1935BL Heritage letter from 2-12-1981 Ledger containing prototype details held at Cowley mentions 3 prototypes: EX/VA/11, EX/VA/12, EX/VA/13 with engines 6303/1, 6303/2, 6303/3. March 27 1936 The Sports Car May ‘36 Page 152, Quick Changes reports of the annual dance & social of the MG Car Club, about 300 employees of the Company were present in the Corn Hall, including Cecil Kimber who just arrived from Harwich that morning. "I talked with many of the men who are building & testing these cars etc. they are very enthusiastic about them. The Two Litre model and its, at present very "hush-hush" little brother etc." July ‘36 Stamped in headlamps of 0251 Aug 10th ‘36 PhotographPhoto of chassis with rear bumper with this date upside down on r.h. chassis rail. Sept ‘36 Max Miller makes "see through"drawing for The Autocar, based on chassis photo VA. Sept 17th ’36VA record book Guarantee plates are issued for VA 0251 & VA 0252 Oct 2nd ‘36VA record book Guarantee plate is issued for VA 0253 Preliminary Leaflet "Preliminary Leaflet" showing photos and drawings of prototypes is released by MG Car Comp. The Autocar Announces an "intermediate MG model" showing only factory supplied chassis photos. Also extensive drawing of saloon by Oct 6 ‘36 The MotorArticle on "New 1 ½ Litre MG showing prototype chassis photo. Oct 15-24 ‘36Olympia Motorshow CatalogueMG stand showing new 1 ½ Litre cream saloon & red tourer Oct 23 ‘36 The AutocarReview of the motorshow showing a picture of the new 1 ½ Litre saloon on the show. Nov 2nd ‘36 Oxfordshire County ArchivesA duo green MG 12 saloon is registered by Morris Motors Ltd Cowley, registered DJO 117 Nov 3rd The Kithead TrustABL 72 first registered by MG Car Comp. Same month this number is moved to Glasgow. Nov ‘36The Sports Car"MG models at Olympia" page 380 shows photo of prototype chassis. Page 379 shows Tickford, tourer and saloon drawings from the "Preliminary Leaflet". BL Heritage archive Photo session in very wet weather showing ABL 72 & ABL 999 all with George Tuck. Dec 16th ‘36 The Kithead TrustABL 999 is registered by Wheelers to go on an Austin. Obviously not related to MG Car Comp?? Dec ‘36 The Sports CarPage 427 shows pictures of cream saloon and red tourer. Called "The first published photographs" Jan 4th ‘37 Oxfordshire County ArchivesA cream MG 12 saloon is registered by Morris Motors Ltd Cowley, registered DJO 804. Jan ‘37 The Sports CarPage 14: "Now undergoing extended road tests" showing cream saloon (ABL 999) and red tourer (ABL 72)in front of big gate. "In between the floods they have had some sunshine in Berkshire – a 1 ½ Litre on test near the works in Abingdon" showing ABL 999 in front of beamed cottage. Febr ’37 The Sports CarPage 47: "MG 1 ½ Litre now nearing production stage". Page 52: "The road tests of the MG 1 ½ Litre are now complete. Production engineers are getting busy, we expect to be able to announce next month the date when deliveries begin". Showing red tourer in the wet. March‘37 The Sports CarPage 94: "The MG 1 ½ Litre model is eagerly awaited by many enthusiasts. We shall describe its road performance next month". Showing cream saloon and red tourer in the wet. Kimber embarks on test drive "From Heidelberg to Geneva". April ‘37 The Sports CarPage 130 +131 Test of the MG 1 ½ Litre model with pictures of DJO 117. "Production line is beginning to get busy". April 13 ‘37 VA Record Book Garuantee plates are issued 0259 to 0290. When were 0254-0258 produced?? February-March? May ‘37 The Sports Car Frontpage showing DJO 117 near Folly Bridge. "The 1 ½ Litre model now in full production." Page 178: Showing under bonnet view of DJO 117. June ‘37 The Sports CarPage 226: "The 1 ½ Litre models are now being produced in large numbers at Abingdon". Nov 11 ‘37 VA Record Book 0253S is supplied with a new guarantee plate because of an engine change into TPBG 979 June 9th ‘38VA Record Book 0253S is supplied with another guarantee plate because it gets engine 6303/3 back July 16th 1938VA Record Book 0252T gets engine TPBG 2105 July 13th ‘39VA Record Book 0252 gets engine TPBG 2036 Note: VA 0251 still exists VA 0255 still exists BdV