Derived from the first MG Midget, the M-Type, and introduced for 1933, the two-seater J2 established the classic MG look which would characterise the Abingdon marque's sports cars into the 1950s. The Midget's 847cc, overhead-camshaft, Wolseley-derived engine was coupled to a four-speed gearbox and housed in a simple chassis frame featuring half-elliptic springing all round and cable-operated 8" diameter brakes. The lightweight J2 possessed exemplary handling and steering by the standards of the day and was good for 65mph. In total, 2,083 of the two-seater versions were produced between mid-1932 and early 1934 and today the J2 is one of the most sought after of pre-war MG sports cars.
This lovely MG J2 was owned by our vendor’s father from 1945 until 1951 when he reluctantly had to sell it when our vendor's imminent arrival demanded a vehicle more suited to a young family. There is a charming black and white photograph of him in the car in the late 40s and the name 'Porthos' can clearly be seen on the bonnet. We assume that the car was so named as a nod to the all-conquering “Musketeer” MG Works teams that enjoyed success using NE Magnettes and MG PAs between 1935 and 1939. I also suspect that he may have had friends in similar cars named 'Aramis' and 'Athos' and all three had a wonderful time so, when researching the subsequent owners in the seventies our vendor's father was able to acquire many original parts and commissioned a full rebuild using parts sourced from other MGs in the nineties. The MG was finished in Gloss Black with an Apple Green interior and once again 'Porthos' was proudly applied to the bonnet. Sadly, our vendor's father passed away in 2005 and the MG became the property of our vendor who has owned it ever since. In 2016, around £10k was lavished on the car by fitting a new Phoenix crank, pistons and rods enabling it to compete reliably in the 2016 “Speckled Hen MG Owners Club” event. What a rare opportunity to acquire a beautifully restored and absolutely lovely little pre-war MG with a heart-warming history from long-term family ownership.