1955 MG TF 1500

Vehicle Overview

Ended on Bring a Trailer Auctions : No Reserve: 1955 MG TF 1500


Contact us for any information regarding this process. 

Presented by Mohr Imports Monterey, member of Bring a Trailer's Local Partners Program. 

This 1955 MG TF 1500 was built in February 1955 and initially dispatched to the United States. The car is said to have spent time in New Jersey before being relocated to Montana and stored there indoors for four decades prior to 2009, and the vehicle was acquired by its current owner in 2021 and offered on BaT in December 2022. Powered by a 1.5-liter inline-four paired with a four-speed manual gearbox, the car has been refinished in black over red leather. Features include a tan soft top and side curtains, a black tonneau cover, 15? wire wheels, a rear-mounted spare, drum brakes, chrome trim, a banjo-style steering wheel, and Jaeger instrumentation. This MG roadster is now offered at no reserve on dealer consignment with recent service records, a tool roll, a jack, an operation manual, a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, and a clean California title.

The car was delivered new in black, and it was refinished under previous ownership. A tan soft top and color-coordinated side curtains are complemented by a black tonneau cover; the rear quarter panels of the side curtains are absent. Features include a chrome-finished grille and bumpers, fender-mounted mirrors, and an external fuel tank with aftermarket side trim. The images in the gallery below were taken in November 2022.

Gray-finished 15? wire wheels are mounted with 165-380 Michelin X radial tires, and a spare is secured at the rear. The car utilizes four-wheel drum brakes, control-arm front suspension with coil springs, and a solid rear axle with leaf springs.

The car received red leather upholstery from the factory, and the red door panels and trim are contrasted by black carpeting. The doors feature map pockets, and storage pods are located on either side of the dash. Signs of age are noted in the leather, and other interior surfaces show imperfections.

A banjo-style steering wheel sits ahead of Jaeger instrumentation that includes a 105-mph speedometer with an inset clock, a 6,500-rpm tachometer, and a combination gauge. The five-digit odometer shows 15k miles, approximately 1,200 of which have been added by the current owner. True mileage is unknown.

The 1.5-liter inline-four is equipped with dual SU carburetors. The engine block is painted red, and the valve cover, carburetors, and thermostat housing are polished. Service performed in March 2022 by Prestige Autohaus of Walnut Creek, California involved rebuilding the carburetors, cleaning the oil pan, and changing the oil as well as replacing the timing chain and drive gears, valve-cover and side gaskets, and the brake-light switch; a $5,316 receipt for the work is provided in the gallery.

The engine number matches what is recorded on the BMIHT certificate.

Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. Additional photos of the underside are presented in the gallery.

A worn tool roll will accompany the car along with an operation manual and a jack.

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate shows details of the car’s production along with a final build date of February 7, 1955.