUARY
MARCH 3 March 1936: The TA prototype, TA0251 (CJO 618), is built.
APRIL 3 April 1936: TA0252 (CJO 617) is produced and used as a press car.
MAY
JUNE 25 June 1936: The MG TA enters regular production at Abingdon, starting with TA0253 having engine MPJG 501. Ten T-Types in total are built on the first day.
JULY
AUGUST August 1936: The TA is fitted with the synchromesh gearbox.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1937

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER 6 October 1937: The MG TA switches to having centre-laced wheels fitted (instead of side-laced wheels) from TA1769 onwards.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1938

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH 7 March 1938: The first TA with Tickford coachwork, TA2187, is built.
26 March 1938: A centralised chassis lubrication system is introduced from TA2253 onwards.
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1939

  
JANUARY 2 January 1939: Allan Tomlinson wins the 1939 Australian Grand Prix in his supercharged MG TA.
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL 17 April 1939: Production of the MG TA comes to an end at Abingdon; 3003 models in total were built (including the two factory prototypes TA0251 and TA0252).
MAY 1 May 1939: Production of the XPAG-powered successor to the TA, the MG TB, starts at Abingdon.
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER 20 October 1939: The MG TB's production run comes to a premature end after only 379 cars (ending at TB0629) as the Abingdon factory turns its attention to the war effort.

1945

  
SEPTEMBER 17 September 1945: The TB's successor, the TC, commences production with TC0252.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1946

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER September 1946: The MG TC colour range is extended from the singular black; red and green are now offered as options.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1947

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1948

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY February 1948: The TC dash changes from walnut veneer to rexine somewhere between TC4868 and TC4926.
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER October 1948: TC Control Panels are switched from black with white lettering to a painted gold finish with black lettering (somewhere around TC6889-TC6909).
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1949

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER 10 November 1949: Assembly line production of the MG TD commences.
29 November 1949: TC10251 with XPAG 10855 is the final TC to roll off the production line.
DECEMBER

1950

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY May 1950: The first three examples of the MG TD Mark II (also known as the "Competition" version) are produced: TD/C1123, TD/C1124 and TD/C1125. All are right hand drive models destined for the export market.
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1951

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY July 1951: Larger (8 inch) clutch is introduced for the TD; engine number prefix is altered to XPAG/TD2 from XPAG/TD as a result.
AUGUST August 1951: Goldie Gardner in the Gardner-MG with supercharged XPAG TD engine establishes six International Class 'F' land speed records up to 137.4 mph at Utah.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1952

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL April 1952: Bertone shows off his custom-bodied MG TDs at the Turin Motor Show, which catch the eye of an American car dealer; the Arnolt MG is born.
MAY 29 May 1952: Pat Griffith wins the British Empire Trophy in Douglas, Isle of Man, in a Lester MG.
JUNE 4 June 1952: MG TD Mark II gets its own exclusive engine prefix; TD/C16811 built today has an engine designated XPAG/TD3/17030.
JULY
AUGUST August 1952: Goldie Gardner in the Gardner-MG with supercharged XPAG TD engine establishes two International Class 'F' records up to 189.5 mph at Utah.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER 27 November 1952: TD Mark IIs start being fitted with "MARK II" bumper badges (TD/C22613 onwards).
DECEMBER

1953

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY 12 May 1953: TF0250, the TF prototype, is built.
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST August 1953: TF0251 - a pre-production car - is built.
17 August 1953: The TD's production run comes to an end with the last MG TD, TD29915.
SEPTEMBER 17 September 1953: The MG TF enters production. The first production TF is numbered TF0501 as a result of Abingdon adopting the new unified Nuffield car number prefix system.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1954

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY 22 July 1954: TF6501 becomes the first production TF to sport the new XPEG 1500 engine. The car was finished in Mid-Green and was a left-hand drive export model shipped to the USA.
AUGUST 1 August 1954: Eyston and Miles in EX179 with an un-supercharged XPEG engine establish eight International Class 'F' records up to 153.69 mph at Utah.
SEPTEMBER 20 September 1954: The final XPAG MG is built at Abingdon: TF6950 with XPAG/TF/36516.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER

1955

  
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL 4 April 1955: TF10100 with XPEG/3771 is the last ever T-Type to be built on the production line at Abingdon, paving the way for a new era: the MGA.