MG J-type
title: "MG J-type" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mg-vehicles", "cars-introduced-in-1932", "1930s-cars", "24-hours-of-le-mans-race-cars"] topic_path: "general/mg-vehicles" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_J-type" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox automobile"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | MG J-Type |
| image | J2 advert.jpg |
| manufacturer | MG |
| production | 1932–1934 |
| 2,494 built | |
| assembly | United Kingdom: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England |
| predecessor | MG C-type, D-type and M-type Midgets |
| successor | MG P-type Midget |
| class | sports car |
| layout | FR |
| body_style | 2-door roadster |
| Salonette | |
| :: |
| name = MG J-Type | image = J2 advert.jpg | manufacturer = MG | production = 1932–1934 2,494 built | assembly = United Kingdom: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England | predecessor = MG C-type, D-type and M-type Midgets | successor = MG P-type Midget | class = sports car | layout = FR | body_style = 2-door roadster Salonette The MG J-type is a sports car that was produced by MG from 1932 to 1934. This 2-door sports car used an updated version of the overhead camshaft, crossflow engine, used in the 1928 Morris Minor and Wolseley 10 and previously fitted in the MG M-type Midget of 1929 to 1932, driving the rear wheels through a four-speed non-synchromesh gearbox. The chassis was from the D-Type with suspension by half-elliptic springs and Hartford friction shock-absorbers all round with rigid front and rear axles. The car had a wheelbase of 86 in and a track of 42 in. Most cars were open two-seaters, but a closed salonette version of the J1 was also made, and some chassis were supplied to external coachbuilders. The open cars can be distinguished from the M type by having cut-away tops to the doors.
TOC
J1
| name = MG J1 | image = | production = 1932–1933 380 made | engine = 847 cc I4 | wheelbase = 86 in The J1 was the four-seat car in the range. The engine was the 847 cc unit previously seen in the C-type with twin SU carburetors giving 36 bhp. The car cost £220 in open and £225 in Salonette form.
J2
| name = MG J2 | image = 1933 MG J2 in Grey, front right.jpg | caption = 1933 MG J2 | production = 1932–1934 2,083 made | engine = 847 cc I4 | wheelbase = 86 in The J2, a road-going two-seater, was the commonest car in the range. Early models had cycle wings, which were replaced in 1933 by the full-length type typical of all sports MGs until the 1950s TF. The top speed of a standard car was 65 mph, but a specially prepared one tested by The Autocar magazine reached 82 mph. The car cost £199.
The most serious of the J2's technical failings is that it has only a two-bearing crankshaft which may break if over-revved. The overhead camshaft is driven by a vertical shaft through bevel gears, which also forms the armature of the dynamo. Thus any oil leak from the cambox seal goes into the dynamo brushgear, presenting a fire hazard.
Rather than hydraulic brakes the car has Bowden cables to each drum. Although requiring no more pedal force than any other non-power-assisted drum brake if they are well maintained, the drums themselves are small, and even in-period it was a common modification to replace them with larger drums from later models.
MG J2 WH 4594 - 1933 (9086257917).jpg|Rear view
J3
| name = MG J3 | image = 1932 MG J3 Midget Super Sports (16477052680).jpg | production = 1932–1933 22 made | engine = 746 cc SC I4 | wheelbase = 86 in
The J3 was a racing version with the engine capacity reduced to 746 cc by shortening the stroke from 83 to 73 mm and fitted with a Powerplus supercharger. The smaller engine capacity was to allow the car to compete in 750 cc class racing events. Larger brakes from the L-type were fitted.
J4
| name = MG J4 | image = MG J4 750ccm75PS 1933.JPG | production = 1932–1933 9 made | engine = 746 cc SC I4 | wheelbase = 86 in The J4 was a pure racing version with lightweight body work and the J3 engine, but using more boost from the supercharger to obtain 72 bhp.
References
References
- Green, Malcolm. (1997). "MG Sports Cars". CLB International.
- (1983). "The Classic MG".
- (1993). "A-Z of Cars of the 1930s". Bay View Books.
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