There is an undeniable appeal to those affordable British sports cars that arrived in the U.S. from the early 1950s all the way through the 1970s. Their designs existed somewhere between cute and sexy. The engines provided power that ranged from adequate to brisk. They delivered countless wins in races that required drivers to turn left and right and brake, too. Most of all, they were fun.
The generally accepted story is that the legions of American G.I.s returning from tours of duty in Europe came home with these small-bore sports cars and a generation of our fellow citizens fell in love with their charms. With a vast continent to explore and thousands of miles of new highways being built every year, North America was an ideal market hungry for cars to have fun in. Britain, still in recovery mode from World War II, was more than happy to oblige, its factories exporting the vast majority of its affordable sports cars to the United States and Canada.
The percentages vary and are likely difficult to pin down with any true veracity, but estimates include nearly 80 of the 30,000 MG TDs made were exported to the U.S. The numbers thrown about for the likes of the Austin-Healey 3000 indicate that 90 percent or more were exported to North America. A similar percentage of Triumph TR6s also ended up sold in American dealerships.
We took a look at recent market data for the MG T series vehicles sold from 1945 through 1955, the Austin-Healey 3000, sold from 1959 through 1967 and the Triumph TR6, which was sold from 1969 through 1976. We examined the action for these cars that we’ve witnessed personally on the Hemmings Marketplace and broader data aggregated by Classic.com. While collector car auctions in general have plateaued in 2023, the recent results for these three vehicles are somewhat of a mixed bag.
MG T Series Market Analysis
Let’s start with the MG T series, which encompasses the MG TC (1945-1950), the MG TD (1950-1953) and the MG TF (1953-1955) in the postwar models. The MG TC, which was produced in right-hand drive spec only, was largely a continuation of the prewar MG TB, and included a version of the TB’s 1,250-cc XPAG OHV inline-four engine. Laboriously slow, even for the 1950s, the TC was extremely light, giving its drivers that sports car fun factor that was unmatched by anything produced in an American factory at the time. Some 10,000 were made—exactly 10,000, according to the MG Owners’ Club—during its six-year production run.
Slightly wider, longer and with a vastly improved chassis, the MG TD was manufactured from 1950 through 1953. The TD was the most popular of the series, with those 30,000 produced, the vast majority ending up in North America. It, too, featured the same XPAG engine, though a higher-compression version was available in Mark II models. The TF followed the TD as the most refined of the bunch, with the grille canted back and the headlamps faired into the body. At first, the hottest spec TD Mark II engine was used, but midway through the TF’s run a 1,466-cc XPAG was introduced that offered more power and gave the car the TF 1500 badge.
By today’s standards, all three cars are laboriously slow, but undeniably fun as perhaps the most elemental sports cars sold after World War II. Collectors have been fans for generations now and despite the lack of speed and refinement, values have held relatively steady. On the Hemmings Marketplace, the average price has increased incrementally over the last four years from $21,036 to $23,980, a steady gain of 14%. Median prices have increased by 28%, but that figure is more obscured by lower volume in the early years of Hemmings Marketplace. One sobering sign from our research indicates that the exuberance of collectors may be waning as a bit as the average final bid over reserve has decreased from 39% down to 9%– a sure sign of a cooling market.
Generally speaking, the market favors the TC most, followed by the TF 1500, the TF and finally the more abundant TD. Aggregate data from Classic.com shows much of the same, with relatively flat lines for the pricing charts for all three models.
Austin-Healey 3000 Market Analysis
Among the “big” Healeys, the Austin-Healey 3000 models, which followed the successful 100 and 100-6, are the most refined of the bunch, with later models even being almost entirely weather resistant with genuine roll-up windows. The 3000 had a 2.9-liter OHV inline-six in place of the 100-6’s 2.6-liter inline-six. Front disc brakes were also introduced on the 3000. There are three distinct series, indicated as Mark I, Mark II or Mark III. A wraparound windshield was introduced on the Mark II, along with those roll-up windows. The Mark III got triple SU carbs to go along with a revised cam for rated output of 150 horsepower from the 2.9-liter six.
In a world where Jaguar E-types, AC Aces trade for six-figure prices and contemporary Aston Martins an order of magnitude greater, the Austin-Healey 3000 is considered somewhat of a bargain among those postwar six-cylinder vehicles. It’s not uncommon at all to see them entered in vintage rallies and other driving events. Average prices for all Austin-Healey 3000s on the Hemmings Marketplace have increased by about 6% from the start of 2021 through the end of November of 2023. Classic.com’s data again shares a similar story in the value chart with some slow growth and a relatively flat line.
One indicator that the “Big Healey” market might be holding steady for a while is that performance against reserves, which was a strong 23% and 22% over reserve for sold lots in 2021 and 2023 on Hemmings Auctions, has dropped to just 2% in 2023. People are still buying them at market prices, but just not with the same aggressive tactics from bidders.
Triumph TR6 Market Analysis
The Triumph TR6 might have been a bit of a derivative car, with its chassis and running gear carried over almost directly from the TR5, itself an evolution of the TR4A. In fact, though the body of the TR6 was designed and manufactured by Karmann in Germany, the doors and windshield were cribbed directly from the TR4. With its 2.5-liter OHV inline-six, the TR6 did deliver a lot more torque than rivals such as the contemporary MGB. Triumph imported a total of 76,470 cars, making it one of the company’s most successful models in the U.S.
Unlike the steadiness we’ve seen with the Austin-Healey 3000 and MG T series markets, the TR6 certainly seems to be having its moment. The average price of Triumph’s burly roadster has more than doubled from 2020 through 2023, increasing 106%. Median prices indicate a bit more strength, rising by 112%. Finally, performance against reserves showed that bidding remains vigorous with the typical sold auction delivering a solid 29% higher price than the set reserve. Once again, Classic.com’s coverage of the broader market mimics this same performance.
For collectors who fancy a British sports car from the 1940s through the 1970s, the market has been surprisingly kind for these three models, even with general headwinds affecting the entire collector car market. The Triumph TR6, in particular, has been a bright spot at this section of the market.
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip