Eric Dymock at the wheel of MG Old Number One,
Morris Garages’ Longwall Oxford workshop had only simple machine tools, no space for production and made only one MG, Old Number One. This was not the first-ever MG, in 1922-1923 they were mostly highly coloured fancy-finished Morrises. Old Number One was a Morris Cowley, modified in the spring of 1924 with hand-forged side members, which broke during testing - the repair can still be seen - curved over the rear axle and out-rigged semi-elliptic springs. The engine was an overhead valve conversion of an 11.9hp Hotchkiss made for the unsuccessful Glasgow-made Gilchrist. Kimber claimed the bore was reduced to 69mm, eligible at 1,495.71cc for a gold medal in the 1500cc class at the Land’s End Trial of Easter 1925. Old Number One had Morris Oxford brakes and a slim 2-seat body, probably by Carbodies, in the spring of 1925 painted the grey of experimental models and prototypes. It was registered FC 7900 on 27 March. Although Cecil Kimber called it “my first MG,” it was nothing of the kind despite later claims of various BMC and Leyland publicists. Sold to a friend of Kimber’s for £300 and rescued from a Manchester scrapyard in 1932 for £15, I drove it at Gaydon’s British Motor Museum when researching material for MG Classics. It was surprisingly lively although cramped and narrow. MG Classics Books 1,2 and 3 features it, together with details and specifications model-by-model, throughout the British production years.
Lonmgwall 1912 Mr Mrris sold a range of cars in thew shadow of Oxford’s walls.
BODY Roadster, no doors, 2-seats; weight15cwt (76kg) ENGINE 4-cylinders; in-line; 69mm x 100mm, 1496cc; compr 5.0:1; 38bhp (28.3kW) @ approx 3500rpm; 38bhp (28.3kW)/l. ENGINE STRUCTURE Pushrod overhead valves; 2-bearing helical gear drive side camshaft; cast iron cross-flow cylinder head and block; Lucas GA4 magneto with helical gear drive; 3-bearing crankshaft; bronze SU carburettor, hand-pumped air pressure fuel feed; belt-driven dyna-start disconnected, starting by handle TRANSMISSION Rear wheel drive; wet cork single plate clutch; 3-speed non-synchromesh manual gearbox; hypoid final drive. CHASSIS DETAILS Modified Cowley channel section steel; front suspension half-elliptic springs; rear half-elliptic springs and live axle; drum brakes, 12in (30cm) Oxford at front, four shoes at rear operated by hand lever; 710 x 90 tyres ZZ rims, bolt-on wire spoke wheels. DIMENSIONS Wheelbase 102in (259.1cm); track 48in (121.9cm). PERFORMANCE Max speed 70mph (112.6kph); approx 20mph (32.19kph)/1000rpm; 0-60mph 20sec PRICE £279 (Kimber’s figure) PRODUCTION 1
Land’s End Trial 1925, Cecil Kimber at the wheel, Wilfred Matthews passenger.