BEGINNINGS OF THE 1 ½ LITRE MG
| Date | Source | Story |
| 1935 | BL Heritage letter from 2-12-1981 | Ledger containing prototype details held at Cowley mentions 3 prototypes: EX/VA/11, EX/VA/12, EX/VA/13 with engines 6303/1, 6303/2, 6303/3. |
| March 27 1936 |
The Sports Car May 36 |
Page 152, Quick Changes reports of the annual dance & social of the MG Car Club, about 300 employees of the Comp. Were present in the Corn Hall, incl Cecil Kimber who just arrived from Harwich that morning. "I talked with many of the men who are building & testing these cars etc. they are very enthusiastic about them. The Two Litre model and its, at present very "hush-hush" little brother etc." |
| July 36 | Stamped in headlamps of 0251 | |
| Aug 10th 36 | Photograph | Photo of chassis with rear bumper with this date upside down on r.h. chassis rail. |
| Sept 36 | Max Miller makes "see through"drawing for The Autocar, based on chassisphoto VA. | |
| Sept 17th 36 | VA record book | Garuanteeplates are issued for VA 0251 & VA 0252 |
| Oct 2nd 36 | VA record book
|
Garuanteeplate is issued for VA
0253
|
| Preliminary Leaflet | "Preliminairy Leaflet" showing
photos and drawings of prototypes is released by MG Car Comp.
|
|
| The Autocar | Announces an "intermediate MG model" showing only factory supplied chassisphotos. Also extensive drawing of saloon by | |
| Oct 6 36 | The Motor | Article on "New 1 ½ Litre MG showing prototype chassisphoto. |
| Oct 15-24 36 | Olympia Motorshow Catalogue | MG stand showing new 1 ½ Litre cream saloon & red tourer |
| Oct 23 36 | The Autocar | Review of the motorshow showing a picture of the new 1 ½ Litre saloon on the show. |
| Nov 2nd 36 | Oxfordshire County Archives | A duo green MG 12 saloon is registered by Morris Motors Ltd Cowley, registrered DJO 117 |
| Nov 3rd | The Kithead Trust | ABL 72 first registered by MG Car Comp. Same month this number is moved to Glasgow. |
| Nov 36 | The Sports Car | "MG models at Olympia" page 380
shows photo of prototype chassis. Page 379 shows Tickford, tourer and saloon
drawings from the "Preliminary Leaflet".
|
| BL Heritage archicve | Photosession in very wet wheather showing ABL 72 & ABL 999 all with George Tuck. | |
| Dec 16th 36 | The Kithead Trust | ABL 999 is registered by Wheelers to go on an Austin. Obviously not related to MG Car Comp?? |
| Dec 36 | The Sports Car | Page 427 shows pictures of cream saloon and red tourer. Called "The first published photographs" |
| Jan 4th 37 | Oxfordshire County Archives | A cream MG 12 saloon is registered by Morris Motors Ltd Cowley, registered DJO 804. |
| Jan 37 | The Sports Car | Page 14: "Now undergoing extended road tests" showing cream saloon (ABL 999) and red tourer (ABL 72)in front of big gate. "In between the floods they have had some sunshine in Berkshire a 1 ½ Litre on test near the works in Abingdon" showing ABL 999 in front of beamed cottage. |
| Febr 37 | The Sports Car | Page 47: "MG 1 ½ Litre now nearing
production stage". Page 52: "The road tests of the MG 1 ½ Litre are now complete. Production engineers are getting busy, we expect to be able to announce next month the date when deliveries begin". Showing red tourer in the wet. |
| March37 | The Sports Car | Page 94: "The MG 1 ½ Litre model is eagerly
awaited by many enthusiasts. We shal describe its road performance next
month". Showing cream saloon and red tourer in the wet. Kimber embarks on testdrive "From Heidelberg to Geneva". |
| April 37 | The Sports Car | Page 130 +131 Test of the MG 1 ½ Litre model with pictures of DJO 117. "Production line is beginning to get busy". |
| April 13 37 | VA Record Book | Garuanteeplates are issued 0259 to 0290. When were 0254-0258 produced?? Februari-March? |
| May 37 | The Sports Car | Frontpage showing DJO 117 near Folly Bridge.
"The 1 ½ Litre model now in full production." Page 178: Showing underbonnet view of DJO 117. |
| June 37 | The Sports Car | Page 226: "The 1 ½ Litre models are now being produced in large numbers at Abingdon". |
| Nov 11 37 | VA Record Book | 0253S is supplied with a new garuanteeplate because of an engine change into TPBG 979 |
| June 9th 38 | VA Record Book | 0253S is supplied with another garuanteeplate because it gets engine 6303/3 back |
| July 16th 1938 | VA Record Book | 0252T gets engine TPBG 2105 |
| July 13th 39 | VA Record Book | 0252 gets engine TPBG 2036 |
Note: VA 0251 still exists
VA 0255 still exists