MG L-type

The MG L-type is a sports car that was produced by the MG Car company in 1933 and 1934.

MG L-Type "Magna"
Overview
Manufacturer	MG
Production	1933-1934 576 made
Body and chassis
Class	sports car
Powertrain
Engine	1087 cc Straight-6
Chronology
Predecessor	MG F-Type Magna
Successor	MG N-Type Magnette

MG L1 "Magna"
Overview
Production	1933-1934 486 made
Body and chassis
Body style	4-seat roadster Continental coupé Salonette

MG L2 "Magna"
Overview
Production	1933-1934 90 made
Body and chassis
Body style	2-seat roadster

This 2-door sports car used a smaller version of the 6-cylinder overhead camshaft, crossflow engine which now had a capacity of 1086 cc with a bore of 57 mm and stroke of 71 mm and produced 41 bhp (31 kW) at 5500 rpm. It was previously fitted in the 1930 Wolseley Hornet and the 1931 MG F-type Magna. Drive was to the rear wheels through a four-speed non-synchromesh gearbox. The chassis was a narrower version of that used in the K-type with suspension by half-elliptic springs all round with rigid front and rear axles.

The car had a wheelbase of 94 inches (2388 mm) and a track of 42 inches (1067 mm).

The brakes, which were the same as in the J2, were cable-operated, with 12-inch (300 mm) drums all round.

The body kept the sloping radiator seen on the F-Type, but the car now had sweeping wings, and the four-seater had cut-away doors.

The L1 was the four-seat, coupé and saloon version and the L2 the 2-seater. The coupé, or Continental Coupé as it was called, was available in some very striking two-tone colours but was a slow seller, and the 100 that were made were available for a long time after the rest of the range had sold out. As a rarity, it is now a highly desirable car. The bodies for the small saloon or salonette version were not made by MG, but bought in from Abbey.

The L-Type was a successful competition car, with victories in the 1933 Alpine Trial and Brooklands relay race.

When new, a L1 tourer cost £299 and a Continental Coupé £350.

References

• MG Sportscars. Malcolm Green. CLB International. 1997 ISBN 1-85833-606-6
• A-Z of Cars of the 1930s. Michael Sedgwick and Mark Gillies. Bay View Books. 1989. ISBN 1-870979-38-9