Family cars with an Intriguing four­ What door alternatives car? from the great Abingdon marque he two-seater sports cars are 1947-53 1953-58 not the only Octagon-badged YAIYB MqnetteZA/Z8 T classics worthy of your Price £13,000 Target Price £8000 attention. If you're a long-time lover of MGs you'll know this already, but even What's so ~ It's an MG TC engine in a Morris ~ It's a giant leap from the pre-WWII seasoned fans might need their special 8-sized saloon. There's a four-speed origins of the Y-type, both in styling horizons expanded somewhat. After about it? floor change, lovely rack-and-pinion and also in engineering: the B-series all, it's rare to find people who like both steering, independent front engine makes its MG debut here small family saloons from the 1940s suspension and almost a Jaguar's and you also get f ull-width looks and bodykitted road-burners from the worth of leather and wood inside. and unitary construction t hat make 21st Century. Yet both, in their own Instant kudos at any MG gathering. the most of t he car's modest size. way, flew the flag for MG's uniquely British combination of affordable performance and sporting appeal. Is there ~ Yes, but to be honest it's more in ~ Magnettes have a well-deserved The strength of every MG was its a fun the time-shift experience of 1940s reputation as drivers' cars thanks close relationship to something more factor? motoring - string-back gloves, to excellent road holding, a close­ modest. They may have been tuned, bottled Bass in the picnic hamper ­ ratio 'box and plenty of go for a facelifted, even re-engineered, but the than in sizzling performance. That 1500cc saloon (especially in ZB Morris, BMC, British Leyland or Rover 1250cc TC engine is detuned (only form). still popular on classic DNA was never far below the skin. one carb) and 70mph is flat-out. rallies and the interiors are lovely. Detractors would point this out as a weakness, but MG was never trying to ~ There are better choices for ~ The Magnette makes a plausible beat expensive foreign marques at everyday motoring. not because option for daily use, but it's st ill a their own game (at least not until the reliability would be much of an 60-year-old design and that shows 1990s) so the kudos that badge­ issue, but because it would through on any fast dual­ engineered MG saloons offered was struggle in fast traffic carriageway or motorway. Winter appealing because it was so and need a lot of TlC salt will eat through a Magnette like affordable. It remains so today. to keep it smart. moths on a wool suit - beware. We'll start with a taste of sporting times pa st in the ~ Beware large or variable door ~ Almost everything up to the nimble V-type saloon, move forward What gaps and rusty door bottoms, also waistline can rot away. Check a generation to its replacement, the goes wrong? dry, rusty-looking kingpins or a especially the sills, wings behind dashing ZA/ ZB Magnette, then check worn engine making continuous each wheel, and the doors. Serious out the first front-wheel drive MG in blue smoke. The chassis can rust rust in the floorpan is your cue to the form of the AD016 1100/ 1300 at the rear - check the spare wheel walk away. As with the Y-type, models. Our 1980s sporting sedan is area and rear spring hangers. rough interiors soak up funds. the somewhat unloved, but rare, Montego. And to round things off, we're calling attention to an oft­ Parts ~ The major clubs have t heir V-type ~ Start at www.magnette.org, then ignored BMW-baiter, the MG ZT. andd ubs registers and the major MG look for specialists like NTG Motor For more advice, you know where suppliers carry some parts for Services (www.mgbits.com). Moto­ to look: www.mgcc.co.uk and www. these models. Also look at the Build ltd (www.moto-build.co.uk) mgownersclub.co.uk. International MG V-type Register and MG Specialists in Norfolk (www. (www.mgytypes.org). which mgspecs.co.uk). other suppliers are provides links to various specialists. listed on the clubs' websites. How ~ Restoration projects start about ~ The final Varitone models can much £2000. The best fetch up to fetch more than £15,000, but willitset £15,000, but anything over £12,000 is enough for a really me back? £10,000 should be good ZB, £10,000 for a ZA, presentable and £7000-£9000ish the and pleasant range for cars with to drive. no serious needs. va version of the ZT got rear-wheel drive ... 88 MARCH 2014 II PRACTICAL CLASSICS 1100/1300 can be MGtwist ~ It's the most fun of an already ~ We might have to resort t o inverse entertaining range of cars. Just about snobbery here. No-one else will every BMC badge you can think of have one, it will make men 1":~r.:!.Et"1i appeared on the 1100/1300 range, but aged 28 to 38 very the MG variants offered the best nostalgic, and it's combination of affordability, looks, got, er ... red performance and interior goodies. seatbelts. ~ All BMC's A0016 models offer a few ~ There is fun to be had from ~ Fun? You bet - there are grins for the driver, thanks to the feeling the 2.0 fuel-injected O-series (0-60mph some fast cars among this lot. of an expanded Mini in their general in nine seconds) but, for real thrills, seek The naturally aspirated 1.8 is a little perkiness and road holding. Anything out the Turbo. It shaved two seconds off underwhelming, but the rest, from the with a 1275cc engine, especially in twin­ the 0-60mph time and delivered its 160bhp 1.8 turbo via the two V6s to the carb form, adds real fizz and brings 150bhp with such lag that the unrefined rear-drive, Mustang-sourced 4.6 V8 are 100mph within reach - just. FWD set-up got a little over-excited. a hoot. Even the 2.0 COTi is satisfying. ~ They still make terrific city cars and will ~ Yes, there's nothing to stop you taking ~ Daily use is the reason t o buy one. Only bounce through the potholes on a daily your Montego back to its daily-driver, the V8 is likely to give you cause to keep basis if you need them to. Two family-hack roots. But be prepared for t he miles down, and even this rare, thirst y, reservations - the same trouble with 1980s reliability quirks, amplified by the modern classic will cope effortlessly winter salt as the Magnette and the likely wear and tear of 25 years - few have should you need to hop into it for the wear (and, therefore, need for repair) of been rest ored, as such. Be sure to keep commute or school run. There's also an the Hydrolastic suspension. on t op of oil leaks and cam belt changes. estate - t he ZT-T is a great load-lugger. ~ That suspension is only a ~ Minor failures add up: cracked ~ Not much. Rustproofing and build worry ifthe car is sitting bumpers and facias, dead central quality mean most have survived more down on one side. Rust is locking, floppy rooflining. .. or less unscathed, but be a stickler for the real threat: check Check for rust around the service history, exterior and interior inner wings, front windscreen, sill to rear wing condition and a smooth, rattle-free LU > bulkhead, sills, floors join and cosmetic nasties like drive. Turbos can blow head gaskets, so J: u c:: and rear subframe. door bottoms and arches. check oil and water aren't mixing. « u ......c.. Vl ~ Mini specialists are a ~ Go directly to the Maestro and ~ Yes, Rover might have gone the way of u 0: good source of t he various common Montego Owners' Club (www.maestro. the dodo (albeit with a Chinese rebirth) c:: is mechanical items, but also try org.uk), which will be more help for but the cars are new enough to get most u www.austinll00-1300.co.uk, practical advice and parts-sourcing t han things through your motor factor. Check ~ BL Transverse (www.bltransverse­ the MG clubs. Secondhand parts are sold out www.the75andZTclub.co.uk, a forum ~ minimetro.co.uk) and Bumper to Bumper on the site and the club has stockpiled a called www.MG-rover.org and a dedicated in Suffolk (01502 740128). great many genuine NOS parts. site for t he vas: www.two-sixties.com. %~ c.. z « ~ These are now pretty rare thanks to ~ Think the MG 1100/1300 is rare? MG ~ V6s or 1.8s start below £1000, but for ::c~ decades of rock-bottom values, and Montegos are becoming like hens' our target of £2250 you'll find a low- b o that's pushing up prices. The best 1300 dentures. Many are projects, shifted for mileage, history-clad 190bhp co ....J two-doors exceed £6000, while £2500 is a few hundred; £1500-£2000 version. The best LUo the least you should pay for a solid, should buy an enthusiast­ diesels start at Z VI useable four-door; £4000 will buy a nice owned car with no £3000, the C Il: 1100/1300 with room for improvement. structural rot. vas at £5000. ~ To subscribe to PC go to www.greatmagazines.co.uk PRACTICAL CLASSICS II MARCH 2014 89 .