One of 103: 1953 Arnolt-MG Coupe

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In the 1950s, unibody construction, though not new, was becoming far more common. The trend spelled disaster for coachbuilders, accustomed to working with manufacturers to dress the latest chassis. Carrozzeria Bertone was already reeling from the financial effects of the war, made all the worse by materials shortages. But if carmakers weren’t keen to flow work to Bertone, the company would have to take a risk, and so it did. Bertone obtained a couple of MG TD chassis – a sensible platform given its simple mechanicals and relative abundance. Constructing a four-seater around the platform, in both coupe and roadster styles, Bertone marched its new cars off to the 1952 Turin Auto Show, hoping to catch the eye of MG’s top brass. The beautiful show cars certainly caught someone’s eye, but it was that of brash industrialist Stanley “Wacky” Arnolt. Arnolt – fond as he was of MGs – immediately contracted to purchase 200 examples of the new car. In the end, only 67 coupes and 36 convertibles were built, making this example here on craigslist a rarity. Though the car clearly needs a ground-up restoration, the price is not cheap at $11,500. Take a trailer to Enfield, Connecticut to pick it up. Thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip!

Once Arnolt set the gears in motion with his order, the process of making the cars began: chassis were shipped to Turin, where craftsmen formed steel and aluminum panels around wooden bucks to create the four-seat body. With each body made individually and separately from the next, vast differences in measurements can exist from car to car. When the cars were introduced, the TD’s 1250 cc XPAG four-cylinder resided in the engine bay; later, the TF’s 1500 cc four was fitted, providing a useful increase in horsepower. A four-speed, three-synchro gearbox was common to both versions.

Bertone also supplied the cars with leather upholstery, door panels with map pockets, and a headliner or cloth top. The switches and gauges come from the T-series, but note the dash inlay is turned upside down to further distinguish it from its parent. Restoring an Arnolt-MG with sheet metal issues or missing trim can challenge even the most earnest, thanks to its hand built character and Bertone’s parts-bin approach to fittings. For instance, the headlamps are not British – they’re from Marchal; and rumor has it that the signal lamps are Vespa.

Once the interiors were fitted, the cars completed their three-legged, three-country trip to Arnolt’s Chicago showrooms, ferrying across the Atlantic. The “shipping and handling” portion of the Arnolt-MG’s journey into a buyer’s garage larded hundreds of dollars onto its price, which made it uncompetitive with the likes of the 160 hp Jaguar XK120. The death knell arrived when MG shifted from making the TD to the TF: the company was no longer willing to supply chassis to Bertone. Occasionally an example shows up at auction; prices tend to range around $60k for the coupe. This well-restored 1954 Arnolt-MG boasting a long ownership history sold for $65,500. Though our subject car is in derelict condition, its mechanicals will be simple to restore, and much of the rest of the car appears intact. Would you be willing to tackle the restoration of this slightly exotic MG variant?

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. angliagt angliagtMember

    When finished (correctly),these are gorgeous cars!
    However,this one would probably cost more than it’s worth
    to get it that way.

    Like 8
    • wardww

      Yea but 1 of 67 means it probably should be restored. As for $, everybody knows that you don’t make money restoring cars so it would have to be a thing of the heart. What this one has going for it is that it is complete. Once the bodywork is done and the already spartan interior redone, it’s a simple thing to reassemble. Most MG TD parts are still available in the UK.

      Like 5
  2. bobhess bobhessMember

    Don’t know how you keep digging up all the details of cars like this Michelle but you certainly do it well. A few years ago I would have taken on a project like this just to save what I think is a beautiful, rare car. The fact that the basic bodywork is already done still leaves a bunch of work left, but just sitting back and looking at the car periodically should be enough to generate enthusiasm to finish the work needed to make it shine again.

    Like 17
    • Nevadahalfrack NevadahalfrackMember

      Well said on all accounts. Another excellent write up from a prolific writer who has been up to their elbows in grit, grime and grunge on obscure and cool cars like this one.

      Like 11
  3. Chas H

    Photos are from 2019. I’m gonna guess the car does not look better at this time.

    Like 4
  4. Derek

    Regarding the dash panel, it would’ve been the other way up and in the middle (over the gearbox) – speedo and rev. counter were ahead in the middle and thus not hidden by your hands at 10 to 2 on the wheel!

    Nice car, though.

    Like 1
  5. Cris

    My family owned this car for a couple of decades. It was in long-term storage in the western end of Connecticut. We had tried to get it out for years, but calls weren’t returned, and the next thing we know, all the cars were auctioned off. We lost this car, another friend lost an Arnolt convertible in similar condition, and I assume others may have also lost their cars. Both our coupe and the convertible had been picked apart a bit by people who had slipped in to the storage facility and grabbed things like trim and grill shells.

    This car is #245, by the way, originally green. It was used in promotional materials for Arnolt. Our records show it being fitted with an MGB engine, by the way. If anyone here buys it, let me know…I have a lot more info on the car.

    Like 18
    • Martin Horrocks

      I think you are correct on the MGB engine. XPAG has varbs on the other side from what I can see. Perhaps a T series expert can comment?

      Important car. I’m not aware if Bertone exidted pre-WW2. Usually the stylist was not Bertone himself, but on such an early car I don’t know if that applies.

      Like 2
      • bobhess bobhessMember

        TD series engine had the carbs on the right side.

        Like 0
    • 57Wayne

      Cris, a buyer might need to contact you to get enough paperwork to be able to title the car. CT Bill of sale used to work easily, but now needs to include some proof of prior ownership, like an old registration or tax bill. It doesn’t sound like the seller has anything although the auction house should have provided legal paper. I sold a couple of Volvo 1800E coupes for parts just because of a no- paper trail issue.

      Like 1
    • Tom Lange

      Cris – please contact me at tlange@acadia.net, as I have some questions about this car. Thank you. Tom Lange

      Like 0
  6. Malcolm Boyes

    Lovely with lines not unlike the AC Aceca or small Aston.This so deserves to be saved..

    Like 3
  7. Kim in Lanark

    My styling tastes are somewhat different. They look good on 3/4 front views, but the long hood short deck 4 seater on an MG chassis does not work well from the side, reminding me of an AMC Tarpon only worse. Kind of like the modified dragsters of the 60s that had the bodies moved back on the chassis. BTW, the rear passengers sit right over the rear axle. That must have been a fun ride. Since the engine isn’t stock, and it looks more or less complete maybe just go for a nice restomod.

    Like 0
    • tompdx

      Totally agree. They should have stretched the chassis to land the rear wheels under the B-pillar. That would be far more pleasing to the eye. Still, I hope someone saves it!

      Like 0
  8. DLOMember

    Michelle, I always wondered if you are assigned cars on BF or do you get to pick and choose? It seems you always end up with the odd balls.

    Yet, Here is another car I have never heard about that has caught my attention. Good job with the write up and turning up obscure information.

    Question: why was Stanley Arnolt called “wacky”. With such a definitive name it certainly begs the question. I don’t know anything about him.

    You have done a great job educating us on the wide world of cars outside of America. You have a great eye for the special and unusual.

    Thank you for another wonderful write up and teaching in an entertaining and informative manner.

    Like 6
  9. Tom Lange

    Cris – please contact me at tlange@acadia.net, as I have some questions about this car. Thank you. Tom Lange

    Like 0
  10. Tom Lange

    See the Arnolt-MG website for a history of Arnolt and Arnolt-MG cars:
    https://arnoltmgregister.net/history/

    Like 0
  11. Tom Lange

    Derek – the instrument panel you describe is correct for an MG, but Bertone turned it on its head! What you see is correct (even tho the speedo and tach were fitted from the MGB engine and trans).).

    Like 2
  12. MGSteve

    A local Club member restored one of these. A truly beautiful car when finished. Timeless styling. He had a devil of a time coming up with a rear bumper. I think he finally modified an early MGB bumper. But the good news on something like that . . . who is going to know! Maybe the Pebble Beach or Amelia concours judges.

    Like 0

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