Page last updated 17th February 2010. There are many other M Type items located in the Members Area of the website.

The 8/33 Midget or 'M' Type M.G. owes its very existance to the humble Morris Minor. Launched at the time of the great economic depression of the late twenties and early thirties it struck a chord with the British motoring public. It certainly represented a viable and suitably 'prudent' solution to the economic pressures of the period for those potential customers who required a 'sporting slant' to their motoring. Many of these owners competed in hill climbs, trials, rallies and clubman races at both Donnington and Brooklands. Unsurprisingly, quite a number of owners of the 400 plus surviving original cars and replicas continue that tradition today ! A total of 3,235 cars were built between 1929 and 1932.

The car consisted of a standard Minor chassis with a lengthened and lowered steering column, coupled to a completely new fabric covered two seater boat tailed body, manufactured for M.G. by Carbodies of Coventry. The Minor engine was lightly 'breathed' upon and driven through a three speed gearbox, although a four speed gearbox was available as an optional extra in either 1930 or 1931. (experts cannot agree exactly when this was available!) The brakes were also modified slightly and the suspension improved. The end result was a model that gained a reputation for its excellent handling characteristics and a top speed of 65 mph - all for an asking price of just £175. (later revised upwards to £185).

A number of small changes occured throughout its four year production life, the most significant being the adoption of the camshaft which had been fitted to the engines of the winning team of Midgets at the Brooklands JCC 12/12 Race of May 1930. This part has come to be known as the 12/12 'Cam' and is fitted to many surviving OHC Minors as well as the majority of surviving 'M' Types. Another modification for the car's final year of production was the introduction of a metal panelled body to replace the original fabric covered type.

Two other variants of this model were also produced by M.G. The first of these was the pretty 8/33 Sportmans Coupe of which less than a handful survive. The third variant was a replica of the Brooklands team winning cars which were known as the 8/45 Double Twelve. Only 19 (or 21!) of this model were produced and sold.

The 'M' Type as it is now universally known, was the first in a long line of M.G. Midgets that continue in production (with some notable and long intervals) to this day.

Rambler January 2009

Send your M.G. 'M' Type photo to the PWMN and it will be displayed here...........

Sam Christie has provided the PWMN with a number of period articles and road tests, predominantly taken from the pages of the Light Car magazine in the 1930's. Included here are road tests and recollections from the Light Car journalist Harold Hastings who owned and drove an M Type for over 30,000 miles in the early years of that decade. These are Adobe Acrobat files. Click on the blue buttons to view.

The quality of (most) these images leaves much to be desired. They have been scanned from nearly 80 year old press cuttings and in many cases the images were very small to begin with.