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MG MG Y Type - Unique Y or not?

I often find it odd how owners of older cars frequently think their model is unique. Lots of MGB owners seem to have no idea just how much of their car’s mechanics come from the humble BMC Austin Cambridge initially, and the Austin Sherpa van later. Y Type owners seem to have a few blind spots as well. Only the cars chassis was ‘original’. Its engine, gearbox, brakes and rear axle are straight Morris Ten series E bits, the steering and IFS initially were meant for the same Morris, but costs meant a solid axle and leaf spring were used. An old drawing of the MG Ten ( the 1939 version of the YA) shows the car with a beam front axle and leaf springs. The Ys body is a modified 1938 Morris Eight series E shell. The Morris Eight series E was a monocoque, ( no chassis,) with leaf springs both ends. Its body was used on two other models, both with separate chassis; the 1947 MG YA and the 1939 Wolseley Eight ( with a ohv version of the 813cc Morris 8 sv.) Now, why did Nuffield permit a Morris to be a monocoque, a MG to have a boxed in steel chassis, and a Wolseley with an open channel section, cruciform chassis, yet both use the Morris Eight body? Why were they all not monocoque? The Morris Ten series M was chassis-less, it could have had its nose and boot modified as the series E body was, and been a lot bigger inside the cockpit.

The Morris Ten series M performed well with its 1140cc X series engine; the YA goes quite well with its bigger 1250cc X series, but just think how slow the Wolseley was with a heavy chassis, and only a 813cc engine.

Was it perhaps that the accountant had yet to take over fully the whole industry, and the various factions were still permitted a bit of independence? The Wolseley 4/44 had a new monocoque shell, using the YB’s engine, gearbox, rear axle, steering and brakes ( but a completely different IFS) obviously it was meant to be a YB replacement. But BMC had been formed part way through the models development, so the ‘new’ MG actually had a 1489cc Austin ‘Cambridge’ engine, gearbox, brakes and rear axle. The only ‘MG’ bit in it was the steering rack. Its body was virtually a Wolseley 4/44 with the front end lowered two inches. It was called the ‘Magnette ZA’.

Discuss.

NC.
Neil Cairns

When you compare cars with people, you can say that every person is put together with parts from the genepool/partsbin in which both parents contributed. Why does my daughter have brown hair and my son red? (No, don't go there! They both have my dark brown eyes!!) Why indeed aren't they the same gender, born in the same season, so we could have used all the clothing twice?

The way you look is largely caused by the genes, the way you act is influenced by your surroundings/upbringing. Did Einstein/Churchill/Curie etc. have siblings? And if they had, why aren't they famous, too?

The MGB and Y (I happen to own both) are assembled from a humble partsbin/genepool in a sometimes not so logical way. They both perform better then their sum of parts, probably because of their excellent surrounding/upbringing in Abingdon? Just like real people.

BTW I do admit to blindspots AND tunnelvision.....
Willem van der Veer

I maintain Neil that my YB IS unique because of the glorious Spotlight that it carries.
Ted
Ted Gardner

Anything hand made is going to be unique. I've always marveled at the fat that every TC I've driven has driven completely different from one another. So different in fact that with your eyes closed you would swear they are different cars. I suppose this is partly because of all the parts replaced over the years but still, when something is made by human hands there will be variation from one to the next. Especially when there are so many parts involved.

So perhaps Y-Types are not unique for a design and parts standpoint, but each one is unique in its own way. Just the ponderings of a romantic old fool. ;)
Steve Simmons

Hi Steve

Thanks for enlightening me as to how Californian's drive - I did always wonder! Now I know why I live in beautiful rural Washington!

Paul
Paul Barrow

I didn't hit much. Just a fence. And a dog. Maybe a hedge and few small rodents. Well, that I know of anyway.
Steve Simmons

Each of ours is unique, simply because they are Ours.

Paul
TDs/TF/YB/etc.
Paul

<<Now, why did Nuffield permit a Morris to be a monocoque, a MG to have a boxed in steel chassis, and a Wolseley with an open channel section, cruciform chassis, yet both use the Morris Eight body? Why were they all not monocoque?>>

Why indeed? You really got me thinking there Neil. If you look at it objectivly, it is plain stupid to allow such differences. But if you look at later badge-engineered offerings from Wolseley, Riley and indeed MG, you can only conclude that's also not the way to do it (even if I do like the MG 1100/1300 etc very much). I therefore think the use of some common panels DID make sense in view of the meagre postwar years.

When you look at American carmakers you'd be amazed how many panels/parts/glazing where shared in all kinds of different vehicles.
Willem van der Veer

This thread was discussed between 14/02/2007 and 17/02/2007

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