Last updated on December 8, 2024
Today’s car is a 1948 MG TC built and owned by Bart and Brian Trinchero that I photographed at the Boots and Bonnets SoCal MG British Car Show held at The Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, CA. The car is finished in MG Red with a Honey Tan interior. It is powered by a Daimler Hemi-powered engine, 2.5 Liter V8 engine, with Weiand Supercharger and 600 CFM Holly carburetor, mated to a TKO 86 5-speed manual transmission, and a Ford 8″ with 4.11 rear axle. Slowing this beauty down are disc brakes in all 4-corners. The suspension in the front is a rigid axle with longitudinal semi-elliptic leaf springs and telescoping shocks. The rear suspension is a live axle with longitudinal semi-elliptic leaf springs with telescoping shocks. While the TC originally came with 19″ wire wheels, this TC has 18″ wheels in the rear and wider tires to capture the extra HP created by the blown Daimler Hemi.
The TC was the first postwar MG produced and was in production from 1945 – 1949, with 10,001 total units produced. Of those 3000 units were built in 1948. All TC’s were equipped with a 12v electrical system from the factory. The MSRP was 528 Pounds Sterling or $2130.00 USD. In that same time frame the average new US car cost was about $1550.00. In its original state, the published top speed was 78 MPH with a 0-60 time of 22.7 seconds.
The 2.5-liter hemi-head V8 was designed by the acclaimed British motor cycle designer Edward Turner, Turner conceived the Square Four engine in 1928. Turner was then invited by Jack Sangster to join Ariel. Ariel went bankrupt in September 1932, but was bought by Sangster, who promoted Turner to chief designer. Sangster changed the name from Ariel to Triumph Engineering Company. Turner, at 35, became General Manager and Chief Designer. Turner went on to design and produce Triumph motor cycles.
This is a well thought out Resto-Mod that instantly gets your attention first you see the brilliant red car then you walk closer and then you see the Hemi. You are now in OMG mode. What a great car to take to British car shows, custom car shows, local car shows, Cars and Coffee events or just cruising through the Santa Monica mountains at a leisurely pace with a big smile on your face! Thank you for riding along. Frank
