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MG'S IN
AUSTRALIA
How many MGs
and what models were made in Australia?
Who knows, it might be easier to locate the Holy Grail than answer this
with any conviction.
Also what constitutes "made"? Pre-War is an area I know little of, but
due to duty implications on complete vehicle imports, some may have come
in semi-finished for local body fitting or specifically as racing cars.
Most however were toys for the well off, and as cost was not an issue,
they came in complete.
Post-War, Nuffield had little in the way of centralised operations and
TC's were imported complete through various State distributors, but when
Nuffield Australia was set up in March 1950 the cars coming in did go
through an "assembly" process. This was true of both MG TD and TF. These
roadsters came in on pallets with wheels not fitted and the windscreen
stowed to reduce packing size, much the same way that tractors were
still coming in from the UK into the 80's. Even a lot Magnettes would
have had local tyres and batteries fitted. I remember when I started at
BMC at Zetland in 1959, imported cars (A110, Wolseley 6/110, Healey 3000
etc.) came off the boats with segmented wooden "tyres" – they were
fitted with a slave battery and a slurp of fuel at the wharf and could
then be driven around until cleaned, shod and completed.
True assembly started with the MGA 1500 when Larke Hoskins were
contracted to build CKD packs at their Enfield plant. Twin Cams like
early Mini Coopers came in as complete vehicles. Enfield assembly
continued through MGA 1600 and MkI MGB. Enfield also assemble Austin
Healey Sprite and MG Midget. The engines and suspension units were
assembled in the BMC Waterloo factory and shipped to Enfield on trucks.
In 1969 CKD assembly was moved to the Zetland factory of BMC and I was
fortunate to have been involved in the jig and tool set up for the
assembly of the MG B and Midget. This assembly continued through to 1972
when sales were starting to dwindle and additional room was required for
the plant expansion for the manufacture of the Leyland P76 and
production ceased. Imported cars were expensive, and very few vehicles
came into Australia until the late 80's when second-hand LHD American
rubber nose vehicles were brought in, converted to RHD and certified for
the Australian market.
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